Great Things to do in Malaysian Borneo
Mount Kinabalu, Sabah Borneo
The Legendary Rainforests of Borneo bring to mind images of towering trees, abundant wildlife, raging rivers and memories of the days of the Headhunter, when tribes lived off of the land and had an intimate relationship with nature.
The Malaysian Borneo of today is a very different one of 50 years ago. During the 70’s to 90’s the rainforest was cut down at an alarming rate becoming garden furniture and chopsticks. Much of its jungle and habitat was wiped out. Sadly today, forests are still being clear cut in Borneo to make room for Oil Palm Plantations and poaching of endangered species such as the Orangutan and the clouded leopard is on the rise; but there is a glimmer of hope.
The Endangered Orangutan
Conservation and reforestation methods are being introduced and 16% of Sabah’s forested area is protected. And there are heavy penalties for poaching. So, now is the time to get out to Borneo and see this magical land before it is too late. Plus if there is one thing that I have learned in my travels, if people can make some money off of tourists coming to see their wildlife and nature, well, they will just work that much harder to protect it.
The Number 1 top destination in Sabah for us was…
View from the Summit of Mount Kinabalu
1. Climbing Mount Kinabalu. South East Asia’s highest peak at 4095 meters in a magnificent climb over 2 days. A two hour bus ride from Kota Kinabalu will take you to the parks gate where you can book the climb, your guide, accommodations before the climb and on the mountain. It is recommended that you secure your permits in town before you go, but being Dave and Deb, we of course bought them on sight with no planning. Not a problem though, we secured a climb the next day with dorm accommodations at Laban Rata at 3500 meters.
To see our climb click here
At the Summit of Kinabalu
We met our guide at 7:30 am and climbed tough trek for the next 5 hours. It may not be the highest mountain on the planet, but it is steep and tough. The Summit Day starts at 4:00 am so it is an early night overlooking the clouds. Be prepared it is cold. The weather may be tropical below, but a touque, gloves and jacket are needed at the summit. Where you will be treated to a magnificent View. Only to have to turn around and start the hardest part of the day. Going down. It is a workout for your thighs and calfs and once you are back in town, you will know exactly who climbed Mount Kinabalu Recently, because they will be limping their way along the sidewalks.
By far one of the most heartwarming moments of my life was visiting my number 2 destination in Sabah.
2. The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Sepilok Orangutan Rehab Centre
Staying right beside the park, we stayed at the Sepilok Jungle Resort. Boardwalks twist through the grounds right next to the jungle. The next day it is a short walk to the gate where we were treated to a video explaining the centre and what it has accomplished. Very interesting indeed, but the piéce de resistance is definitely all about the Orangutans. After walking along the jungle path with monkey playing in the trees, we come out to the feeding platform. Every day, the orangutans can choose to come back for a hearty meal of fruit and vitamin milk. They are orangutans that have either been injured, rescued or orphaned that have been nursed back to health and let back into the jungle. To make their transition easier, they can come back any time they want for a feast. Every day is different and we take a chance hoping that at least one will stop by.
It is a good day for us and 4 orangutans come home. A baby, 2 females and a male have graced us with their presense and they swing silently in to view. They feed liesurely barely noticing us. Well, that is the adults, the baby swings around from side to side showing off its athletic grace and she knows we are all enthralled and loves every minute of it.
Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sarawak
We loved it so much that when we went to Sarawak, we went to the Semenggoh Rehabilitation Centre. A far less visited rehab facility, but just as effective and more fulfilling I must say. It was just Dave, Myself and another couple watching the Orangutans mangé on their banana’s. A moving experience.
Now it is time to see them in the wild.
Last Day at Uncle Tans, saying good-bye
3. Uncle Tans Jungle Safari was one of the coolest trips I have ever taken. Take a van and then a boat up the The Sungai Kinabatangan right into the heart of the jungle of Borneo, and stay in this rustic camp for a few days. Your meals and wildlife safaris are included, but if you want some alcohol, bring it with you. It won’t be needed though because the days are packed. You can get up at 6:00 am for a morning safari on the boat to check out the life on the river. Morning is a great time to see the Proboscis Monkey. Another trek will take you into the jungle by foot where you will learn about plant life and smaller amphibians like, the smallest frog in the world. There is another afternoon safari where you will see a ton of wildlife and then it is off again after dinner for a night safari where you will look for crocodiles.
Check out all of the wildlife here
Smallest Frog in the World
We spotted everything during our time there. Lot’s of Crocodiles bathing on the shore in the day and their red eyes at night, Monitor Lizards, Civit Cats, Snakes, Proboscis Monkeys and macaques. We saw a orangutan in a tree in the wild, amazing! It was an incredible Experience in a rustic and remote lodge. We also made friends there that will last a lifetime.
Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu
4. The Pinacles of Gunung Mulu National Park – Sarawak. Ok, there was so much to do at this park that it was just unbelievable. Fly into it on a twin engine plane and you already feel that you are in the middle of nowhere. We immediately booked out trek to the Pinnalces, the star attraction of the park and settled in for the night. The next day started with a boat ride, stopping at various caves along the way until we reached the entrance to our trail. We were let off on the shore and proceeded to hike 8 km in the jungle, with two river crossing in the process. We eventually found our way to camp 5 in the middle of the jungle once again where we stayed overnight resting for our climb to the pinnacles.
To see our climb click here
Dave at the Pinnacles Lookout
First thing in the morning, our guide took us up a rigorous climb. At first we were climbing in slippery and steep jungle, but 3/4 of the way up, we came to the first of seventeen aluminum ladders. This is where it gets fun. Climbing on ropes and ladders over crevasse’s and drops. Making sure to keep 3 points of contact so that we don’t stumble down a cliff. It can be a little hair raising, but the payoff is worth it. Once we emerge around a rock,we are treated to a view of dozens of jagged limestone layers reaching forty metres high. Magnificent. After taking in the view, we had to climb down through the route we just came through. Tricky. Decending on ladders, planks and slippery rocks can be a challenge, but we made it through unscathed.
Bats at Deer Cave
Once we were back at park headquarters the next day, we made our way out to Deer Cave, the largest cave chamber in the world and were treated to a view of 2 million bats flying out at dusk to feed on the insects. I didn’t think that it was going to be all that interesting and almost stayed sleeping in my bed, fatigued from the days climb before, but it was one of the most extraordinary sights I have ever seen in my life. A giant black cloud snaked through the sky performing and arial ballet in front of our eyes.
And that takes us to the end of our Malaysian Borneo adventure, where we finally got to see the Proboscis Monkey up close and personal at…
Proboscis Money, in Bako NP
5. Bako National Park, Sarawak Borneo. Native only to the Island of Borneo, these peculiar monkeys are an intriguing sight. A golden brown color with a pot belly and a snout nose, this large primate can be found all over Bako. Walk quietly through the trails, stop to listen for a while and soon you will find yourself amongst a colony playing and feeding above. At first we couldn’t find a single one, that is until we realised that they were everywhere above us. We just weren’t standing still long enough to notice. High in the treetops they leap through the air, playing and munching on mangrove leaves. We even saw one leap into the water and swim for several meters until it emerged at another tree.
Bako National Park Entrance
Getting to Bako is half of the fun. Permits and accomodation be arranged in Kutching, Sarawaks Capital City and then you hop on a bus to catch a boat to the park. The boat is small and we enjoy the ride, but it is at the approach that it gets fun. Riding the tide in to the shore, we almost capsize in the waves. I am not so worried about myself, I am just worried about our packs that aren’t secured in the boat and just may sink into the sea. But we make it fine and spend the night chilling out at the headquarters and sleeping in our cool private chalet. An awesome experience.
Crossing another River in Borneo
There are so many great things to do in Borneo, that you need months to fit it all in. There is diving in Sipadan, The Turtle Sanctuary at Turtle Island, Hiking the Headhunters trail, visiting a longhouse, and many more national parks. I truly is one of the great adventure destinations on the planet. Let’s just hope that the government starts taking care of it so that it will be there to enjoy for years to come.
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