Hiking East AsiaLuagan Lalak Forest Recreation Park
A freshwater swamp forest crossed entirely on boardwalks, with hornbills overhead and a chance of pangolins
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Duration
- 1-2 hours around the boardwalk network
Luagan Lalak has protected an alluvial freshwater swamp in Belait District since 1980, one of the few Brunei recreation parks built around a wetland rather than a hill forest. A network of walkways extends out into the swamp itself, leading to gazebos used for photography and quiet wildlife watching; hornbills are a common sight, and the park is known, more rarely, for pangolins.
Highlights
- Walkways extending directly into the swamp
- Hornbills and other swamp forest birdlife
- A rare chance of spotting a pangolin
- Gazebos built for photography over the water
Getting there
The park is in Kampong Sungai Petai, a little over an hour's drive from Bandar Seri Begawan. There is no public transport to the park, so a private or rented car is needed.
Safety tips
The walkways are the safety feature here, not a hazard: they keep visitors above the swamp rather than in it. The main things to watch are wet or algae-covered boards after rain and the usual swamp forest insects, which are more persistent here than on a breezy hill trail.
What to bring
- Insect repellent, since the still swamp air holds mosquitoes
- A camera, ideally with a long lens for hornbills and other wildlife
- Sun protection for the open sections of boardwalk
- Water, as there is nothing sold inside the park