Tell Us About Yourself
I grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and moved to Austin, Texas, where I was an undergraduate student and then a geologist. I’m currently graduating in October from an international cartography master’s program based in Europe, and I am excited to see what life brings next.
Tell us the story behind your map (what inspired you to make it, what did you learn while making it, or any other aspects of the map or its creation you would like people to know)
I had a course in my master’s program where I could make a printed map of anything. Selecting a final topic for the map was hard, but I knew I wanted a topic related to Malaysia. This map showcases Taman Negara Gunung Mulu (Mount Mulu National Park), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sarawak, Malaysia—my home country. This project is a tribute to its stunning beauty and biodiversity. While many beautiful maps focus on parks in North America and Europe, this map aims to educate the public about Taman Negara Gunung Mulu’s rich biodiversity and spectacular cave systems through a well-designed and easily comprehensible poster.
The original map is in a portrait orientation with some more information. I revised the map for the Geohipster calendar submission.
Tell us about the Tools, data, etc., that you used to make the map:
The map features a striking oblique view that captures the park’s mountainous terrain. This perspective offers a panoramic experience, enabling viewers to appreciate the park’s vastness in print. Despite limited geographic data due to Malaysia’s restricted open data resources, I utilized information from OpenStreetMap, All Trails, and the Mulu Caves Project to map major trails, rivers, caves, and mountains. The park’s remarkable cave system is illustrated in a papercut style, offering depth while maintaining simplicity.
Although the map includes fewer geographic features, it is enriched with informative text and custom illustrations highlighting the park’s biodiversity, landforms, and geology. Balancing text and illustrations was crucial to ensure the information remains readable and engaging. I varied illustration styles and detail levels to make certain elements stand out while others blend seamlessly into the background. Indigenous Sarawakian tribal aesthetics are incorporated through the map’s border, typography, and colors.
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