SMARTguide - Sarawak

I ADVENTURE I NATURE
MEETING THE LOCALS
– ORANG ULU, THE UPRIVER PEOPLE
From the river-based Berawan tribes of
Long Terawan to the now settling Penan
in the villages of Batu Bungan and Long
Iman: these are the Mulu locals and
they play an integral part in the affairs
of Mulu National Park. These villages
are also made accessible for tourists
to visit, specifically to enjoy the local
handicraft market and of course to try
their hand at the weapon of choice –
the blowpipe! The workforce of the Park
consists of 96% locals and all are proud
Sarawakians.
River at Mulu
GUNUNG MULU
NATIONAL PARK
– PROTECTING
HERITAGE
FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS
A recent study (2017) by the IUCN
World Heritage Outlook resulted in a
“good” status, with the IUCN stating,
“The combination of the remoteness
(no public road access), rugged
terrain, legislative basis of protection,
existence and implementation of
an Integrated Development and
Management Plan, 5-year plan, very
effective professional management
and dependence of a valuable
tourism industry on the park augurs
well contributing to ongoing effective
protection and management.”
According to the UNESCO World
Heritage Committee, “GMNP
provides outstanding scientific
opportunities to study theories on
the origins of cave faunas. With its
deeply-incised canyons, wild rivers,
rainforest-covered mountains,
spectacular limestone pinnacles,
cave passages and decorations,
Mulu has outstanding scenic values.
GMNP also provides significant
natural habitat for a wide range of
plant and animal diversity both above
and below ground. It is botanicallyrich
in species and high in endemism,
including one of the richest sites in
the world for palm species.”
HIGHLY TRAINED GUIDES
When a guide leads a group into
the Mulu caves he or she is not only
an interpreter, allowing people to
understand the nature, but they also
act like rangers, ensuring the visitors
keep their litter, and do not harm the
environment.
The park itself employs around 20
guides and there are a number of
freelance guides working permanently
with travel agencies, bringing the total
to 60 guides.
CANOPY WALK
At 480 metres in total length and
built in 2007, Mulu has the longest
tree-based walkway in the world.
Here, guides help visitors better
understand the flora and fauna
of the tropical forest.
Mulu canopy
walkway
Jeffrey Simun,
Operation Manager,
and Bian Rumei,
Tourism Services
Manager, Borsamulu –
Mulu National Park
“Guides have to attend a course
which is run by the Sarawak Forestry
Corporation for 21 days, and Borsamulu
runs a course which lasts around 10
days, very specific on the park product,”
explains Jeffrey Simun, Operation
Manager, Borsamulu – Mulu National
Park. “They learn about the geology of
the caves, the flora the fauna, and then
they have to attend an exam. Only once
they pass the exam can they obtain a
license.”
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 15