Best of Borneo 14 Day Tour

BEST OF BORNEO 14 DAY TOUR

SARAWAK AND SABAH

Tour Code: BTS 14

Day 1Take your flight to South-East Asia and on to Kuching in magical, mystical Borneo. Kuching, the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, can be accessed by flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other towns and cities in Borneo. Flights to Kuching from Kuala Lumpur arrive throughout the day. You will be met at the airport and transferred to Kuching Hilton Hotel – depending on arrival time, have the remainder of the day at leisure or get some rest.

Day 2Your first full day in Borneo. Morning tour of the sights of Kuching City – purported to be the cleanest city in Malaysia. Discover the charms of the city, as well as spending some time uncovering the past and pondering the future at the world famous Sarawak Museum, completed in 1891, which is definitely one of the best museums in the whole of South-East Asia. In the city centre, see buildings dating back to the time of the white Rajahs, ancient Chinese temples and colourful markets displaying the produce which first brought the traders to Borneo.

Spend the afternoon at your leisure to look for local handicrafts and artefacts in the traders’ street known as Main Bazaar near the Sarawak River waterfront.Overnight at Kuching Hilton. (includes breakfast)

Day 3Travel from Kuching, about an hour’s journey by coach/mini bus, to Anah Rais, located in the heart of the Padawan District (about 40 km from Kuching). Anah Rais is the largest Bidayuh longhouse which exists in Sarawak. Explore this peaceful Bidayuh village and learn about the culture of the Land Dayaks who were once headhunters. Visit the baruk (headhouse) where skulls can be seen. Return to Kuching and spend the afternoon at leisure. Overnight at Kuching Hilton. [includes breakfast and lunch]

Day 4Spend the day visiting Sarawak’s oldest National Park at Bako. Travel about 35 km out of Kuching to Bako village. From Bako village, it is a 25 minute boat trip to the park situated in a peninsula. Bako is one of the best places in Sarawak to see wildlife in a natural surrounding. It is home to a variety of wildlife including long tail Macaques, Proboscis monkeys, wild boars, monitor lizards, and numerous species of birds. Return to Kuching mid-afternoon. Overnight at Kuching Hilton. [Breakfast, and Lunch included]

Day 5Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Mulu Caves.Flight schedules vary depending on the day of the week – you may fly direct or via the oil town of Miri. You will be met on arrival and transferred to Mulu Marriott Resort. Gunung Mulu, as it is known locally, is the gem of Sarawak’s national parks and contains the largest limestone cave system in the world. The park is now a recognised World Heritage listed area.

Mulu’s system of caves is truly spectacular. The world’s largest natural chamber (Sarawak Chamber), the world’s largest cave passage (Deer Cave) and the longest cave in South-East Asia (Clearwater Cave) are all found at Mulu. Tour the Deer and Lang’s Caves on your first afternoon and evening in Mulu National Park. [Breakfast and Dinner included]

Day 6Morning tour the Wind and Clearwater Caves and enjoy a picnic lunch and perhaps a swim in the mountain stream. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent at your leisure. There is plenty to see and do above ground, without having to venture into the caves. The park contains 15 different types of forest – including mixed dipterocarp, heath, peat swamp, moss forest and montane vegetation – and thousands of species of ferns, fungi, mosses and flowering plants, including 170 species of wild orchid and 10 species of pitcher plant. Mulu’s wildlife is as rich as its flora, and is inhabited by an impressive variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and other invertebrates. Spend the night at Royal Mulu Resort [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included]

Day 7Transfer to Kota Kinabalu. Depending on flight schedules, you may fly direct from Mulu to KK, or alternatively, via the oil town of Miri on the coast. This will depend on flight schedules which vary from day to day. You will be met at the airport on arrival in KK, and transferred to Shangri-la’s Tanjung Aru Resort. After checking into your hotel in KK, spend the remainder of the day at leisure. [Breakfast included]

Day 8A full day trip to Kinabalu National Park and Poring Hot Springs. Enjoy the vista of the jungle covered mountains and valleys as you proceed up to the base of South-East Asia’s highest mountain. Near the base of Mt Kinabalu, at Nabilau, you will find a local Tamu or market, where you will be able to stop to look at the variety of goods on sale.

You will proceed on to the Springs where you will be able to take a “canopy walk” through the canopy of a rainforest, (the canopy walk is generally closed for a few weeks in April for maintenance – check at time of booking) before returning to the hot baths which were built by the Japanese. If time permits, you may be able to enjoy a soak in one of the hot baths. At Kinabalu National Park World Heritage Site, visit the Education Centre and Mountain Garden, home to various species of the flowering rhododendrons, carnivorous pitcher plants and orchids. You will be taken on a guided walk through the botanical gardens at the park.Return to Kota Kinabalu, arriving at Tanjung Aru Resort in the late afternoon. [Breakfast and Lunch included]

Day 9The start of a two day trip which across the Crocker Range. Travel about 1 1/2 hours by road from Kota Kinabalu to the Rafflesia Information Centre on the ridges of the Crocker Range (1200 m above sea level). At the Rafflesia Centre you will learn about the unique biology of this parasitic flower which is the largest flower in the world. It is one of the most likely places to see the Rafflesia flower in bloom amongst the Liana vines on the jungle floor. If a Rafflesia is in bloom, you will trek along one of the trails in search of the bloom and buds. Even if no flowers are open, you will certainly find some Rafflesia buds.Proceed to the handicraft centre which houses art workshops, and also displays a wide range of artistic Sabahan handicraft.

Overnight at Keningau town (twin bed). [includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 10In the morning, drive by road the 46 km from Keningau to the Sabah Agriculture Park (closed on Monday), at Lagud Sebrang. The Agricultural Park showcases gardens, tropical fruits, Borneo orchids, beverage plants and spices. Later, visit the famous Tenom Coffee factory (open on weekdays only) before driving back to Tanjung Aru Resort in Kota Kinabalu, along the Papar-Kimanis road. [includes Breakfast and Lunch]

Day 11Early morning transfer to the airport from your hotel for flight to Sandakan. On arrival at Sandakan Airport around 08.00 hrs, you will be met and transferred to Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centrefor an audio visual presentation (25 mins.) in the theatrette. Walk ten minutes through the rainforest on timber boardwalks to witness the feeding of the orang-utans which takes place at 10.00hrs. You will have plenty of time to watch the orang-utans until they disappear back into the jungle. Lunch will be taken at nearby Sepilok Jungle Resort.

After lunch, transfer by road to Bilit Lodge, located on the Sabah’s longest river, the Kinabatangan River – 560 km in length. This area is home to the 10 species of primates namely Proboscis monkeys, langurs, macaques, orang-utan, slow loris, western tarsier, all 8 species of hornbills found in Borneo, such as Rhinoceros Hornbill, Pied Hornbill, Black Hornbill, Helmeted Hornbill (50kg, 120cm), kingfishers, bubuls, trogons, flycatchers, sunbirds, broadbills, herons, mangrove snakes, vipers, estuarine crocodile, Borneo pygmy elephants and much more wildlife. Arrive at Bilit around 15.00 hrs, check into your accommodation.

You will have time for afternoon tea and some local nibbles, prior to a short briefing by the nature guide. Around 16.00 hrs, you will head off on a river cruise along the Kinabatangan River in search of some of the 10 primate species, including Proboscis monkeys, as they settle down on treetops for the night along the banks of the River.Return to the lodge for dinner and the night After dinner an optional night walk can be arranged – pay at the lodge – spotting nocturnal animals, crocodiles and birds. [includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]

Day 12Wake up to the calls of gibbons and birds and start the day with an early river cruise at about 06.00 hrs. After the 1 hour boat cruise, proceed back to Bilit Lodge for breakfast. After breakfast – about 08.30 hrs, depart Bilit for Gomantong Cave to explore the largest limestone and bird nests cave in Sabah, where millions of swiftlets make the cave their home. After the tour to the cave, return to Sandakan by road for lunch.

Sandakan was the capital city of North Borneo until the Second World War. The city was also the starting point for the Australian Death March to Ranau, near Mt Kinabalu, towards the end of the War, in which 6 men out of a total 2400 survived. (Refer to Australians in Borneo During WW II for further information). There is little left of the city as it was, as the town was heavily bombed during the war.

After lunch (around 13.00 hrs) you will transfer to the Rainforest Discovery Centre (about 30 minutes from Sandakan). Proceed to the canopy walk for a spot of bird watching – you may catch sight of the Hornbill. You will also be taken on a short walk along a constructed trail through the jungle – about 45 minutes; and then on to the botanical garden.From the Rainforest Discovery Centre, you will be transferred to the Australian war memorial at the World War II Japanese Prisoner of War camp. You will be able to visit the information gallery and also walk the loop trail. Transfer to the airport for your evening flight to Kota Kinabalu. You will be met at the airport in KK and transferred to Tanjung Aru Resort for the night. [Breakfast and Lunch included]

Spend your last full day in Borneo visiting the Islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the main jetty in KK. Transfer about 20 minutes from the KK jetty to Gaya Island. Explore one of the 2 km jungle treks and learn about some of the unique medicinal plants, tropical hardwood trees, coastal vegetation, tropical dipterocarp rainforest and the ecology of the mangrove forest.

After a cooked buffet lunch on one of the tropical islands, go “down below” and snorkel the warm waters of the South China Sea.Explore one, or several of the enchanting snorkelling sites found within the marine park. Swim alongside colourful marine-life, butterfly fish, parrot fish, cardinals and snappers. Relax, snorkel and free at leisure until your transfer across to the mainland marina at around 16.00 hrs, arriving back at your hotel around 16.30 hrs. [includes Breakfast, Lunch and snorkelling equipment] Day 14 At leisure until your transfer to the airport for your flight to your next destination [Breakfast included] Prices: