Bako National Park, Sarawak

Coastal rock formation in Bako National Park, looking towards Gunung Santubong in the horizon.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bako_National_Park#/media/File:Bako_National_Park_(3678650933).jpg
Peter Gronemann


Bako National Park (GPS: 1.70949, 110.46409) is a oldest national park of Sarawak. It is located in the Kuching Division, at the tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula, which is at the mouth of the Bako and Kuching Rivers. It was established back in 1957.

Bako National Park is characterised by steep coastal cliffs and rocky headlands punctuated by sandy bays. The result of millions of years of erosian has carved fantastic rock formations, sea arches and seastacks which are coloured with iron deposits.

Covering an area of only 27 square kilometers, Bako is the smallest of Sarawak's national parks. Yet even with its diminutive size, it harbours a myriad variety of wildlife. There are 16 walking trails, all colour coded for easy identification that allow visitors a truly wonderful experience as they explore Bako.

With Bako National Park are seven complete ecosystems which includes beach flora, cliff vegetation, heath or kerangas forest, mangrove forest, mixed dipterocarp forest, grassland vegetation and peat swamp. Among the flora in Bako includes many species of carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants, sundews and bladderworts.

There are many types of animals at Bako. Perhaps the most distinctive is the proboscis monkey, endemic to Borneo. There are presently only about 150 of them in Bako. Other animals include the long-tailed macaques, monitor lizards, Bornean bearded pigs, silvered langur, otters, lizards, snakes, flyer lemur, pangolin, mousedeer, bats, tarsier, slow loris, civet cats, and over 150 species of birds.

Rock formation in the sea at Bako National Park
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bako_National_Park#/media/File:Bako_National_Park_(3679460540).jpg
Peter Gronemann


Boats along the shore at Bako National Park
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bako_National_Park#/media/File:Bako_National_Park_(3679454162).jpg
Peter Gronemann


Mudflats along the coast at Bako National Park
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bako_National_Park#/media/File:Mudflat_at_Low_Tide_with_Santubong_Peninsula_in_the_background_(15735828941).jpg
Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE


Wooden broadwalk along the coast at Bako National Park
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bako_National_Park#/media/File:Mangrove_Boardwalk_under_the_rain_(15214596224).jpg
Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE

Park Information

The entrance to Bako National Park is at Bako Bazaar. There you register and pay a park fee of RM10 per adult, RM5 per child. From there, a 30-minute boat ride takes you to the park headquarters. Accommodation is available there.

Bako National Park is on the map of the National Parks in Kuching

Bako National Park is on the map of National Parks in Sarawak

List of National Parks in Kuching Division, National Parks in Sarawak and National Parks in Malaysia

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Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

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