Golden Beach, Telaga Air Village with Wilson Chin

This is the Telaga Air, the Sibu river flows into the South China Sea. It was a hot Saturday, and I'm here to get the contact details on how to get to the Sampadi Island.

This is the Golden Beach, its situated It is located approximately 10 minutes drive away from the Telaga Air fishermen village, and about 35 minutes away drive from Kuching City

The Satang Island can be view from the beach, I went to the Satang island before. Always plan to go back there agian, maybe a camping trip to the island.

A nice place for picnic, or camping.

The water mix with some mud, not very clean. A construction company plans to develop this place, to build villas here and sell to the public. It will be good to be able to own a house near the beach, just that this place is too far away from Kuching city. 

Tanjung Datu, Borneo Sarawak. Post 2 of 2

Watch my Tanjung Datu Exploration Trip documentary:

Day two at Tanjung Datu 

Tanjung Datu may be the smallest of Sarawak’s National Parks, at just under 14 sq km, but it is also one of the most beautiful.

Along the coast line, there are a few sea turtle trails, they dug holes to lay their eggs. The park are running the Turtle Project all year long, and the rangers will collect the egg, record it down, and put in here to make sure that the eggs are safe. After the hatching are born, they will release it back to the sea.

The Kuching Adventure Team, on day two we are going to the Pasir Antu Laut Trail a 2.7KM passes parallel to the beach and through foreshore vegetation, to Tanjung Antu Laut, a picturesque beach where a clear freshwater streams flow around big polished granite boulders into the ocean. The trail then turns inland, and back through mixed dipterocarp forest, crossing several small creeks and ending back at park HQ.

After I reached the beach, was impress on how clean the water is here. Its cleaner than the one we saw at the park HQ.

The sea water are too attractive, and I just take off my shoes and deep my foot in the water.

4 baby sharks swim around the coast, so I'm trying my luck to take their picture, but can't get a good one. If I bring my polarize filter lens I will be able to take clear shoot of the baby shark.

This is the park HQ in the Talang Besar island, as this is a restricted area specially for authorize person only. This island is specially for sea turtle to go lay eggs.

Sea turtle swiming slowly to the Talang Talang Besar Island to lay egg, good luck turtle, wishing you all the best!!!

The Talang Talang Besar Island, this is a national park. But its a restricted area, and its mainly for sea turtle to come here to lay eggs. What the forestry did is good, this can prevent people to come and steal the eggs, and endanger the sea turtle population.

This is the Talang Talang Kecil island, just opposite the Talang Besar island. I heard its also a restricted area, and reserve for sea turtle to lay their eggs.

Read More of my exploration to Tanjung Datu National Park
Tanjung Datu Exploration, post 1 of 2
Tanjung Datu Exploration, post 2 of 2

More Photos of My adventure :) click here

Tanjung Datu Borneo, Sarawak. Post 1 of 2

Watch my Tanjung Datu Exploration Trip documentary:

Day One, Boat Trip to Tanjung Datu, Borneo Sarawak

I organised a trip to the Tanjung Datu National Park over the weekend, located at the south-western tip of Sarawak on the Datu Peninsula, Tanjung Datu is one of Sarawak’s less accessible natural parks, but its relative remoteness is one of its main attractions.

This is the fishing boat that we use to go to Tanjung Datu, the captain is a Malay fisherman staying at Telok Melano.

Reached the national park after 2 hours, I ate medicine before boarding the boat to prevent from getting seasick. The national park does not have wharf, so they use the small boat to send us to shore.

Welcome to Tanjung Datu Park HQ, I register my team information here. the fees have to pay are:

Entrance fees: RM10 per person
Camping fees: RM5 per person
to rent chalet: RM24.40 per night
cooking utensils: RM11 per day
Gas & stove: RM3 per day

Very clean public toilet, and shower place. If you don't have a camping set, you can also rent it here.
Before that you will need to call to the National Park to make your booking via phone at +6082-248 088

Belian Trail

The Belian trail is the highest trails among the reset, it require to hike up steep hill. I barely catch my breath, I would say its the hardest to hike among the reset.

On the very top of the trail, its not the Gunung Melano, but its just a rest stop, after that is descent to the foot hill again. Not much view to see up there as all being covered by thick trees.

Visit the viewing poing on our way back to the park HQ, and the viewing area also does not have a clear view of the beach, cause the trees are blocking most of the view. It will be great if the park authorities can do something about this, maybe clear a few trees in front to make the view better.

The water at the beach Crystal Clear!!! this is the first time in I saw such clear water in Sarawak. Very nice to swim :) along the sea shore, we saw a lot of sea turtle trail, they craw to the shore, dig holes and lay their eggs. All the eggs are being collected by the national park to help them breed, after the eggs hatch, they will release the baby turtle back to the sea.

Read More of my exploration to Tanjung Datu National Park
Tanjung Datu Exploration, post 1 of 2
Tanjung Datu Exploration, post 2 of 2

More Photos of My adventure :) click here

Exploration to Saratok Town in Borneo Sarawak with Wilson Chin

Saratok is a town, in Betong Division, in the island of Borneo, Sarawak. A main annual event in Saratok is the Saratok Regatta or Pesta Air Sungai Krian, a boat-racing event. This event usually takes place during one weekend in July.

Why Saratok been called Saratok?

There are a few version of the stories:

In the book "Legends & History of Sarawak" written by Chang Pat Poh. An old Malay with the Dato title, who wish to visit his relative in the Saratok area. Due to his old age, he always head to the wrong direction, thus people will remind him that "Salah Tok" this is wrong Tok, so slowly the place he went become "Saratok"

Another version believe to be related to the "Salak" tree which can be easily found in Saratok. So people who came here will always said "Salak Tu" where the Tu means here, "here is the Salah trees". So slowly again , people call this place Saratok.

In the book "The Living Legends: Borneo Telling Theirs Tales" by Benedict Sandin. There was this Seru tribe which lead by a warrior called "Segatok". He was being attack by the Iban people, and escape to a small "Munggu" (hill). The hill later name "Munggu Segatok" Segatok wait at the hill. So later then people name the place Segatok, and slowly change to Saratok today.

The Borneo Explorer at the entrance of the Saratok Town

The landmark in the Saratok town, the clock tower in the town center.

The Krian river situated behind the Saratok town, and like every small town in Borneo Sarawak, there must be a Chinese temple.

Since 1888, a lot of Iban people have settlement around the Krian river, and the Sebetan river area, while the Malay settle at Kabong and Sessang, and the Chinese are mostly in the town, Roban and Kabong.

This temple was build on the year 1981, as Chinese likes to build the temple next to the river, as they believe the god will protect them from flood, and they can live harmony and peacefully.

The first few wooden shop house was build by the Chinese (Hokkien dialet) in the earlies 1900s, The Min Syn Chinese school establish since the year 1919, after more Chinese move to Saratok., a great respect to this school, as I believe it had nurture many great people from here.

From the source I gather, I notice that Saratok area have two fort build, the Fort Charles (build in 1878), and Fort Ranee (build in 1888).

I'm not sure sure about the name of this building, but from the source I found, the picture looks like this is the Fort Charles, and the Saratok district use it as the district office last time. And it was build by Mr Maxwell around year 1878 on top of the Sagatok hill.

Once this is a historical building, and now it had become the recreation and service place for Malay community in Seratok (Pusat Rekreasi dan Khidmat Masyarakat Melayu Seratok)

After I step into the building I saw 4 kids running around in the building, there are some garbage around the staircase area, this place are poorly maintain.

A beautiful historical building like this, end up become like an abandon house. It shows how inefficient the authorities are towards the preservation against history. Please make this place a museum, and place all the history information inside there.

The Saratok wet and dry market, selling vegetables at the front, and fish at the back of the market. Not just that, one of the stall even sells antique stuff like kettle, teapot, and plates with Chinese writing.

56 units of the Saratok wooden shop was burn down on the year June, 1970, concrete building shop was build after the fire. In October 1973, a total of 61 concrete building was build on the same spot.

I'm very impress, the town here have library, school, church, temple, district office, and post office. Small town with all the basic facilities, very good structure. Just hope that one day they can make the fort Charles become Fort Charles again, just like the Fort Alice in Sri Aman.