By Martin Yee
IN the past, it was frequented by school boys and girls going for picnics but today, Bako National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Sarawak, is fast gaining a reputation as a gem of a spot for eco-tourism.
Thanks to the internet and the obvious advantage of proximity to Kuching City, the park has been drawing tourists, mostly day trippers, from all over the world.
Visitors hop on a bus parked near the Electra House in the city to take them to the Bako terminal and from there, they take a 15-minute boat ride to the park.
It is the most visited place – with about 200,000 per year – and soon visits may have to be booked in advance like at Mount Kinabalu which also limits the number of visitors. But as of now, there is no visitor limit yet.
The park has a few trails, some with a steep incline, which present the natural world to the more adventurous to see the proboscis monkeys or even creepy crawlies like the hermit crabs on the sand.
The rock formations in the sea near the beach give one the chance to see the natural world at its best.
Yet for all its attractions and its popularity as a tourist attraction, Bako National Park needs a major upgrade to give it a five-star rating comparable to the best of national parks in the world.
“It is a gem of a place and one day, it may be oversubscribed as the place with its rich biodiversity, exotic animals and pristine forests. It is a naturalist’s dream and top place to visit on the bucket list of nature lovers,” said a local visitor.
“The place really needs to be looked after as it is considered one of the best and unique in the world as the many tourists, mostly from Europe, can attest to.”
Stating that maintenance of the place was very important, he said the infrastructure, too, needed to be improved. He suggested the building of a bigger and safer jetty.
The authorities also need to look into environmental issues like rubbish and sewage disposal as other places like the resort at Boracay in the Philippines had serious environmental problems due to heaps of rubbish.
To serve the many tourists from other countries like those from Europe who had frequented the place, the authorities should provide for a good information centre.
Accommodation should be upgraded to make it four star or five star as the place needs to set a standard.
“For any visitors, especially from other countries, the accommodation must be up to par. There must be a nice cafeteria serving good food and the information centre must provide all the necessary information.
“A general maintenance of the place is very important as such a place must be properly managed.”
He said the park attracted tourists who were interested in adventures and culture.
With the world getting ever more built up and with an increasing global population, Bako National Park has what it takes to be a jewel in the crown, especially among those looking for time out with all that nature has to offer.
