Pulong Tau National Park, National park in Kelabit Highlands, Malaysia
Pulong Tau National Park is a protected area in the Kelabit Highlands of Malaysian Borneo, reaching from the western mountain ranges to the summit of Mount Murud. It covers several peaks, including the twin rock spires of Batu Lawi and the Tama Abu range, with forest types that shift as the land rises and falls.
Local communities first requested protection for this land in the 1970s, and Sarawak's conservation office formally proposed the designation in 1984. The park's creation took years to complete, as it involved coordination between government bodies and the indigenous groups who had long lived within its boundaries.
The name Pulong Tau means 'our forests' in both Kelabit and Lun Bawang languages, showing how local communities see this land as a shared place rather than a protected zone. Walking through the forest, visitors often meet guides from these communities who still live near its edges and know the trails by heart.
The park has no road access and can only be reached on foot through remote mountain trails, so a good level of fitness is needed before setting out. Hiring a local guide is strongly advised, as the paths are not always clearly marked and conditions at higher ground can shift without warning.
The twin rock spires of Batu Lawi are treated as a sacred site by local Kelabit communities, who pass down oral stories about them that predate any written record of the area. The taller of the two spires is considered a technical climb and is not attempted by most visitors, making it one of the few summits in the park that remains largely unvisited.
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