Blissful Borneo

---

Kuala Lumpur to Mulu
When you mention to most people you are setting off to Borneo for a holiday, they usually respond with "To see the orangutans?" Of course our little primate friends were on our itinerary but they only took up one of our mornings on our 18 day trip over there. To those who don't know, Borneo has so much to offer and we did our very best to cram as much as we could into the very little time we had to travel this spectacular country. We only had time to visit the Malaysian side, setting off first from KL to Miri, Sarawak which all up was a 19hr transition day to get to. We spent our first night here, stocked up on supplies the next morning ready to fly out to Mulu (I think the second smallest airport we have been to, behind Rurrenabaque in Bolivia on the Amazon basin).

First on the list was a visit to the Gunung Mulu National Park which is home to some of the largest cave systems in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We tried to stay right in the park itself but believe it or not, nine months before when Sam was booking our accomo, the whole place was booked out and we ended up just outside the park at the very lush Royal Mulu Resort. We wasted no time in heading straight to the park for our first tour of a couple of show caves 3km walk from the park office. Langs Cave was the first cave we ventured into and was only discovered a few years ago, it's an easy walk through and you are completely surrounded by delicate shawls draped from the ceilings, masses of stalagmites (from the bottom) and stalactites (from the top). Deer Cave was only 100 metres away and up until a few years ago actually held the title of having the worlds largest cave passage/entrance. Deer Cave is of epic proportions and once in there you are surrounded by the sounds of around 3.5 million bats and Swiftlet birds who call this place home, and yes, where there are that many bats you can be assured of plenty of guano on the ground! At dusk you venture outside, sit and wait for those 3.5 million bats to make their mass exodus in a spiral motion to avoid being eaten for dinner by the many hawks hanging out just for that very moment as well.

Racer Cave the next day was our first taste of adventure caving, so donning hard hats with headlights and cheap non-slip shoes we were on our way. I didn't really know what to expect, we had a small group of six including our guide which was great and he led us up and down passageways, squeezes and very, very steep climbs with the aid of ropes. I had to admit about 15 metres in when we were already in complete darkness I wasn't sure if I was up to it, but you can't turn back - there is only one way in and one way out and its a definite adrenalin rush let me tell ya! As the name suggests, we were fortunate enough to see two Racer snakes, Cave Centipedes and a Huntsman or three, it's amazing what creatures adapt to living totally in the dark. The little Swiftlet birds that live in the caves make a tick tock sound as they hover above you. Sadly, these little guy's nests are harvested, cleaned and sold to the Chinese market, and yes we were told that the babies are just left to die. Hard to believe that when the nests are only made from the bird's gummy saliva but apparently, some bright spark decided that the nests (which are served in a broth as a soup) reinforce the immune system, balance skin tone and prolong life, what a sad world we live in. Our guide actually used to free climb and collect these nests at one time in his life, after losing many friends in the process and I guess realising the devastation and impact it was having on the population, he gave it away.

The Mulu Canopy Skywalk is a 480m long walk is the world's longest tree based canopy walk and at one point you're 30 metres above the ground, it wasn't the best made structure either so a real test for those with a fear of heights. We were hoping to spot more bird life whilst up there but they weren't really about unfortunately, it was still a cool experience and we followed that with a slight detour on the way back to park HQ with a visit to Paku Waterfall. Sam got in there and had a swim around but my fear of leeches (Thank you - Stand By Me) kept me on the river banks enjoying the view instead. Our very last day in the park before flying out we visited two more show caves. Cave of the Winds was another beautiful display of deposits of calcite formed over millions of years and an easy walk to get around also, the columns in the majestic Kings Chamber were breathtaking and sometimes forming unusual shapes and forms (see photo of eagle). In the nearby Clearwater Cave, the river below your feet runs just under 200km through, pretty hard to fathom huh!

Kota Kinabalu (1st Visit)
That afternoon we flew out of Mulu bound for the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, a popular fishing destination and a gateway for travelers visiting Sabah & Borneo. We were lucky enough to arrive at the tail end of the well known Sunday markets held along Gaya Street where you can buy pretty much anything you can think of - as I always do on holidays, I added to my large collection of sarongs which are only about a fiver each. We only stayed one night here first just to stock up on alcohol and nibblies to take over to our first island trip. The supermarket was stellar and it was clear by the amount of western foods and wines they sold that this place is flooded with peeps like us, and they even sold Jacobs Creek Merlot, booyah! On the way home, both of us stocked up with groceries and Burger King for dinner (how very cultural of us) I failed to see the one foot drain which lay just beside the road and stacked it - straight into the freakin thing taking a nice chunk out of my right shin bone. Sam turned around as he was in front of me and reckons I pretty much disappeared into the ground, I'm lucky I didn't break my neck - I did however lose our soft drinks but more importantly, wine bottles remained intact!

Pulau Tiga
We were picked up the next morning and traveled an hour and a half to the Kuala Penyu Jetty, then after a half an hour boat ride we arrived at Pulau Tiga for some much needed island time. We have never watched the show but this place was where the first Survivor reality U.S tv show was filmed. There is not a great deal of things to do but that was kind of the point really, we spent one morning visiting one of the still active mud volcanos which you have to trek just over a km to get to. They are believed to possess medicinal and therapeutic values, not really sure about that but it definitely was an experience getting completely submerged in the stuff. It would have been better if there weren't mozzies buzzing around you and sticks and twigs floating around in it, but it had to be done and walking all the way back to the ocean to wash off was fun too as the mud starts to dry on the way back....ick! We spent another morning taking a trip out to Snake Island, a breeding ground for amphibious sea snakes (and one of the most poisonous) where we managed to briefly spot one but failed to get a photo before it slid back into the water away from us. There was nearby uninhabited sand island called Sands Pit which we went for our first snorkel, nothing really there and the beach was littered with rubbish, most likely from the mainland and it really frustrates us that they show these beautiful photos of beaches and you arrive and its covered in muck. Why not look after the places that bring in the money? and not only that - it affects all those under the water too obviously, I just can't get my head around it. We had one final snorkel at the house reef which had a lot more going on so chilled out there for about half an hour or so before heading back. Our last night on the island there were only six guests including ourselves so they set up some tables on the beach and served us dinner by candlelight which was a nice touch, I really should have mentioned I don't really eat seafood because they served us up a big portion of prawns which I don't eat - Sam was in heaven though, really the only time he indulges in seafood when we are on hols. In all, for the price we paid ($220 a night including all food) they need to inject a shite load of money into the place and renovate the accommodation to justify the price. We paid for the best bungalow on the island because it had air-con and a fridge and it was really run down, some of the lights didn't work so it was slightly dingy and you could pee more pressure than the shower provided! It's unfortunate too that the whole place runs on a generator which must cost them a fortune and of course they cut out randomly. We had no power for about six hours ones day = no fridge and warm drinks. I know I'm having a good whinge but when you have been to islands like the Perhentians where they are just as remote, have much better accommo, run on electricity and for about half the price - they have it sorted. The staff were super friendly and really helpful though which gives Pulau Tiga a real energy boost, it's just a shame the rest of the place lets it down and anyone who reads up on it will see really mixed reviews - as with any place I guess you can't please everyone but we got a really lovely base tan going anyway!

Kota Kinabula (2nd Visit)
We had one full day and two nights back in KK so we booked in a tour to visit the Mari Mari Cultural Village which is located deep in the countryside about 30mins drive from the city. The village operates as a museum that preserves Borneo ethnic culture. The tour offers you the opportunity to see and experience the culture
and lifestyle of how the indigenous ethnic groups of Borneo used to live in the olden days when electricity had not yet been introduced in their land. It was absolutely engrossing to see, smell, touch and do as we moved among the five longhouses of the tribes - The village features five different ethnic tribes in one village. They are the rice farmer Kadazan-Dusun, the longhouse resident Rungus, the hunters and fisherman Lundayeh, the cowboy and sea gypsy Bajau, and
the famously feared headhunting tribe Murut. Along the way you get to sample rice wine and many of the foods that were created by each tribe back in the day. At the end we were treated to some tribal dancing, a rhythmic drumming session and a lovely buffet lunch, if you have a free day in KK we recommend you check it out. That night it was back to the supermarket for more supplies for the next leg of the trip and my drain awareness was at an all time high - It did help that Sam would point out every one of them to me since my incident, thanks babe.

Sepilok
We awoke really early to catch a flight to Sandakan and from there it was a half hour taxi ride to the much anticipated Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation and Sun Bear Conservation Centres. First we set off to catch the 10am feeding of the orangutans. The aim of the centre is to return orphaned, injured or displaced orangutans back into the wild. Many of the orphans have successfully undergone the process of rehabilitation and have been released into the 4,294 hectare Kabili-Sepilok Forest which is a virgin jungle reserve. The ever growing Palm Oil plantations that are popping up all over the country (and you can see them for miles and miles in the air and along the road) mean a lot of these little guys are losing their forest homes. Over 90%!o(MISSING)f orangutan habitat has been destroyed in the last 20 years, and as such, is considered “a conservation emergency” by the UN. We also learned the cruel practice of how some of the mother orangutans are also often killed by poachers and have their babies taken to be sold or kept as pets, or used for entertainment in wildlife tourism parks in countries like Thailand and Bali. We learned also that we should not touch them without protective clothing, sharing so much of our DNA it is easy for them to contract disease from us that they are not vaccinated against - be mindful of this if you come across touristy places that allow this to happen, it's a cruel process indeed and no one should support it by having their photos taken with these little guys. Next door was the Malayan Sun Bears, the smallest of the bear species and they totally captured our hearts. They too are in grave danger of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching and capture for the pet trade and their population has declined by 30% in the last 30 years. It is common for cubs to be held illegally in captivity in cramped cages and under stressful conditions. We had the pleasure of meeting the CEO of the centre who established the place back in 2008 whilst up on one of the viewing platforms, he informed us that out of the thirty odd bears that now call the centre home, a high percentage of them wont ever be able to be rehabilitated back into the wild due to their dependence on humans being captured at such a young age. They will live the rest of their days in the enclosed forest and at least get to express their natural behaviors. The little fella we were fortunate enough to see craves human interaction so much that he self harms to get veterinary attention, you will notice the sores on his flanks if you look closely at our photo of him. At least he is free to roam here for the rest of his days rather than live them out in a caged hell, and the work people do here is nothing short of amazing.

Sukau
A two hour bus trip to Sukau brought us to the banks of the Kinabatangan River. We were only here for a one night stay and three river cruises were included in our visit. We set off for a 4pm river cruise in search of wild Proboscis Monkeys and anything else that would like to show up for us. It took quite a while but down one of the many tributaries, the trees started to shake and move and we came across a few families of them going about their business. From the boat we did our best with our simple point and shoot camera to zoom in and get a few good shots, the alpha male was the hardest one to get - the males have the big noses that hang in front of their face and the females have more of a slightly pointed nose. After dinner we set off again in the dark and with super spotties to try and catch some crocs peeping out of the water but unfortunately we didn't see any, we did however manage to find the tiniest Kingfisher hidden amongst the trees just above the water. The next day was a 5.30am cruise to catch the wildlife waking and it is also when they are usually when they are most active. We managed to capture a couple of Hornbills high up in the trees, many common Macaque Monkeys, Proboscis and also one wild Orangutan chillin out oh so high in the treetops, we could just make out the outline of his fur and his left foot as he laid back in the tree - very special sighting indeed.

We had some time to kill until our flight out of Sandakan down to Tawau so we asked to be dropped off at the Labuk Bay Proboscis Sanctuary on the way back. For those who love to watch these unique primates not found elsewhere in the world is a “Must See”. It definitely gives you one of the most exhilarating and memorable experiences observing the Proboscis monkeys both juveniles and adults leaping from tree to tree and eventually down to feed on young leaves and plants. Initially, the owner of the sanctuary was in the process of developing the land to produce more palm oil, he came to know about the predicament that the monkeys were in and quickly decided to drop the idea for the commercial development of the oil and is now in the process of conserving the 400 plus acres of mangrove forest for the monkeys to live and prosper. We managed to catch two of the feedings and at the first platform the place was also covered with Silver Leaf monkeys, young and old just hanging out. Unlike Macaque monkeys they seemed to just keep to themselves and interact with each other and it was a lovely surprise just to sit and watch them, mothers feeding their young and also giving them a clean. The next feeding was after lunch and at a different platform. There were two different families at this one and the big boys were showing off running all over the place causing chaos and it was a pretty exciting thing to witness let me tell you.

Mabul, Kapalai, Siamil & Sipadan Islands
Finally, after a necessary one night stay in the fishing town of Semporna (the dirtiest town to date we have ever been to - yes that is a big call) right on the east coast of Sabah, we boated out to the island of Mabul where we were staying for five nights and six days of diving bliss. To the divers out there, you would be very much aware that Mabul, Kapalai and Sipadan Island - the golden triangle - is true heaven for us scuba junkies. And that's exactly who we dived with, Mabul Beach Resort where we stayed and Scuba Junkie who we dived with, run that place like a well oiled machine. We weren't too sure what to expect, bad memories of diving in Thailand came flooding back - 20 or more people on one boat, many, many boats at one site and when you descend all you see is a mix of fins and the ocean floor being kicked up in your face, nice! Luckily it couldn't have been further from that, upon arrival you get straight into it. The staff take your bags straight up to the hotel and you get fitted out for your gear and within an hour your under the water. We had a max of about ten people on any of our dives and sometimes less and the most we had in any of our groups was six including our DM. There are so many sites around each of the islands that they mix it all up and try to take you where nobody else is, it all worked out really well and I can really only recall one dive where there where probably too many people, an artificial reef just off Mabul - being a sandy bottom can be an issue as a lot of the time it gets kicked up really messing with the viz. There was a disused oil rig just out from the jetty which you can now stay on for something different and underneath it (dive site called Seaventures) was some of the biggest fishies and vast array of marine life we have seen to date, it was in the top five for us while we were there. In four days we did a total of thirteen dives, it was hectic. We have never done anymore than two dives a day and it really takes it out of you. So the first three days were spent diving around Mabul Island, Kapalai Island and Siamil Island and luckily the best was saved until last....Sipadan.

As Sipadan is about an hour away from Mabul, you spend the whole day out there, just coming back to the beach for surface intervals in between. Sipadan is truly amazing and luckily in 2004 the resort that visitors used to be able to stay at was shut down and now the only residents on the island are military, claiming it from neighboring countries. Sipadan was formed over thousands of years as living corals grew on top of an extinct volcano (Sipadan is the only volcanic island in Malaysia). The island plunges over 2,000 meters straight down to the sea floor. It's great that it is now protected as it truly is a wonder and home to some of the most beautiful corals which no doubt would not be in the state they are in today if holiday makers inhabited the island as well. We started off at South Point in search of the large pelagics and encountered pretty much straight away many Grey Reef and White Tip Sharks, unfortunately no Hammerheads though we were told by one of the DM's that one was spotted only a week ago. We then went to Drop Off which for me was the best dive I have ever done (and has been voted in the past as the best shore dive in the world) as you enter the water thousands of Big Eye Trevally circle around forming a vortex for us to all swim through, too many turtles to count that swim so close to you and even into the entrance of Turtle Cave, a giant cavern in 20m of water that runs from one side of the island to the other. Barracuda Point is voted the world's number one dive site at the moment and it was the third dive for us that day and Sam's favourite. We did manage to find a pretty big school of Chevron Barracuda at one end of the channel and again more sharks and turtles than you could count. Our fourth and final dive was at Turtle Patch where we went right out into the blue in the hope of something big joining us, you can't see the bottom and it was quite disorientating. We were on our own the whole time so came back to the wall and eventually back over the beautiful coral flooded reef where we were greeted by more Barracudas.

Unfortunately but luckily it happened after diving Sipadan, I became fairly ill. No energy and a bad stomach forced me to have an early night so Sam hit the bar that night on his own after dinner (just like home really, ha!). Our last full day on the island we lounged around and did absolutely nothing, I was still feeling pretty average so a few sleeps on the beach were in order. Mabul Island is also home to the Bajau - nomadic gypsies that live on and near the sea between the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. We watched the kids play on the beach every afternoon and they are the happiest kids on the earth, though most of them are that live the simplest of lives aren't they? Unfortunately they tend to throw their rubbish straight into the ocean and on your walk from the jetty to the island you see all sorts of rubbish floating in the water. The resort we stayed in are doing their best and collect their rubbish for them once a week to take back to the mainland to help eliminate the amount going into the sea but I guess there are so many living there that it may be a bit of a losing battle, at least they are trying and kudos to them. I did my little bit while working on my tan, fished out three big plastic bags plus one large rice bag and filled them to the brim with stuff floating in the water (nappies included I kid you not). Not the nicest thing to be doing on hols but if it saved the life of one little soul under the water it was worth it.

---