Seeing the Rafflesia flower bloom is something one should not miss when coming to Kuching.
The flower is the biggest in the world to date.
In case you didn’t know, the Rafflesia flower is a parasitic flower that grows in limited regions across South East Asia, specifically Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.
However, the ones native to Borneo consist of the Rafflesia tuan-mudae, Rafflesia tengku-adlinii, Rafflesia keithii and Rafflesia pricei.
The flower plant has no roots or stem and grows inside its host, a Tetrasigma vine.
The flower takes nine months to bloom, but each bloom only last a week.
In general, the flower produces a foul smell (scent of rotten meat) when it blooms with the flower blooming beyond 40cm in diameter. According to rafflesiaflower.com, the world record is 107cm in diameter.
The flower can weigh up to 7kg.
Photos of the Rafflesia flower
In case you are curious, here are a few photos of the flower, obtained from the Gunung Gading National Park.
Where does the Rafflesia flower bloom?
In Kuching, the best place to see the rafflesia bloom is Gunung Gading National Park.
The park is located in Lundu District Kuching, which is about two hours from Kuching City.
However, since the blooming date is irregular, I highly suggest you visit the official Gunung Gading Facebook page to see the latest information on when the flower will bloom.
The journey to see the flower will require some hiking, and may need you to stay overnight in Lundu.
- READ more about the Rafflesia
- BUY books on Rafflesia
- BUY gear for hiking
- SEE other activities in Kuching
- VISIT the Gunung Gading National Park FB
