Hidden Treasures - The Sungai Liang Park

The Sungai Liang Forestry Recreation Park is the first of two forestry recreation parks which you will find on the way to Labi. The other is the Luagan Lalak Forestry Recreation Park. Though this one is very much nearer to the main Tutong-Kuala Belait road, barely a two minute drive from the junction. Not many people know that this is the first of the Forestry Department's jungle recreation parks. Many people would know more about Bukit Shahbandar and less about this park.


The park covers about 14 hectares of largely undistrubed forest and first started life as a large arborerum reserve gazetted as far back as 1948. It was in 1970 before the place became a small park. If you walk along the paths, you will find many trees being classified and labelled. In 1989, a network of well-maintained walking tracks are built similar to the ones at Bukit Shahbandar, though this one is more informative and educational.


What I found interesting was this man-made pool complete with tiles but with the cool water coming down from the hill. The pool may not be as clear as a swimming pool but the water was nice and cool.


I did not venture out in the park. I was told that if you walked along the path, there will be canopy huts at treetop level where one can climb up. The view I have been told is spectacular.

The Sungai Liang Park is a little part of the Andulau Forest Reserve. According to the Forestry Department, the Andulau Forest Reserve is a Mixed Dipterocarp Forest. This type is the most dominant forest type in the hill forest of Brunei, composing at least 41% of all forest in the country. It is also the most uniform but the most complex forest type. The uniformity lies in its structure and physiognomy - a dense, multi-storied high forest with an uneven canopy. Its complexity by its great floristic richness.

Though very recently Andulau is caught up in a controversy about bigfoot in Brunei. I remembered reading it a few months back and given the kind of forest there is, it probably can shield many things. You can read the article here.


The park is popular at weekends with many people coming here. It was about 11 am when I went there, there was hardly anyone there. I have been told that most people come later in the afternoon. If you are in BSB, do take that 45 minutes drive and come here. You will find it as enjoyable as I did.