Similajau National Park is situated 30 km north-east of the town of Bintulu. The park’s main attractions are the geological features of its coast, its beaches and near-shore waters and its tropical rainforest. Similajau is essentially a narrow strip of protected forest, fronted by beaches and rocky coves.
There is mix of habitats at the park including beach forest, mangroves, heath forest and mixed dipterocarp forest. The main attractions of the park are close to the shoreline. A trekking trail follows the coastline from the park HQ to Golden Beach. The most popular activities are jungle trekking, river and coastal cruises and bird-watching.
Wildlife
24 species of mammals are found at Similajau National Park, including wild boar, civet cats, gibbons, long-tailed macaques, barking deer, mouse deer, squirrels, porcupines and the Sarawak Langur, one of the rarest primates in the world. The park is also home to 185 species of birds.
Similajau is home to the estuarine crocodile and these are often seen in the river near the park HQ, especially at night. Whilst no crocodile attacks have been recorded at Similajau, visitors are advised to be cautious. Use the bridges to cross the larger rivers and take note of the red signs warning of the presence of crocodiles. Don’t swim in the rivers or at the beaches.
Green turtles come ashore to lay their eggs at the park’s beaches and Irrawaddy dolphins and finless porpoises are occasionally seen in the near shore waters. Horseshoe crabs are sometimes seen on the beaches during the dry season.
Accommodation
There is a range of accommodation at the park HQ.
The Rest House (2 rooms (4 beds), air-con, attached bathroom, living room) is RM 300 per night.
A room in a Forest Lodge Type 5 (1 single bed, 1 double bed, air-con, attached bathroom) is RM 100 per night. If you take both rooms in the lodge the price is RM 150 per night.
A bed in a 4-person hostel room is RM 15. If you take the whole hostel room the price is RM 40.
There is also campsite that can accommodate 50 people.
You can book rooms at Similajau on the Sarawak e-booking website.
Getting There
Similajau is located 30 km from Bintulu and approximately 9 km off the coastal road from Bintulu to Miri. There is no regular public bus service from town to the park HQ. The one-way taxi fare from Bintulu to the park is RM 70-80. A Grab car will cost around RM 45 one-way.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Similajau is during the dry season (February to October) when the emerald green waters are clear and sea conditions are calm.
The park is a popular recreation spot for the residents of Bintulu. It is busy on weekends and public holidays. In contrast on weekdays it receives very few visitors.