Blogs from Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary, Sabah, Malaysia, Asia

I learnt a new backpacker's secret! Since in Malaysia accomodation seems to be generally a little more expensive than the rest of Southeast Asia, so I've decided to bunk in dormitories whenever I find the prices for private rooms too steep for my liking. Despite having been a long-term backpacker, and despite its significantly cheaper price, I generally don't like dormitories for several reasons. Of course there's the privacy issue, including noise etc where sometimes the dorm almost turns out to be like a never-ending slumber party, with noisy chit-chatting way past official lights out time. I guess it's a good opportunity to meet new people and socialise, but sometimes I really just want to have some peace and quiet time to myself. Then there's the snorers (hands up, I'm a guilty party myself). And it's ... read more

The main attraction for us has been the Orang-utan rehabilitation center (ORC) and the Rainforest Discover Center (RDC) Although the main purpose of the RDC remains as an environmental education center for students and teachers, it has opened its doors to the public since August 2006. Its primary function is to create public awareness and appreciation of the importance of conserving forests, as well as the sustainable use of forest resources. We walked around the park using the Canopy Walkway. The Canopy Walkway is about 300 m long with 2 towers. It is the first of its kind in the country and one of few of such structures in the world! And gives a great perspective of the Reserve and the size of the trees! There we saw the Giant Sepilok. Enormous tree! We feel so ... read more

We all make mistakes: that’s the thing about travelling you can’t see what you book first. You faithfully rely upon that popular travel guide, booking sites, reviews and photos submitted by the hotel or guesthouses themselves as reliable sources of information. On the very rare occasion we were lucky and got better than we bargained for but sadly too many times a hotel has been booked in good faith only for an ugly truth to be revealed upon arrival. More than anything, a traveller depends upon the information from others and we rely upon each other like a network. In Ho Chi Minh I met an Austrian girl in my hostel who told me about “the only place to be” in Muine called Vietnam-Austria house. Since she had booked for three nights but ended up staying ... read more

Up and out for breakfast at 7:30. All the tea she could drink, toast, egg and some weird sausage. Seems to be the staple out here. Obviously it was already too hot and humid to go anywhere but what else can be expected of a holiday in a jungle? Only a 5 minute ride away in the blissfully air conditioned van and we were at Sepilok. Tickets bought and everything hidden away in a locker and we headed down to the viewing area. When we arrive there are two Orang-utans on the feeding platform waiting for 10am to arrive. We just stand there - sweat dripping off us - watching them yawn, scratch and do the many other taxing things that apes spend their mornings doing wondering just how hot they must be under all that ... read more