Top 20 hiking spots in Sarawak
From hills and mountains to national parks and waterfalls, there’s no shortage of hiking trails for outdoor enthusiasts in Sarawak! In this writeup, we explored 20 exciting trails across Sarawak, including Lundu, Serian, Kuching, Bintulu, Sibu and Miri.
Kuching
Mount Santubong
If you’re up for a challenge, the Mount Santubong Summit Trail, which stands at 810 metres with an elevation gain of 2,663 feet, has a tough mixture of steep and rocky climbs. This rewarding climb will take you through picturesque jungles and panoramic views of the South China Sea.
Bako National Park
Bako National Park is made up of 16 jungle trails, with varying difficulty and lengths. Park-goers have the option of shorter trails like the 800m Tanjung Sapi trail and the popular 2.5km Telok Pandan Kecil trail or more challenging trails like the 5.3km Telok Sibur or the 10km Telok Limau.
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfg43lJvcVe/
Kuching
Mount Santubong
If you’re up for a challenge, the Mount Santubong Summit Trail, which stands at 810 metres with an elevation gain of 2,663 feet, has a tough mixture of steep and rocky climbs. This rewarding climb will take you through picturesque jungles and panoramic views of the South China Sea.
Mount Serapi
Located within Kubah National Park, the Mount Serapi Summit Trail is the park’s most popular trail! The path to the summit is paved with tar, with wooden shelters erected along the way for shelter just in case it rains!
Kampung Assum
Located in the Padawan area, Kampung Assum is home to four magnificent waterfalls, all set along a single trail. In order, they are Nub, Bubby, Apot and Suran Waterfalls, but it is important to note that the terrain difficulty increases with each waterfall.
Bukit Batu Selabat
Located in the Muara Tebas area, this is one of the most popular hiking spots in Kuching! The 1.5km-long trail is a pretty challenging hike, as it involves quite a bit of boulder climbing, but the peak offers magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding Muara Tebas and Bako area.
Bengoh Dam
The Bengoh Dam hike is another popular trail in Kuching, starting at the dam with a scenic boat ride, a half hour walk to the Pe’an Waterfall and another 20-minute hike to massive Susung Waterfall. For a full experience of the Bengoh Dam, you can even spend a night or two at a homestay in Kampung Sting!
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
This hour-long hike takes you on a scenic 3km route that starts at the foot of a hill and ends at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Matang. The roads are fully tarred, making it a relatively manageable uphill walk surrounded by tall trees!
Serian
Silabur Cave
Prepare to spend a whole day at this magnificent jade-like cave! The trek starts at Kampung Batu Lin and takes a little over an hour of trekking to the foothill of Mount Silabur and another half an hour to the cave entrance. The cave itself comprised two large chambers, with beautiful green walls and formations.
Lundu
Jangkar Waterfall
This moderately challenging trail takes one through one and a half hour of dense forest, starting at Kampung Jantan in Lundu and ending at the crystal clear tiers of Jangkar Waterfall! You can either lounge in the natural pool at the base after or climb up the sides for a panoramic view of the waterfall and the surrounding area!
Tanjung Datu National Park
Don’t underestimate one of the smallest national parks in Sarawak! Tanjung Datu National Park has four trekking trails, ranging from a short 500m trail to the viewpoint to the 3.7km Telok Melano Trail that takes visitors through lush forests and stunning coastline.
Gunung Gading National Park
The most popular trail in Gunung Gading National Park is the Summit trail, a 6.4km route that takes one across green forests and a series of waterfalls before concluding at the summit. However, this route is considered relatively challenging so make sure you have a hiking stick with you!
Bukit Gondol
This trail near Lundu is an easy one-hour hike, which takes one on a picturesque walk along the coastal area and up a hill with an elevation of 100 metres. This 4.3km trail is made up of a series of rocky steps and promises a panoramic view of the ocean and the surrounding hilltop.
Bintulu
Taman Tumbina
There are three trails that are open to hikers in Taman Bukit Tumbina, from the shortest being the 1.9km Green Trail to the 2.7km-long Red Trail. All three trails are considered relatively easy, as the park only has an elevation of 70 metres.
Nyabau Waterfall
This small waterfall just outside town is one of the best trails in Bintulu, as it is considered relatively easy thanks to its short distance. The 2.7km long trail however, does have quite a bit of elevation, as it is a part of Nyabau Hill, but the delightful waterfall at the end offers a refreshing respite!
Sibu
Bukit Lima Nature Reserve
Known as the green lung of Sibu, this nature reserve is an urban park with a 5.7km-long wooden trail, surrounded by a peat swamp forest. Popular with joggers, wildlife enthusiasts and birders, Bukit Lima is home to 39 species of birds and mammals like pangolins, long-tailed macaques, the giant squirrel and the Sambar deer.
Bukit Kemuyang
If you’re up for a challenge, Bukit Kemuyang is a favourite among avid hikers, with 5 trails of varying lengths, all marked accordingly. The White Trail is the shortest at 1.47km, followed by Yellow (3.10km), Blue (5.10km), Orange (6.15km) and Red (10km).
Miri
Canada Hill
With dozens of hiking trails scattered around Canada Hill, this area is relatively popular with hikers, joggers and runners, especially on the weekends. The journey towards the top of the hill, which is home to the ‘Grand Old Lady’ the first oil well in Sarawak, is riddled with beautiful views of Miri town and scenic forests.
Bukit Kasut
Located within Niah National Park, Bukit Kasut is a challenging trail that spans 5.8km and takes over 3 hours to complete. From the park entrance, you’ll need to hitch a boat ride to make your way to the trailhead, where you’ll begin the steep ascend to the summit of Bukit Kasut. The last 2 kilometres of the trail is known to be especially challenging, as hikers will need to brave rope trails, steep stairs and even ladders.
Mulu Pinnacles
As one of the most iconic natural structures in Sarawak, the Mulu Pinnacles is a high risk and extreme activity, only available as overnight trips with recognised travel agencies. Located within Gunung Mulu National Park, the Pinnacles karst are at the end of a 2.4km trail riddled with steep elevations, rocky grounds and thriving orchids and pitcher plants.
Lambir Hills
This compact national park 30km away from Miri town has a number of hiking trails, most of them with access to multiple waterfalls. The Lalak Waterfall is the biggest one in the park, and is at the end of the most popularly used trek. On the way, you’ll pass by two smaller waterfalls, but you can only swim in the Lalak Waterfall!
Have you hiked any of these trails before? Which one will you be adding to your wishlist?