Malaysia rainforest & culture experience
| country: | Malaysia, Borneo |
| location: | Sabah & Sarawak |
| departures: | We offer a complete tailor made service allowing you to decide when you go, where you stay and what you do. We can arrange holidays without flights but please note as a UK based company we are only able to help with flight arrangements from the UK. |
| price: | From £1689 per person for 13 days. Includes international flights with Malaysia Airlines, transfers, touring, accommodation and meals where indicated. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Malaysia’s largest state is a land of dark forest criss-crossed by great rivers and tributaries: within its boundaries you will find amazing geological and archaeological sites, spectacular scenery and some of the world’s richest forests dating back 100 million years.
Until 1946, Sarawak was the personal domain of the Brooke family: James Brooke, a merchant adventurer, was given the land by the Sultan of Brunei in 1846. The 100-year rule of the ‘White Rajas’ ended with the Japanese during WWII.
The old part of Kuching still retains much of its charm from the Brooke era with busy streets lined with shophouses and gracious colonial buildings. Combine this with the mystery of the rainforest, an exploration of Asia’s longest cave, trekking through the jungle and relaxing on the shores of the South China Sea and you have a formidable combination.
Best time to go
Rainfall can occur at any time of the year, but the weather in Borneo is most unsettled between November to February.
Until 1946, Sarawak was the personal domain of the Brooke family: James Brooke, a merchant adventurer, was given the land by the Sultan of Brunei in 1846. The 100-year rule of the ‘White Rajas’ ended with the Japanese during WWII.
The old part of Kuching still retains much of its charm from the Brooke era with busy streets lined with shophouses and gracious colonial buildings. Combine this with the mystery of the rainforest, an exploration of Asia’s longest cave, trekking through the jungle and relaxing on the shores of the South China Sea and you have a formidable combination.
Best time to go
Rainfall can occur at any time of the year, but the weather in Borneo is most unsettled between November to February.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart UK on Malaysia Airlines non-stop to Kuala Lumpur |
| Day 2: | Arrive Kuala Lumpur – aircraft change – Fly to Kuching Accommodation: Hilton Kuching (B) |
| Day 3: | Bako National Park day trip Accommodation: Hilton Kuching (B/L) |
| Day 4: | Commence Ulu Ai Longhouse Tour Accommodation: Ulu Ai Longhouse (B/L/D) |
| Day 5: | Discover longhouse life Accommodation: Ulu Ai Longhouse (B/L/D) |
| Day 6: | Return to Kuching Accommodation: Hilton Kuching (B/L) |
| Day 7: | Fly Kuching via Miri to Mulu to start Mulu Magic Tour Accommodation: Royal Mulu Resort (B/D) |
| Day 8: | Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave Accommodation: Royal Mulu Resort (B/L/D) |
| Day 9: | Fly Mulu – Miri – Kuching Accommodation: Holiday Inn Damai Beach (B) |
| Day 10: | At leisure Accommodation: Holiday Inn Damai Beach (B) |
| Day 11: | At leisure Accommodation: Holiday Inn Damai Beach (B) |
| Day 12: | Fly Kuching – Kuala Lumpur – aircraft change Depart Malaysia Airlines non-stop flight to UK (B) |
| Day 13: | Arrive UK (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) |
how this holiday makes a difference
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You will stay at the Ulu Ai Longhouse, a community based tourism initiative on the Batang Ai river system involving the Iban people of Nanga Sumpa Longhouse. It has won a whole host of eco-tourism awards such as British Airways ‘Tourism For Tomorrow Award’, a PATA Grand Award for Heritage & Culture, and a Green Globe Commendation from the World Tourism and Travel Council.
Under the leadership of the village headman, the community formed a tourism committee to ensure that the economic benefits of tourism were evenly distributed amongst the various families of the longhouse. The committee was also responsible for ensuring that fair pay was awarded for work done. One of the most lucrative new activities for the community was the provision of a boat service to transfer visitors from the jetty on the Batang Ai lake to the longhouse. To avoid any problems the tourism committee set up a roster so that boat transfers were rotated amongst the various family groups wishing to take part in this operation. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |