228 / 252
226
Borneo Bulletin Yearbook 2019
Ulu Temburong National Park
Dubbed the ‘Green Jewel of Brunei’, the Ulu
Temburong National Park is Brunei’s only
national park, a successful example of the
Sultanate’s forest protection policy. Spread
over a whopping 50,000 hectares of land, the
rainforest plays resident to the ever elusive
Proboscis monkey and thousands of other unique
species of flora and fauna. To get to the park,
visitors have to ride a water taxi from the main
jetty in the capital to Bangar in Temburong.
To properly experience the park, visitors are
encouraged to stay overnight at the Ulu Ulu
Resort – conveniently located in the middle of
the park – for an early head start: itineraries
in the park often start with an early morning
canopy walk to enjoy views 180-feet above
the jungle floor. Apart from a stunning bird’s
eye view of tree tops and Bukit Belalong in the
distance, lucky visitors may also spot swinging
gibbons, hornbills flying overhead or even flying
squirrels. Apart from the canopy walk, the resort
organises jungle hikes towards waterfalls and
kayaking down a river.
Sumbiling Eco Village
Situated in Batang Duri, Sumbiling Eco Village
is a nature lodge. The lodge, also a dropping
off point for longboat rides taking visitors to
Ulu Temburong National Park, is located right
on the banks of an upstream section of the
Temburong River. The lodge is distinct for its
minimalist design and structure, with huts built
with bamboo in addition to a mix of recycled and
new wood.
Apart from well-furnished rooms, the lodge
also provides riverside tents set up using
eco-friendly wood suitable for “glamping” –
glamour camping. The tents are equipped with
comfortable amenities for a good night’s sleep
and provided are properly-walled, common
bathrooms. Additionally, the lodge organises
optional excursion including a night walking
tour, a daytrip to the Ulu Temburong National
Park and a Rainforest Discovery trek at the
nearby forest.
Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre
The Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre (KBFSC)
is a research platform incepted when Universiti
Brunei Darussalam along with the Royal
Geographical Society (RGS), London carried out
a joint jungle expedition into the Belalong forest
back in the early 1990s. Through the centre, over
70 researchers of various fields and backgrounds
conducted research in Kuala Belalong.
Furthermore, the centre has been conducting
educational programmes for students of various
levels as well as government sector employees
since 1992. KBFSC has hosted groups of study
exchange students from other countries such as
Japan and Malaysia to explore and learn about
the rich biodiversity of the rainforest.
KBFSC’s core mission is to generate, describe
and disseminate knowledge in Science and
Education related to the vast diversity of Brunei’s
tropical rainforests, including all the varied life
forms and ecosystem processes. Research
professionals with an interest in the rainforest
are welcome to the centre.
TEMBURONG