Feel like trekking, hiking, exploring and more? Why go to a different country when you have these 5 spots right at your back door? Check out these 5 amazing places to visit and explore, right here in Malaysia!
1. Bako National Park
The Bako National Park is the oldest National Park in Sarawak and has a coverage area of 2,727 hectares. And although it is the smallest national park in Sarawak, it contains almost every type of plant can be found in Borneo. If you’re looking for a gorgeous place to explore, this is the place to go, with its rainforest, unique rock formations wildlife, stream, inhabited beautiful beaches, waterfalls, tropical plants. It is located about 37 km from Kuching and is easily accessible, making it one of the most popular parks in Sarawak.
2. Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
This National Park comprises of a group of 5 islands which are Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Mamutik, and Pulau Sulug. This marine park’s locale is between 3 to 8 kilometres off Kota Kinabalu as the park is spread over 4,929 hectares with two-thirds of the area being the sea. You can reach this marine park via the Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, Kota Kinabalu. And for accommodations, you can check out amazing resorts such as the Gayana Eco Resort, Bunga Raya Resort and the Gaya Island Resort.
3. Mulu Cave National Park
This National Park has a coverage area of 52,864 hectares and the most amazing part of the park is its amazing caves system. The Sarawak Chamber is the largest known cave chamber in the world by a volume of 30,347,540 cubic meters – able to accommodate 40 Boeing 747 aircrafts. The Clearwater Cave’s length is about 189km and is the 8th longest cave in the world, whilst its pinnacles at Mount Api has a magnificent panoramic view that everyone has to witness. Mulu has been listed as a World Heritage site in November 2000 because of its gorgeous scenery and its biological significance.
4. Kinabalu National Park
Established as a National Park in 1964, the Kinabalu National Park has been designated as Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 2000. With a coverage area of 75,394 hectares, the Kinabalu Park houses a massive number of flora and fauna at an estimation of about 4,500 to 5,000 species, more than the total found in Europe and North America. There are also more than 300 species of birds and 100 species of mammals who call this National Park their home. It is also one of the most popular (if not the most) spots for tourists in Malaysia. Of course, the main attraction of the park is Mount Kinabalu which attracts thousands of climbers each year.
5. Taman Negara National Park
This National Park is the oldest one in Malaysia, established in 1938/1939 when the ‘King George V National Park’ was named ‘Taman Negara’, after we got our independence from the British. It has a total coverage area of 43,4341 hectares, with the main attraction being the breath-taking rainforest.
Explore your national park whilst enjoying activities; stroll down the famous canopy walkway, visit the orang asli villages, feed fish, trek and many more. The infrastructure in this park is so well-developed that it also has many accommodation types such as resorts, guesthouses, chalets, and hostels.
