London to Australia 2009: Borneo

Some folks just can’t get enough and so together with 8 of the expedition members we headed back into Malaysia to set off on a 3-week optional add-on to Malaysian Borneo and Brunei. We arrived in Johor Bahru mid Deepavali (Festival of Lights to you and me) and this border town in peninsular Malaysia was in full swing! We were staying in a budget hotel right near the middle of town; of questionable integrity the taxi driver informed us with a nod and a wink, this was the local knocking shop. Nice. But apart from booming music out in the street it was fine enough.

JB, as the locals call it, does have one redeeming feature and that is the amazing seafood. Heading down to the waterfront that evening we ate an incredible meal of fresh seafood, Debbie devoured two crabs which looked fantastic as did the rest of the food fresh and being well-priced it was a winner of a meal.

The next afternoon we shook off our strictly overland roots and caught a jet plane from JB to Kuching, the only city the world to boast a museum dedicated exclusively to cats. It is a quaint and quirky place and a great introduction to Borneo. Checking into our backpackers we met up for drinks and a chat in the restaurant next door, very cosmopolitan it all felt a bit out of place but was another great evening before heading into the rainforest we came here to see.

The next morning we piled into a minivan that would take us to the boat terminal as Bako National Park can only be accessed by speed boat. A great park and one of the few places in the world you can spot Proboscis monkeys in their natural habitat.

We had all been warned about the ever present Macaque Monkeys that call the park their home but the little critters were more than a handful. Ruling the roost by flashing their teeth they think nothing of stealing an unguarded drink as Jen found out to her horror as one stole her beer and downed it! Chips, chocolate or anything that even looked like food would be snatched from the unwary hand. The entertainment value was high too as they groomed and played around the hostels amongst the shouts of panic from the new arrivals not yet used to the antics of the local thieves. One actually jumped on Denis to grab his can of Seven Up; the shysters had no fear!

That evening we had a BBQ , roast lamb, veg, potatoes and salad as we watched the light disappear over the limestone cast and sea while keeping a wary eye out for the little robbing hands of the monkeys.

The jungle changes its face at night and we headed off on a guided night walk. Our guide was excellent first taking us to a tree and showing us a baby pit viper and then all manner of bugs, scorpions and other creatures only apparent to the well trained eye but easy to see once pointed out. An hour and a half later we returned to our accommodation, fed, watered and entertained.

All the parks in Borneo that we visit have very well developed walking trails, well mapped and marked, its easy if not sweaty to get around. One group took the “easy option” choosing a trail that promised to bring you out a secluded beach. At only 800 metres how hard could it be? The bit they failed to read is the expected time to the beach was an hour of hard slog. Proving a challenge the shortest walk available was likened to near death experience by some. More trekking, some of us did the round route over 5km while others took the easier options to explore the park. We were all very lucky to at some point see the famed proboscis monkey. Watching their human like ways can keep you entertained for hours as they swing around the trees, squabble and squawk, it’s a great thing to see.

Back on the boats we head back to Kuching, a longhouse visit is on the cards as an optional activity but we had no takers instead choosing to head off to the Semenggoh Orangutan Sanctuary for the first of several encounters with these majestic creatures that we are hoping to have during our time in Borneo. We were in luck, with the alpha male turning up for a feed, and also mothers and babies. Watching their human-like interactions is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon!

Kuching also provided a great opportunity to catch up on emails while exploring the town and enjoying the great food available, and a couple of folks even found time to go to the cinema and relax before the next adventure.

A full day of travel to Bintulu was an adventure in itself and early start we were dropped off at the ferry terminal pilling into the first class airconditioned upper deck we were treated to an hour of pop videos and then a thrilling episode of GI JOE, while skimming over the South China Sea. We soon found ourselves back into the estuaries again and the boat began to roll a little bit less. But more adventure awaited us as the boat's engines came to a stop mid river. A smaller vessel resembling something out of the Jetsons pulled up alongside of us as we were instructed to swap boats. Hair-raising to say the least, we managed the change in transport without incident.

Then onto a public bus for the last 3 hours and we arrived in Bintulu, then taxis to the hotel and we checked in and headed to the night market across the way for a yummy meal.

At 10am the next day we piled into taxis to head for the Similajau National Park for a bit of a walk. Cher and I had been shopping the day before for a picnic. Maybe choosing the 13km round trip was a bit ambitious but a gruelling 7-hour walk through the jungle punctuated by a rather lovely lunch on an isolated beach saw us all huffing and puffing as we waited on the taxi back to Bintulu. A good warm up for other jungle treks to come.

Back in our minivan heading for Niah National Park we were in a for a bit of treat booking into private chalets with aircon and all we had another bbq on the first night, fish and sticky chicken wings went down a treat, topped of with a few duty free vodkas around the fire it was another enjoyable night.

The next day saw a lazy morning with breakfast from the canteen in the park and then leftovers from the BBQ for lunch. At 3 most of us met up to explore the incredible cave system that makes this park famous. The second largest cave mouth in the world, it leaves you lost for words as you enter its abyss. Famous for swiftlet nest harvesting, long poles hang from the ceilings of the the gigantic caverns, a good network of stairs allows you to explore nearly the entire cave, rather trying, although most of us were there until after dark when the swiftlets return and the bats depart in a flurry of activity.