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Gunung Gading national Park is located in the Lundu District, southwest of sarawak. The Park consists of rugged mountain peaks which provides a scenic backdrop to the nearby beaches at Pandan and Siar. The waterfalls in the upper reaches of Sungai Lundu have become a popular recreational destination for both local and foreign visitors. The more adventurous visitors can take a hike right up to the peak of Mount Gading which is 900 meters high.
Gading is the home to numerous rare plants including the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia tuan-mudae (bunga pakma) At full bloom this giant flower streches nearly one meter in width.
The flowers can be found on specific vines like the Tetrastigma. The spores settle on the host plant and develop into a bud which then becomes a gigantic flower, brownish red in colour. It stays in full bloom for about a week only. The main pollinator for this flower is the carrion fly.
Seeing a blooming Rafflesia
A trip to Gunung Gading may be incomplete without catching the rare sight of the blooming Raffesia. However, these unique plants bloom infrequently and have brief flowering period. Visitors are advised to check with the Park Headquarters at Gunung Gading National Park or the National Park Booking Office to find out if any flowers are about to bloom or already in full bloom. even if there is no blooming Rafflesia to see, swimming in the jungle streams, hiking the jungle trails, walkingin the Park and visiting the beaches and the whole of Lundu make the visit just as worthwhile.
Facilities
The National Park & Wildlife Division (Forest Department Sarawak) has built plank walks and jungle trails close to where the Rafflesia are commonly found, and they are often viewed from here. These jungle trails and plank walks allow the visitors to tour the park without damaging the delicate ecosystem particularly the young Rafflesia budding all over the forest floor. If the plant is flowering deeper in the forest, the park staffs or trained freelance guides will take visitors to the site.
There is no canteen within the Park. The seafood in Lundu is fresh and
cheap. There are several restaurants here, too.
Other facilities in the Park include jungle trails, public toilets
information centre, 24-hour electricity and treated water.
There are two units of chalets; each contains 3 bedrooms and accommodate up to 6 people. One unit of Forest Hostel with 4 rooms with 16 beds each. For those who wish to stay outdoor, campsites are provided and visitors need to bring their own camping gears.
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Type of Accommodation |
Facilities |
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No. of units available |
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Forest
Lodge, Type 5 |
- Airconditioned |
RM150 per house |
2 |
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4 rooms with two double- bunk beds each. - Non-airconditioned - Shared bathroom and toilet |
RM15 per bed or RM40 per room |
1 |
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Bathroom and toilet |
RM5 per person. |
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How to get there?
The Park is just 5 minutes drive from Lundu town or about 2 hour's drive
from Kuching. Visitors can choose either day-trips or overnight stays
when visiting the Park. Travellers should take STC (Sarawak
Transport Company) Lundu Express Bus or Bus No. 2B from Kuching City to
Lundu town centre. From there, take a Pandan bus and ask to be dropped
off at the park.
As accommodation facilities in the Park are limited, hostels in Lundu Pandan and Siar offer alternatives. Beaches at Siar and Pandan are scenic and provide swimming spots.
For booking and further enquiry, please contact us
or
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