Bukit Shahbandar Forest Recreation Park — Attraction in Peninjau

18.03.2018 went for a hike with the fiancee, great hike at first turned to nightmare quite fast. Went from the park lot at 2pm and exit at 7 pm as we got lost. The map and sign post really does not help. Car was still parked but no forest ranger to do a clean sweep.

At 2pm we began from the playground up to the 1st hill. View was great up to 5th hill. At around 4pm we still cant find a way out and decided to stop. Thank god, a chinese young man passed by and asked if we were ok. We asked if there is a faster way out. He said to turn back and pass back 2 rivers and exit from our way in. As we passed the rivers, met two ladies which are stranged to us as they are not panting nor sweating at all. The previous young man looked like an experienced climber and was already drenched. The ladies told us to go back to the 5th hill and turn right. The ladies climbed back to the direction we came from and just disapeared. So we went and found an exit sign post. We followed through all the exit sign post and we did not make it through till dark. We brought a 200 lumen light and walked past the darkness. It is scary as hell and we kept screaming no response from any one. We could hear car sounds pass by and the closer we can hear the car, the deeper our trail was into the jungle. We kept screaming and no one answer. We just said our prayers and hoped to god we find a way out. A lot of sign post says exit a few hundred metres or 50 metres but it seems it lead us to uphill and deeper to the jungle. As night falls and all hope was lost, we just walk in extreme fatigue and dehydration towards a broken staircase, fallen trees, climb down with ropes and finally made it back to the playground. There was a man waiting, who climbed earlier than us,was worried that our car was there and came up to us asking if we were alright and of there are any others out there. It seems that we were the 2nd last to come out night fall.

Advice to the new adventures : bring plenty of water, chocolates, lights, mobile phone and an experience guide. This hills are not a joke. We passed through till pondok 8 and seems no way out.

Advice to management : it seems a lot of people get lost every year Please provide update maps and sign post. Post distance and map distance does not tally. Exit post is a joke, we get deeper into the woods. At every pondok or hut put a walkie talkie or radio to your station as service are not available most of the time. Dont go back home until all cars are clear. My uncle last 10 year was also lost up to 9pm and no one noticed until family members called up search and rescue

Summary : great hike for beginners and thrill seekers but getting lost is a most likely event. Sign post does not...

Bukit Shahbandar has been one of the earliest official hiking places in Brunei Difficulty wise, I'd say the first km or so was the hardest as there was a very steep climb but it gradually became easier and easier During the final km of the big loop, it was practically just like a normal walk to your local grocery store The main hiking route is very well maintained and easy to follow However, there is an external route that we didn't go to because the vegetation has overrun the trail and we didn't want to risk it Compared to other hiking routes, this place doesn't have any wasai (small waterfalls) but it does make up for some very breathtaking views when you reach the highest hills and you get uninterrupted views far away Overall, if you can manage the first stretch of the hike, you can finish the...

Bukit Shahbandar Forest Recreation Park, Brunei Darussalam.

Located 15 kilometers from Bandar Seri Begawan, it covers an area of 234 hectares.

It has a number of beautiful spots worth visiting. Complementing the natural Kerangas Forest are stands of Caribbean Pine and Acacia Mangium trees planted almost twenty years ago.

Bukit Shahbandar Forest Recreation is one of the best sports for spending time with families and your children's. Mother Nature is the ultimate inspiration. When you're feeling sluggish, simply walking around the forest and getting fresh air can do wonders for your mood and outlook. Often, nature's beauty can take your breath (and...