MY · Sarawak · 4.44°N 114.00°E

piasau nature reserve

Oriental pied hornbills in tall trees on an old oil camp by the sea, 10 minutes from central Miri.

Best time
Any time of year; it's wettest from November to February. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the hornbills are most active.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Miri (about 2 hours 15 minutes). The reserve is about 10 minutes' drive from the city centre.
Save postcard
MY · Sarawakpiasau nature reserve4.44°N 114.00°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Oriental pied hornbills in tall trees on an old oil camp by the sea, 10 minutes from central Miri.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingPiasau Nature ReserveMY, Sarawak
KLpiasau nature reserve
≈ 1,373 km from KL, as the crow flies

A patch of coastal forest in Miri on the site of Piasau Camp, where Shell staff lived from the 1950s. The houses are gone, but the tall trees stayed, and so did the oriental pied hornbills that nest in them. Gazetted in 2013, it's Sarawak's first community-driven nature reserve, with short, easy paths.

Makan

  1. Sarawak laksaA Miri breakfast before an early walk.Map ↗
  2. MidinCrunchy jungle fern, stir-fried with garlic or belacan, at lunch back in town.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Hornbill spottingLook and listen for oriental pied hornbills in the treetops. Their loud, cackling calls give them away.Map ↗
  2. The forest pathsShort, flat walks under old trees along the roads of the former camp.Map ↗
  3. Hornbill WalkThe Piasau Camp Miri Nature Park Society's guided walk came back in April 2026 after six years. Watch the society's page for dates.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Bring binoculars and keep well back from nest trees.
  • A new discovery centre is being built until about August 2027, so expect some fenced-off areas.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.