Pygmy elephants, enormous squirrels, small bears, huge bull-frogs, orchids the size of pinheads, gigantic flowers, one metre wide, and monkeys with colossal noses. Has she stepped into a Jules Verne novel? No, Ros Freeman is in Borneo, in the world’s most ancient rainforest.
Our boat glides silently down the muddy river. On the banks, an egret stalks its prey, a safe distance away from a basking crocodile. Above us, eagles circle, kingfishers are poised ready to dive, and a band of fun-lovin’ macaques swings through the forest canopy. However, all eyes are on the pygmy elephant. He delicately steps into the river, splashes about, then carefully negotiates his way back into the jungle. What a way to start the day!
Borneo, the world’s third largest island (after Greenland and Papua New Guinea) is shared by three countries; Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. Jane and I are touring in the northern portion, Malaysia’s Sabah, between Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. The tour provides a good balance of culture, history and nature. It’s the nature component that’s hooked us. Borneo has it in spades. There are hundreds of birds and hundreds of mammals. You’ll also find Rafflesia Keithii, the world’s largest flower. It rarely blooms but when it does the flower lasts 7-10 days then decomposes, earning a new moniker, the corpse flower.
One of the more peculiar members of the animal kingdom is the Proboscis Monkey. The males have gigantic droopy noses. When they get angry or excited, their noses turn red and become even larger. Their arboreal neighbours, the orangutans, are considered one of the most intelligent primates, but in durian season they behave like a pack of football supporters; they get drunk on fermented durians, then suffer hangovers. Serves them right!
It was a hazy arrival in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The sky was an eerie shade of grey. Down south, in Kalimantan, the Indonesians had allowed the burning off to get out of control. Tens of thousands of acres of native forest had been slashed and burnt to allow for the planting of more palm oil plantations. About 5000 people had been hospitalised due to breathing difficulties. The smoke reached as far away as the peninsula and Singapore.
Palm oil plantations are lucrative. Introduced from Central Africa, palm oil trees in Malaysia and Indonesia produce 85% of the world’s palm oil, worth about US$50 billion dollars. It’s used in packaged food, deodorant, toothpaste, animal feed and much more. The plantations have led to deforestation and destruction of the pygmy elephant and orangutan habitat.
A few days later optimism rose as the smoke haze lifted and the majestic Mount Kinabalu came into view. It’s Malaysia’s tallest mountain. Up to 160 people climb it each day. Some even run it. Each year there’s a Mount Kinabalu Climbathon, one of the world’s toughest mountain races. Our guide attempted it a few years ago, he was a DNF. We were DNFs also, deciding it’s not for us.
Nearby one of the worst atrocities of WWII took place, the Sandakan Death March. Between 1942 and 1943 Japanese soldiers shipped thousands of Australian and British prisoners of war to Borneo. They were instructed to build a military airstrip, but given no tools to do so. As the war came to an end, the Japanese wanted these men to disappear. They were marched along a 260km rugged jungle trail and were given little to no food or medical treatment until they died. Of the 2428 men who marched, six survived.
The original inhabitants of Borneo are the Dayaks. They include a variety of ethnic groups each with their own culture, dialect and territory. At the Mari Mari Cultural Village we were treated to a glimpse of their lifestyles, visiting their houses, sampling rice wine, local dishes and enjoying a traditional dance show. One of the more interesting tribes, were the headhunters. A taken head carried spiritual powers that protected longhouses, blessed harvests and honored ancestors. Headhunting was abandoned in 1915 at the behest of the British Colonial Government. However, the headhunters briefly resumed activities during WWII, targeting Japanese soldiers.
From Sandakan we journeyed by river to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Set in the jungle, boardwalks linked all the buildings. The restaurant overlooked the river, picturesque by day, magical by night. A chorus of cicadas serenaded us. But what’s that other noise? ‘Plonk, plonk, plonk’ on the rooftop. A troop of cheeky macaques ran across the roof, then leaned over the eaves and peered into our room. Very eco-friendly. Another day a ginger cat winked at us from the courtyard. Maybe not so eco-friendly, but part of the animal kingdom nevertheless. David Attenborough stayed at the lodge when filming a few years ago. A villa is named in his honour. The Lodge was founded in 1995 when eco-tourism was in its infancy.
The bulk of Malaysia’s economy (95%) comes from Sabah and Sarawak. Our guide Syah jokes that the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur should be renamed the S&S Towers, after the oil and gas revenue these two states provide. The other main sources of income in Malaysia are eco-tourism and agriculture.
This includes the harvesting of swifts’ bird nests. These edible bird nests are popular for Chinese traditional medicine. We visited Gomantong cave, a large limestone cave famous for its colony of two million bats. It’s also the home of thousands of swifts. A team of men had erected ropes and pulleys and were harvesting the bird nests. This is done after the swiftlets have hatched and left the nests. Purpose-built swiftlet houses are also located by the river's edge. Recorded calls lure the birds to build nests there, which are much easier to harvest. The harvest nets about US$400 million annually. Cost is US$2500-$10,000 per kilo. The biggest consumers are the Chinese in USA.
A visit to the beach was an adventure. We were issued with fins, snorkels, goggles, and life jackets, then had to sign a waiver, no responsibility if we drowned. Later we learnt that there are many drownings in Malaysia. The island was crowded, with tourist boats arriving and departing. There was an invasion of influencers, a troupe of TicTockers. Scantily-clad girls posed coquetishly; lolling on rocks, leaning on the docks. At the other end of the beach, Muslim girls, fully clad, swam with scarves and modest clothing. Then a water monitor appeared, he totally stole the show.
Drinking alcohol was restricted, an anathema to we Aussies! In some places drinkers were relegated outside, next to the bins, like naughty schoolchildren. There were not even any fermented durians about, the orangutans had beaten us to them!
On our last day we left our eco-resort, and had a final cruise along the river. We’d been sated, seeing the Sun Bears, a variety of primates, dozens of bird species, and four of Borneo’s Big Five: the Proboscis monkeys, Orangutans, Pygmy elephants and crocodiles. What more could we see? Just then Fernando, our hawk-eyed guide, excitedly pointed out a Rhinoceros Hornbill. The last of the Big Five. Our day was complete!
Our boat glides silently down the muddy river. On the banks, an egret stalks its prey, a safe distance away from a basking crocodile. Above us, eagles circle, kingfishers are poised ready to dive, and a band of fun-lovin’ macaques swings through the forest canopy. However, all eyes are on the pygmy elephant. He delicately steps into the river, splashes about, then carefully negotiates his way back into the jungle. What a way to start the day!
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| Red line indicates our route |
Borneo, the world’s third largest island (after Greenland and Papua New Guinea) is shared by three countries; Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. Jane and I are touring in the northern portion, Malaysia’s Sabah, between Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. The tour provides a good balance of culture, history and nature. It’s the nature component that’s hooked us. Borneo has it in spades. There are hundreds of birds and hundreds of mammals. You’ll also find Rafflesia Keithii, the world’s largest flower. It rarely blooms but when it does the flower lasts 7-10 days then decomposes, earning a new moniker, the corpse flower.
One of the more peculiar members of the animal kingdom is the Proboscis Monkey. The males have gigantic droopy noses. When they get angry or excited, their noses turn red and become even larger. Their arboreal neighbours, the orangutans, are considered one of the most intelligent primates, but in durian season they behave like a pack of football supporters; they get drunk on fermented durians, then suffer hangovers. Serves them right!
Proboscis monkey, Rafflesia Keithii, Sun Bear
It was a hazy arrival in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The sky was an eerie shade of grey. Down south, in Kalimantan, the Indonesians had allowed the burning off to get out of control. Tens of thousands of acres of native forest had been slashed and burnt to allow for the planting of more palm oil plantations. About 5000 people had been hospitalised due to breathing difficulties. The smoke reached as far away as the peninsula and Singapore.
Palm oil plantations are lucrative. Introduced from Central Africa, palm oil trees in Malaysia and Indonesia produce 85% of the world’s palm oil, worth about US$50 billion dollars. It’s used in packaged food, deodorant, toothpaste, animal feed and much more. The plantations have led to deforestation and destruction of the pygmy elephant and orangutan habitat.
Majestic Mount Kinabalu
A few days later optimism rose as the smoke haze lifted and the majestic Mount Kinabalu came into view. It’s Malaysia’s tallest mountain. Up to 160 people climb it each day. Some even run it. Each year there’s a Mount Kinabalu Climbathon, one of the world’s toughest mountain races. Our guide attempted it a few years ago, he was a DNF. We were DNFs also, deciding it’s not for us.
Nearby one of the worst atrocities of WWII took place, the Sandakan Death March. Between 1942 and 1943 Japanese soldiers shipped thousands of Australian and British prisoners of war to Borneo. They were instructed to build a military airstrip, but given no tools to do so. As the war came to an end, the Japanese wanted these men to disappear. They were marched along a 260km rugged jungle trail and were given little to no food or medical treatment until they died. Of the 2428 men who marched, six survived.
The original inhabitants of Borneo are the Dayaks. They include a variety of ethnic groups each with their own culture, dialect and territory. At the Mari Mari Cultural Village we were treated to a glimpse of their lifestyles, visiting their houses, sampling rice wine, local dishes and enjoying a traditional dance show. One of the more interesting tribes, were the headhunters. A taken head carried spiritual powers that protected longhouses, blessed harvests and honored ancestors. Headhunting was abandoned in 1915 at the behest of the British Colonial Government. However, the headhunters briefly resumed activities during WWII, targeting Japanese soldiers.
From Sandakan we journeyed by river to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Set in the jungle, boardwalks linked all the buildings. The restaurant overlooked the river, picturesque by day, magical by night. A chorus of cicadas serenaded us. But what’s that other noise? ‘Plonk, plonk, plonk’ on the rooftop. A troop of cheeky macaques ran across the roof, then leaned over the eaves and peered into our room. Very eco-friendly. Another day a ginger cat winked at us from the courtyard. Maybe not so eco-friendly, but part of the animal kingdom nevertheless. David Attenborough stayed at the lodge when filming a few years ago. A villa is named in his honour. The Lodge was founded in 1995 when eco-tourism was in its infancy.
The bulk of Malaysia’s economy (95%) comes from Sabah and Sarawak. Our guide Syah jokes that the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur should be renamed the S&S Towers, after the oil and gas revenue these two states provide. The other main sources of income in Malaysia are eco-tourism and agriculture.
This includes the harvesting of swifts’ bird nests. These edible bird nests are popular for Chinese traditional medicine. We visited Gomantong cave, a large limestone cave famous for its colony of two million bats. It’s also the home of thousands of swifts. A team of men had erected ropes and pulleys and were harvesting the bird nests. This is done after the swiftlets have hatched and left the nests. Purpose-built swiftlet houses are also located by the river's edge. Recorded calls lure the birds to build nests there, which are much easier to harvest. The harvest nets about US$400 million annually. Cost is US$2500-$10,000 per kilo. The biggest consumers are the Chinese in USA.
A visit to the beach was an adventure. We were issued with fins, snorkels, goggles, and life jackets, then had to sign a waiver, no responsibility if we drowned. Later we learnt that there are many drownings in Malaysia. The island was crowded, with tourist boats arriving and departing. There was an invasion of influencers, a troupe of TicTockers. Scantily-clad girls posed coquetishly; lolling on rocks, leaning on the docks. At the other end of the beach, Muslim girls, fully clad, swam with scarves and modest clothing. Then a water monitor appeared, he totally stole the show.
Drinking alcohol was restricted, an anathema to we Aussies! In some places drinkers were relegated outside, next to the bins, like naughty schoolchildren. There were not even any fermented durians about, the orangutans had beaten us to them!
Our ten-day trip in Borneo was filled with wonders. Far more than any of us expected. Our two expert guides dazzled us with their insights and knowledge. Sharing the adventure with a bunch of easy-going Aussies was a bonus.
On our last day we left our eco-resort, and had a final cruise along the river. We’d been sated, seeing the Sun Bears, a variety of primates, dozens of bird species, and four of Borneo’s Big Five: the Proboscis monkeys, Orangutans, Pygmy elephants and crocodiles. What more could we see? Just then Fernando, our hawk-eyed guide, excitedly pointed out a Rhinoceros Hornbill. The last of the Big Five. Our day was complete!
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