Malaysia > Hiking through Similajau National Park

Early in the morning, there is already some commotion in the guesthouse. I suspect the host family got up at half past four. From that moment on, all the roosters in the village seem to have come to life. One rooster is sitting right below my room. I haven’t slept very well. I take a shower in the primitive shower room. The water just drains through a hole in the floor to the outside. Under the cold stream, I quickly wake up. Boniface is already in the kitchen with tea and bread. He knows we will have breakfast in the longhouse, as Regina is preparing it there.

Malaysia - A photo with our host family who gave us shelter for a night

But in all his hospitality, he wants to make sure I don’t miss out on anything. Out of politeness, I take half a slice. After breakfast, I say goodbye to Boniface and Regina, thanking them warmly for their hospitality. What kind people they are. I promise to send them the photo for their album. Perhaps I will also meet their daughter Martina, who works in Mulu National Park, where I will go in a few days. From Durin, I take the bus toward Miri, following the Pan Borneo Highway—a very good road connection across the island. After about forty kilometers, I stop at a Chinese temple complex. A spacious area with several Buddhist temples. The complex is still new, with construction workers finishing the last details. In the main temple stands a large statue of the laughing Buddha. In the other temples are various other depictions of Buddha, which can be worshiped. On one hand, it’s impressive; on the other hand, it’s also quite kitschy.

Malaysia - A new Chinese temple complex along the Pan Borneo Highway

I skip lunch today. Instead, I buy some drinks and a few cakes at a roadside café for the bus ride. Eventually, I arrive at Similajau National Park at half past two, slightly later than planned. The park is located on a small beach along the South China Sea. The rooms are newly completed but not entirely finished. Since there are no curtains, the windows are covered with paper. Presumably, funds will be available next year to complete it. When I enter, I am greeted by a cockroach in the middle of the room. I quickly get rid of it. There are beautiful walks through the tropical rainforest in the park. I cross the suspension bridge and follow the hiking trail to the viewpoint—a one-and-a-half-hour walk. The route runs through the forest over tree trunks and narrow footbridges. At the viewpoint, a small shelter with benches has been built. From here, I look out over the South China Sea and the bay of Similajau National Park. It is already past five o’clock when I walk back; the sun is low on the horizon. I prefer not to walk through the forest in the twilight, so I skip the turnoff to the White Trail. I do take a moment to admire the mangrove forests. The enormous roots hang like arches above the water, most of them covered in moss, making the scene even more striking. In the evening, I have dinner together on the veranda of the canteen.