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Brunei for adventure
Think of Brunei Darussalam and visions appear of golden-domed mosques, a cultural landscape populated with a royal heritage, opulent resorts and hotels, premium golf courses and a tranquil, peaceful country, made prosperous by its oil and gas production. Brunei nestles on the northern shores of the verdant island of Borneo. A shining modern example to the world, Brunei is also a rainforest gem of a country, synonymous with raw, unspoiled nature. More than 70 per cent of Brunei’s land area is covered by primary rainforests. The Government of Brunei has acted to conserve some 32,000 hectares as forest reserves and has allocated 50,000 hectares for national parks which are some of the finest in Asia. Mangroves, natural hatcheries of marine life are also plentiful and unspoiled and are home to abundant species of plant and animal life. Pristine rainforests, coral reefs, mangrove-covered islands, immaculate white sandy beaches and accessible nature reserves offer travellers a unique ecotourism experience. Without having to rough it or cut your way through thick jungles visitors can walk in the rainforest canopy which houses birds, plants, micro fauna and mammals, such as the rare Bornean proboscis monkey, making it one of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems. Brunei has wonderful nature reserves and field study centres, such as the famous Ulu Temburong National Park and the Kula Belalong Field Study Centre, both offering adventure activities. Ulu Temburong National Park occupies almost 40 per cent of the Temburong district of Brunei Darussalam and the park includes a range of wilderness habitats, from lowland forest and jungle rainforest at an elevation of almost 2000m. Access is via traditional longboat along river corridors or jungle hiking tracks as there are no roads into the park. Perhaps Brunei’s most distinctive advantage for nature lovers is that all its natural attractions are within easy reach of the contemporary luxuries of the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. Nestled in the middle of Temburong National Park on the banks of the Temburong and Belalong Rivers, amid 45,500 hectares of Batu Apoi forest reserve is the Ulu Ulu Resort. Accessible by ferry or longboat (around two hours from the capital), the resort offers standard rooms and a number of suites and villas designed in the traditional Malay style. The resort invites you to chill out and relax to the music of the birds of the forest, but it’s a hard place to sit still in. There’s so much to experience in this national park and once you tear yourself away from the sumptuous breakfast you’ll be up for an adventure. There’s a local company there (Intrepid Tours) which specialises in one and multi-day programs suited to all ages and interests that help guests to interact with the natural and cultural heritage of Brunei. For example you can go upriver by longboat to see wildlife such as hornbills, butterflies and proboscis monkeys. You can trek through the forest, shoot the river rapids, and get involved with eco activities. There’s a rafting day tour, an evening mangrove safari and much more to do to discover this extraordinary country. During 2009 Brunei Darussalam (the ‘Abode of Peace’) will celebrate 25 years as an independent country, so to visit while the celebrations are happening will more than enrich a trip there. In a shrinking world, where footsteps have tramped familiar and well-worn roads, Brunei is as yet undiscovered and unspoilt – just the place to go to forget the cares of a troubled world. Travel facts Visit: www.bruneitourism.travel; www.uluuluresort.com; www.bruneibay.net/eco-adventure/natlpark.htm;
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The green heart of Borneo is a rich, untapped natural resource for the adventurous traveller and Brunei’s pristine rainforests make up a large chunk of the country.