Why You Need To Explore Sarawak’s Jurassic World Now! Bengoh Dam
Hidden in deep in the jungles of Sarawak is one of the most breath-taking waterfalls in Borneo, the Pee’an (Curtain Fall) and Susung Waterfall. Situated close to the borders between Sarawak and Kalimantan, these 2 waterfalls have recently gained local interest due to its unique resemblance to the jungles in the popular movie “Jurassic World“.
Bengoh Dam – Kampung Sting, Sarawak
If you love nature and the outdoors, then we highly recommend you to check this place out whenever you are in Kuching, Sarawak. The trip to these 2 waterfalls are usually bundled up with a visit to a local indigenous Bidayuh village nearby, Kampung Sting.
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| Absolutely stunning view of Susung Waterfall – Sarawak |
When should you visit Sarawak’s Jurrasic World ?
One thing you should know about Kuching is that it rains more frequently than any other places in Malaysia. You can of course visit Kuching anytime of the year, however for those planning to explore these waterfalls, we suggest visiting during the driest and hottest months of the year, April – October.
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| We visited the waterfalls during the wettest season of the year – Sarawak |
Even so, you can definitely visit these waterfalls during the wettest months, just like we did in December. Just be prepared for a more challenging hike due to slippery surfaces and carry along a raincoat and waterproof bag to keep your belongings dry.
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| Waterproof bag recommended to carry during your hike |
Depending on which tour agency you choose, the start of the hiking time varies. For us, we started our tour early at 7.15am. As it the crowds can get quite big on the weekends and public holidays, we suggest you to plan your trip here on the weekdays.
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| We were the only group of visitors here – Bengoh Dam, Sarawak |
How to visit Sarawak’s Jurrasic World ?
As the starting point for the tour is at Bengoh Dam, outskirts of Kuching, you have fewer choices when it comes to transportation. To get here, you can either rent a car or join a tour. You can also take a taxi/e-Hailing here, however once you’re done with the hiking, it might be an issue finding a ride back since not many cars pass by this area.
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| Bengoh Dam – Sarawak |
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| Boats parked at Bengoh Dam – Sarawak |
There are plenty of tours agencies available online, so do check them out before booking. We made our booking with a local tour guide here for RM50 per person. You can contact her here (0176772939) if you are interested.
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| Entrance fee was included in our trip – Pee’ An Waterfall, Sarawak |
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| Ready for the hike – Sarawak |
How long is the drive to Bengoh Dam ?
Located around 50km South of Kuching city, you can expect to travel around 1:10 – 1:30 hours to get here. The roads to Bengoh Dam is quite easy going, so you can expect to have a relaxing and scenic drive here.
Driving up to Bengoh Dam
Can I stay overnight ?
Yes! For visitors who wants to fully experience the local lifestyle, we recommend spending a night or two at the Bidayuh village homestays in Kampung Sting. Unlike any other village, Kampung Sting sits on top of the stunning emerald Bengoh Lake, offering visitors a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
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| Mesmerizing view from Kampung Sting – Sarawak |
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| Stunning view of the emerald Bengoh Lake – Kampung Sting, Sarawak |
Useful tips
- Consider taking along mosquito/leech repellent during your hike
- Use proper trekking shoes (we used “Adidas Kampung”, a locally made hiking shoes, which can be bought as cheap as RM 10 at any local stores in Kuching)
- We suggest you to carry a trekking pole/hiking stick as it helps give you more grip and stability at the steeper surfaces
- Take along some clothes to change in case you decide to swim at the waterfalls
- Bring a raincoat in case it rains
- Bring along salt sticks, energy bars and sports drinks (100 Plus/Gatorade/etc)
- Be careful of leeches during your hike as they are known to be abundant during your hike to the 2nd waterfall (Susung Waterfall)
- Make sure to carry along your camera to snap memorable photos
- Please keep the waterfalls and trails clean so others can enjoy its beauty
- Since there is only 1 toilet at the waterfall, make sure to plan ahead! 😄
“Adidas Kampung” – Sarawak
Hiking stick definitely recommended for the hike – Sarawak
Energy bars
Sports drinks
Our experience exploring Sarawak’s Jurassic World
After spending so much time travelling in Sabah, we’ve decided to return back home to Sarawak for a short break. As these 2 waterfalls in Bengoh have recently gained attraction amongst the locals, we both knew that we definitely needed to check it out for ourselves. Do keep in mind that prior booking is required if you plan to visit these waterfalls. So make sure to plan ahead!
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| Lush jungle of Bengoh, Sarawak |
Since our tour began at 7.15am, we started our journey from Kuching early, around 5.45am. As we made our way to Bengoh Dam, it started to drizzle on the way there. Lucky for us the rain stopped as soon as we arrived at the meeting point in Bengoh Dam. As we went on a weekday, there was no other visitors expect for the staffs there. While waiting for the boatman to arrive, we wandered around snapping pictures of the majestic Bengoh Dam.
Map of the tour – Sarawak
Friendly dog at Bengoh Dam – Sarawak
No swimming allowed here as the water source is used by the residents in Kuching – Bengoh Dam
Bengoh Lake – Sarawak
We met up with our boatman here – Bengoh Lake, Sarawak
Depending on your tour guide, you can arrange to visit either the 2 waterfalls or Kampung Sting first. Since there was only 4 of us at the time, we opted to go for the steepest and more challenging one first, which was the hike up to Kampung Sting. Once the boatman which was also our tour guide arrived, we hopped in for a 8 minutes boat ride to the start point of the Kampung Sting hike.
Boat ride on the Bengoh Lake – Sarawak
Hike up the “Village above the clouds”
As the village sits on an elevation of approximately 220m/722ft, it can take anywhere from 15 – 30 minutes to reach the view point. Be prepared for the steep 70° terrain as you make your way up. Once you make your way past the steep portion of the route, the terrain flattens out enabling you to catch your breath after a good uphill workout session.
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| The trail to Kampung Sting – Sarawak |
There will be 2 main view points along the way. At the 1st view point, you can purchase some light refreshments and drinks for the locals here whilst you enjoy the view of the Bengoh Lake. Walk up another 5 minutes and you will reach the 2nd view point, which offers visitors a breath-taking 360° view of the surrounding area.
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| The 1st view point – Kampung Sting, Sarawak |
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| Crossing the wooden bridge to reach the 2nd view point – Kampung Sting |
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| Panoramic view of Bengoh – Sarawak |
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| The 2nd view point – Kampung Sting, Sarawak |
Learn about the history of Kampung Sting
What some visitors may not know is that Kampung Sting is a resettled Bidayuh village due to the infamous construction of the Bengoh Dam. Forced to leave their ancestral land, some of the villagers who chose to stay put, reside on the higher grounds of the Bengoh mountain range, known as Kampung Sting today. You can read more on the villagers plight here.
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| Bird’s eye view from the 2nd view point – Kampung Sting, Sarawak |
After spending around half an hour taking photos, we descended back down to the boat and headed to the waterfalls. It took us around 10 minutes boat ride to get from Kampung Sting to the starting point of the 2 waterfalls.
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| Descending back to the boat – Kampung Sting, Sarawak |
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| Our boatman stopped by this mini waterfall along the way – Bengoh Lake, Sarawak |
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| At the start point for the waterfall hike – Sarawak |
Journey to Sarawak’s hidden forest trails and waterfalls
Once we arrived the starting point, we hiked up along the 1km trail to the 1st waterfall, Pee’an Waterfall (Curtain Fall). The terrain was not difficult to hike and it took us only half an hour to reach the Pee’ an Waterfall.
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| Unique tunnel covered with leaves along the way – Sarawak |
Test your balancing skills on the narrow bridges
Along the way, we passed by dozens of the traditional bamboo and wooden bridges, one of which sits quite high above the fast flowing rivers of Bengoh. We’re not gonna lie, that it was a bit nerve-wrecking to cross the bridges initially, but once you the hang of it, then you will have no issues crossing one on the way back.
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| One of the many narrow bridges you have to cross – Sarawak |
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| The highest bridge we had to cross – Sarawak |
Take a break at Pee’an Waterfall (Curtain Fall)
Once you arrive at the Pee’an Waterfall (Curtain Fall), you will be greeted with one of the most pristine waterfalls in Sarawak. At the most left corner you can see a waterfall hidden by the overgrowth of the jungle and at the lower part of the river you will be able view the “curtain like waterfall”, which is how the waterfall got its name.
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| The hidden waterfall at the most left corner – Sarawak |
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| Pee’ An Waterfall (Curtain Fall) – Sarawak |
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| Taking a break at Pee’ An Waterfall – Sarawak |
This is probably the best place for you to take a plunge into the refreshing and cool waters of Bengoh. The 2nd waterfall on the other hand has a much higher waterfall and not so suitable for swimming due to its strong current.
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| Pee’ An Waterfall (Curtain Fall) – Sarawak |
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| Family photo at the Pee’ An Waterfall – Sarawak |
Once we were done exploring the 1st waterfall, we proceeded to the 2nd waterfall, Susung Waterfall which is well-known for resembling the Jurassic World forest. Our guide also warned us that there might be a lot of leeches at the 2nd waterfall, so be sure to use insect/leech repellent before you resume hiking.
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| Make sure to use insect/leech repellent ! Mosi-guard works best for us 🙂 |
Behold Sarawak’s Jurassic World !
Trek another 600m and you will be greeted with the most amazing view one could ask for. From afar, we could already hear the sounds of the mighty Susung Waterfall. We took only 10 minutes this time to get here from Pee’an Waterfall. As you make your way to the base of the waterfall, do watch your steps as the rocks leading up to the waterfall are very damp and slippery.
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| The mighty Susung Waterfall – Sarawak |
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| The scenery looks straight out of Jurassic World! – Sarawak |
And yes! We’ve finally made it to Susung Waterfall. As the waterfall current was so strong, even standing just beside the waterfall for a few seconds was enough to get all our clothes and camera equipment wet. After capturing a few pictures, we proceeded back to the calmer section of the waterfall to have our picnic before resuming the hike back down to the boat.
Got all our camera equipment wet for this photo – Sarawak
By 12pm we were done with the tour and headed back home. To sum it up, if you are a nature lover or looking for some adventure, definitely check this place out. So there you have it! Everything you need to know about Sarawak’s Jurassic World. Hopefully we managed to inspire you to make your way here the next time you are in town.
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| On the descend back to the boat – Bengoh Lake, Sarawak |
Have any experience or tips on visiting Sarawak’s Jurassic World in Bengoh? Or are you planning a trip soon? Let us know and share your thoughts and questions in the comments section. We’d love to hear from you!
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