Forests, Rivers and Beaches of Borneo

There are many reasons why you should choose this holiday company or that holiday company and, of course, it is sensible to do some research, but sometimes you have to go with your gut feeling. 

It’s a long way – don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise!  Two flights with a three hour stop-over in between.  Drinking a much needed cold beer at Kuala Lumpur -  at 10 o’clock at night our time, bizarrely 6 o’clock in the morning KL time – and a missed night’s sleep.  Arrival at Sandakan around lunch time and great excitement (and relief) to find our lovely driver waiting to greet us.  After a quick run down of the itinerary it was off to My Nature Resort and the adventure begins!

Our itinerary for the next two days included visits to the rehabilitation centres for orangutans and sun bears in Sepilok and the proboscis monkey sanctuary at Labuk Bay. We knew, therefore, that we would get to see the orangutans, but all harboured the hope that we might be lucky enough to see one in their natural, wild environment.

On arriving at My Nature we were welcomed warmly by the lovely team handing out delicious welcome drinks and the much-appreciated cold towel that would become a regular treat over the next two weeks. We were shown to our bungalows – very nicely appointed and spotlessly clean – where we had a brief freshen up before heading out to explore our surroundings. Leaving our bungalow (and by this time, operating on pure adrenaline!) we walked up the hill to the restaurant and on to the squirrel viewing platform which looked out into the forest. 

It was so beautiful just to stand and soak up the sights and the incredible sounds of the forest which seemed to seep into our very bones, displacing any lingering feelings of travel weariness. We watched black squirrels scurry around the trees and a water monitor strolling lazily along below us. Spotting a board walk leading into the forest we decided to investigate. We were barely into the cover of the trees when there was a sudden commotion and a thrashing of branches.

It was almost too good to be true, we couldn’t believe our luck! This was setting the bar high, the remainder of the holiday would have a lot to live up to.

Today we had visits to the sun bear rescue centre, the proboscis monkey sanctuary and orangutan rehabilitation centre. Our guide, Rose, saw us at breakfast to confirm our itinerary of orangutan, sun bear and then proboscis visits. We explained that that was not the way we were doing it, our itinerary was for sun bear, proboscis then orangutan (‘what’s the difference?’ you may ask,  but as we had two orangutan visits scheduled on consecutive days we wanted to do one in the afternoon and one the following morning, rather than both morning visits. We had read you can a have a different experience at different times of the day).  Rose explained this was unusual as the sun bears and orangutans are actually on the same site but there was no argument, she simply phoned the office and popped an extra guide on our mini bus so he could take the four of us to the sun bears whilst she took another group to the orangs. 

It turned out to be a great arrangement. We all arrived at the centre, Rose took the others one way and we had the benefit of the lovely Vinus taking us to see the sun bears. It was early morning and so quiet that we almost had the place to ourselves. Vinus gave us lots of information about the bears and the centre and plenty of time to just stand and watch them. There were lots of bears about, basking in the sunshine or climbing trees and we all enjoyed watching them in the lovely, peaceful surroundings - including Vinus, who obviously had great respect and affection for the creatures. 

Another bear was settled high up in a tall tree and a member of staff let us view her through his spotting scope, taking pictures on our cameras through his scope for us. So when viewing the bears, don’t forget to look up! The bears are fenced in for their own protection and unfortunately rehabilitation has not been very successful for these lovely endangered animals –  apparently there is still a big market for skins, claws, gall bladders and other body parts. Very sad.

We then met another driver who took us half an hour away to Labuk Bay, where a palm oil farmer has created a sanctuary for the proboscis monkeys that have been displaced by the palm plantations. I was very enthusiastic about both the orangutans and the sun bears but had thought of the proboscis monkeys as a bit of an ‘add-on’, but I enjoyed them immensely.

Although the male has a very strange dangly nose, his body markings are striking, lending him the appearance of wearing a waistcoat and trousers. They are actually quite appealing little creatures and not as ugly as I first thought. The females have a sharp, pointy nose and there were several mothers with very small babies. One mother with what appeared to be a very new baby, sat on the hand rail nursing and dozing all the time we were there, totally unfazed by the visitors.  They are not fenced in and are free to come and go as they please, but they obviously know where there’s always a free meal and there were dozens of monkeys on and around the viewing area. A further feeding brought silver langurs from the trees and onto the viewing platform amongst the visitors.  They are beautiful creatures with long silver-grey hair.  

This morning we packed our bags and were taken again by mini bus to our second visit to the orangutans, picking up some other people along the way. 

After a lovely lunch we were led along the raised board walks criss-crossing the jungle floor to our stilted bungalows. The accommodation here is definitely more rustic. Clean rooms with en suite bathroom, ceiling fan, coffee and tea making facilities and bottled drinking water but the rooms have a slightly fusty damp smell. Hardly surprising as below the board walks the ground is saturated with standing water in many places. This, of course, made it ideal for our new neighbours, a family of bearded forest pigs and the occasional water monitor who wallowed happily in the mud beneath the bungalows.

Most importantly, the beds were clean and very comfortable and the ceiling fans coupled with the netted windows were effective. By only unpacking the clothes we would wear that day we minimised the chance of our luggage picking up the smell of damp. The public areas had lovely riverside decking with comfortable swinging chairs and relaxation areas. 

After an afternoon of relaxation and exploring the maze of boardwallks, we thoroughly enjoyed our first boat safari in the late afternoon (a group of 9 of us spread between two boats), with sightings of proboscis monkeys, long tailed macaques and dozens of birds including kingfishers, hornbills and, much to Shirou’s excitement, the black morph of the changeable hawk eagle. This was his first sighting of the black morph and he was very excited, demanding of Mike, ‘Quick, get a picture! The best picture ever!’. The pressure was on! In his several years of guiding he was seeing this bird for the first time and couldn’t stress enough how lucky we were – hold on, we’ve heard that before somewhere. Hmm.  

As we drifted lazily on from our sighting of this unusual, but not particularly stunning bird, peering into the surrounding forest there was suddenly a cry of “elephant!!!” and there, right in front of the boat was a lone elephant bathing in the river. We had been told we were unlikely to see elephant as the herds had moved off to the Danum valley but, against the odds, there she was.  We watched her as she bathed, dipping her head below the surface then spraying water from her trunk, then followed her as she swam the width of the river, cutting effortlessly across the strong current and finally scrambling up the bank on the other side.  

An early start this morning – up at 5.45 to meet at the jetty for a 6.30 boat ride into the oxbow lake. As we headed out into the gentle morning sunshine we turned into a narrow tributary of the river and drifted through a tunnel of green, as the lush foliage leaned into the light and met over our heads, and lilac water hyacinth reached out from the river banks to carpet the water’s surface. Everyone fell silent as we floated through a world of soft light and birdsong with playful monkeys and brilliantly coloured kingfishers punctuating the magical scene before us – an unforgettable moment. The spell was broken as we came out into the lush bowl of the oxbow lake where we enjoyed an early pre-breakfast of coffee and biscuits whilst Shirou told us the legend of the white crocodile – an explanation as to why locals are never killed by the saltwater crocodiles that frequent these waters. Little comfort to the tourists!

When we returned to the lodge it was time to collect our bags again, say our goodbyes and board the boat with our new guide, Lat, who would take us on to the Kinabatangan River Lodge.

So it was just the four of us that settled into our new boat with Lat and the driver and an hour’s journey ahead of us.  Lat explained that, should we see anything exciting, we would stop the boat but monkeys no longer rated as exciting – we had all seen plenty of them! As the boat slowed we were intrigued to see why we might be stopping – we had all been watching the river banks sliding by but none of us had seen anything unusual. I had been in the process of pointing out a particularly attractive tree to Mike but other than that..? As the boat stopped Lat pointed to aforementioned ‘particularly attractive tree’ and there amongst the branches a mother orangutan sat with her small baby, feasting on clusters of figs that hung from the branches! Oh the excitement! 

We watched as they casually grazed the fruits moving with such ease from one bunch to the next, always with one hand in contact with a branch as if ever ready for a hasty retreat. The baby was so cute – huge eyes and a shock of spiky orange hair standing on end.  Not as close as we had seen them at Sepilok but somehow so much more exciting.  There really is no substitute for seeing such a beautiful creature so at ease in its natural environment.  What a sighting!  Definitely one of the holiday’s highlights – so, so lucky!

Following a decent night’s sleep we met Lat for a quiet cuppa before heading out on the same route we took yesterday.  Along with a water monitor, the usual macaques and proboscis monkeys were in evidence and the bird sightings were very good – beautiful kingfishers, brightly coloured fly catchers, huge hornbills and, much to Lat’s excitement, a Bornean bristlehead.  A beautiful, brightly coloured bird, the emblem of the Bornean Birdwatching Society and apparently the ‘five star’ bird that all the birdwatchers want to see but very few do. 

We returned to the lodge for breakfast on the riverside deck. Despite it being the busy season, the lodge seems very quiet and as we enjoyed our morning at leisure we barely saw other guests, and we were the only people to use the sunbeds overlooking the river. Here the wildlife sightings continued as we watched the black squirrels and brightly coloured sun birds and spider hunters busy in the trees, and spotted a small snake slither across the walk way. 

The lunch gong called us in for the now familiar buffet lunch of rice, curry and spiced vegetables, after which we went to the library to watch a short film on the orangutan and proboscis monkey. It was interesting and informative and the photography was lovely but I must confess, after the morning’s early start I did find myself nodding! Whilst in the library we could hear thunder and before we could re-take our relaxing spot on the decking the heavens opened and we had another torrential downpour which sent us running to our rooms. We sat on the bench under the covered porch between our two rooms and used the time to upload and review our photographs so far. 

It was still raining when our next boat ride was due so we met Lat at the dining area, where he suggested we take advantage of the freshly made banana fritters and a cup of tea to give the rain a chance to stop.  We did - it didn’t, so it was with satisfied tummies that we donned our ponchos and set out into the rain for our final river adventure. 

We expected our last boat ride to be something of an anti-climax given the weather conditions but it was not the case. It is definitely more difficult to spot things in the rain as your senses have become tuned to tiny movements or sounds within the canopy. Unfortunately the dripping rain has every leaf trembling and masks the sounds of movement, but it still proved to be a successful trip. We set off down the widest arc of the river in driving rain, but as we turned into the smaller tributaries the rain eased. The first sighting was of a very soggy bat-eared fish owl, followed by a rather bedraggled kigfisher, hornbills, purple herons, fish eagles and kites to name but a few. The grand finale was along a small tributary where Lat spotted the nose and eye bumps of a crocodile. A long tailed macaque stood on the river bank opposite calling the alarm to a troop in the tree above. From the size of the head, Lat judged the crocodile to be around 3 to 3 ½ meters long – that was a little unnerving given the size of our boat!  

Back at the lodge we donned our sarongs for dinner one last time before retiring to one of our rooms for a night cap. The bar stock is limited and whilst a cold beer is always available there is a distinct absence of tonic water, so our duty free gin was coupled with lemonade! If buying duty free to take out my advice would be take something that mixes with coke or lemonade!

After a delicious lunch we were shown to our bungalows. From a small entrance area having shoe racks shelves, coat pegs and the safe, a now familiar polished wooden floor ran into the main area, this time with a single and double bed, sofa, coffee table and cupboard with tea and coffee making facilities. An electric diffuser filled the room with fragrant citronella to combat any invading mosquitos, whilst a small fridge chilled the complimentary soft drinks, (and the remainder of the duty free gin!). Sliding bamboo doors gave access to the bathroom, his and hers basins, WC and shower and, not least of all, a hairdryer! Whilst this particular item should not be of great importance on this sort of a holiday, it would be nice to combat the ‘Farrah Fawcett do’ the ever-present humidity seemed to insist I wear!

After settling in we made our way to the presentation room where we met our fellow guests and were given a brief introduction, including a slide show and short film, by Darryn who would be our guide for the duration of our stay. 

In the highest humidity I have ever experienced we set off in long trousers, long sleeves, boots, socks and leech socks. I know men should perspire and ladies should glow but we sweated! This, of course, was all to avoid ‘getting leeched’ and it worked – mostly! Whilst we remained leech-free our companions were not so lucky. A shirt not tucked into trousers and a blouse with a slight gape at the buttons was all the access they needed. 

Unfortunately the river people, being peaceful fishermen, were easy targets for the head hunters and Shirou had told us previously that this was how the Abai village came to be established. The river people had been forced to move on to escape persecution by the head hunters. The word ‘Abai’ means ‘I have found it’, although in a different tribal language it can also mean ‘abandoned’.

After a lovely dinner back at the lodge we climbed aboard the truck and set off on our night safari. Darryn was at the front firing the search light at great speed through the canopy and along the roadside. Our first sighting was samba deer at the roadside, which quickly disappeared into the undergrowth, then a flying squirrel was spotted scurrying around a tree before taking fight. The sky was clear, the moon was full and the forest was enchanting. 

Suddenly, the truck stopped and backed up a little. We all gazed around excitedly, straining to see through the darkness whatever it was our sharp-eyed guide had spotted. Darryn aimed the spotight at a tall straight tree. There was a slight bump on one side of the trunk.  

 

Not the clouded leopard every visitor hopes to see but apparently even more rare and equally beautiful. Pinned under the light he turned his head to look at us and gave us a perfect view of his beautiful face before he shimmied backwards down the tree, showing off his exquisitely spotted coat and long thick tail before disappearing from sight.  What a treat and what a way to end our first day in the Danum Valley. How lucky are we!

The rain stopped and after dinner we headed out for a night walk, joined by two other ladies.  It was rather muddy underfoot and as we left the track and cut into the forest the trees were dripping all around us. With just the torch light it was incredibly atmospheric although we did have to keep stopping for a quick leech check! The first thing we saw were tiny scorpions which shone bright green in the beam of Darryn’s UV light. He told us although they were tiny, one bite could make you sleep for a week! Coming back out into the open, samba deer were grazing and a large forest pig was routing nearby. Darryn pointed out a huge centipede on a tree trunk and picked up a trilobyte beetle, apparently pre-historic, for us to examine.  

Back on the forest path again we turned out the torches and stood in the darkness listening to the incredible night sounds of the forest all around us. The darkness was not total as a misty full moon floated above the canopy. Further along the path a huge moth alighted in front of us as we made our way to the small bridge that crossed what we came to call ‘the frog pond’. The frogs were in fine voice, singing at the top of their lungs and as we stood on the bridge overlooking the water several frogs could be seen in the foliage. There were harlequin frogs and the more rare cinnamon frog. A small brown snake gliding through the water at the pond’s edge concluded our sightings for the day. 

Back from the wilderness to the luxury of the lodge’s dining room and we enjoyed a superb breakfast, all the better for having worked up an appetite, before once again reaching for the leech socks and heading out into the forest. Darryn was on a mission to find us orangutan. It was the last day of the holiday for the two ladies who had joined us on our night walk and they had yet to see orangutan in the wild, so hopes were high. 

We followed the path for a little way before Darryn told us we were leaving the path and we headed ‘off road’, picking our way through the undergrowth with an increasing sense of anticipation – of seeing orangutan or impending leech attack, I’m not sure which! Finally, Darryn called a halt and pointed up into a tree telling us there was an orangutan. Gathered around the buttress roots of a huge tree we all searched desperately with our binoculars, senses straining to pick up movement in the canopy above but we could see nothing. Then, as the breeze parted the leaves, the sun illuminated a tantalizing flash of orange hair – it was barely more than a tiny blob and we would never have spotted it on our own. With our target now in our sites all we could do was wait and hope that it revealed itself to us in more detail...

They swung effortlessly down through the canopy giving us a wonderful view, before heading off deeper into the forest. We were able to track their progress for a short distance but they quickly outpaced us, moving far more efficiently through the forest than we could ever dream of. Returning to the lodge for lunch, the lure of a cold beer in the bar proved too much to resist and we met and shared lunch with the other two members of our group, who were celebrating having managed a wild orangutan sighting on their last day. 

The rest of the afternoon passed in sociable relaxation and although there was an opportunity for a final night walk, I’m afraid to say given the choice of getting back into walking boots and heading out again or celebrating our last night here with a cocktail and relaxed last dinner at this lovely lodge, the decision was unanimous. The tenderest beef with peanuts, delicious fragrant spiced rice and vegetables in coconut gravy followed by the most succulent pineapple ever tasted was a fitting way to end our stay at this luxurious rainforest lodge. The thunderous rain that bucketed down in the night was a firm reminder that, despite luxurious surroundings we were still in the middle of the rainforest! 

A small hitch at KK airport when there was no one there to meet us – presumably they were still under the impression the flight was cancelled. A phone call to the tour operator soon sorted things out and our driver was there in no time. By now it was fully dark so we were unable to get a good look at KK, but it left the impression of being a busy, vibrant town. 

Around an hour’s drive from the airport brought us into the long, lamp-lit drive that wound through the manicured grounds leading up to the Rasa Ria’s garden wing, where a beautifully attired bell boy took our bags and announced our arrival in traditional fashion by striking the large gong in the entrance. We swapped our passports for a cool welcome drink and relaxed, taking in our new surroundings as a member of staff took our documents and checked us in. The hotel looked impressive – a huge open lobby area, clean, shining marble floors, enormous rugs, soft sofas. So far, so good. Andrew then returned with our passports and registration forms and told us of a special offer to upgrade to the hotel’s Ocean Wing.  For a small extra payment the Ocean Wing offered superior rooms, larger balconies, free a la carte breakfast in a restaurant exclusive to Ocean Wing residents, free mini bar, free cocktail and canapes between 5.30 and 6.30, free choice of pillow from the “pillow menu”, free choice of bath from the “bath menu” and the wing’s own swimming pool and outdoor jacuzzi for the exclusive use of Ocean Wing residents. We were in celebratory mood – we said yes! 

So it was back in the car and heading up the drive again to the Ocean Wing. Had we made the right decision?  Oh yes! The rooms were lovely, beautifully furnished, spacious, well-stocked mini bar, fresh fruit bowl and biscuits. A huge picture window gave views over the grounds to the beach beyond, which could be enjoyed whilst lying in bed. Double patio doors opened out onto the balcony where coffee table and chairs, a huge day bed and an enormous tiled jacuzzi bath awaited us. The balcony overlooked the swimming pool, the outdoor jacuzzi which was the size of a swimming pool, and the perfectly maintained gardens, beyond which lay the wide, sandy beach. 

Hot, tired and lacking enthusiasm to shower, change and head out to the restaurants, we dumped our luggage and settled on the balcony to watch the thunder storm that was rumbling out to sea whilst satisfying our hunger with beer, crisps, fruit and biscuits from the mini bar, before heading to bed. 

A stroll along the beach to the water’s edge did little to burn off our early morning calorie intake but it did reveal a huge expanse of wide, clean, sandy beach. Unfortunately, the tide line revealed evidence of a sea populated by jellyfish so any swimming would definitely take place in the pool. 

After the busy schedule of the previous days it was very relaxing to stretch out on a sun bed.  There are plenty of sunbeds arranged around the pool and gardens with attentive staff handing out towels and bottles of cold water which are presented in cool boxes. It was so quiet, there seemed to be very few guests and we chose a couple of sun beds under one of the huge parasols. A word of warning – just because you are under the shade of a parasol does not mean you are safe from sunburn! A member of staff approached us to ask if we were happy with our rooms and breakfast. Our only complaints were that we had no matches with which to light the mosquito coils provided on our balcony, and the slight niggle that although our mini bar was well stocked and replenished daily, there was only beer or soft drinks with nothing alcoholic for the ladies. On returning to our room later that morning we found an ice bucket with a bottle of white wine and two wine glasses awaiting us!

Every staff member in the restaurants make a point of saying thank you and goodbye, be they chefs or waiters, whether they have served your or not.  Their traditional greeting is to place the right hand over the heart to give meaning – ‘from the heart’ - to the words. It is somehow very touching.

Later at the cocktail bar we enjoyed the cocktail of the day - white rum, mango, lime and soda - before heading out for our evening meal (a quick dash back to the room was required for a reapplication of insect repellent as there seemed to be a sudden invasion of some sort of flying ant – the first insect problem we had experienced all holiday).  When asking reception to book us a table for dinner earlier in the day, we discovered that the street food restaurant was fully booked. Our friends had second thoughts about the coffee bar so we ended up taking the only tables that were still free – at the Japanese Tepanyaki restaurant. It was a small restaurant, comfortably busy with just enough people to provide atmosphere. 

The seating was arranged around three cooking stations where the chefs prepared the food in front of you and a range of set menus were offered. Having chosen our menu we were wonderfully entertained as we watched our chefs preparing the food for us. The chefs are also great entertainers, showing off their skills with a comic twist, building egg towers, drawing pictures on the hot plates with egg whites and juggling spatulas and condiments reminiscent of a scene from ‘Cocktail’. On top of that, the food was absolutely delicious! It was  good food and entertainment all rolled into one and the perfect way to spend the last evening of our holiday. Lucky for us the street food restaurant was fully booked otherwise we would have missed this great experience. 

When our transport arrived we collected our bags and climbed aboard, having already said our goodbyes. We could see the staff were already very busy with the influx of new arrivals so it was to our great surprise and pleasure that as we settled into our seats the new arrivals were suddenly abandoned as the staff appeared from between them and lined up along the curb to wave us goodbye! It was the simplest, sincerest and most touching send off we could have wished for. 

So that was Borneo: forest, river and beach. It has been a wonderful holiday and a great adventure. We have done and seen so much with a wonderful variety of activities, accommodation, wildlife and weather. We knew we would love the wildlife, expected to love the country but never imagined how much we would love the people and what a great impression they would leave.