Kampung Semban is one of the oldest Bidayuh villages which located in the most western part of Bungo Range of Kuching division of Sarawak. To reach there, we have to hike for at least 5 hours in a narrow trail from Kampung Bengoh at Padawan as there is no road to access to the mountain range.
It was a drizzling Saturday morning when 23 of my outdoor friends and I gathered at a car park at Kampung Bengoh and gearing up our stuff and met our porters. Some of our bags and foods were passed to our porters to carry up to the mountain.
At 8.30 am, we started our journey by entering the deep valley of Bengoh from the dam construction site as the trailhead was blocked. Due to the overnight rain, the newly constructed dirt road became a muddy road. It was an unpleasant start as we had to trek for 45 minutes under the scorching sun and the mud from the muddy road all stick to our hiking shoes. When we reached the end of the road, we could see a narrow forest trail built by the villagers.
Bamboo Bridge Image source via cyrilcanvas.wordpress.com
Not long later, we reached a bridge built by locals. The bridge is made from bamboo. It is hanging on the mid-air like a suspension bridge and below it is a deep and fast flowing river about 6 or 7 meters high, and the width is 10 meters. Before crossing, everyone was warned by the porters for not crossing it at the same time by more than four persons. When I reached to the middle of the bridge, it was shaking. I took almost 3 minutes to cross the narrow bridge slowly and cautiously while the native folks only took less than a minute to cross it. Ahead of us, there were a few more bamboo bridges to cross.
The majestic bamboo bridge Image source via cyrilcanvas.wordpress.com
At 10 am, our team split into three small groups. The leading group consists of those stronger hikers who could ascend into the mountain range in a shorter period, and the last group is those who could not walk fast in the hilly trail. The porters are very responsible and ensured that nobody was left behind and look after those who could not walk fast.
By 11.30 am, the first group reached Kampung Semban. By now, I was exhausted with my heavy backpack.
At noon, we were ascending from the valley into the steep slope of Bungo range about 3,000 feet from the sea level. As I took a short break at the mountain ridge, I could hear the thundering sound of rapids from the valley below.
Finally, we reached the destination one hour later. Our host served us with hot sweet corns, Durians and orange juices. After resting for 15 minutes, we hired a guide to bring us to one of the biggest waterfalls in southern Sarawak called Susung waterfall.
The journey to the waterfall took us one hour on foot. Our tiredness was immediately lifted when we saw the great Susung waterfall. The thundering sound of the waterfall, the giant trees which the lichens and mosses were growing all over the tree trunks and branches at the riverbank and the moisture on the air created a layer of mist.
Susung Waterfall Image source via asiantrails.travel
It was such a perfect picturesque of my dream waterfall. Some jumped into the river to swim, while others busy looking for an excellent position to photograph this piece of paradise on earth. The humidity at the spot was extremely high. The moment I took up my camera from my bag, it covered by water droplets immediately.
Susung Waterfall Image source via sarawaktourism.com
An hour later, we walked back to the village, and the host greeted us with the delicious local foods, especially the bamboo cooked rice and chicken. Everyone was enjoying the dinner at the verandah outside the house. We slept before 11 pm that evening as we were all exhausted after a day of trekking in the mountain area.
At 5.30 am on the second day, as the cocks in the village started to crow, all of us woke up. We took our torchlights and cameras and walked to the pepper plantation.
Sunrise at Bengoh Image source via cphtravel.com.my
The sunrise was simply breathtaking. We saw a sea of cloud covered the whole valley. A long and unbroken mountain range surrounded the cloud. When the sun rose from the mountain range, the bright sunlight transformed the mist which trapped in the valley into the golden sea of clouds!
After taking zillions of pictures of the sea of cloud, we went back to our rest house to take a bath, brushing teeth and packing up our stuff into the backpack.
The host invited his relative, an older woman wearing the traditional costume to come to meet us. Everyone quickly took out the cameras and took the picture of the old Bidayuh woman as if she is a superstar was standing in front of us. We were all attracted by the shinning brasses wore by the old Bidayuh lady. All the older women in this village are wearing brasses made of copper on their arms and legs. Kampung Bengoh is the only village in Sarawak which inherited this brass wearing tradition. Sadly, the younger generation does not wear this traditional decoration anymore.
Bidayuh woman
An hour later, we waved goodbye to the hospitable villagers and heading north to another village at the valley called Kampung Rejoi.
The descending journey was much easier and faster than our ascending trek on the day before. The scenery along the way down was stunning as we still could see the sea of clouds covering the entire valley and surrounded by the green mountain range. The gentle morning breeze and the mist greeted us. The trek to Rejoi was much longer than we expected, but none of us ever regretted to come so far away from the city to this tranquil place.
A quarter after 9, we reached Rejoi. We took half an hour rest and then started to hike slowly along with the crystal clear Embahn river. I was the last person in the group as I was busy photographing the scenery along the journey. There are at least five bamboo bridges to cross along this trail, but none of the bridges was as long as the one we crossed on the first day.
After hiking for 14km, we finally reached the starting point at Bengoh village around 1.30 pm. We said goodbye to each other and drove our cars back home, respectively.
In the evening, I opened my computer and checking my Facebook. Liza sent a message to me; “Let’s go back again next month”. “Certainly!!!” that was my reply. I wish to go back to visit the friendly villagers and watch the sea of cloud again.
