Forest Reserves and Recreational Parks in Brunei: An Epic Adventure In Borneo

One of the things that you will quickly notice about Brunei is the amount of green forested cover that the country has. As part of the island of Borneo, the country has a tropical climate. The vast array of tropical forests reserves and recreational parks in Brunei really deserve mentioning.

I can’t talk about how much those forests are being actively protected because I am not aware of the details that surround the topic, but I did notice that during the forest fire season, the government does a lot to extinguish these fires.

There are quite a large number of Forest Reserves and Recreational Parks in Brunei and while we did try to visit as many as we could, some like Ulu Temburong were out of our reach because I was pregnant. Hopefully at some point in the future we will cover those too.

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Sungai Liang Forest Recreation Park

A glimpse of the trek at Sungai Liang Forest Reserve.

Sungai Liang was the first on the list of Forest Reserves and Recreational Parks in Brunei that I visited. Suggested by the locals in the area, Shawn had the opportunity to head there with his colleagues from work so he took me to see it too.

This park is closer to Kuala Belait and Seria but you definitely need to leave a bit early to get a good walk in before the sun sets. The popular time to head out on the trail is post work and it is an easy trek. There is even a small restaurant on your way back that you can stop at for Teh/Kopi or a bite to eat.

Bukit Shahbandar Forest Receational Park

A glimpse of the trail on the 9 hills trek and the Pondok in the distance.

Bukit Shahbandar Forest Recreational Park lies closer to Bandar so if you are headed out from KB or Seria, prepare to leave early. I think that this is one of the most popular spots on our list of Forest Reserves and Recreational Parks in Brunei and with good reason.

This park is famous for the three hills, six hills and nine hills trails which are popular treks in the country. You can choose your trail depending on your mood and level of fitness. It also has a great area for children to play. One great tip however is to carry mosquito repellent.

Tasek Merimbum Heritage Park

One of the lesser visited Forest Reserves and Recreational Parks in Brunei.

The Tasek Merimbin Heritage Park is a lesser visited park that we fell in love with. The lower amount of footfall may be the reason why some parts of it are not in ideal condition. There are short trails that you can trek on which are rather pretty.

One trail also takes you through the botanical garden where you can observe and identify the different flora in the region. Let’s not forget about the butterfly park that is part of heritage park too.

Labi Forest Reserve

At the shelter in the middle of Lalak Lake in Labi Hills Forest Reserve.

The Labi Forest Reserve is another popular location on our list of Forest Reserves and Recreational Parks in Brunei. In fact, you will find that a lot of the tours talk about taking you here. One of the highlights of this forest reserve is the Wasai Teraja hike.

It has been on my list of things to do in Brunei for a long time but I haven’t made it there yet. Another lesser known spot in the Labi Forest Reserve is Luagan park which is a shorter drive than the Teraja one. It does not have a trekking route but it is a beautiful spot to sit and watch the birds.

Ulu Temburong National Park

Unfortunately for us we never did get a chance to head to Ulu Temburong National Park. It is ranked as one the top destinations in the country and you can head here only as part of a tour. Needless to say, the tours are expensive and there is not much room for negotiation.

They also discourage pregnant women from heading across which is the reason why we scratched it off our list temporarily. There is always a next time right? A friend of mine wrote this really detailed article on Ulu Temburong National Park which I would highly recommend reading if you are headed that way.

Note: You can book a full day trip to Ulu Temburong National park online.

One of the nicest things about the country is the fact that no matter where you live, you will find at least one some of the forest reserves and recreational parks in Brunei near you. If you are ambitious, you can drive to them all. Ulu Temburong being an exception to this rule.

I think that it is one of the things that kept me going even when I was ill. The greenery and the wildlife. It is a detox from the toxic air of the city and not so sterile concrete jungles that are becoming our homes.

Have you been to any of the forest reserves and recreational parks in Brunei? Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.

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