Borneo luxury holidays, tailor made










Description of Borneo luxury holidays, tailor made
Arriving in the capital city of Sarawak you will spend the night in this charming, historic city on the Sarawak River. From Kuching it is a short drive and boat ride to Sarawak’s oldest National Park, Bako National Park.
After a couple of days in and around Kuching you will head east and inland to the rainforests around Batang Ai Reservoir where the Iban Headhunter tribe live in their traditional longhouse homes. Returning to Kuching you fly to Sandakan in Sabah, home to the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, the leading orangutan conservation and rehabilitation centre in the world. From Sandakan, journey into the heart of Sabah’s rainforest and spend a couple of nights at the village of Sukau in the Kinabatangan River Area.
After your stay in the rainforest you might like to have a few days of luxury enjoying one of Sabah’s beautiful beaches. Best time to go Departures for this Borneo holiday are available all year but the best time to go is during the “dry” season (although it still rains in the rainforest) which is between March and October. If you add a dive extension to your itinerary it is strongly advised that you go during this period.
Prices do increase during school holidays and availability can be limited in July/August. The itinerary has many potential modifications including visits to Sabah’s famous dive islands, exploring Sarawak’s vast cave networks and extending your time in the rainforest to do some trekking. On this Borneo holiday you can also climb Mount Kinabalu, Southeast Asia’s highest peak.
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4 Reviews of Borneo luxury holidays, tailor made
Reviewed on 13 Aug 2019 by Serena Nevitt
The most memorable part of the holiday was staying in a mangrove swamp, or the nature reserve. Somewhere authentically genuinely wild. Read full reviewReviewed on 15 Jul 2017 by Dawn Collins
There really were too many memorable moments to mention...but I think seeing the pygmy elephants on the Kinabatangan River. Read full reviewReviewed on 02 Apr 2016 by Brigitte Gehring
If you love nature and animals do not hesitate to book! Unbelievable! I cannot wait to go back!! Read full reviewReviewed on 27 Apr 2014 by Deborah Flint
Magical...Fantastic - comment from my husband "I normally am ready to come back to work, but this time i absolutely hated it!" Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet and people
Bako National Park is a small, coastal, mangrove forest well known for its conservation and education work and is one of the best places in the state to see proboscis and other rare monkeys as well as an array of colourful birdlife. It is possible to stay overnight in the park if you wish.This Borneo holiday itinerary includes a visit to the Iban Headhunter tribe who live in their traditional longhouse homes and here you experience their age-old culture. You can stay for a night or two with one of the Iban families or at the Hilton Resort. Do not be put off by the fact that this is a Hilton: as one of the international chain’s most remote properties it is built in the style of a wooden longhouse. The resort employs and trains local staff and demonstrates a refreshing awareness of the natural environment and local culture. Through your visit to the resort and Iban longhouses you contribute financially to the medical and educational needs of the Iban people.
The Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary is the leading orangutan conservation and rehabilitation centre in the world. Here you are virtually guaranteed some impressive sightings of one of man’s closest relatives at the twice-daily feeding sessions. The orangutans at the sanctuary are orphaned youngsters and adults who have lost their jungle homes due to deforestation. Whilst they are fed and protected by rangers at the sanctuary they are free to venture into the forest. There are no cages or bars: when the orangutans are ready to return fully to the wild they can simply disappear into the forest.
Spend a couple of nights at the village of Sukau in the Kinabatangan River Area. The small and basic lodges in this stunning area of rainforest are making a conscious effort to minimise the impact of tourism on the environment whilst using the income to support local projects and preserve the forest. Villagers are paid to collect seeds, become involved in tree-planting programmes and grow their produce using organic techniques. Most of your wildlife viewing is done from small boats supplied by locals and many are moving towards electric motors which are more environmentally friendly. The lodges use solar-power; recycle as much of their waste as possible and employ staff and guides from local villages. In this way the people are encouraged to preserve the forest and avoid hunting the diverse wildlife of the area.
After your stay in the rainforest you might like to have a few days of luxury enjoying one of Sabah’s beautiful beaches. North of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s capital city, the 5* Rasa Ria Resort might appear to be a surprising choice. However, this large resort has its own Nature Reserve and plenty of conservation programmes that you can be involved in. You can foster one of its animals or plant a tree as well as learn about the amazing flora and fauna of the two main types of rainforest in the country (dipterocarp and mangrove).
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