This article first appeared on Traveloka. Visit their blog for more awesome travel-related content.

Given that Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia, it surely has some pretty great activities to offer — especially if you’re all about the outdoors. In today’s blog, we’ll be covering some of the outdoor-sy things you can do in Kuching, Sarawak. Even if you’re a homebody who just prefers to lounge at home, this could just change your mind. Or not.

But Kuching’s got game, we’ll tell you that.

All things nature: Bako National Park

This one’s for the ones who are in need of a good dose of nature. To give you a little context, Bako National Park dates back to 1957 and covers the tip of the Muara Tebas Peninsula.

It may not be the biggest park, but it consists of almost every type of vegetation that can be found in Borneo — swamp forest, mangrove forest, and dipterocarp forest, to name a few. It also boasts wildlife (it’s home to over 200 rare proboscis monkeys that are only found in Borneo), a coastline, coves, beaches (Telok Pandan Kecil), and trails for short to full-day hikes.

Opening hours:
8.00am – 5.00pm
Monday – Sunday (including Public Holidays)

Note: You are advised to bring trekking attire and shoes, sunblock, swimming gear, insect repellent, and some basic first aid supplies.

For hike’s sake: The Pinnacles Trail

Warning: Turn your serious-geek-hiker mode on

If you’re a seasoned hiker, you’ve probably heard or hiked this trail. But for laymen like us, we mostly just like to prep you for it.

The well-known Pinnacles at Mulu consist of many 45-meters high, sharp, limestone spikes. They low-key look slightly creepy, but we’re sure the high of the hike will leave that out of your head. It towers over the rest of the surrounding area, and the trek to view them is the most popular in the park.

If you’re a beginner, you may want to skip this and go for something lighter. But don’t say we didn’t warn you — the Pinnacle Summit Trek is challenging and requires a good amount of fitness abilities to pull through (can’t relate).

On top of that, it’s also quite a process. This trek isn’t done in a few hours. It’s done in 3 days and 2 nights (yikes). So, get mentally prepared months ahead, and don’t forget your trekking necessities, of course.

People-watch but make it dolphins: Irrawaddy Dolphin Tour

This experience takes you on a cruise to the Santubong River, to see sights of the Irrawaddy Dolphin. This rare species inhabits rivers and coastal areas that are shallow, and Santubong is the best place within Sarawak to see them swimming around the boats.

Home to world’s largest flower: Gunung Gading National Park

In case you didn’t know, the bragging right for having the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, belongs to Sarawak — it grows up to one metre in diameter and when it blooms, it gives off an unpleasant smell that will attract flies and insects. It doesn’t have a particular blooming season, but it thrives better during the rainy season, and it takes up to nine months to mature. Unfortunately, the full bloom only lasts up to five days before it wilts.

The Rafflesia is surely the highlight of Gunung Gading. Due to its brief bloom, your time of visit is key. November, December, and January are regarded as its peak flowering season. Visitors can check with the park HQ (Tel: +60 82 735144) or the National Parks and Wildlife Booking Office in Kuching (Tel: +60 82 248088) to find out if it is in bloom.

Read more here.