Travel Features > National Park & The Great Outdoors > Gunung Gading National Park
In Search of the Rafflesia,
A Rainforest Experience And Mountain Highs
By Wayne Tarman
Gunung Gading National Park remains one of Sarawak's best kept
nature secrets. In addition to having a very special attraction
- the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, - the park has some
fantastic rainforest scenery dotted with jungle streams and waterfalls,
and thanks to a series of recently opened trails it offers some
of the most challenging jungle treks found in Sarawak's network
of national parks.
Gunung Gading National Park is
criss-crossed with clear jungle
streams and dip pools surrounded
by forest.
©Wayne Tarman
The park is made up of a series of mountain peaks that overlook
the small town of Lundu in Southwest Sarawak, just two hours drive
form Kuching. Gunung Gading was gazetted as a conservation zone
in 1983 and only opened to visitors in 1994. Since then the park
has fast gained a reputation as one of the most accessible Rafflesia
sites in the region. However, its other attractions remain relatively
unknown.
The World's Largest Flower There are believed to be 17 species of Rafflesia but scientists
believe that some of these are already extinct as sightings have
not occurred for some time. Three types of Rafflesia are found
in Sarawak, Rafflesia Arnoldi, Rafflesia Pricei and Rafflesia Tuan-Mudae. Only the R. Tuan-Mudae is found at Gunung Gading National Park. Some species of Rafflesia
can grow up to a metre in diameter but those found at Gunung Gading
are usually 50-70cm in diameter. Despite significant scientific research many aspects of the Rafflesia's
biology have yet to be fathomed out. The Rafflesia is a parasitic
plant that relies on a host vine called tetrastigma. But why the Rafflesia associates itself with a vine and how
its seeds germinate and grow remains a mystery. It is known that
tissue spreads out within the vine to absorb nutrients and after
a period of approximately 18 months a very small brown bud forms.
The bud then takes 9 months to fully mature when it resembles
a brown cabbage. Long periods of growth, both within the vine
and once the bud has formed, mean that there is a high risk of
damage. Many buds do not mature into flowers. Studies have also
shown that both drought and heavy rainfall reduce bud survival
rates. Buds often occur in clusters on the forest floor or clinging
to rocks and trees but it is extremely rare for two buds to flower
simultaneously.
The Rafflesia is a parasitic plant which grows on the lower slopes
of mountain ranges in selected areas of Southeast Asia. The first
Europeans to discover the Rafflesia were Sir Stamford Raffles
and Dr Joseph Arnold. They stumbled across one whilst on a field
trip near Bengkulu, Sumatra in 1818. The specimen they found was
huge, measuring 97 cm in diameter. This species was later named
the Rafflesia Arnoldi.
Seeing a Rafflesia in full bloom is an unforgettable
nature experience.
©Sarawak Tourism Board
When a bud reaches maturity it starts to open, a process that
takes several hours. The brown 'leaves' fan out to reveal five
thick red-coloured petals which are covered in marks, spots and
blotches. Although 5 petals is the norm, a number of six petal
Rafflesia flowers have been recorded at Gunung Gading (see photo).
The Rafflesia flower lasts for between 3-5 days and then it starts
to rot, turning a dark reddish brown before going black. When
blooming the flower gives off a nasty smell which attracts the
carrion flies which pollinate the plants. For pollination to occur
a male and a female Rafflesia must be blooming at the same time.
Rafflesia seeds are believed to be scattered around the forest
floor by rodents and small mammals which eat the flowers. As mentioned
before, scientists still do not know how the seeds infest the
roots of the host vine.
A small brown cabbage-like Rafflesia bud.
©Wayne Tarman
In Search of the Rafflesia The Rafflesia is rare and only blooms for a short period so a
bit of luck is required if you plan to see one on a trip to Sarawak.
However, the park staff monitor the buds at the various Rafflesia
sites so usually have a good idea when a flower is about to bloom.
Visitors can therefore check with the park HQ (Tel: 082-735714)
or the National Parks & Wildlife Office in Kuching (Tel: 082-248088)
before heading for the Park. Although the Rafflesia does not have
a specific flowering season, blooms are more common in the wetter
months from November to February.
When you reach the park the staff will tell you if a Rafflesia
is blooming and where it is located in the forest. Near the park
HQ there is a plankwalk that leads through an area of the forest
where Rafflesia's are commonly found. Brown cabbage-like buds
of various sizes can normally be seen here. Some of the larger
ones have chicken wire cages over them to offer protection from
wild animals and falling branches. If a Rafflesia is flowering
in this area you do not need a guide and can just follow the plankwalk
until you find the flower. If the Rafflesia is situated deeper
in the forest the park warden will take you on a guided walk to
the site. You will pass through some beautiful rainforest scenery
and may have to cross some small jungle streams before you reach
the flower. When you finally arrive you can not fail to be impressed
by the sheer size, colour and beauty of the Rafflesia.
A rare six 'petal' Rafflesia. Rafflesia's usually
have five petals. However, at Gunung Gading a
few six petal blooms are recorded every year.
©Wayne Tarman
Treks, Trails & Mountain Highs
Seeing a Rafflesia in full bloom is an unforgettable nature experience and for many visitors the highlight of a visit to Gunung Gading. Indeed, most visitors are day trippers who arrive, maybe walk 10 minutes or so to the site of a flowering Rafflesia, walk back to the Park HQ and then leave, perhaps spending an hour or so at the park. If you have the time it is well worth spending a few days at Gunung Gading. There are a number waterfalls and refreshing dip pools and some challenging treks and mountain hikes which pass through some fantastic jungle scenery. All the trekking trails are colour-coded and guides can be hired at the park HQ.
As the Park encompasses a mountain range consisting of four peaks - Gunung Gading, Gunung Perigi, Gunung Sebuloh and Gunung Lundu - it is not surprising that most of the jungle treks involve hill walking and therefore require a certain level of fitness.
The Waterfall trail offers the shortest (and easiest) trek in the park. The trail follows a crystal clear river which cascades down the mountain creating a series of seven waterfalls. Not all of these are accessible from the main trail but Numbers 3, 5, and 7 can be reached by following short secondary trails. Waterfall No. 3 is less than 10 metres away from the main trail and makes an excellent resting spot. It takes about an hour to reach the seventh waterfall and a great dip pool surrounded by a forest of green. Immerse yourself in the cool jungle stream, peer out of the water at the forest of green and listen to the sounds of the forest. Borneo bliss.
The other treks can be tough if you are not in good shape or used to the heat and humidity. There are two summit trails to the top of Gunung Gading and Gunung Perigi. Both are for serious hikers and can be done as a 7-8 hour 'out and back' treks or alternatively as 2 day/1 night summit treks.
The Gunung Gading Summit Trail begins where the Waterfall Trail ends. From the seventh waterfall it takes about 2 and half hours to reach the summit. During the communist insurgency of the 1960's the British maintained an army camp at the top of this mist-draped jungle peak. Today you'll find an overgrown helicopter pad, a water tank and barbed wire fencing which form an historical reminder of this era. This trek is best enjoyed if you camp out the summit. That way you'll have more time to enjoy the mountain scenery and can sleep under the stars in a truly magnificent mountain setting. You'll also have the chance to opt for an interesting side trek if you legs are up for it. The side trek takes 4 hours and involves crossing a valley to reach Batu Berkubu, a huge rock situated on the slopes of Gunung Sebuloh. Batu Berkubu is often mistakenly called a cave as the rock and nearby vegetation combine to provide a well-hidden shelter. This shelter served as a communist base during the insurgency.
The trek to the summit of Gunung Perigi is the most challenging in the Park and starts at the junction of the Gunung Gading Summit trail. The trek is best enjoyed if you camp out at the summit. That way you can wake up to see the sunrise over Southwest Sarawak. As the explosion of sunrise reds peters out the green forest slopes of the park gradually appear as do some simply stunning all round views the park. A perfect mountain high.