Our visit to Simunjan (Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia) was not a planned one. We somehow ended up there after scrapping up our original plan to visit the magnificient Belungei Waterfall in Lundu at the last minute. Something happened that made us head towards an alternative location, and I must say this amendment was not to be regretted.  Wong Panchor is a waterfall in Kampung Mentu, Simunjan. The hike to Wong Panchor is relatively easy, and takes about 45 minutes. If that’s not enough for you, continue on to Wong Mawang waterfall for an additional hike of just 30 minutes that is worth the sweat.  We started our journey early in the morning on a Saturday. Simunjan town is 2 about hours away from Kuching via either the Kuching-Serian Road or the Samarahan Road. We woke at 5,30am aiming to be ready to leave at 6am, after picking up our mates.  Looking at the sun rise, driving to Simunjan in the early morning is totally refreshing for the eyes. The views are amazing, quite a treat. We passed Siburan and Serian, and followed the Gedong road until we hit the town.  We decided to stop in a food spot in order to refill our energies before starting our hike. In Malaysia, ordering teh tarik (pulled tea: a milk tea that is pulled until it bubbles) is a must, yet some of us prefer black coffee or a plain tea. Teh tarik goes well with Kueh Tiaw Goreng or Mee Goreng (fried noodles) and fried eggs. I am a vegetarian so I skip the dishes containing meat and try other breakfast delicacies instead.  Once we were done with the food, we drove towards Kampung Mentu, the location where the hike starts. From Simunjan to Kampung Mentu it’s a 1 hour drive, a tough one! The road is like a roller coster and at certain places the conditions were pretty bad. This road used to be a palm oil truck road. If your car is not in good conditions, do not attempt it. The bumpy ride is compensated by the views of the journey: Iban people villages with their traditional longhouses.  At our arrival, we met up with our tour guide and at 10am we stepped into the woods and were on the hike towards the waterfall. The path is smooth: at first we were inside the forest for a few minutes, then we walked downhill along a stream on a stoned path until we passed a water pipe.  We reached the impressively big Wong Panchor waterfall after 1 hour of hiking. The pond it forms is quite deep and dark, and the water is refreshing. After taking turn to shoot photos of the waterfall, we decided to start preparing lunch. Some started cooking, other went for a swim. Eventually we had lunch, and after that some hanged their hammock and went for a siesta.  Sometime passes before we decide to pack up and move on to another waterfall: Wong Mawang. Though the hike only took 30 minutes, most of the path was challenging and climbing ups we were relieved when we reached the place. Wong Mawang is a mesmerising waterfall, so we all took some photos of it, before starting our hike back.  All went smooth on the day, and everyone feels safe and happy. We wrapped up by paying our tour guide and left the area.  This area of Simunjan is vast, the landscapes are undeniably beautiful so yes, I loved it all! Taking a trip and a hike there with a group of friends was the best choice. 

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  Before becoming a mom, I was very active in hiking and kayaking. Mostly hiking I would say, so when one day a friend suddenly proposed to visit Bengoh Dam, I knew I had to go: according to the many friends who visited the area, it looks like the famous Jurassic Park environment. How exciting! I can anticipate to my readers that my previous article about Bidayuh Bangles users, the famous ring ladies, is somewhat related to this article.  The story of Bengoh Dam But let’s continue with my story. The Bengoh Dam was still under construction when I was a student in 2009, and I had to hike for about 7 hours to reach Kampung Semban for my Anthropology research. That village, along with the majority of the others in the area, as a result of the dam it has now been relocated to the new Bengoh Resettlement Site (BRS). The Bengoh Dam project flooded the majority of the surrounding mountain area, as its final purpose was to supply water to the Kuching people. To be noted that Bengoh Dam is not an hydropower project: the nearest hydropower project is in Sri Aman, in Batang Ai. As a result of the dam construction, the area had to undergo quite a chance. Water now covers the majority of the land, and the previous river has now become a massive lake. One of the most famous villages unaffected by the flooding is Kampung Sting, which has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. I decided to join my friends on this trip because I am a passionate traveler, and the Bengoh Dam is one of the newest tourist attractions here. Visitors are usually encouraged to visit Bengoh Dam in the morning, so I recommend you gather enough information and book the trip.  Getting there For those like us who live in the Borneo Height area, it takes a mere 30 minutes drive to reach the Bengoh Dam. We reached there at around 8.30 am, we listened to the short briefing conducted by our tour guide, then we boarded our boat at the small jetty and cruised through the man-made lake. The journey was breathtaking: we saw dying trees, mountains and small paddy farms. We stopped at a few tourist attractions to take memory photos. We finally reached our first stop, Kampung Sting, from where we left on foot for the few minutes’s hike to the top. On the  village ridge there is a spacious, one-of-a-kind bamboo structure. We sat there and amazed at the majestic scenery of mountains covered in clouds surrounding the lake. Clouds and mist were formed by the morning rain that day, and the area resembled China, and perhaps also Vietnam. It is such a nice and relaxing place, we allowed one hour for the early lunch there. The waterfalls We were so eager to explore so we boarded the boat for the next ride and proceeded to the first waterfall: Pee’an (or ‘curtain waterfall’). It took us a good 30 minutes hike to get there, and then another 20 minutes to reach Susung waterfall, where the views are magnificent. During the hike, visitors usually come across a variety of flora and fauna, including pitcher plants, exotic mushrooms and many others. There’s also this one-of-a-kind architectural bamboo bridge. It had rained a bit earlier, and the path was slippery, so we needed to be sure-footed. I advise wearing proper trekking shows in case the path is challenging.  As we reached destination, I was amazed by the massive lianas that serve as a frame to the waterfall. We spent some time, enjoying the sight and taking shots, then returned to Pee’an waterfall, where we swam and soaked in the refreshing water until the rain caught up with us and the guide summoned us for the hike back to base.  The hike to Bengoh Dam was tiring, but we were all so proud of being able to reach most must-see sights in the area. The scenery is mind-blowing, the air is clean and the relaxation after the hike is guaranteed. I advise good shoes, raincoat, plenty of water, extra clothes and mosquito repellent, as well as a good guide!  Two are the tour options: a day-trip or a 2 Day/1 Night tour. If you are not from the area, we recommend the 2 Day/1 Night tour. Your overnight stay will be at a lovely, traditional homestay with Bidayuh features, where you can also enjoy local delicacies such as Ayam Pansuh cooked in bamboo with cassava leaves.  Let the alluring nature of this amazing destination transport you to another world. INFORMATION Drive: Allow 1 to 1 hour and a half drive from Kuching town. Entrance Fees: RM 5 per person Location: Bengoh Dam, Kampung Bengoh, Borneo Height Road, Kuching Attractions: Kampung Sting, Pee’an Waterfall, Susung Waterfall and boat ride Trail: Easy to moderate Hiking time: Around 2 to 3 hours, depending on your fitness level and hiking speed Reservations: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1x9IJva3gw4WKBiURWIhc3c59tXFNWBBFwtkMilc2Sa0/edit  Minimum pax: 2 people

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Bukit Batu Selabat is mostly famous for its hill and for its waterfall. Giant boulders are scattered all around the hills. Up there you can enjoy views of the whole city: Kuching. This is an amazing sight to witness at night when the city is covered in lights. The best recommendation is to hike and spend a night there camping.  Remember to take with you all your camping gear and gadgets as well as good buddies if you need companions. Hiking in the evening ensures you will be witness of a majestic sunset. After setting up your tent, have a drink, sit on a rock, and take a couple of pictures as a memoir. Trust me, you will be happy to have a memory for your future storytelling.  Do it at night! Before nightfall, make sure you get food prepared for the night, as the skylights there will definitely wow you. Let’s pray for dry weather, of course, and remember to bring plenty of water with you as there are no water reserves at the top. In the morning, you should wake up early if you wish to experience a great sunrise. And if you do not fancy camping out, do not worry, most people only come for a day trip. You can chose to hike in the morning, afternoon or even in the evening. A part from fit junkies, Bukit Batu Selabat is one of the favourite of those who want to challenge themselves to slim down. The waterfall Arong Serait Waterfall is nature at its best, greatly organised and created by Mother Earth. You will feel you are in a unique place, one that is beyond your imagination. The flow of water is so nice, and the stones are arranged in a way that it seems like planned by an architect. Vegetation around the waterfall is so lush, which makes it the perfect place for kids too.  If you chose to go there in the night and you decide to soak yourself at the waterfall, you won’t regret it. Having cold water in nature is absolutely best for mental and physical clearance. There are actually two tiered waterfall in the area, both are amazing and at both of them you can spend the night camping. Since the area is near a source of fresh water, you don’t have to worry about water supplies. All you have to do is set your tent, make a campfire and do proper camping cooking with all the gear you carry with you. I hiked in the day and spent my time at the waterfall, but all options are ok and worth your trip. My only advice is to bring enough supplies for the night and also some mosquito repellent. Good news for nature lovers: you will encounter pitcher plants, unique mushrooms, and frogs, as well as abundant flora and fauna. Hiking and camping It takes about 1-hour hiking from the checkpoint to reach both Bukit Batu Selabat and Arong Serait Waterfall – it’s a 2.5-kilometres trail. Hiking time depends pretty much on individual stamina. Look at this video for inspiration. The checkpoint itself is located at Kampung Selabat, Muara Tebas, not far from the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency, APNM, and it is about 17 kilometres from Kuching city. The hike between the waterfall and the top of the hill should last 30 to 60 minutes. As for the fee, you have to pay RM10 for either hill or waterfall, and if you visit both the ticket is then RM15. Parking there costs RM5 per car.

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The Haa Valley, in the magical Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, is like a glimmering emerald in the clouds. It is the second least populated dzongkhag (district) in the country and is also popularly known as ‘Hidden-Land Rice Valley’. Lush with an unbelievably diverse flora and fauna, it was opened to the public only in 2002 and is still relatively untouched by modern culture. It is a land of ancient rituals, mysticism and beauty and lies like a slice of heaven waiting to be discovered. During the pre-Buddhist era, animist tradition prevailed in the region, with blood sacrifices that were routinely offered to the local deities by the valley’s inhabitants. Then in the 8th century Guru Padmasambhava subdued the more violent practices and made the people guardians of Buddhism. Though traces of animism still prevail in the valley, which is rich in folklore and legends including Shamanistic rituals. The Haa Valley is a two hour ride from the airport in Paro and involves crossing the stunning Chele La Pass through breathtaking scenery.  It is Bhutan’s highest road pass, so perhaps not the best route if you suffer from vertigo, though the pristine landscape, beautiful hills with snowy caps, clusters of prayer flags fluttering along the pass and clear green mountain rivers will be heaven for nature lovers. The picturesque Haa River flows right through the centre of the valley and simply walking beside the river underneath pine trees, passing willows and listening to the babbling river makes for a lovely experience. The traditional architecture with painted carved eaves and wooden window frames with auspicious symbols painted on the walls is distinctly Bhutanese, graceful and somehow fitting with the landscape. For an authentic experience, stay can be organized at traditional farms in the village, so keep this in mind when planning Bhutan travel packages. Home-stays and small boutique-styled lodges also a host of special activities like hiking, walking trails, cookery classes, archery and Ara (the local brew) distilling classes. Some of the famous sites in the Haa Valley are the 7th century Lhakhang Karpo (White temple) and Lhakhang Nagpo (Black temple) which are next to each other at the sacred site known as Miri Punsum, or “The Three Brother Hills.” Monasteries are scattered through the valley and trekking or biking through the hills to visit the local temples makes for a very enjoyable way to spend the day. Indeed the valley offers plenty of trekking opportunities of different levels of difficulty. There are easy treks like the one to Katsho Goemba which is an old Buddhist monastery. It takes about two hours to get to the top, en route you will pass the tiny happy village of Katsho and be greeted by warm smiles. A tougher but rewarding trek is the one to Jana Dingjia which is about four or five hours to the top. Jana Dingjia is a small goemba or monastery but the views from it of the valley are panoramic. The hike to Kila Nunnery from Chele La pass is spectacular and shouldn’t be missed. For this reason having a good guide is an important part of Bhutan tours simply to ensure you don’t miss the jewels along the way like the Kila Nunnery hike. The walk through the forest to the nunnery is beautiful, verdant and unspoilt. Keep an eye out for the Himalayan Blue Poppy, the national flower of Bhutan. One of its strains is cream colored and is only to be found in the Haa Valley. The Haa Summer Festival in July is a fun one to include into custom Asia tours as it offers an insight into traditional lifestyles and local Bhutanese culture. You will get to watch skilled local craftsman weaving with yak hair, watch yak shearing and see how traditional meals are made using yak dairy products as main ingredients. Savor delicious Haapi Hoentoe or hearty buckwheat dumplings stuffed with fragrant mushroom, turnips and an assortment of dried greens, enjoy lively folk songs and masked dances and participate in local sports such as archery, yak and horse riding, darts and soksum (light javelin throwing). Wash it all down with the heady Ara and immerse yourself in a culture and land that is ancient and still untouched by the homogenous character of modernity. Pining for a personal and tailor-made luxury Asia tour to Bhutan? We are here to help. Get in touch with your Enchanting Travels Consultant today!

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