Kampung Sibu Laut has a beautiful sandy shoreline, lined with coconut and Casuarina trees.
A crocodile rests under the shade of mangrove trees on a riverbank in KWNP.
Foreign tourists enjoy a boat ride that take them around KWNP.
Wina makes Kuih Sepit at her house in Kampung Sungai Aur.
A sign that serves to warn people about the presence of crocodiles in the area.
The majestic Mount Santubong looms over the wetlands national park.
The area within the KWNP where Proboscis monkeys are frequently spotted.
According to Irmadiana, , a proper road from Jalan Matang to KWNP will be constructed once the Ramsar Management Office is up and running.
KUCHING: Excitement is building up in Kuching Wetlands National Park (KWNP) as the management of the Ramsar site is planning for the setup of several tourism sites under its belt.
According to state Forest Department Ramsar Management Unit executive Irmadiana Ardi, a proper road from Jalan Matang to KWNP will be constructed once the Ramsar Management Office is up and running soon.
“With the office up and running, we can properly manage this area and the number of visitors can be registered as well,” she told reporters during a tour to the KWNP yesterday, where members of the media were briefed on several tourism attractions which had been identified by the unit as having the potential to draw visitors.
They were also brought to Kampung Sungai Aur, where they visited the residence of 48-year-old Wina Karim, who is among the local producers of the ‘Kuih Sepit’ — a local traditional sweet, crunchy snack.
KWNP covers an area of 6,620 hectares, encompassing Sibu Laut and Kampung Salak. It was designated as a Ramsar site in 2005. Eighty per cent of it comprises mangroves, peat swamps and ‘kerangas’ (heath) forest.
In definition, any Ramsar site is a conservation area protected under the Ramsar Convention, which formally stands for ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat’.
Irmadiana highlighted several cottage industries being run in and near Kampung Salak, such as cockle farming and Proboscis monkey tour, where visitors could watch this monkey species up close.
She also pointed out that with the government’s announcement for the setup of a crocodile sanctuary in the area, study and input from qualified consultants would be needed before any groundwork could take off.
“The large amount of crocodiles here is actually another form of attraction for visitors, apart from the Proboscis monkey and other wildlife animals.
“Therefore, we hope that once everything (that has been planned) is up and running, this place would be another major attraction in Kuching, in view of its close proximity to the city,” she added.
Additionally, Irmadiana also said the World Wetlands Day would be celebrated this Feb 25 at SK Salak, where there would be various activities to be held with the objective of creating awareness of the importance of having a Ramsar site.