Borneo - Secrets of Sabah
Trip Details
- Duration: 11 days days
- Visited Areas: Asia
Explore some seldom visited and very remote islands to take advantage of the marine diversity that exists in the heart of the coral triangle. In addition, visit the key destinations of the Turtle Islands, Sandakan and the Kinabatangan River. Described as MalaysiaÂ’s gift to the earth, the Kinabatangan is a wildlife Mecca and you immerse yourselves deep within its beauty with an inclusive overnight stay in the rainforest lodges of Sukau. You will have the chance to view, Wild Orangutans, Proboscis monkeys, Macaques, Bornean Pygmy elephants and countless bird species as you journey along the river. Explore the tragic history of the WWII Sandakan Death Marches, where only 6 survived from the initial 6,000 participants. Your visit to Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary gives you an insight into the plight, and struggle to save, one of our closest relatives.
Itinerary
Day 1: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia – Embark
Kota Kinabalu is the gateway to Borneo with regular flights to and from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Here is where you will embark your vessel.
Day 2: Pulau Tiga
Arrive at Pulau Tiga (‘Three Islands’), the largest of these islands north of Kuala Penyu. The islands themselves are recent creations, formed in 1897 by the eruption of mud volcanoes. Continuous volcanic activity has taken place over the last hundred years, and still continues in the form of bubbling mud and escaping methane gas. In 2001 Pulau Tiga, was the location for the first season of the US reality TV show Survivor, marketed now as ‘Survivor Island’ which is not the island’s fault. It’s still a relaxing place to visit, blessed with fine sandy beaches, a network of walking trails and good snorkelling throughout the year. Nearby Pulau Kalampunian Damit is little more than a large rock covered in dense vegetation and sea snakes that come ashore in their hundreds to mate. 150 snakes can be present, curled up under boulders, among roots and in tree hollows. It’s a fascinating phenomenon, made doubly enigmatic by the fact that the snakes are never seen on nearby Pulau Tiga. And yes, beware – they are extremely poisonous.
Day 3: Pulau Mantanani
Pulau Mantanani is a group of another three isolated islands northwest of Kota Belud. It was so isolated in fact that until recently, only a few locals knew the existence of the islands. Arrive around 6am in the hope to catching sight of the dugongs (sea cows) that frequent the waters around the island. The sheltered bays around the Mantanani Islands seem to provide the ideal habitats for dugongs. Sea grass beds are found on shallow sandy areas within the encircling fringing reef of the islands. The island boasts miles and miles of incredibly white sand beaches and crystal clear blue water. A small human population has caused minimal pollution and there is very little boat traffic. The shallow coastline and fringing reef provides ideal snorkelling conditions.
Day 4: Pulau Layang Layang
Layang Layang is an atoll of 13 linked coral reefs located in waters 2,000 metres deep. It’s location, some 300km, from Kota Kinabalu means the region is seldom visited. The isolation and crystal clear waters have made it home to one of the most coveted snorkeling and diving sites in the world, with an average visibility of 30–50m. The exposed islet was man-made by the Malaysian government in 1983 and has been dubbed ‘The Jewel of the Borneo Banks’. Situated on the island is a bird sanctuary where migratory swallows, egrets, brown boobies, crested terns and other species have found a predator free resting place on their long journeys, providing some great bird watching opportunities.
Day 5: At Sea
Enjoy some time relaxing onboard the ship and listening to lectures from your naturalist guides on this day at sea.
Day 6: Selingan/Langkayan Island
The Turtle Island Park (gazetted in 1977) lies 40km north of Sandakan in the Sulu Sea and consists of Selingan, Bakungan Kecil and Gulisan islands. The park is a safe haven for the endangered green and hawksbill turtles and gives you the rare opportunity to watch turtle landings. Selingan, the largest of the islands, houses the parkÂ’s headquarters, a turtle hatchery and basic facilities. Arrive late in the afternoon to visit the parkÂ’s headquarters and then witness the turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. The following morning you have the opportunity to witness the hatchling turtles make their way to the sea.
Day 7: Sandakan
Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo and was the former capital of British North Borneo. Sandakan provides you with the opportunity to visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. Established in 1964 for rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations, and illegal hunting it is located within the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. The orphaned Orangutans are trained in the essential skills required for them to survive in the wild. The area is also infamous as the site of a World War II Japanese airfield, built by the forced labour of 6,000 Javanese civilians and Allied prisoners of war. In 1945, the surviving prisoners were sent on what became known as the Sandakan Death Marches; of which only 6 of them survived, all of whom escaped.
Days 8-9: Kinabatangan River (overnight in Sukau)
Beginning in the Crocker Range of South West Sabah, the Kinabatangan River meanders 560km to the Sulu Sea in the east and sustains one of the world's richest ecosystems. It is SabahÂ’s longest river and has been described as MalaysiaÂ’s gift to the planet. It is one of the most exciting and easily accessible places to explore the condensed biodiversity of Sabah. From Kampung Abai near the river mouth to the major village of Sukau, the lower Kinabatangan offers an opportunity to see a large range of wildlife. Sightings of proboscis monkeys are common among the mangroves in the late afternoon, long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques are everywhere, and wild orangutans are also often seen, particularly nesting in the trees downstream. ThereÂ’s a chance of seeing other mammals including deer, giant squirrels and the rare Bornean pygmy elephants. In fact the Kinabatangan RiverÂ’s surrounding forest is one of only two known places in the world where 10 species of primates are found. All eight species of hornbill found in Borneo also make the area their home. To fully appreciate the biodiversity of the region you will spend two days exploring the river. You will overnight in the village of Sukau in the rainforest lodges. Your activities will include morning, afternoon and night-time expeditions through the tributaries and oxbow lakes along the river as well as an opportunity to visit the nearby Gomontang Caves.
Day 10: Pulau Sipadan, Mabul & Kapali Islands
Mabul is arguably one of the richest single destinations for exotic small marine life anywhere in the world. Choreographed cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus, mimic octopus and bobtail squids are just a few of the numerous types of cephalopods to be found on MabulÂ’s reef. The sight of harlequin shrimp feeding on sea stars and boxer crabs waving their minute anemone pompoms are just an example of the endless species of crustaceans. Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, rising 600 metres (2,000 ft) from the seabed, located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, the centre of one of the richest marine habitats in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this ecosystem.
Day 11: Tawau, Malaysia - Disembark
Tawau is the third largest town of the state of Sabah. It is a relatively new town in Malaysia, boomed in early 1980s for its lumber and cocoa farming industry. Today Tawau is a bustling town where it is a transit point to the rest of the world and your farewell from this expedition.