The economic and scientific justifications for gazetting the whole of Pulong Tau a national park are clearly those that hold sway with the local community and policy makers. However, Pulong Tau is much more than the simple sum of its components. Remoteness and unblemished nature create a flavour of 'wildness', of beauty of an uncompromising sort. This aesthetic quality, though difficult to convey to those who have not been lucky enough to see it for themselves, is as much a part of the heritage of Pulong Tau as are the mountains and streams or plants and animals that constitute its various parts. A national park that encompasses so much of beauty is a rare national asset.

Visiting Pulong Tau would definitely be the best idea but for those unable to drop everything and go immediately, we present here just a taste of what you may see. In this section we show the reader some of the many photographs we took while on the expedition. It should be stressed that these photographs were all taken on the expedition, in just nine short days while we tramped our way to Batu Lawi and then on to Gunung Murud.

1. The twin peaks of Batu Lawi viewed from the summit of Gunung Murud. The view of this extraordinary peak must be one of Malaysia’s finest.
2. Kuhl's Creek Frog Rana kuhlii, a relatively common species of the mountain streams
3. A Trilobite beetle (Lycidae), this is the armour plated female larvae (roughly 7 cm long). The female becomes sexually mature without metamorphosing into an adult form. This species is unusually large and may prove to be a species particular to Pulong Tau.
4. Cliffs of the Tamu Abu range looking south just before the final ascent to the notch. These cliffs mark the boundary of Pulong Tau; once inside you enter a different world.
5. Crossing over Batu Buli there are many small streams and pools like this filled with deeply tea-stained water. The colouration is from leached tannins in this nutrient-poor environment.
6. Cauliflorous Goniothalamus flowers are usually produced singly but this species had bunches clustered at the base of the tree. The flowers are very fragrant.
7. A Lichen on the stem of a small tree. A common sight in the mossy elfin forests.
8. A weevil found by Walter. It was a veritable monster in shiny red armour.
9. Wagler's Pit Viper Trimesurus wagleri, as deadly as it is beautiful.
10. An agitated Scorpion, disconcerted after sixteen people trooped past.
11. A large bird-eating spider emerging from its hole.
12. Ginger flower pokes up though the moss.
13. Orchid Coelogyne radiofrens; this beautiful specimen was on a dead branch near Church Camp.
14. Orchid, Coelogyne
Photographs 1-14



15. Orchid
16. Rhododendron at the summit of Batu Lawi
17. Profusion of growth on the forest floor
18. Batu Lawi, the taller ‘male’ peak is glimpsed through the foliage during the ascent
19. Batu Lawi’s male peak in close up
20. The moss carpet
21. Atop Batu Lawi's ‘female’ peak we take a group photo with the male peak in the background.
22. The multicoloured and crenellated lip of a large pitcher plant Nepenthes veitchii
23. Composition of a single pitcher of Nepenthes reinwardiata
24. Nepenthes lowii, the Roman goblet shaped pitcher plant, amongst the undergrowth
25. Pitcher plant in miniature, Nepenthes
26. Two jugs of Nepenthes veitchii
27. A small hairy pitcher, Nepenthes pillosa
Photographs 15-27



28. Gunung Murud’s endemic pitcher, Nepenthes murudensis, amongst the summit vegetation.
29. A shady clear water stream in the Ulu Limbang.
30. A logging road encroaching on nature
31. Dawn over Mt. Temburong in Brunei viewed from near the summit of Gunung Murud
32. Airport buildings, with the runway in the foreground, at Ba’Kelalan