Bako National Park
A True Borneo Adventure

male proboscis monkey in a tree

When people from overseas think of Borneo they imagine a vast tropical island covered in dense rainforest teeming with exotic wildlife where only intrepid travellers dare to venture. The reality is somewhat different but at Bako National Park at least one can certainly get close to that stereotypical image.

I visited the park yesterday (March 2026). I have been before, the first time in 2013. It is the oldest national park in Sarawak (since 1957) and one of the smallest, covering an area of 2,727 hectares at the tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula. It is only 37km from Kuching, making it easily accessible for day-trippers, though some visitors choose to stay overnight in the Park's accommodation.

a borneo bearded pig digging in the sand with its snout

Within minutes of arriving at Bako I saw more wildlife than I have seen in any other Malaysian national park. A family of Bornean bearded pigs was waiting for me on the beach. I’m a bit wary of wild boars but these guys did not seem concerned by humans and carried on making sandcastles or sniffing around in the bushes. Even when accompanied by their piglets they seemed relaxed with the presence of humans but of course you should keep your distance. On my first visit to Bako a troop of proboscis monkeys were wandering around near the Park HQ but yesterday they were nowhere to be seen but it was a different time of year and the weather was poor so perhaps they were sheltering from the rain somewhere.

young male proboscis sitting on a path

Getting To Bako National Park

Getting there is part of the fun. Visitors can take a 45 minute public bus ride to Kampung Bako and be dropped off right in front of the National Parks Boat Ticketing Counter. Here you charter a small speed boat (with driver) for a 20-30 minute boat ride through a wide but shallow estuary and then out into the open sea before being dropped at a jetty (Telok Assam) where the Park HQ is located. At low tide the jetty is high and dry so you will be deposited or picked-up at the beach instead. This requires you wading up to shin level to get to/from the boat so most people take off their shoes and socks and go barefooted. Bring a towel to dry your feet.

inside the ticket office for the boat to Bako National Park

Bus Number 1 from Open Air Market, Kuching to Bako National Park, first bus departs at 7am, next one is 8am. Coming back, buses depart Bako National Park at 2pm, 3pm and 5pm (last bus).

If you prefer to drive, the location of the boat jetty is shown on this map. There is plenty of free parking.

boat jetty at Kampung Bako

The boat costs RM200 per boat return trip for up to 5 people. That's quite expensive if you are a solo traveller so some people team up to share the costs but that does mean you will have to all return at the same time.

You arrange with the boat driver what time you want to be picked up for the return trip (latest time for day trippers is 3pm).

If you couldn't be bothered with making all the transportation arrangements yourself there are plenty of tour companies in Kuching offering day or overnight package trips to the Park.

map showing locations within Bako National ParkMap showing the route taken by the boat to the Park HQ. Also shows the location of two of the trail destinations listed below, relative to the Park HQ.

Bako National Park Trails

There are 9 number well-marked and maintained trails within the park, although two of them, Ulu Assam Trail and Lintang Trail, are currently closed for maintenance as at March 2026. There used to be 16 trails but it seems the more distant ones have been closed down, possibly due to lack of maintenance and visitors during the Covid period or maybe to give wildlife a chance to thrive undisturbed by hikers.

The 9 trails are:

Name

T.Sapi

T.Delima

Ulu Assam *

T.Paku

Pandan Besar

T.Pandan Kecil

Tg.Rhu

Tajor

Lintang *

Distance

400m

1000m

700m

800m

1900m

2600m

4200m

2100m

5800m

Time 1-way

30min

45min

75min

60min

60min

90min

180min

150min

210min

Colour Code

red & white

white & blue

red & blue

white

yellow

yellow

red & yellow

white & red

red

Difficulty

moderate

easy

challenging

moderate

challenging

challenging

tough

challenging

tough

* currently closed for maintenance.

For safety reasons, you have to register at the registration counter at Park HQ before setting out on a trail and sign back in on returning.

I have tried a few of the trails:

Telok Sapi Trail

wooden steps on the Telok Sapi Trail

On yesterday's visit, due to the heavy rain we decided to opt for two of the shorter trails, close to Park HQ. Telok Sapi only took an hour, there and back, but it was quite steep with a number of rustic wooden staircases, some of which are under attack from termites. The view from the top is excellent, looking back over Telok Assam with the Park HQ far below.

view from the top of the Telok Sapi Trail

Telok Delima Trail

jungle trail

This was our second trail, over twice as far but less strenuous. The trail brings you out onto a small bay fringed with mangrove trees with hundreds of mud skippers jumping around on the muddy shoreline.

mangrove trees at Telok Delima

Telok Pandan Kecil Trail

solitary person on the beach at Telok Pandan Kecil

On a previous visit I opted for the relatively straightforward Telok Pandan Kecil trail, which, at 5km and 3 hours round trip, would get me back to the Park HQ in time for my rendezvous with the boat driver.

After the mangrove boardwalk at Telok Assam, the trail ascends through thick forest before reaching a plateau covered in scrub vegetation. The path continues along a sandy track lined with carnivorous pitcher plants, before emerging onto a cliff top overlooking the stunning and secluded bay below.

Bako's famous snake shaped rock

Here you can see the snake-shaped sea stack rock formation just offshore. A further 10 minutes descent through thick vegetation and you arrive at one of the best beaches in the park. Some people were swimming but remembering the crocodiles and jellyfish and having no trunks I stayed on dry land.

idyllic sandy cove

On my way back I made a short detour to Telok Pandan Besar. The path ends on a cliff top overlooking another beautiful bay but there is no path down to the beach which remains inaccessible except by boat.

Tips for Your Safety

beware of crocodiles sign

Crocodiles & Jellyfish

Before catching the boat I read a slightly concerning poster about crocodile attacks in Sarawak with a gruesome photo of dismembered human legs being removed from the stomach of a dead croc. Apparently there are 7.8 crocodile attacks per year in Sarawak, several of them fatal, and this number is increasing. Over half the attacks are in the Batang Lupar River Basin which I must make a note of not visiting!

For this reason, as well as jellyfish, swimming at any of the park's inviting beaches is prohibited.

beware of marine stingers sign

Bornean Bearded Pigs

These seem to be very docile and accustomed to humans but do not come between the parents and their young.

Macaques

Long tailed macaques are cheeky and might try to steal your bags or food. They also have very long pointed teeth!

Mosquitos

This is Borneo so mozzies are a hazard with 600 malaria cases in Sarawak in 2024 and a couple of hundred dengue cases over the past two years. I recommend long trousers and long sleeves and a powerful insect repellant.

The Boat Trip

Yesterday, in March, was the tail end of the monsoon season and the sea was quite choppy. Luckily the boat driver was skilled at negotiating the waves. No doubt if the journey was considered to be too much of a risk boat transfers would be suspended.

Sunburn / Dehydration

Some trails like Telok Pandan Kecil have stretches which lack tree cover and are exposed to the hot sun. A hat and sunscreen are required. On all the trails you will sweat profusely so a good amount of drinking water should be taken.

sandy beach at Telok AssamThe sandy beach in front of the Park HQ looks very inviting but swimming is prohibited due to the risk of jellyfish stings and crocodile attack.

Accommodation

There is a range of basic accommodation choices at Bako National Park. See the official website for details, prices and bookings.

Overnight Visitors Check-in 2pm, Check-out 11am.

Other Facilities

Cafeteria open from 07:30am to 10pm serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Interpretation Centre.

Toilets.

Opening Hours & Admission Price

The boat ticket office opens at 8am.

The latest time you can book for your return boat journey return for day-trippers is 3pm.


2026 Prices

  • Boat RM200 return for a boat holding up to 5 people.
  • Park Entrance RM 20 per person for foreigners, RM 10 for Malaysians.

Tips

  • You have to register online (sfc.sarawak.gov.my) before entering any of Sarawak's national parks including Bako. You can do this in advance to save you faffing with your phone while in the ticket queue. Then all you have to do is show the registration confirmation email with QR code at the ticket office to buy your tickets.
  • Wear proper shoes. Hiking in flip flops or sandals is dangerous and not allowed.
  • Bring a small towel in case you get your feet wet wading to the boat.

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