> > by Craig Tansley
It’s no mean feat to get here – Golden Beach is part of the pristine 9000-hectare Similajau National Park, 30 kilometres from the township of Bintula in central Sarawak, 650 kilometres from the capital, Kuching. But what you’ll find is tropical perfection; Golden Beach is a spectacular three-kilometre stretch of golden sands backed by a tropical rainforest which is home to 24 mammal species including gibbons and long-tailed macaques and 185 species of birds including the symbol of Sarawak – the beautiful hornbill.
You’ll find waterfalls flowing onto Golden Beach – jungle streams emptying literally onto the beach forming a freshwater beach lake if you’d prefer fresh to salt water. The waters are full of tropical fish, dolphins, dugongs, whales and green and loggerhead turtles which use the beach as a birthing zone to lay eggs. Accommodation is simple in Similajau National Park, but its isolation enhances romance. Visit away from the weekend and you’ll have the beach to yourself. Perfect for the couple who:
Seek isolation and a National Geographic-type experience on holiday. Charter a fast boat from Bintula Town, or take a bus or taxi to the park headquarters and walk ten kilometres to the beach; the rewards are worth it, with landscapes that are like something from The Lost World and creatures related to 400 million-year-old trilobites.