Janet Preston review 26 Aug 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
River cruises at Bilet lodge; watching the proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques, elephants, monitor lizards, crocodiles and many different birds. We also enjoyed Tiga Island, especially Pagong-Pagong beach. All the people we met were friendly and wanted to make our stay memorable.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you are not climbing Mount Kinabalu, you have to be prepared to organise your own activities whilst the rest of the group are climbing Mount Kinabalu. The guide was very good and organised for us to be moved to a hotel near the Kinabalu National Park at our request as there was a limited amount to do at Mesilau - not sure why we were put there as it was not on the itinerary. However, the walk up a busy road from the alternative accommodation was not ideal and took almost 30 minutes to the Park entrance. Also, the itinerary was changed and all the island trips were at the end of the holiday and our visit to Poring Hot Springs was rushed as it was fitted in on the way to Mesilau.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The guides were locals and the places we stayed at employed local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The guide worked hard to organise things, especially as there were 17 of us and not the advertised maximum of 16. We encountered a problem of over-booking at Bilet Lodge which was resolved for the second night, but meant that all 4 of us shared 1 room the first night. These instances and the unscheduled rearrangement of the itinerary left a lingering doubt as to whether the tour was organised for the convenience of the customers or to maximise profit.
