The Kelabit Highlands

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October 24th 2009

Published: October 29th 2009

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Karen away

Kelabit Highlands

I headed to Bario in an even smaller plane than the one i got to Mulu, but surprisingly in felt safer and the views were fantastic, i could see down on the caves at Mulu. The only way to get to Bario, the capital of the highlands, was by plane, but a few weeks before i arrived the bridge on the road from Miri was finished. The town only had 3 4WDs for years but there's already 10 times that now. The people living here seem to have mixed feeling about the road, but its not surfaced yet and its a 13hr drive so there shouldn't be too many changes for a while.
I stayed at a lovely lodge, De Plateau, run by Douglas and his family. The food was delicious, its all really fresh and organic, lots of the veg is collected from the jungle. We ate ferns, wild ginger flowers, tapioca, jungle spinach and tonnes of the sweetest pineapple i've ever tasted.
The people in the highlands are mostly Kelabit, but there are also nomadic Penan nearby. The Kelabits are lovely, so friendly and happy and really intelligent to. Bario has actually won an intelligent community award, they all

Kelabit Highlands

the view from my seat

seem to be Doctors, Pilots, Ministers, you wouldn't believe they all came from this small town in the middle of no-where.
Bario's a beautiful place, spread out across a plateau, surrounded by the jungle. Although the loggers are getting closer!
I joined a french guy and his parents on an overnight trip to Pa'Lugan, one of the surrounding villages, it a 4hr walk through stunning scenery, the only traffic is ox drawn carts! Its such a peaceful place and so gorgeous. We stayed in Phillipe and Paulines lodge they have the only tv in the village so at about 7pm half the village slowly arrive to watch the soaps and at 9:30, they all dissappear! The fuel costs too much otherwise i'm sure they'd all stay alot longer!
We headed back to De Plateau the following morning, i swear the french were marching rather than walking, we made it back in 3hrs!
The next day i went out with Lian, one of the many guides in the area, he used to be an engineer for shell!
We had walk through the rice paddies and into the jungle to see the Nomadic Penan, although they're nomadic they've been living just outside

Kelabit Highlands

the town for nearly a year and some of the children go to the local school. Their huts are really basic and the girls start having children at about 13! Its a simple life and they seem really happy. We also visited the local longhouse, where 20 families live, they have seperate living area, but a communal area the full length of the building. They all hang their family photos outside their rooms, it was interestign to see traditional photos next to pilot pictures of the younger generation.
Another couple joined me and Lian the following day, for a walk to the salt reserve and through the jungle. The salt reserve wasn't being used and was basically just a hut, but the walk there was really interesting. On our walk through the jungle we were all too busy looking down to see much! Leeches, what horrid little things! Occasionally you could see their little heads groping around through the leaves searching for fresh blood, thankfully none of them drank any of mine, i had to flick quite a few of them off my boots though!
I had a great time in Bario, its such a lovely place i hope the