Walking through the jungle in Bako National Park in Kuching, Sarawak was like a test of mental and physical fitness for me. My brother kindly drove us to the jetty in Bako Village, a 30-minute drive from Kuching city. From Bako Village, my friend and I had to take a 30 minute boat ride to reach the jetty of Bako National Park in Teluk Assam. Nothing really challenging so far, unless you count the feeling of dread I had when I fell into the brown water of the river and ran into a crocodile.

But I made it to the Bako National Park jetty that afternoon in one piece. Bako National Park is known for its rainforest treasure chest, botanical diversity, and variety of wildlife. Visiting Bako National Park was my friend’s idea, and since it was my first visit to the Park, I was curious to know more about this nature reserve. In fact, I was looking forward to an interesting yet relaxing time, which is my idea of ​​a vacation.

My first day in the Park was more of an orientation, getting to know the place, figuring out what to do, where to go, and also meeting some of its fascinating residents, both two-legged and four-legged humans. non-humans such as bearded pigs, long-tailed macaques, proboscis monkeys, and flying lemurs. The staff at the Bako National Park headquarters were polite and helpful.

After we checked in at the desk, we took the afternoon easy and just enjoyed the atmosphere, the sound of nature, the creatures and everything. Our room had a ceiling fan and basic furniture. After all, we are in the jungle and what else can we expect to get closer to nature.

The second day dawned bright and sunny, and after having breakfast and lunch, aka brunch, at the cafeteria, we went to the Bako National Park headquarters to check out the possibility of easy jungle trekking. I could manage a short, simple trail of an hour, out and back.

After taking a look at 16 different jungle trails in Bako National Park to choose from, my friend decided to try the Tajor jungle trail which leads to a small waterfall, which would take 2.5 hours one way, 5 hours in total. , otherwise we get lost. But that would be a slim chance, as there are color-coded markers or signs to point the way, the staff assured us.

Did I not mention that I could manage a short, simple trail of an hour or so, out and back? However, since my friend came from abroad to visit Kuching, Sarawak and Bako National Park as one of the places of interest to visit, I felt that I had to adjust, despite my feelings of unease and not being prepared for a longer walk. I’ve never been an athletic person, but a couch potato would be a better description of me.

So off we went, with our backpacks and a bottle of mineral water for each of us, on a 5-hour jungle adventure inside Bako National Park. Stepping into the jungle canopy was like stepping into another time zone. The calm stillness and cool shady atmosphere created by huge trees and overlapping giant leaves gave me a sense of peaceful mystery.

I found that maneuvering the uneven terrain interspersed with tree roots, fallen branches, and brush required some balance and agility skills. We would stop intermittently to rest, have a sip of water, and also to check the colored markers to make sure we were on the right track. Fortunately, we did regular checks, as at one point we took the wrong turn and had to turn back. It was a scary moment, I can tell you.

Walking uphill required effort and was exhausting. There were times, with sweat dripping down my face and clothes, when I wondered why he was torturing me. My leg ached and my feet ached, mainly because I was wearing sandals, which were not appropriate for walking through the jungle, particularly on uneven ground. But when the going gets tough, the tough gets going; and I persevered, mentally motivating myself whenever I felt like quitting.

As we went along, I was trying to see if I could spot the bulbous-nosed proboscis monkey, said to only be found in Borneo. I didn’t see any but I did see carnivorous plants of different shapes and sizes… Today I was amazed that these cute plants are carnivorous. When we got to the small waterfall, I was glad to have a breather because walking through the jungle in Bako National Park was exhausting, at least for me.

The sound of rushing water, splashing on mossy rocks and gurgling through nooks and crannies was like music to my ears. I would have liked to swim in the small “pool” but put it off because I didn’t bring my bathing suit or extra clothes. We spent an hour resting and cooling off by the waterfall, immersing ourselves in the tranquility and not at all disturbed by the soft murmurs and laughter of other hikers who were also enjoying the serenity of the place. He made the walk worth it.

The return trip to the Bako National Park headquarters was quicker, or so it seemed. I wasn’t paying as much attention to my surroundings as we had to hurry to be in time to catch our boat ride back to Bako Village that evening. You can imagine my alarm and dismay when the bottom layer of the soles of my sandals came off! Fortunately, the upper soles and straps of the sandals were still intact, and I managed to cautiously limp down the slope and carefully made my way to the jetty.

We made it in time to catch our boat and my pitiful sandals held up all the way back to Kuching. My brother came to pick us up at Bako Village, and in response to his question about how the trip to Bako National Park was… Tired but a memorable experience, I said.