Snake of Bako National Park

After we're done combing the beach during sunset, we went back to our hostel to rest for a while, and surprise surprise. A snake, pit viper probably, was right in front of our hostel.

Driven by excitement and adrenaline, I walk closer to the snake to get better picture, thinking back, it's kinda stupid to approached the snake that way.

Proboscis Monkey of Bako National Park

They are the biggest celebrity of Bako National Park. They announced their arrival at dusk and dawn with loud noise of trampled zinc roof. It just happened that their way to the beach for meals are over the Information Centre of the park. So, when they hop across the zinc roof, it makes loud noise that announced their presents. They also make this weird grunt noise that distinctively Proboscis.

A leaf chewed by one of the monkeys.

Silvery Langur of Bako National Park.

We first met this charming creature along Lintang Trail on our way to find out where Teluk Assam trail. It was dark and they are too shy to take decent picture. But it's great to finally see a silvery langur female with her orange baby.

After the encounter at Lintang trail, we were excited to stumble upon a family of timid silvery langur at the mangrove. At first, we were worried if the monkeys gonna snatch our lunch like that the long-tailed macaque, turn out they didn't. They still eat whatever they eat in the wild.

Silvery langur is Old World monkeys and there are several different species of them. They live in family of harem with size up to 40 individuals, with one dominant male and a lots of mommies. Silvery langur babies born with orangey fur and white skin and it slowly turn darker to adult coloration when growing up.

Cute langur baby.

Gang of mommies

Justification for the pic below, how often you see langur poop? There.

As you can see in the video below, there's a particular monkey that seems comfortable around human, we think he's the dominant male, and I call him Mr Ambassador.

Teluk Assam, Bako National Park

If you happened to arrive at Bako National Park during low tide, the boat most probably won't be able to reach the jetty, and you have to wet your feet and walk along the beach of Teluk Assam to go to the park headquarters. This view of eroded limestone will greet you at the moment you arrived at Teluk Assam.

This is a picture of the mangrove along Teluk Assam, here you can see a lot of catfish, mudskipper and fiddler's crab.

Bell was excited because it was her first time flying a kite properly. 

It was jellyfish season when we went there, and we found this poor stranded jellyfish while strolling along Teluk Assam waiting for sunset.

Don't you feel like singing Hakuna Matata whenever you see this kind of animal. It's a bearded pig, largest mammal in Bako National Park. This picture was taken near dusk, close to the canteen.

Below are series of amazing view of Mount Santubong from Teluk Assam at different time.

Afternoon

Sunset

Sunrise.

Another picture from Teluk Assam showing the orange glow of sunset and beautiful full moon.

 

Sunrise at Teluk Assam.

Boat Ride from Kampung Bako to Teluk Assam, Bako National Park.

To go to Bako National Park, we took Rapid Kuching Bus 1, in front of Elektra House. The bus schedule is hourly from early morning until around 5 pm. The last bus stop is at Kampung Bako, right in front Bako National Park Terminal. At the terminal, we were ask for our accommodation permit and paid RM5 (student price) for the park fee. After that, we hop on the speed boat to Bako N.P. Headquarters at Teluk Assam.

Kampung Bako

Excited that the weather was good and the tide was not too low.

The boat ride was easier and the waves were calm. A friend of mine complaint that during his boat ride to Bako, the waves is so large and the boat shook so much that his backside become numb.

Enjoying the view of the mangrove.

'Kelong' like stuffs. Basically, it's a bamboo structure where the fisherman hang the net to catch fish.

Teluk Assam.

The boat we taken happen to have quite large engine that the boat ride seems so short.

Spending during Bako Trip

I really like to start proper post for Bako trip today. However, I haven't edit the pictures yet, so I guess I would start with something that I already have, which is the list of spending during the trip. Initial budget planned was between RM80 (if 4 people joined the trip) to RM100 (if only 2 people join). Total spending for Bako Trip is RM127.30. RM27.30 overspending was mainly because I splurged on food and drink and boat ride to view the sea stacks.

Transportation accounts for almost 50% (RM63) of the spending. Lodging ~17% (RM21.20), Food and Drinks ~29% (RM36.90) and etc ~5% (RM6.20).

For lodging, we rented one hostel room for 4 person for RM42.40 (split with Bella, RM21.20) since we're not sure how many people gonna join the trip. I could save RM5.30 if we're rent a bed for each (RM15.90) instead of the whole hostel room.

I splurge a lot on food and drinks. For example, I bought 4.5litres mineral water (RM7.20) when I could bought drinking water for RM4.50. Aside from that, I also bought a lot of unnecessary junk foods and too heavy breakfast that accounts for RM 13.70.

Bus ride from Kuching to and fro Kampung Bako costs RM3.50 one way. Boat ride from Kampung Bako to and fro Teluk Assam, Bako National Park cost RM47 per boat, or RM9-RM10 each if you got at least 6 people sharing the boat. To Teluk Assam, we paid RM10 and back to Kampung Bako, we paid RM23.50 per person as they are only two people. We splurged on boat ride from Teluk Pandan Kecil (cost RM45 which I split with Bell) to view Tajor Beach, Teluk Pandan Besar, Tanjung Rhu, Sea Stacks and back to HQ at Teluk Assam.

Lastly, I spent RM1.20 for kite (pretty one) and RM5 (student rate) for the park entrance fee.

Below is the details of the spending
Lodging                           (RM42.40/2) RM21.20
Snack                              RM6
Bottled Water                  RM7.20
Chocolate                        RM4.80
Kite                                 RM1.20
Breakfast                         RM6.40
Bus to Bako                    RM3.50
Park Fee                         RM5
Boat to HQ                     RM10
Dinner                             RM6.50
Boat from Pandan to HQ (RM45/2) RM22.50
Lunch                              RM6
Boat to Kpg Bako           (RM47/2) RM23.50
Bus to Kch                      RM3.50
TOTAL                          RM127.30

Bits of KK

Bits of KK brought back accidentally in my pants pocket. It's sands from Mamutik Island.