Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cause so little light penetrates, but up in the canopy all manner of life proliferates. Unfor-
tunately, there are no explanatory signs here and some guides don't have the background
to explain the importance of the canopy ecosystem and point out the huge variety of or-
ganisms that can live on a single tree: orchids, bird's-nest ferns and other epiphytes; ants
and myriad other insects; amphibians and snakes; and a huge selection of birds.
The views of nearby hills and valleys from the walkway are breathtaking, if you can get
over the vertigo - the tower, built by Shell using oil-rig scaffolding technology, wobbles
in the wind. Whatever you do, don't think of metal fatigue or lightning. If you'd like to
share the experience with friends or loved ones back home and have a Malaysian cell
phone, the tops of the towers are a good place to catch a cross-border signal.
The trail up to the canopy walk begins near the confluence of Sungais Belalong and
Temburong. It's a short, steep, sweaty walk. If you stay overnight at the resort, you can do
the canopy walk at sunrise, when birds and animals are most likely to be around.
Rivers & Waterfalls
Places to take a refreshing dip in the park's pure mountain waters include several rivers
and waterfalls - your guide can point out the best spots.
At one small waterfall, just outside the boundaries of the national park, you can stand in
a pool, and 2cm- to 4cm-long fish that look like tiny sharks will come up and nibble your
feet, giving you a gentle, ticklish pedicure as they feast on the dry skin between your toes.
To get there, head downriver from the Ulu-Ulu resort for about 500m - your guide can
help find the creek you need to follow upstream for a few hundred metres.
SWIMMING
Sleeping
LODGE
Ulu-Ulu Resort $$$
(
www.uluuluresort.com
; per person from B$290; )
In Malay,
ulu
(as in Ulu Tembur-
ong) means 'upriver' and
ulu-ulu
means, essentially, 'back of beyond'. The park's only
accommodation is an upscale riverside lodge, built entirely of hardwood, with some
rooms thoughtfully built in the style of 1920s Malaysian -style chalets. It has a cinema for
rainy evenings - after the canopy walk, Hitchcock's
Vertigo
might be an excellent choice.
Prices include transport from BSB and board; activities tend to be expensive.
