One of the world's last unspoiled habitats, Borneo is an island of mystical power and endangered wildlife. For all its natural beauty, including the tallest mountain in South East Asia (Mt. Kinabalu) pristine white sand beaches, mysterious caves and world-class scuba diving, Borneo is most famed for its wildlife (rhinoceros, elephants, etc.) and its high concentration of simians, including the rare Orang Utan (man of the forest) and the unique Proboscis monkey.
Located to the east of the Malaysian Peninsula in the South China Sea, the island is actually made up of three separate territories -- Kalimantan (Indonesia), Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysia) and the independent sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, one of the smallest yet wealthiest countries in the world -- all peacefully coexisting in this equatorial paradise. Wildlife tourism is a major drawing card for visitors to the island: while it's mainly available within the Malaysian territories, the southern Indonesian territory also has some tours.
Borneo enjoys a warm tropical climate, hovering in the mid-80 degree range all year round, but rainy season (September to November) can make travel, especially in the jungle, a little uncomfortable. The best months for travel are January to April.
Getting There
Although it sounds remote and isolated, Borneo is quite accessible by air with several flights per day from Singapore, Jakarta, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur to the cities of Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), Kuching (Sarawak), Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) and Balikpapan (Kalimantan). Once in Borneo, internal flights are fairly cheap.
Cheap Flights (www.cheapflights.com) has a number of discount flights from New York to Kuala Lumpur on airlines that include Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines ranging from $806 to $1052. Minimum and maximum stays apply. From there, roundtrip flights to Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Balikpapan are frequent and relatively inexpensive (ranging from $200 to $400 depending on the departure city for a roundtrip flight). Flights to Bandar Seri Begawan are less frequent.
Expedia (www.expedia.com) has flights to Kuching on Delta and Malaysia Airlines starting at $1121 and flights to Kota Kinabalu on Eva Airways and Royal Brunei Airlines starting at $1801.
Despite being on the doorstep of jungle areas, both Kutching and Kota Kinabalu have a number of four- and five-star beach resorts so you never have to forego luxury on a trip to Borneo.
Exploring Borneo
Borneo and Sumatra are the only known habitat of Asia's only great ape and the Proboscis monkey is not found anywhere else in the world, so a trip through the jungles and mangrove swamps of Borneo may be your one opportunity to view these remarkable creatures. Visually the Proboscis is pretty bizarre looking -- an extremely large bulbous nose on an almost human looking face and a huge potbelly. They have been described as looking like a balding older man in Y-fronts.
You can experience much of the native wildlife independently, however it's a good idea to take tours in order to simplify transportation and to maximize your opportunities of getting up close and personal with the animals. Locally based tour companies are reliable and usually quite reasonably priced, especially taking into account the favorable exchange rates of $US1 = 3.8 Malaysian Ringgit and $US1 = 9,150 Indonesian Rupiah.
Borneo Escapade (www.borneoescapade.com.my) has a selection of one-day and multi-day tours from Kota Kinabalu including their Sighting of Proboscis adventure. This afternoon/evening tour includes a two- to three-hour river safari in search of Proboscis monkeys and other wildlife (including crocodiles) as they settle in for the night along the Klias river. The $65 price (per person based on two people traveling together) includes all transportation, a brief tour of the town, refreshments, and dinner on a scenic jetty.
Sungai Kinabatangan is Sabah's longest river and the perfect place to see Sumatran rhinoceros and Asian elephants in the wild. For an overnight jungle experience, a stay at award-winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge (www.borneoecotours.com/SUKAU/DEFAULT.ASP), run by Borneo Eco Tours will put you in the center of Borneo's wilderness. Their river cruises led by qualified local guides, utilize environmentally friendly wooden boats powered by electric motors with solar batteries to minimize noise and air pollution. Due to the location and the expertise of its guides, most visitors get to see a considerable variety of creatures both large and small during their stay, especially at dusk, when animals such as Proboscis monkeys come down to the river's edge.
The Orang Utan
The best-known Orang Utan viewing area is the Sepilok Rehabilitation Center, which is 15 miles from the east coast city of Sandakan. Red leaf monkeys, gibbons and an abundance of birdlife are also prominent in the sanctuary. Entrance to Sepilok is under $3 and it is quite easy to find transportation to and from the Center either by bus (for under $1) or by minivans. Alternatively many one-day tours out of Sandakan are tailored around a visit to Sepilok. Tours from Kota Kinabalu are more expensive as they may include obscenely early morning flights (6am) to Sandakan and a late evening return. If you purchase your airline ticket independently through Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com), the price is generally around $50 for a roundtrip flight. Overnight accommodation is available at Sepilok at three nearby hotels, all of which have basic rooms starting at under $15 per night.
One of the best places to spot this magnificent primate in large numbers in a totally wild environment is near Menanggul River, which is a tributary of the Kinabatangan flood plains. This area, which is known as the Sukau Forest Reserve, is accessible by a cruise along the Kinabatangan River, and several tour companies include a memorable visit to Sukau in their itineraries.
ABC Malaysia (www.abcmalaysia.com/travel/nat_sbh2.htm) runs two- and three-day tours out of Sandakan. The two-day Sandakan Safari is $220 and includes a short tour of Sandakan town, a wildlife viewing cruise along the Kinabatangan River, two nights accommodation at the Sakau Lodge, all meals, and a visit to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center to witness the feeding of the Orang Utans.
The three-day Sandakan Wildlife Safari is $420 and features a trip to Selingan Island (Turtle Island), a night at the Selingan chalet, swimming/snorkeling, turtle viewing, tour of the limestone Gomantong caves (where edible bird's nests are collected for the famous Chinese delicacy, Bird's Nest Soup), a visit to the village of Sukau, an evening cruise along the Kinabatangan, overnight at the Lodge, the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center, a Sandakan city tour, a tour of a traditional Malay fishing village and all meals.
Mari Mari Tours (www.marimari.com/tour/malaysia/north_borneo/) has a selection of overnight tours ranging from two-day to extensive seven-day adventures. They also cover a variety of Borneo's attractions and fascinations from diving with sea turtles to mountain trekking. Prices start at $180 for a two-day tour that takes in a trip to two of the turtle islands and a visit to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center.
Orangutan Foundation International runs in-depth Orang Utan exploration tours in Borneo with experts in the field. For further information visit: www.orangutan.org/home/home.php
Indonesian Alternatives
If you are traveling on the Indonesian side of the border, Komodo Tours (www.komodotours.com/borneo_island/borneo_hot_deal.htm) has some good deals on special tours that take in the best of the Kalimantan region and its abundant wildlife. Often less touristy than its Malaysian equivalent, prices are generally comparable. For $295, their four-day Camp Leakey II Adventure departs from the city of Pangkalanbun. It includes a boat trip to Kumai for wildlife sightings, two nights at Rimba Lodge and one night in Pangkalanbun, a visit to the Pondok Tanggui Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center, a Sekonyer River cruise, a day at the Camp Leakey research and rehabilitation center for Orang Utans, trekking through the tropical rainforest, meals, and transportation