Borneo - get there before everyone else does! (Borneo (Kalimantan))

Member Name: cezzybunny

Product:	Borneo (Kalimantan)
Date:	29/05/09 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful, lots of wildlife, lovely beaches, cheap, lots of activities

Disadvantages: Hot / wet in the monsoon season

I spent about 4 months in Borneo a few years ago. First of all, I'll explain that Borneo is the name of the island, but there are three countries which have part of this territory - Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei Darussalam. The main part of the island is taken up by Kalimantan, the Indonesian part. The Malaysian part is divided into two parts - Sabah (British North Borneo) and Sarawak. Most of my time was spent in Sabah, but I also visited Brunei and Sarawak.

Sabah is a stunning part of the world, the capital, Kota Kinabalu, isn't the most exciting place ever but it is a good stepping stone to more exciting trips. Those who are interested in orangtans can head to Sepilok reserve, near Sandakan. However I'd recommend that if you are going to Sarawak, you go to the orangutan sanctuary near Kuching, which is cheaper and less touristy. In Sabah, I'd recommend The Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park, which is just off the coast and consists of five islands. The smallest island is my favourite - Mamutik, which you can learn to dive off with Borneo divers. I'd also recommend a two day hike to the top of Mount Kinabalu, 4101metres, with a break overnight at the hostel at Laban Rata. Danum Valley is the place of choice if you're after some virgin rainforest, it's a bit of a distance from KK though. Closer is Uncle Tans camp, on the Kinabatangan river. It's a rustic camp in the jungle, the staff will take you on safaris and river safaris. There's a high concentration of wildlife here, we saw elephants! You can book a few days here by emailing the camp - see www.uncletan.com it is popular so book ahead.

British citizens can get a 3 month visa for Malaysia for free, major airlines which fly into KK include Royal Brunei and Malaysian Airways. Flights from the UK take around 16 hours.

The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan, and is worth a few days to see the arabic influences in Borneo, but you will get bored if you stay for much longer - it's a very sanitised version of Borneo, and the prices reflect this. Again, visas are free for British citizens, at least they were when I went there!

Summary: Go there!