Malaysia and Borneo - Aug 2014
Officially a summer ‘holiday’ with Jill but with the promise to be in some decent herping spots, I was pretty excited about my first time in tropical Asia…We planned to visit a few areas of the county and I set a fairly low but achievable target of vipers, vine snakes and hopefully something additional.
Peninsular Malaysia
After a day wandering the humid streets of Kuala Lumpur and encountering some of the heaviest rainfall I have ever seen, I was ready to get out of the urban jungle and into some more natural spots. We decided to head for Malaysia’s first national park, Taman Negara, by way of a few hours on a coach plus a few more by boat. Following the river up to Taman Negara was an interesting experience, highlighted by spotting kingfishers perched in the overhanging trees en route.
The entrance to Taman Negara is on one bank of the river whilst the other side is dotted with floating restaurants and various hostels and hotels. Tour groups encourage you to pay for ‘official activities’, but we just explored the trails (by day and night) without any guides or groups. There are longer treks to be had, but we just did a couple of day-long walks where the species spotted included flying lizards, roosting bats and a wealth of butterflies. Night explorations were less productive; unfortunately no snakes but we did spot a few nice frogs, a large monitor lizard, tree shrews and a mouse deer. Generally, the forest was very dry and night-walking here seemed to yield far less creatures than during my short stay in Ecuador.
From here we took a bus to Cameron Highlands and then on to the ferry from Butterworth to Georgetown, Penang. Jill seemed impressed, but I’m really not a town mouse so I was happy to get out to Pulau Pinang, a national park in the north west of the island. Jill picked out a short stroll on the park map, and what then followed was a four-hour trek to a remote beach sustained solely by Mister Potato. Luckily a ranger at a deserted campsite was on hand to climb a tree (to get phone signal) and call for a boat to come around to get us. An hour or so later we were picked up by a crazed speedboat driver who whizzed us around the north of the island and back to civilization.
Borneo
Owing to limited night-excursions and a bit of city-slicking, we were one week down but still snakeless. Hopefully Sarawak, Borneo, would do the trick. We flew out of Penang direct to Kuching and headed down to the riverside in the evening where we were instantly relaxed by the atmosphere of the place. At the national park office we booked accommodation at Bako and Kubah, but not before spending a few days around Kuching including a day of kayaking with a couple of Italians.
Owing to limited night-excursions and a bit of city-slicking, we were one week down but still snakeless. Hopefully Sarawak, Borneo, would do the trick. We flew out of Penang direct to Kuching and headed down to the riverside in the evening where we were instantly relaxed by the atmosphere of the place. At the national park office we booked accommodation at Bako and Kubah, but not before spending a few days around Kuching including a day of kayaking with a couple of Italians.
Bako National Park
Bako is a national park northeast of Kuching and requires a nippy speedboat ride to get to its entrance. The tide was out so we hopped out and paddled through the shallows and wandered past scampering fiddler crabs as we made our way into the park.
Bako is a national park northeast of Kuching and requires a nippy speedboat ride to get to its entrance. The tide was out so we hopped out and paddled through the shallows and wandered past scampering fiddler crabs as we made our way into the park.
It was absolutely baking hot here and daytime wanders were hard work. We spotted the usual species here, including proboscis monkeys and wild boar, whilst macaques raided the café area and generally filled the anti-social niche that they’ve made their own.
The rangers at Bako were a lot stricter regarding wandering about at night, but we still managed to don the headtorches and sneak out to see what was lurking in the shadows. Again, the area was quite dry and finding water sources and their associated species was tricky. We spotted a handful of frogs plus some interesting glow-in-the-dark fungus. Out by the mangroves the tide had come in and the only reptiles we could find in the foliage were house geckos.
We were only able to stay for one night, and once more we were on the move.
The rangers at Bako were a lot stricter regarding wandering about at night, but we still managed to don the headtorches and sneak out to see what was lurking in the shadows. Again, the area was quite dry and finding water sources and their associated species was tricky. We spotted a handful of frogs plus some interesting glow-in-the-dark fungus. Out by the mangroves the tide had come in and the only reptiles we could find in the foliage were house geckos.
We were only able to stay for one night, and once more we were on the move.
Kubah National Park
I’d put a lot of my eggs in the Kubah basket. The allure of the ‘frog pond’ and the chance of some night-walking freedom had really got my hopes up, but I knew the realities of only setting aside a short amount of time for herping - so I wasn’t holding my breath. We stocked up on noodles and bread and took a local bus from Kuching, arriving at our fairly basic wooden lodge a few hours later. There are only a handful of official trails around Kubah plus a steep tarmac road up to the summit of Gunung Serapi, and it was up this road that we made our way for the first night walk.
The chorus of frogs here was pretty impressive, growing louder with proximity to the pond. En route we spotted a few water skinks and a bent-toed gecko, plus Jill kept up her impressive frog-spotting to ensure my camera was in constant use. There was a lot more eye-shine in the light of our torches, and I felt hopeful for the evening ahead.
Onwards from the pond the road continued to twist upwards towards the summit and after an hour or so my legs were feeling the burn. We decided to turn and head back, and it was then that I noticed some bright green coils on a wooden log by the roadside. To my delight the snake count was finally up and running with a beautiful young Bornean keeled pit viper (Tropidolaemus subannulatus), which was more than happy to pose for photos.
I’d put a lot of my eggs in the Kubah basket. The allure of the ‘frog pond’ and the chance of some night-walking freedom had really got my hopes up, but I knew the realities of only setting aside a short amount of time for herping - so I wasn’t holding my breath. We stocked up on noodles and bread and took a local bus from Kuching, arriving at our fairly basic wooden lodge a few hours later. There are only a handful of official trails around Kubah plus a steep tarmac road up to the summit of Gunung Serapi, and it was up this road that we made our way for the first night walk.
The chorus of frogs here was pretty impressive, growing louder with proximity to the pond. En route we spotted a few water skinks and a bent-toed gecko, plus Jill kept up her impressive frog-spotting to ensure my camera was in constant use. There was a lot more eye-shine in the light of our torches, and I felt hopeful for the evening ahead.
Onwards from the pond the road continued to twist upwards towards the summit and after an hour or so my legs were feeling the burn. We decided to turn and head back, and it was then that I noticed some bright green coils on a wooden log by the roadside. To my delight the snake count was finally up and running with a beautiful young Bornean keeled pit viper (Tropidolaemus subannulatus), which was more than happy to pose for photos.
The next day we set about walking to the waterfall, the damp leaf-litter seemingly more suitable for creatures than some of the drier spots we’d been to earlier in the trip. Turning a corner of the narrow forest path, a snake rapidly uncoiled and shot off towards a pile of logs and leaves. Quickly identifying it as a keelback and keen to get a better look, I managed to catch its tail and bring it back to the path. Unsure of the exact species, and aware of some of the Rhabdophis stories, I hadn’t the chance to gain full control before it advanced through my fingers and made its escape into the logs. Gutted, and in hindsight likely just a Hebius saravacense.
As we neared the waterfall I spotted a small snake about 5m from the wooden walkway, possibly a reed snake or young keelback. However, it dived into the thick leaf litter and was long gone before I’d even left the trail in pursuit.
Despite tantalising tales of royal tree snakes dropping in from the branches above, the pool at the waterfall did not provide any more species and we eventually returned to the lodge pleased to have been exploring somewhere new, but slightly frustrated at not getting a better view of what was out there.
That evening we had our second stroll up the road where we spotted a few more amphibians and paid a visit to the young pit viper who had barely moved. At the side of the road runs a concrete ditch, every now and then falling into a larger void before crossing under the road. It was in one of these larger ditches that a nondescript brown snake dove into the leaves lining the floor. I climbed down and carefully moved the leaves with a trusty stick only to find the snake was nowhere to be found, possibly escaped through some small cracks in the concrete wall. Another frustrating encounter but it was encouraging to know this place was providing opportunities.
As we neared the waterfall I spotted a small snake about 5m from the wooden walkway, possibly a reed snake or young keelback. However, it dived into the thick leaf litter and was long gone before I’d even left the trail in pursuit.
Despite tantalising tales of royal tree snakes dropping in from the branches above, the pool at the waterfall did not provide any more species and we eventually returned to the lodge pleased to have been exploring somewhere new, but slightly frustrated at not getting a better view of what was out there.
That evening we had our second stroll up the road where we spotted a few more amphibians and paid a visit to the young pit viper who had barely moved. At the side of the road runs a concrete ditch, every now and then falling into a larger void before crossing under the road. It was in one of these larger ditches that a nondescript brown snake dove into the leaves lining the floor. I climbed down and carefully moved the leaves with a trusty stick only to find the snake was nowhere to be found, possibly escaped through some small cracks in the concrete wall. Another frustrating encounter but it was encouraging to know this place was providing opportunities.
Damai
The next morning we left Kubah and headed for some upgraded accommodation in the form of Damai beach resort where I figured Jill could get some quality ‘holiday’ time whilst I could explore the forest behind the resort and in the neighbouring Permai resort. Sort of a tropical Kellerman’s, Damai wasn’t really my cup of tea but provided a useful base for local day wandering, but unfortunately not so much at night.
On my way into the forest area at Permai I was stopped in my tracks by something climbing up a sign in the car park – I could not believe my luck, an oriental vine snake (Ahaetulla prasina) ! I carefully removed it from the sign and sat down with it in my hands. This was not bright green like most of the images I’ve seen, but more of a rusty orange colour which would have made it pretty difficult to see had it not been in the open. Some locals walked past, rather terrified by what was going on, so I did my best to show them how interesting and beautiful this creature was…I don’t think they were too convinced.
The next morning we left Kubah and headed for some upgraded accommodation in the form of Damai beach resort where I figured Jill could get some quality ‘holiday’ time whilst I could explore the forest behind the resort and in the neighbouring Permai resort. Sort of a tropical Kellerman’s, Damai wasn’t really my cup of tea but provided a useful base for local day wandering, but unfortunately not so much at night.
On my way into the forest area at Permai I was stopped in my tracks by something climbing up a sign in the car park – I could not believe my luck, an oriental vine snake (Ahaetulla prasina) ! I carefully removed it from the sign and sat down with it in my hands. This was not bright green like most of the images I’ve seen, but more of a rusty orange colour which would have made it pretty difficult to see had it not been in the open. Some locals walked past, rather terrified by what was going on, so I did my best to show them how interesting and beautiful this creature was…I don’t think they were too convinced.
Continuing on into Permai, I passed a number of monitor lizards sneakily stalking around some of the beach huts and on into the main forest trail. A couple I bumped into told me the whereabouts of a large viper at the end of the trail, so my spirits were pretty high at this point. It was hard not to rush to the end of the trail, but I took my time and was able to watch some sun skinks feeding a few feet away. Things got even better when I found an adult keeled pit viper just off the track, and I got ready for another as I neared the spot I’d been told about. As I neared I was sure another tail disappeared into the mound of leaves and ferns, but I couldn’t dive in after it as sitting in the middle wrapped in some ferns was another pit viper. I sat down a good few metres away as I was certain the mystery tail was a bronzeback of some sorts, but it never reappeared so I photographed the viper and called it a day – keen to return the following day to get off the beaten track a little.
That evening I dug around in the ditches surrounding the resorts but found nothing other than mosquitos which were more than willing to bite my arms.
That evening I dug around in the ditches surrounding the resorts but found nothing other than mosquitos which were more than willing to bite my arms.
For our last day in Borneo we headed back to the forest trails, revisiting the vipers before retiring to the beach to watch crabs scurrying about at unbelievable speed. Later in the afternoon I headed back into the forest hoping for one last find, and I wasn’t disappointed. Another twist in the trail brought me face to face with a stripe-tailed bronzeback (Dendrelaphis caudolineatus) which rapidly uncoiled and made for safety. In a blur of excitement and a dive into the leaves I had managed to make the catch and was rewarded with numerous bites to my hands, but it was worth it – such a beautiful snake and a great way to conclude my stay in Borneo.
We headed back to Kuala Lumpur for a final day (and a night in 5* lodgings!), then it was back to the cold of the UK. I think a return to Borneo will be on the cards in the future, but perhaps another part of South East Asia will be next.