Step into a longboat and you are stepping into adventure. Yes, the adventure starts with the exciting journey of traversing the Temburong river to get into Ulu Temburong National Park where the famous canopy walk is located. The whole journey to the base of the mountain leading to the canopy walk takes around 20-30 minutes depending on the situation of the river as the longboats have to find their way upstream. Longboats are unique in the island of Borneo due to its complex river systems. Temburong river is one classic example. Navigating it through a longboat is an experience one can hardly forget. The unique nature of Temburong river and the amazing forest park view is one addicting combination for adventure.
The Perfect Marriage between Longboats and Temburong River
With the nature of Temburong river
being dotted by sand bars, logs and boulders, there is no better transportation
to navigate it than a longboat. The early settlers around the banks of the
river realized this since recorded history. The sleek shape of a longboat
allows it to gracefully navigate the rapids with its alternating deep and
shallow sections and even ride through its cascading waters. These longboats
are equipped with powerful motors that allow them to resist being pushed by
strong water current as it navigates the winding nature of Temburong river.
That said, the ride could be dangerous. But thanks to the skill of Iban people
who mostly operate the boats, one can sit back, relax and enjoy the thrill. The
boatman can easily navigate the rapids as they know the river by heart through
years of experience.
Fair enough, Temburong river is not that rough compared to other rivers. Water runs smooth and slow in most sections even when it rains heavily upstream. One can attribute this to the thick vegetation in the forest park. Despite strong outpour, the trees within the national park serve as buffers from the rush of rainwater.
There are cases during summer when some sections are too shallow that passengers have to disembark and help push the boat. This adds to the fun of the whole experience. When the water is high, the ride could be fast especially if going downstream. It is also important to note that the river’s water looks murky in photos. This is not to say that it is polluted or dirty. The water color is due to the type of soil in the national park being mostly reddish in nature.
How To Get To UluTemburong National Park.
1. Take the speedboat from Bandar
Seri Begawan to Bangar TemburongDustrict.
The port in BSB is next to the base
of Sungai Kebun Bridge. It takes around 40 minutes to get to Bangar town.
2. From Bangar town jetty port,
take a land transfer via van to the nearest longboat port for 20 minutes.
Longboat ports depend on the tour provider of your choice but they are next to
each other. This is the farthest the road can take you to UluTemburong National
Park.
3. Take a longboat to UluTemburong
National Park.
There are three camp sites inside
the park, the length of longboat trip will depend on your destination. If you
go to the canopy walk, the boat ride takes around 20 minutes depending on the
condition of the river.
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