Tripology

An Exciting Interview with Arthur Frommer

Discover Malaysian Borneo

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Detailed Trip Description

Nothing stirs images and fantasies of exotic rain forest cultures and wildlife like Borneo. On this trip you will be exploring rich rain forests, the villages of ancient people and the protected slopes of the highest mountain in Southeast Asia. This trip is designed as an active nature and culture experience based from comfortable eco-lodges and tourist hotels. Your itinerary will include three of Malaysia's most cherished national parks and wilderness travel by foot and boat.

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Trip Itinerary

Day 1 - Kuching

 
Kuching Sightseeing.
Airport Transfer

Welcome to Borneo! You will be met on arrival at the airport in Kuching and will be transferred to your hotel.

Kuching Airport Transfer picture
Sightseeing

Your afternoon exploration of Kuching city includes visits to the Cat Monuments, the oldest Chinese temple, Fort Margherita, the Istana (the former palace of Rajah Brooke), the colonial Court House, and the City Tower for the panoramic view of the city.

Museums

Other highlights include a visit to the world-renowned Sarawak Museum and a delightful walk along the Kuching Waterfront.

Hotel

Overnight at Holiday Inn Kuching (or similar).


Day 2 - Malaysia

 
Bako National Park & Wildlife Safari.
Private Car Service

This morning drive to a Bako fishing village and continue by speedboat to Bako National Park.

Malaysia Private Car Service picture
National Parks

Bako National Park offers a superb opportunity to see wildlife in its natural surroundings. Possible sightings include Proboscis monkeys, monitor lizards, bearded pigs, silver leaf monkeys and more than one hundred species of birds. The bio-zones found here include tropical rainforest, mangrove swamp forest, kerangas (heath forest), cliff and beach vegetations. Special plants found along the trails include the several species of pitcher plants and wild orchids. Your guide will select a trail, which ends at a beautiful secluded swimming beach.

Hotel

Return to Holiday Inn Kuching (or similar) for your overnight stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.


Day 3 - Malaysia

 
Orangutan Center/Nanga Murat Longhouse.
Private Car Service

This morning, drive to Semenggok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Sightseeing

Walk through the scenic forest reserve to the feeding platform, where you will enjoy the sight of the orangutans swaying in the trees as they come down for feeding. This is the rare opportunity to be close to orangutans. Continue the drive through the rainforest, pepper, rubber and cocoa plants.

Sightseeing

Stop at Serian to visit an interesting farmers’ market.

River, Barge or Yacht Cruise

Continue to the Skrang River where a delightful longboat ride brings you to Nanga Murat longhouse.

Sightseeing

Pay a courtesy call to the headman of the longhouse, visit the pepper garden and explore the farms and forest behind the longhouse.

Food and Dining

Dinner will be a traditional ceremony served at the headman’s home followed by the colorful welcoming gestures of traditional warrior dance and music.

Hotel

Overnight in a longhouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.


Day 4 - Malaysia

 
Longhouse.
Sightseeing

After breakfast, participate in the blowpipe demonstration. Depart the longhouse by longboat, marveling at the spectacular rainforest along the Skrang River.

Hiking

Hike over moderate hills and valleys to reach the waterfall.

Food and Dining

Enjoy a “backwoods” picnic lunch of food cooked in bamboo at the waterfall.

Sailboat & Yacht Charter

On the return journey, trek along the Ngelai River and paddle down stream to meet the Skrang River. Enjoy an exciting boat ride to visit another longhouse.

Sightseeing

Explore the longhouse, visit the inhabitants, and observe their traditional daily lifestyle.

Hotel

Spend the night at a different longhouse tonight. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.


Day 5 - Miri

 
Longhouse/Kuching/Miri.
Sailing

After breakfast, proceed down river by boat and then overland for your return journey to Kuching.

Commercial Flight

Later, transfer to the airport for your onward flight in the evening.

Hotel

Upon arrival in Miri, you will be transferred to the Park City Everly Hotel (or similar).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.


Day 6 - Miri

 
Niah National Park.
Private Car Service

Begin the morning with a scenic countryside drive to Niah National Park through oil palm plantations and local pepper farms and villages.

Museums

On arrival at the Niah National Park, we will register at the park, have lunch in the canteen, and then take the longboat ride at Pangkalan Lobang to cross the river where we will start off with a visit to the Niah Museum.

Sightseeing

The prehistoric Niah Caves are famed as one of the birthplaces of civilization in Asia. The oldest human remains were found in Niah, making the park one of the most important archaeological sites of the world.
A tour of the cave will take you through the Great and Painted Caves to see the age-old remnants of bird’s nest harvesting equipment inside the cave (now a government controlled activity). The cave tour takes about 3 – 4 hours.

Hotel

Stay overnight at the Park City Everly Hotel (or similar) in Miri.

Food and Dining

Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.


Day 7 - Mulu

 
Mulu.
Sightseeing

Wake up early today for a short nature walk before before breakfast.

Commercial Flight

Pack up and leave the park, returning to Miri for your afternoon flight to Mulu. Excess luggage can be stored until your return.

Airport Transfer

On arrival into Mulu, transfer to the Royal Mulu Resort, or similar.

Food and Dining

Enjoy a set lunch in the resort before setting off on a visit to the Deer and Lang Caves.

Sightseeing

The journey by van from the resort to the Park’s Headquarters will be around 5 minutes. Have a quick look at the visitor center before proceeding on the elevated plankwalk through the jungle to arrive at the caves.

Sightseeing

After visiting the caves, you will await the exit of the bats on the observation platform outside.

Private Car Service

Return to the resort late in the evening.

All-Inclusive Resort

Overnight at Royal Mulu Resort (or similar).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.


Day 8 - Mulu

 
Sailboat & Yacht Charter

After breakfast at the resort, visit the Wind and Clearwater Caves. Your upriver longboat journey will be around 35 minutes.

Arts, Crafts and Antiques

On the way, stop at the Penan settlement to see the interesting handicrafts made by this semi-nomadic tribe.

Sightseeing

After visiting the King’s Chamber in the Wind Cave, go along the plankwalk flanking the limestone cliff to the Clearwater Cave.

Food and Dining

A picnic lunch is served at the Clearwater rest house.

Relaxation

You will have time to relax and swim in the natural pool.

All-Inclusive Resort

Return to the resort in the late afternoon to enjoy your free time. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.


Day 9 - Kota Kinabalu

 
Commercial Flight

Depart after breakfast for our flight from Mulu to Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Sabah.

Airport Transfer

On arrival in Kota Kinabalu, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Sightseeing

In the afternoon, proceed on a city orientation tour, which covers Signal Hill for a bird’s eye view of the city and the five offshore islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park.

Sightseeing

The tour includes the Atkinson Clock Tower, Likas Wetland, Sabah Foundation building, Kampong Likas, Sabah Museum (closed on Friday), Tanjung Aru beach, hawker stalls and Sembulan water village.

Hotel

Return to the Hotel Shangri-la (or similar) for the evening. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.


Day 10 - Kota Kinabalu

 
Kinabalu National Park/Poring.
Private Car Service

Drive 2 hours overland through paddy fields and Dusun villages, over the ridges of the Crocker Range to the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu at 5,000 ft, to arrive at the park headquarters at Kundasang.

Sightseeing

Stop at the Visitor Centre and Mountain Garden; home to some of the 24 species of flowering rhododendrons, 10 species of carnivorous pitcher plants, 1,400 species of orchids, 600 species of ferns, 40 species of oak trees and 300 species of birds. Continue your drive to Poring.

Sightseeing

Explore tropical rainforest along the jungle trail leading to the treetop canopy walkways suspended 130 feet above the forest before returning to Kota Kinabalu.

Hotel

Your overnight stay is at Hotel Shangri-la (or similar). Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.


Day 11 - Malaysia

 
Sepilok and Sukau.
Commercial Flight

Transfer to the airport for an early morning flight to Sandakan.

Airport Transfer

On arrival at Sandakan airport, transfer to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Hiking

Trek ten minutes through the rainforest on a wooden plankwalk to witness the feeding of the orangutans at 10:00 am.

River, Barge or Yacht Cruise

Continue to Sandakan jetty for a two hour boat journey to Sukau Rainforest Lodge along Sabah's longest river, Kinabatangan, with the opportunity to view birds and wildlife in virgin mangrove, wetland and rainforest habitats.

River, Barge or Yacht Cruise

In the late afternoon, take a two hour river cruise in search of some of the ten local primate species, including Proboscis monkeys, as they settle down on treetops along the Kinabatangan River.

Food and Dining

Return for a solar heated hot shower, a candlelit dinner and a slide show conducted by naturalist guide.

Hotel

Stay overnight at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.


Day 12 - Malaysia

 
Oxbow lakes and Sukau.
River, Barge or Yacht Cruise

Wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbills. Take a 6:00 am morning river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to view more birds and wildlife.

Sightseeing

Proceed to the Kelenanap ox-bow lake for a short jungle walk (if weather permits), truly experiencing the wilderness of Borneo.

Optional
Voluntourism

You also have the option to participate in our conservation project by planting trees in our 64 acres of adopted land.

River, Barge or Yacht Cruise

In the afternoon, take another river cruise for more wildlife.

Safari

After dinner, you can take an optional night safari cruise in hopes of spotting nocturnal animals, such as crocodiles and birds.

Hotel

Spend the night at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.


Day 13 - Sandakan

 
Sandakan/Kota Kinabalu.
Sailing

After breakfast, return to Sandakan by boat.

Commercial Flight

Enjoy lunch in Sandakan before proceeding to the airport for your departure flight to Kota Kinabalu.

Hotel

Upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu, you will be met and transferred to the Hotel Shangri-la (or similar). Meals: Breakfast, Lunch


Day 14 - Brunei

 
Commercial Flight

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Brunei.

Hotel

Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the Terrace Hotel, where you will spend two nights. Meals: Breakfast.


Day 15 - Brunei

 
Brunei Heritage.
Sightseeing

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing for a half-day tour of Brunei. Your tour of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s capital, lets you discover Brunei’s history, heritage, religion, and culture. The tour includes a photo stop outside the Royal Palace, called Istana Nurul Iman, or Palace of Light, which is the biggest residential palace in the world.

Sightseeing

Later, you will visit the magnificent Jame ‘Asr Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque before you depart on a boat ride through the famous Water Village. Generally recognized as the world's largest water village, Kampong Ayer extends out over the Brunei River from both banks, and is home to around 30,000 people. Even four centuries ago, the size and complexity of Kampong Ayer greatly impressed the Magellan expedition, which received a stately welcome upon entering Brunei Bay in 1521. It was known to early Europeans as the “Venice of the East,” and is complete with schools, clinics, a police station, shops, and mosques. Although most of the houses on stilts are now furnished with every modern amenity, they are traditionally colorful and lively.

Museums

Next, you will explore the Brunei Museum and learn about the birth of Brunei as you view a natural history collection, a Borneo ethnographic display, and important works of pottery, glassware, and textiles.

Hotel

After your tour, you will be transferred back to the Terrace Hotel.

Relaxation

Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.


Day 16 - Brunei

 
Brunei/Onward.
Shopping

The morning will be free for you to do some last minute sightseeing or souvenir shopping.

Airport Transfer

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight from Brunei. Meals: Breakfast


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