LIFE's JOURNEY: SEMATAN

paradise just before sunrise

Is there a paradise just next door to Kuching itself, as many might want to ask? There are a few actually if you search hard and have the adventurous soul to do it. Let me introduce you to a little piece of paradise just next door to Kuching. It’s just a mere 1 ½ hour’s drive from Kuching. You just drive towards Batu Kawa from Kuching then straight ahead to Lundu town. After the bridge, just follow the sign board to Sematan town. When you reach Sematan, just turn into Palm Beach Resort just before you hit the town it self.

welcome to Sematan Palm Beach Resort

road to paradise (picture courtesy of Calvin)

the resort sits on golden sand beach (picture courtesy of Calvin)

Talang-talang island just a stone throw away from the resort (picture courtesy of Calvin)

The resort sits on a prime beach area off the tip of Sarawak. It overlooked the Talang-talang island in front and Tanjung Datu national park on the right. The water is blue, the sky is clear and the beach is wonderful. Coconut trees sway to the rhythm of the sea breeze. You can just sit under the shade and do nothing for the whole day. The resort offers different type of accommodations to cater for different group. The packages include of the room, breakfast and dinner.

our humble little shack

adult version of double decker bed

We opt for the four person chalet because it overlooked the sea. The chalet looked like a wooden tent with two levels. There’s a king sized bed on the ground floor and two single on the first floor. Toilet is located on the ground floor and there’s even a patio for you to sit and take in the sea breeze.

for your pleasure or pain

wanna go kayaking??

cool refreashing waterfall at Kampung Pueh (picture courtesy of Ed)

When you are there, you can go for kayaking, rock climbing, cycling around town or go snorkeling at the nearby Talang-talang island. For the more adventurous, you can go for jungle trekking at Gunung Gading National park or Tanjung Datu National park. Gunung Gading National park is just situated at Lundu town while Tanjung Datu National park is about 1 ½ hour boat ride from Sematan. You can catch a glimpsed of the world largest flower ‘Rafflesia’ at these national parks. We wanted to go to Tanjung Datu National park but were disappointed by the lack of transportation provided to the place.

this is all i can afford for my ride (picture courtesy of Calvin)

open space (picture courtesy of Calvin)

Gunung Gading National park at the back (picture courtesy of Calvin)

clear blue sky and sea

It’s a very SAD thing if we got some of the most magnificent places on earth but the Government and those related agencies didn’t exploit the potential and introduce it to the world. Instead of sulking, we explore the nearby beaches and towns. Lives here are slow and easy. There are a lot of photogenic places around Lundu and Sematan and we took almost 1000 pictures for the 3 days trip!