Bako National Park is a significant natural reserve located in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Established in 1957, it is one of the oldest national parks in Malaysia and covers an area of approximately 27 square kilometers.
The park is renowned for its rich biodiversity, encompassing various ecosystems such as mangrove swamps, dipterocarp forests, and coastal vegetation. It is home to numerous species including proboscis monkeys, Bornean bearded pigs, long-tailed macaques, and various bird species. The park is also known for its numerous trails, offering visitors opportunities for hiking and wildlife observation.
Check this ultimate travel guide to National Bako park in Kuching, Sarawak; get up-to-date information for first timers on what you can see there (animals and plants), how to explore it, how to get there, day tours and other important details you need to know to plan perfect visit.
About Bako National Park
- Address: Sarawak, Malaysia
- Entrance fee: 20 MYR/ adult, 7 MYR/ child.
- Join Bako Park Day Tour from Kuching
- Official website: https://bakonationalpark.my/
- On the map: link.
How to Get to Bako National Park from Kuching
The nearest city to the park is Kuching. From there, you need to make your way to Kampung Bako village, which is the launching point for boats heading to Bako National Park. You can take a taxi or use a ride-sharing service from Kuching to Kampung Bako. The journey takes approximately 30-45 minutes by road, depending on traffic.
Once you reach Bako village, you’ll need to take a boat to the park. There are regular boat services departing from the jetty at Kampung Bako. The boat journey typically takes around 20-30 minutes, depending on sea conditions.
Day Tours to Bako National Park
The best option to explore Bako National Park is by joining the day tour from Kuching. The tour includes round trip transfer, entrance fee, English-speaking guide and lunch. The price starts from 80 USD/ adult, click here to book.
For even more unique experience you can join 2D1N Bako Park tour with safari night walk. Minimum 2 adults are required for this tour, price is 148 USD/ person. Find all the details and complete your booking here.
What to see in Bako Park
Exotic plants
The flora of Bako national park is striking in its diversity: the small area is home to mangrove and swamp forests, hundred-meter dipterocarp trees, padang shrubs, rock ivy, carnivorous water lilies, many types of flowers and grass.
Botanists consider Bako National Park a unique place – here you can find all kinds of vegetation that are found on the island of Borneo. Another great place to discover is Tun Sakaran.
It is very easy to see all the beauty of the park. There are hiking trails for different fitness levels. Light or professional hiking, or climbing rocky mountains – choose what you like best and start your exploration.
Rare animals
Unlike most national parks in Malaysia, Bako guarantees tourists encounters with wild animals. During the hike, you will see long-tailed macaques, silver woolly monkeys, wild boars, squirrels and lizards. The luckiest travelers will encounter rare proboscis monkeys that are only left on the island of Borneo.
The proboscis monkey is an unusual animal with a long nose and a large belly. Adults reach a weight of 20 kg. The body of such monkeys is covered with red hair, while the paws and tail remain gray-white. They live mainly in trees. Proboscis monkeys feed on shoots of young plants, fruits and seeds.
To meet these rare animals, go to National Bako Park early in the morning or during sunset hours – this is the time when proboscis monkeys are most active. Remember, these animals are very shy, so try not to make loud noises not to scare them away.
Meeting with proboscis monkeys can be the most vivid memory of your visit to Bako National Park. The most suitable trails for encountering these animals are Telok Paku (0.8 km length) and Telok Delima (0.25 km length), as well as the mangroves of the Ulu Assam trail.
Birds in Bako park
The wonderful singing of local birds is carried for many kilometers around the park. Ornithologists from all over the world come here to watch birds. In Bako park you can meet:
- blue and red kingfisher;
- a large green barbet and a brown barbet;
- white-bellied woodpecker;
- zhelna (black woodpecker);
- Asian bluebird;
- mangrove blue flycatcher;
- velvet nuthatch;
- white-breasted chauffeur;
- little owl;
- eastern masked barn owl;
- Malay fish owl and many others.
Bako National Park Beaches and Coves
If you get tired of hiking, then go to the cleanest park beaches with white sand. The best beach is Telok Pandan Kecil. To get to this beautiful place, follow the Telok Pandan Kecil trail.
In an hour you will find yourself at a rocky cape with an incredible panoramic view. Then you will have a twenty-minute descent down and, finally, you will reach the bay. It is surrounded by limestone and sandy rocks. Here you can have a picnic, swim and snorkel in the clearest water.
Closer to sunset, it is better to go to Ulu Assam beach along the trail of the same name. At the far end of the beach you will see Santubong rock with hundreds of thrush nests.
After sunset, do not rush to leave this place. Approximately 20 minutes after sunset, the sky takes on a purple-crimson hue that paints the rock in all the colors of the rainbow. This is a very beautiful sight.
Trekking trails
In total, the park has 16 jungle trails of various difficulty and length. There are trails for hiking for 2-3 hours, and there are tracks for two-day hikes. All roads are marked with colored signs – it is impossible to get confused. The main thing is not to go off the path not to get lost.
The tracks are intertwined. The shortest road is 800 meters. It leads from the base into the thick of the mangrove forests. The longest path stretches for ten kilometers and takes tourists to the bay.
Best Time to Visit National Bako Park
The best time to visit Bako National Park in Malaysia is during the dry season, which typically occurs from April to October. During the dry season, you can expect less rainfall and more sunshine, making it ideal for outdoor activities like hiking and wildlife observation. The trails are usually more accessible and less muddy during this time, allowing for better hiking conditions. Wildlife sightings may be more frequent as animals are often more active in drier conditions.
From November to March it is wet season that brings heavy rainfall and higher humidity to the region. Trails can become muddy and slippery, making hiking more challenging. While wildlife sightings are still possible, animals may be harder to spot as they seek shelter during heavy rainfall.
