The Real Brunei Beauty
Katrina A. Holigores treks deep in to the Brunei forest and gets high (literally)
Photographs by Katrina A. Holigores
I’ve always loved the great outdoors and have never balked at the idea of doing things just for adventure. Whitewater rafting, cliff climbing, snow and water sports are already happily crossed out from my “things to do before you die” list. Trekking in the wild outdoors, though, is something that never leaves my list and I indulge in it as often as possible. I don’t think anything can beat a good old nature hike, basking in the benevolent shade of age-old trees and filling your lungs with the freshest air. It was a bit surprising for me to learn on my recent trip to Brunei that they actually had a national park where one could swim, hike and be one with wild animals (and possibly wild people). The two-hour flight from Manila to Brunei was made rather pleasant by the excellent service of Royal Brunei Airlines; although I must say that flying will never really hold any charms for me. I ordered my low-salt meal and fell asleep in my chair that seemed to recline to the level of a nice cushy bed. Ah…
The city of Brunei itself was clean, and not very densely populated. The hotel, a “six-star,” sprawling structure by the name of The Empire, was lavish and an astounding sight for its sheer size and the decoration (gold and semi-precious stones) which adorned the lobby and some of the more exclusive suites. Even with all the pampering that one can expect from a hotel of this caliber, I was looking forward to venture outside my massive 100-square meter room and see what Brunei was all about. The tour guide spoke about the Ulu Temburong National Park, a lush and green area measuring around 50,000 hectares. Only 100 of it though, are designated as park grounds. Located on the Borneo island, Brunei still has about 70% virgin forest left—pretty astounding, considering all the (ahem) progress that has been going on in the rest of the world…
Wait—Borneo? Isn’t that where you find headhunters, cannibals, and savages? (Nope, that’s Congress.) Anyway, our group had the assurance of our savvy travel agent and Brunei regular, Vernon Prieto, that he had been to the National Park several times and had returned uneaten (although his head did look a little small…) Joking aside, we were promised a marvelous journey into the best that nature had to offer, plus a healthy way to burn the all-you-can-eat buffet we exploited at our hotel. The highlight of Temburong was the canopy walkway that rises up about 50 meters from the ground. It doesn’t sound too impressive in terms of height, but the thing was, just to get to the “ground” we had to climb about 1500 steps up a mountain. Of course, these are things I only found out once we arrived at the park.
We took a jetty from Brunei to the capital of Temburong, Bangsar town, then took a 30-minute bus ride to the Batang Duri Jetty, then were transported right via a temuai, similar to a bangka without the katigs on the side. This ride up the Temburong River took us across many rapids and the breeze coming in from all sides as we passed through an endless amount of trees was absolutely refreshing. If I wasn’t trying to desperately spot wild animals I probably would have fallen asleep. The indigenous people of Temburong, called Iban, manned the boats, and with great skill I must add. The water level can sometimes be quite low, so they have to maneuver the temuai over sand bars, rocks and even fallen logs.
On the river ride, I was fortunate enough to spot a couple of egrets. For those who are more sharp-eyed (and patient) than I, it is said that small reptiles are also plentiful here: the green Wagler’s Pit Viper, flying lizards and even geckos. Our guide happily reported that if we went into darker parts of the jungle, we would be able to spot some alligators. (Or was it crocodiles?) Whatever, we weren’t particularly interested—more out of fear, and not an adversity to reptiles. At the headquarters, we were informed guests could also choose to do a two-day tour of the rainforest which would give them more opportunities to not only see the animals mentioned above, but all types of insects, amphibians, birds, mammals and botanical wonders. Upon hearing this, I kind of regretted that we only had one day to stay. I have no fear of wild, exotic animals for as long as I have a highly skilled, sensitive guide who will die for me in case I am attacked (and I’m only half joking).
So up the mountain we went. It wasn’t a terribly steep climb and by the halfway point (around 600+ steps) I could already feel my breakfast and the overindulgent dinner slowly melt away. I was also melting from the heat, but because of the shade of the trees, I wasn’t feeling drained or even feel like stopping for a rest. Nature is really invigorating, especially if you allow yourself to be inspired by it. The trees were majestic, the chirping of birds and insects make me feel like a female Tarzan.
My other companions scaled the steps at his or her pace. That way, nobody felt that they were in an Ironman Triathlon. At 45 meters up, we were allowed an undeniably spectacular birds-eye view of the park. The bridge itself was a bit shaky, but no way, at any point, did I feel like I was in any danger. I think a couple more meters up and I could have touched the clouds. Talk about having an (aluminum) palace in the sky.
Going down was of course, much easier than going up. Before we returned to Bangsar to take the jetty back to Brunei City, the group made a cultural side trip—a visit to a traditional Iban longhouse. A long house is er, long, as it is an elevated abode split up into about 10-15 sections to accommodate 10 to15 Iban families! It’s communal living at its most comfortable. Some tribes choose to have very simple living arrangements, with a common room for the elders and the children to run around and play in, while some opt for more modern fittings built out of concrete instead of wood. There is a “head” family of the household and I guess this kind of authority and leadership prevents it from turning into a Melrose Place on stilts.
The feeling I got overall from my short stay in Brunei and its surroundings was one of peace. The people lived in relative harmony, and the differences in religions and backgrounds seemed to make no difference. My experience of the highs (literally) and longs (literally as well) of Brunei was definitely one for my books. Who knows, maybe next time around, I will get to see even more wildlife. The proboscis monkey is found only in Brunei and famed for its, uh, special salute. (Yes, the name is a clue.) Jempat Lagi!, say the Bruneians. I’ll take that as a standing invitation.
Your Itinerary
How To Get There: Royal Brunei Airlines flies six times a week from Manila to Bandar Seri Bagawan, the Brunei capital. For reservations or bookings, contact the Royal Brunei general sales agent at phone (2) 897 3309 and (2) 895 3545, e-mail
Where To Stay: The Empire Hotel And Country Club is an award-winning, breathtaking palatial resort fit for a sultan (or king). Opened in 2000, The Empire has won numerous awards as one of Asia’s best resorts, notably winning the World’s Leading Presidential Suite from the World Travel Awards two years running (2003, 2004). Visit
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