Having just returned from 10 days travelling throughout Borneo, it has now become a destination, from my point of view, that should be experience by everyone! The country has so much to offer in terms of Wildlife, Culture, Adventure, and relaxation is always an option. We began by recovering from our long flight at the Shangri La Rasa Ria, where we got a taste of the wildlife the country has to offer. We then ventured deep into the countryside, which I have explained below, before relaxing on the stunning Gaya Island.
My first experience, and memory, of The Borneo Rainforest Lodge was the hysterical laughter we all had in the car being transferred from Lahad Datu Airport to the lodge by our driver and guide. It made me realise how much the team at the Lodge love their jobs and how happy they all were, which creates the incredibly warming atmosphere at this remote lodge in the rainforest. On arrival we were greeted by a team of enthusiastic staff and shown to our little chalet looking onto the river. From the moment I arrived I felt at home.
After being given the chance to settle into my room, I put on my attractive pair of leech socks in preparation for our afternoon treetop canopy walk. This is not like anything I have ever done before. Being in the canopy of the rainforest really gives you the chance to see the huge amount of wildlife, not only birdlife, which you wouldn’t see otherwise. There was nothing our guide did not know, from the flora and fauna to the age of the orang-utans swinging in the trees. He also had the advantage of night vision which I witnessed on our night drive, we were lucky enough to witness a flying squirrel in action!
I can’t forget the afternoon we strolled through the rainforest with large rubber rings to higher up the river in order to float down, at quite a speed in some parts, seeing hornbills, monkeys and all sorts of others on the way! In between all these activities and excursions we enjoyed deliciously local dishes, with so much choice everyone was happy.
We were met on arrival at the Kinabatangan River and from this moment I didn’t have to lift my bag until we left the Borneo Nature Lodge, always a good start! The boat transfer gave us the opportunity to see the surrounding area and the Lodge from a distance which is located right on the river side. This lodge is made up of authentic, quite basic, huts which provide comfortable, clean accommodation with air conditioning, which is unusual for accommodation in this area.
On arrival at the lodge we were immediately taken in for a homely cooked meal, which was nothing glamorous but very tasty. The highlight of my stay here, and so worth the journey, was the river safari. The combination of incredible guides and a very competent boat driver meant I got to see everything I would have hoped to from my stay in Borneo. The variation of wildlife was huge and it was beyond my wildest dreams to imagine I would get to see a mother and baby orang-utan in the wild. As well as that we were able to catch a very dominant male Proboscis Monkey posing on a branch, swinging his legs. The guides and excursions at this lovely lodge really do make for an extremely memorable stay, one that shouldn’t be missed out.
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