CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Climb Phattalung's rugged
Khao Ok Thalu; discover what moves in a Bornean jungle by
hiking through Bako National Park, reached by sea; wooden
walkways pave the way through Inle Lake's stilted villages;
teetering on the airy, crumbling edge of the Jinsha River
gorge, the High Trail is a top, mini-escape for trekkers.
steps. The summit climb is breathtaking in every way, leading
past hidden temples and gleaming Buddhas to reach a tranquil
forest sanctuary for Buddhist nuns that crowns the mountain.
Beyond Phatthalung, you can cycle on to Trang for west coast
island hopping and night market feasting, soak in the iridescent
Emerald Pool in Thung Teao Forest Nature Reserve, and kick
back at Krabi’s Ao Nang beach with spicy papaya salad, deep-fried
seafood and icy beers.
The essentials: From Sungai Kolok on the Malaysian/Thai
border there’s more than 500km to cycle before you reach Krabi.
Time your trip from February to August and allow three weeks
(wildtravelstory.com).
- DISCOVER SARAWAK’S MOST REMOTE
WATERFALL
Bako National Park, Kuching
The best way to discover what really moves in a Bornean jungle
after dark is to take a boat to Bako National Park and start hiking.
Located within easy reach of the capital Kuching, Bako’s
beachside sanctuary safeguards Borneo’s own, rare proboscis
monkey, shy silver leaf monkeys and unstoppable bearded pigs.
There’s also an excess of annoying macaques, but you can soon
escape them on Bako’s faraway trails to swim beneath secluded
waterfalls, gaze from lofty jungle lookouts, and pitch a tent on the
blissfully deserted Tajor beach, a half-day’s hike away. This
wilderness is Sarawak’s oldest, and while forest bungalows can be
booked online, for overnight adventures you’ll need an airy,
tropical tent, stove and food (gather and treat water from Tajor
Water fal l en route).
The essentials: From Kuching, take a taxi to Bako Village and a
boat onto the park. Visit from March to October and find out
more at sarawakforestry.com. - CYCLE KALAW TO INLE LAKE
Myanmar
For two days from Kalaw to Inle Lake, this off-track ride will thrill
you with forest descents and faraway villages on a 60km-plus
adventure over the Shan Hills to Inle Lake. At the lake there’s
more to explore on a three to four day loop out of the guesthouse
hub at Nyaungshwe, balancing along wooden bridges that pass as
the watery streets of Inle’s famously stilted lakeside villages, and
ticking off treks to a forest monastery high above Maing Thauk,
Indein’s crumbling temples, and Khaung Daing’s natural hot
springs.
Add on a trek to Kakku where a ‘stupa garden’ of 2,478
monuments dates back to Third Century BC, and wobble your
bike back to Nyaungshwe after a stint of wine tasting at Red
Mountain Estate Vineyard.
The essentials: From the Myanmar capital Yangon, Inle Lake is
a short f light (or an overnight bus ride) away. Visit from
November to February and book your ride or hire a decent bike
from local operators Naing Naing Biking and Trekking (find
them on facebook) or try grasshopperadventures.com.
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