Morning Wetlands Wildlife Cruise

What You'll Do - Morning Cruise

Kuching Wetlands National Park, covering 6,610 hectares, is included in the list of Wetlands of International Importance treaty signed in Iran in 1971. It is an area rich in wildlife and vegetation demonstrating the biodiversity of a mangrove ecosystem. The star attraction of this fragile habitat is undoubtedly the Irrawaddy dolphin and the estuary crocodile.

Depart Kuching for a 35 minutes short drive to a local Malay village located within the Kuching Wetlands National Park. Board our boat and cruise along the mangrove river towards the South China Sea on the look-out for the elusive Irrawaddy dolphin (sightings are dependent on tidal conditions). The Irrawaddy or snubfin dolphin inhabits the estuaries and shallow coastal areas and the Santubong area remains one of the best places in Sarawak to view this unusual looking marine mammal. When seen, they swim and dive around open waters less than 30 meters deep. Visitors will need a keen eye to spot the dolphins as they are best seen when they frolic near local fishing boats that are hauling in the catch!

The boat will continue to cruise along tributaries of the Salak River Delta for the opportunity to spot Proboscis monkeys and crocodiles and learn about the wildlife and vegetation that make up this complex mangrove ecosystem. The heavily silted mangrove swamp is also a haven for water monitor lizards, otters, mudskippers, mangrove crabs, prawns, edible jellyfish, shellfish, and more. A range of birdlife including kingfishers, white-bellied sea eagles, and other shorebirds can also be found there. The swamp sustains many different species of trees, the most important being the black and red mangroves, locally known as “Bako’.

After reaching the laid-back village of Kampong Salak, the boat makes a U-turn back to the jetty before the land transfer back to Kuching.