Hornbills and history meet at Miri’s Piasau Nature Reserve

Wedged between Sungai Miri and the South China Sea, Piasau Nature Reserve occupies a narrow peninsula where nature is gradually reclaiming what was once a bustling residential enclave.

Older Miri residents may remember it better as Piasau Camp, developed by Shell in the 1950s to house senior employees and their families. At its peak, the community comprised some 250 residences, an international school and the Piasau Boat Club.

Shell’s connection with Miri stretches back much further, to the early days of the local petroleum industry and the drilling of the country’s first oil well on Canada Hill in 1910.

Today, however, the emphasis here is firmly on conservation. Much of the former camp has been given back to nature, with efforts underway to restore rainforest vegetation and protect the area’s flora and fauna.

Different sections of the reserve have been planted with their own character, including a “mixed species garden”, “ficus garden”, “herbal garden”, “fruit tree garden” and “Piasau garden”.

A few of the old Shell bungalows still survive, providing an intriguing glimpse of the area’s former life.

Elsewhere, buildings have disappeared and their plots are slowly being swallowed by greenery – an appealing reminder of just how quickly the tropics can take back the land when given the chance.

An easy wander through the greenery

Exploring Piasau is straightforward and decidedly not strenuous. Visitors can follow the reserve’s tarmac roads or venture onto three short walking routes: the Community Trail, 370m Jimmy Trail, and the considerably more petite 97m Juliet Trail.

Keep your eyes open along the way, because the reserve’s best-known inhabitants are its Oriental pied hornbills.

This writer wasn’t quite lucky enough to see them during his visit: perhaps they were enjoying a siesta somewhere beyond the trees, leaving guests to admire their habitat without them.

There are other creatures about, of course, and signs warning visitors to watch out for snakes are worth taking seriously. This is a nature reserve, after all!

Jimmy, Faridah and the hornbill family

Behind Piasau’s transformation lies a story involving a particularly famous pair of hornbills. Jimmy and Faridah had made the area their home from around 2005 and became much-loved local residents, producing 56 offspring over the years.

Then, in 2013, Faridah was tragically killed by poachers. Her death caused considerable public anger and became a catalyst for stronger protection of the area, which was subsequently established as Piasau Nature Reserve and declared a Totally Protected Area.

Jimmy later found another mate, Juliet, and the pair went on to produce seven offspring over four nesting cycles. Their names live on around the reserve – including, appropriately enough, on two of its walking trails.

Piasau’s Interpretation Centre provides more context on these extraordinary birds and their place in Sarawak culture.

Hornbills have profound cultural significance, particularly among Dayak communities, where they have traditionally been associated with the spiritual world and accorded considerable respect.

It is hardly surprising, then, that Sarawak is known as the Land of the Hornbills. The magnificent rhinoceros hornbill also appears on the state crest and remains one of its most recognisable natural symbols.

That cultural connection makes Piasau’s conservation story feel particularly appropriate: what began as an effort to protect a small urban population of birds has become part of a wider attempt to restore an ecosystem.

After exploring the reserve, there is another pleasant remnant of old Piasau Camp worth visiting.

The Piasau Boat Club remains beside the coast, and non-members are welcome at its restaurant. We stopped there for lunch and found the breeze coming off the South China Sea especially welcome after our walk.

From the terrace, the view stretches out towards the horizon, where an offshore oil platform can be seen – a fitting reminder of the industry that shaped modern Miri and, indirectly, the history of the land now occupied by the reserve.

Nearby, Piasau’s beach offers another attractive place to linger. The sea can be rough, however, so this is better regarded as somewhere to enjoy the view than an invitation to take a swim.

Piasau Nature Reserve occupies valuable coastal land, which makes its preservation all the more commendable. It is not a vast wilderness destination, nor does it need to be.

Its appeal lies in the unusual meeting of industrial history, community memory and returning rainforest, all wrapped into an easy outing close to Miri. And, with luck, Jimmy, Juliet or one of their descendants might even put in an appearance.

One final practical suggestion from experience: bring insect repellent!

Piasau Nature Reserve
Lot 1274, Jalan Peninsula Piasau,
Miri, Sarawak

This article was originally published in Malaysia Traveller. Read more articles here.

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