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If you visit Malaysian Borneo, catching a glimpse of the endangered Proboscis Monkey is probably high on your bucket list. There are a few places in Borneo where sightings are almost guaranteed and that is at the Kinabatangan River in Sabah and at Bako National Park in Sarawak. Kuching is the jump-off point to visiting Bako National Park and in this post, I’ll explain to you how to get from Kuching to Bako National Park.
Proboscis Monkey at Bako National Park.
Bako National Park is located in the province of Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo. It is one of the best places in Borneo to see the Proboscis Monkey. Its close location to the main city of Kuching makes it relatively easy to access.
There is no overland road leading to the park. To reach the park, you first have to make your way to Bako Village and next, take a boat at the Bako Jetty to reach the park HQ.
There are a few ways to reach Bako Village from Kuching. Depending on your wishes and budget, you can choose to take a public bus, a van, or a taxi or drive to the village yourself if you have rented a car.
At the Jetty, you’ll first have to register and buy your entrance tickets to the park before you can board a boat to the park’s Headquarters.
Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo.
Getting from Kuching to Bako National Park is relatively easy but you do need to know where you need to be if you want to take the public bus.
During my trip to Borneo, I noticed that public transport is almost non-existent in Sarawak due to the fact that most families have at least one and often multiple cars. If you ask a local about public transport, they often don’t know it even exists and they will tell you to take a taxi or a Grab.
There is, however, a public bus to Bako and it only costs a fraction of the price you will pay for a taxi.
Trails in Bako National Park, Sarawak, Borneo
Here are six ways to reach Bako village from the center of Kuching. I’ll start with the cheapest option and end with the most expensive one.
The cheapest way to reach Bako National Park from Kuching is by taking the public bus. The public bus to Bako National Park leaves from Kuching every hour between 7 A.M. and 5 P.M. It costs only RM 1.
Yes, that’s right, only RM 1 which is approximately €/$ 0,20. A lot of other articles indicate that a bus ticket costs RM 3,5 but this has changed in November 2022 to only RM 1.
You can find the bus at the open-air market in Kuching at Jalan Power. From there, it drives through the center of Kuching towards Bako Village.
It is possible that there’s a bus stop nearby your accommodation but the bus stops in the center are very hard to find and there is no map to be found online that indicates where the bus stops are. There is, however, a map at the bus station at Jalan Power. You can check it out there the day before your trip to Bako. As far as I remember there is definitely a bus stop at the Grand Margherita Hotel near the waterfront.
The public bus to Bako takes about 45 minutes to reach Bako village.
At the bus station at Jalan Power, you can find minivans driving to Bako Village. You won’t have to look for them, they come to you when you are at the bus station claiming the bus to Bako is not operating. However, that is a lie. The bus always operates, even during the rainy season.
If you have missed the bus, however, this can be a good option to reach Bako village in a fast and relatively cheap way. A seat in a minivan costs RM 5/ per person and they leave when full.
when you are reading articles online about traveling in Borneo they all will tell you that Grab is the best taxi app to get around in Kuching and Borneo. On my latest trip, I found out that there is another taxi app that the locals use that is cheaper than Grab.
The app is called “Maxim”. The interface of the app is not as user-friendly as the Grab app but it is definitely a few Ringgits cheaper than Grab. A Maxim ride from the waterfront in Kuching to the Bako Jetty should cost around RM 28.
Grab is the taxi app that is used the most by travelers in SE Asia. The interface is extremely easy to use and in Kuching, you won’t have any trouble finding a ride in a few minutes.
A Grab ride to the Bako Jetty should cost around RM 40.
If you don’t have a smartphone or don’t trust taxi apps you can always use a regular taxi. The best way to find a taxi is to ask your accommodation to call one for you. There are also taxis available at the bus station at Jalan Power.
A taxi to the Bako Jetty should cost you no more than RM 60.
Because of the lack of public transport, renting a car can be a convenient option and also an ecological one if you are traveling in a group. In my opinion, the cheapest rates for a car can be found using Skyscanner.
At the time of our visit during the rainy season, renting a car through Skyscanner cost $ 30/day.
There is a parking space near the Jetty where you can leave your car.
Boat dock at Bako National Park
The second leg of the trip from Kuching to Bako National Park involves you taking a 20-minute boat ride. Upon your arrival at the Bako Jetty in Bako Village, you will be asked to register yourself so you can enter the park and buy your entrance tickets which cost RM 20/per person for foreigners.
After that, you will have to arrange your ticket for the boat. You cannot buy a one-way ticket for the boat, only a round-trip ticket. This is the moment where it can get a bit tricky. In high season, boats will probably fill up easily and you should be able to get to Bako National Park for RM 25/ per person (RM 50 for a round-trip).
However, during the rainy season, Bako National Park almost receives no visitors. Upon our arrival, only two other people were waiting to take a boat to the national park. We were able to share the boat and paid RM 25/per person for the trip to the Bako Headquarters.
But, because there are few visitors during the low season, we were forced to pay for a private boat for our return trip from the park. We were not expecting this and thought it was not fair because it wasn’t indicated anywhere online.
Nonetheless, there was no other solution and you need to pay for the return trip before you leave. We were charged RM 100 for the private boat for our return trip. This makes a total of RM 150 for the boat for two people.
The boat will drop you off either at the Jetty of the park or at the beach near the HQ, depending on the tide. If the boat drops you off at the beach, note that it won’t be able to reach the shore so you will have to jump into the water first. It’s a good thing to wear shorts and shoes that can be taken off easily.
If you arrive at the jetty, it’s a 5-minute walk to the park HQ where you will have to register again.
Booking.com: For the best cheap guesthouses and homestays or small hotels
Hostelworld: To find the best hostels located in the cities
Homestay: For unique immersive homestays
Public transport in Sarawak is not abundant. If you want to get to some remote places you will have to turn to travel agencies or, like us, hitchhike! Here are the best resources we found online:
12GO: The best transport website for long-distance buses and flights in Sarawak.
GRAB: for taxi rides in cities and nearby attractions.
MAXIM: a slightly cheaper alternative to Grab but doesn’t drive as far outside of city centers as Grab cars.
Note that there is a local bus service that is operated by the government to Lundu and Sematan. It cannot be booked online and there is no information to be found online. It leaves from the Boulevard Mall in Kuching and only costs RM 1. Ask Grab or Maxim drivers about this local bus or ask around at the Sentral Bus Complex where the long-distance buses leave. Most Sarawakians have their own car and will not be able to help you. As far as I know, there is only one bus/per day.
There is a public bus system in Kuching but there is also little information online and most of the time it is not up to date. For the most recent routes and travel times check out the information at the bus station at the open-air market in Kuching. These buses also go to Bako National Park and Semenggoh Nature Reserve and only cost RM 1.
STICKY RICE TRAVEL: The best sustainable travel agency in Malaysian Borneo.
BORNEO ADVENTURE: another reputable travel agency organizing trips to Mulu National Park and Tanjung Datu.
KUCHING KARL FROM “SECRET SARAWAK ADVENTURES”: If you are looking for a different experience aside from the regular tours then don’t hesitate to contact Kuching Karl! He is affiliated with Woodpecker Lodge in Kuching and operates customized trips in 4×4 trucks at prices lower than the travel agencies. He is also the only tour guide that specializes in the best local food around Kuching and incorporates visits to “hidden gem restaurants” into his trips. You can get in touch with him through Woodpecker Lodge or Whatsapp him at +60199158965.
Beach at Bako National Park.
If a self-organized trip is not your thing you can always opt to visit Bako National Park taking an organized tour. A tour to Bako National Park generally includes transport with a pick-up at your accommodation, entrance fees, lunch and water, and an English-speaking guide.
You can book a day tour to Bako National Park online or contact a local tour agency in Kuching like Borneo Adventure for a two-day tour.
Accommodation at Bako National Park
As you can see, there are multiple ways to get from Kuching to Bako National Park. How you travel, is completely up to you and your budget. Enjoy the monkeys and the beautiful natural surroundings of the park and if you have any further questions, please let me know through my contact page or in the comments below!
ENJOY!
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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