Note: This 3-part blog entry was part of AirAsia Bloggers Programme and is also
a Digital Exclusive on AirAsia's very own in-flight and online magazine, Travel 3Sixty.
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Of course, how can we come all the way to Sarawak and not see the great apes, right?
So the next day, we headed out to Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre which is just
45 minutes from Kuching and charges a very modest price of RM3.00 per entry. Students and senior citizens enjoy an additional 50% discount.
Twenty-six Orang Utans are registered in the centre with the oldest Seduku a.k.a
‘the grandmother’ is still going strong and healthy at 40 years old. However, the big boss
of the jungle is Richie, the dominant male here in Semenggoh.
There are two feeding sessions in a day, 9am and 3pm. We were there for the afternoon
session and a word of advice is to arrive early because sometimes you may get a surprise
early visit from the apes. There is no promise as to whether the Orang Utans will
show up and a no-show is actually a good sign, meaning they could be doing well
on their own in the wild.
While some of us early birds were hanging around at the waiting area, a mama and her child appeared at the car park area and came walking down towards us. The young adult put on quite a show for us!
Finally, it was time to proceed to the feeding area.
That’s the feeding platform right there! We were told to remain quiet throughout
the entire time because we do not want to startle the apes; seriously, no one wants to mess with Richie, not even the park rangers.
Because that, my friends, is Richie the mighty!
And when Richie eats, everyone else waits. Yes everyone, both ape and men.
Only after Richie was done with his meals did the others come forward to have their share.
I guess there’s hierarchy in the Orang Utan kingdom too. We soon bid farewell to Semenggoh and dozed off in the car.
Our next attraction is the Kuching Civic Centre.
A place many would skip because it loses its charm over the years due to lack of offerings. But sometimes it’s not how much a place has to offer but just that one good enough reason to go there. In this case, a panoramic view of Kuching and its surroundings.
I can even see Mount Santubong from up here. On a bright sunny day, the view stretches out to even the sea. Sure, the place might not be as exciting as seeing Orang Utans or as fun as shopping at the mall but sometimes we tend to forget simple things in life that well, make life awesome just the way it is. Simple things like a breathtaking view… the refreshing breeze when you are up high...resting your head on the railings and a good old family portrait that has everyone beaming
Last but not least is the Sarawak Cultural Village!
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