| Merimbun Lake | |
| Location: | Brunei-Muara, Brunei |
| Coords: | 4.594°N 114.6771°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Brunei |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of Tasek Meribum within Brunei |
| Basin Countries: | Brunei |
| Length: | 500m (1,600feet) |
| Elevation: | 88m (289feet) |
| Islands: | Jurundung Labi-Labi |
Merimbun Lake is the largest natural lake in Brunei. It is located near Mukim Rambai in the Tutong District, about 70 km from the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.[1] The S-shaped lake is located 27 km from Tutong Town and it is surrounded by the 7800-hectare Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park.
Sources claim that the Dusun Brunei have lived in Merimbun for longer than a few hundred years. The place was allegedly discovered by Imbun, who the Dusuns claimed was the son of a Village head from Merangking Hilir a village in the Belait District Ulu Belait. It is said that he came across this lovely lake while out hunting. He learned that the area had enough of food, including wild animals in the neighboring forest and fish in the lake. He moved there with his family, and several of his village neighbors soon followed. As a memorial to the founder, Imbun, the Tasek and its surroundings have come to be known as Tasek Merimbun throughout time.[2]
The origin of the name Merimbun is intriguing in more than one way, though. As the Dusun people settled the region, it is believed that traders would travel there to provide commodities. Eng Boon, a Chinese person, was one such merchant. According to legend, this Eng Boon is where the name Merimbun ultimately came from.
The settlement of hunter-gatherers was self-sufficient until modern roads and infrastructure arrived, and their way of life revolved on the lake and everything it could provide. The ruins of a sacred ancestor site were found on Pulau Jelundong, and Tasek Merimbun is thought to be one of the first Dusun villages in Tutong.
Tasek Merimbun is very dark in color; a phenomenon generated by tannin coming from leaves falling into the water. The lake supports a rich variety of fauna including birds, mammals, and reptiles. Visitors can hire a boat to take them around to explore the lake and its two islands. There is a small island in the center body of water that can be reached via a wooden walkway. Here, picnic pavilion facilities fashioned from logs enhance the enjoyment of this restful spot. Chalet facilities for researchers are available nearby.[3]
In 1967, the first Director of the Brunei Museums Department suggested Tasek Merimbun as a valuable asset and a potential Wildlife Sanctuary. A survey on Tasek Merimbun's bio-diversity and socio-economic activities conducted in 1983-84 led to the discovery of a rare White-collared Fruit Bat. This discovery was a major reason for the 29 November 1984 designation of Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park as the first ASEAN Heritage Park.[4]
The park has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because its forest and freshwater wetland habitats support endangered Storm's storks.[5]
A white (albino) crocodile is thought to be the lake's guardian and is hidden deep within the Tasek Merimbun in Tutong. To the ancestors of the once-thriving village that surrounded the lake's shore, the reptile is no fiction; instead, they interpret its infrequent presence as a sign of impending disaster.[6]