Reasons To Visit Borneo
Simply grab your snorkelling gear and jump in to the warm turquoise waters awash with life! Coral reefs, turtles and brightly coloured fish can be seen all over the east coast. For keener divers, several islands off the east coast are considered amongst the world's best locations.
The times of headhunting in Borneo are behind us now but even up until the 1960's this was common practice in the interior of the country. Today you can still visit the riverside tribal longhouses and enjoy a glass of rice wine with the elders of the village.
Critically endangered, orang-utan are now found on only two islands in the world, Borneo being one of them. There are three main areas where you can see these fantastic creatures: the Kinabatangan River, the Danum Valley and the Tabin Wildlife Reserve.
Climbing Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, is top of many people's list when they come to Borneo. The five day Headhunters Trail takes you through longhouses and forest camps. In Maliau Basin you can experience a unique Lost World rarely visited by anyone other than researchers. In Danum Valley you can explore the jungle on the look out for wildlife.
Taking a boat through the jungles of Borneo gives you an amazing opportunity for a close-up view of pygmy elephants, proboscis monkey, crocodile and dozens of bird species, such as native hornbills. If you prefer to explore by land then you can trek through pristine rainforests on the look out for monkeys swinging through the trees - and of course there are orang-utan.
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Southeast Asia
Kuching is the capital of Sarawak. Highlights include Sarawak Museum, and the excellent Semenggok Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, one of few places in Sarawak where you can see orang-utans.
This is a great experience for nature lovers and the adventurous. After a 40 minute drive from town you arrive at the mist covered hillsides around Bengoh, a delightful Bidayuh village.
A Malay, Indian or Chinese family living in Kuching will invite you into their home and show you how to make traditional local food.
The cultural village is around an hour from the city, close to Damai beach. It has examples of traditional dwellings built by different peoples of Sarawak- in this case Orang Ulu, Bidayuh, Iban and Melanau- as well as Malay and Chinese houses.
13 days from £2,585pp
11 days from £2,755pp
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Further reading:BorneoWhen to GoHighlightsItinerary IdeasPlaces to GoThings to DoAccommodationAbout BorneoCountry Guides
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