In collaboration with Convergence, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in Convergence Volume 9 in 2011, we present this story on the eco-trekking adventures in Borneo.
There was a time, centuries ago, when the island of Borneo was regarded with mystery and fear. The mystery related to the vast, uncharted, primeval forests, and the fear came from the fierce tribes – epitomised by the head-hunters – who inhabited them. In short, it was a land to be entered with great trepidation.
Today, with the advent of globalisation in a far more enlightened world, those qualities which once sent chills down the spines of ancient travellers, are now the very things that intrigue and draw a new generation of explorers, to her shores. For one thing is for sure – Borneo is a land of breath-taking natural beauty, and is fast becoming a haven for adventure and eco-tourism.
With the world’s oldest tropical rainforest and some of the most spectacular geological landscapes one can ever behold, it is a living celebration of nature’s bio-diversity in action. And no less fascinating are the once-feared inhabitants, consisting of an eclectic mix of indigenous ethnic tribes, as well as descendants of settlers from abroad, who now serve as Borneo’s friendly ambassadors to the world.
Couched within this land are two of Malaysia’s largest states – Sarawak, the largest, and Sabah – which together form the country’s eastern wing, East Malaysia. Convergence treks into this veritable eco-paradise, to see what natural wonders beckon.
Nature’s Allure
Borneo – a name which immediately evokes images of a vast, jungle-clad ‘lost world’, lives up to its reputation despite its modern townships and well developed infrastructure, which are comparable with any of the best in the rest of Malaysia. The third largest island in the world, it is actually divided among three countries: Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
The Malaysian segment, which follows the northern coast-line of the island, comprises the states of Sabah and Sarawak, and makes up for about 26% of the island’s territory. Brunei takes up about 1% of Borneo’s land area, while the remaining 73% belongs to Indonesia.
Borneo is an incredibly fascinating land which has always something to offer to those who are imbued with the spirit of discovery and adventure. Never more than a few hours-drive away from its interesting towns and urban centres, such as Sarawak’s capital, Kuching, and Sabah’s counterpart, Kota Kinabalu, the vast expanses of its lush tropical rainforests stretch seemingly endlessly into the hinterland. To put it succinctly, when the urban frontiers end, the primeval adventure begins.
The Mystic Forest
The jungles of Borneo make up one of the largest tropical rainforests in the world. Teeming with hundreds of thousands of exotic species of flora and fauna, many of which are rare, endangered, and unique to this part of this world, the rainforest forms one of the vital ‘lungs’ of the planet’s biosphere, providing the perfect opportunity for eco-trailfinders to explore nature within a living laboratory.
And it has been around for a very long time: for at an estimated age of 130 million years, it is the oldest rainforest in the world – even older than the massive Amazon rainforest of South America.
Emotionally inspiring and intellectually stimulating, the jungles of Borneo have more than enough to enthral botanists, horticulturists, or the curiously adventurous. For example, they will find it impossible to refuse the opportunity to go on a jungle-trek to see one of the rarest and most exotic of all flowers on the planet – the Rafflesia Arnoldii – the world’s largest flower with an average diameter of 1 metre, and which blooms only once a year. And perhaps it is also worth mentioning that it devours insects, and smells like a rotting dead body… making it seem like an organic mutation straight out of a science-fiction horror flick!
Ecological Wonderland
To say that the jungles of Borneo are rich in biodiversity will be an understatement, for there are truly amazing aspects of the rainforest which defy description.
With about 15,000 species of flowering plants, 3,000 species of trees, 221 species of terrestrial mammals, 420 species of birds, and an unverifiable number of insect-species, many of which have yet to be identified – or be still awaiting discovery – the island’s forest is truly a living museum of bio-diversity.
Evolving for millennia in isolation from the rest of the region, Borneo is also home to many endemic species of animals, such as the Sumatran Rhinocerous, the Bornean Clouded Leopard, the Asian Elephant, and the Dayak Fruit Bat. One of the most important sanctuaries for rhinos and elephants in Borneo is to be found in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, in Sabah. Animal reserves such as these play an important part in saving animal species which have lost their natural habitats due to deforestation and illegal poaching activities.
Swinging Natives
One of Borneo’s most famous inhabitants is the gentle cinnamon brown Orangutan, or ‘man of the forest’. A much-loved international icon of the rainforest, it has in the past, been an unfortunate victim of rapid deforestation and illegal wildlife trading activities.
Fortunately, thanks to concerted wildlife preservation efforts made by the state governments of both Sabah and Sarawak, this precious near-relative of man has been brought back from the brink of extinction. Besides the tough stance of the state authorities involving a combination of stringent legislation and policing against wild life trading, there are the Orangutan sanctuaries which are maintained by dedicated volunteers and staff.
Visitors can have the opportunity to experience close-encounters with the Orangutan, and learn more about the conservation programmes which are being run to save it, at places like the Matang Wildlife Centre in Sarawak, or the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary in Sabah. For those who do not have much time to spare, but still yearn for a glimpse of this wonderful species, a trip to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, a mere 35 minutes from Kuching city, Sarawak, would suffice. Here, they would be able to inter-mingle with uncaged and semi-wild Orangutans, giving them an opportunity to observe, at close-quarters, the almost humanlike traits these gentle animals possess.
Mount Kinabalu
The physical landscape of Borneo is characterised by some of the most awesome geological features in world. To begin with, there is Mount Kinabalu – the highest mountain in Malaysia – located in Kinabalu National Park, Sabah. Towering to an elevation of 4,095 metres, it is also the third highest peak in Southeast Asia, and making Borneo the third highest island in the world.
Despite being surrounded by some of the rarest of flora and fauna, spread out throughout the outlying Kinabalu National Park, the mountain is considered to be among the easiest to climb in the world, with no need for any specialised mountaineering equipment at any point along the main routes. To ensure safety, however, it is advised to employ the services of one of the many certified guides to be found at the base of the mountain. Once at the summit, the intrepid climber will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the spectacular panorama which surrounds the mountain, for as far as the eye can see.
Parks, Caves and World Heritage Sites
Borneo has some of the most magnificent national parks in the world. One of them is the world famous Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak – the state’s first UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. A trip to this place is to transport oneself into a world of mystery, awe, and adventure par excellence.
Deep within the park lies the most spectacular cave systems in the world, including the largest fully-explored cave chamber on the planet. Carved into deep subterranean gorges over millennia by flowing water, the cave network has limestone deposits containing some of the most spectacular underground rock formations imaginable.
One of its star attractions is of course the Deer Cave, which is the world’s largest fully surveyed cave chamber, and which can accommodate 40 Boeing 747’s side-by-side, as well as London’s St.Paul’s Cathedral, five times over. It is also home to millions of bats, which can provide an awesome sight if one happens to be present when they begin their nocturnal activities. A place which is full of superlative geological records, Deer Cave also happens to have one of the world’s longest underground rivers.
Other national parks which are equally worthy of exploration are the national parks of Bako – Sarawak’s oldest national park – and home to the endangered Proboscis Monkey, as well as Lambir Hills, en route to the mouth of the Baram River, and which is reputed to have the highest diversity of plant species per unit space, in the world.
Over in Sabah, there is the world famous 754 square kilometre Kinabalu National Park, which is home to its main attraction – Mount Kinabalu. It also happens to be one of the oldest national parks in Malaysia, and was the very first to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its “outstanding universal values”. With more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 bird and 100 mammal species, it is rightly considered to be one of the most important biological sites in the world. For example, among the bewildering array of plant species to be found there, visitors will be able to study the mysteriously exotic Nepenthes Villosa – a species of carnivorous pitcher plants endemic to Kinabalu National Park.
Archaeological Treasure
While almost all of Borneo’s national parks are primarily famous for their rich bio-diversity, there is one which goes one step further. It is the world renowned Niah National Park, located within the district of Miri, in Sarawak.
While the spellbinding limestone formations and high-ceilinged chambers of the Niah Caves are enough to make for a trip of a lifetime, the complex is also the site of one of the most important archaeological sites in the world – for this is where the oldest prehistoric human remains in Southeast Asia were found. With human bones, tools, and artefacts being dated to more than 40,000 years ago, it may hold the key to the mystery of how Homo Sapiens first came into the region.
Having been continuously inhabited by humans for thousands of years, evidence like its cave wall paintings bear witness to different lifestyles and cultures which have come and gone with the passage of time. As a stand-alone attraction, the Niah Cave experience is truly in an incomparable class of its own.
River Safari
For those who love water sports or canoeing, the adventure begins a mere few minutes away from the coastal urban townships. For just a little further into the interior, there are the numerous lakes and rivers – many of them still incompletely charted – which make up much of Borneo’s interior.
Whether one is a marine biologist, zoologist, environmental scientist, or simply someone who loves nature, one will find many tour operators offering tailor-made tours which will whet one’s appetite for adventure. In Sarawak, for example, contacts made through the tourism board or the state’s official information portal for foreigners – the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) – would be able to book themselves on one of the numerous river safaris or kayak-expeditions on the rivers, lakes, and estuaries of the coastline of the South China Sea.
Such expeditions, which can involve overnight camping stops along the way, are often organised for groups of between 8 to 40 people. For those who happen to be in Sabah, similar riverine expeditions can be organised from Sandakan. These river-safaris will give participants an eye-opening opportunity to not only experience the thrill of being close to nature, but also be able to engage in wildlife spotting along the river banks, including crocodiles awaiting their next meal.
These expeditions can not only lead the trailfinders into areas of primal jungle, but will also provide a rare glimpse into the lives of the riverine tribes-people and other remotely located ethnic communities. So whether you are a budding eco-tourist, naturalist, student of bio-diversity, or simply an adventurous out-door trekker in search of that genuine ‘jungle’ experience, you would not have to go too far from the city areas of any part of Borneo to discover the last of the genuine ‘Lost Worlds’.
Getting There and Getting Around
Budding adventure seekers who arrive in Sabah, will find many hotels and tour operators offering information on packaged eco-trail tours. The best start point would either be the state’s capital city, Kota Kinabalu, or Sandakan, which already has a reputation as the ‘gateway to wildlife’. In fact, since August 2011, budget operator Firefly has been operating flights to Sandakan out of Kuala Lumpur, making this part of Borneo accessible in a way it has never been before.
Alternatively, landing in Sarawak could be a very viable option. Sarawak’s Kuching International Airport and Miri Airport boast modern facilities that offer comfort and seamless travel to-and-from international and domestic destinations. They are both connected by a network of flights with West Malaysia, Sabah, and various smaller towns throughout Sarawak.
A particular feature of travel within both Sabah and Sarawak is their network of STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing ports), dotting the length and breadth of both states. These simple landing strips, which were once used for military purposes, are now able to bring once inaccessible regions to within an hour’s flight, or less, from the cities. For example, the Gunung Mulu National Park is now a mere half-hour flight from Miri. Once on the ground, it would be possible to access all major towns by the system of roads along the Pan-Borneo Highway.
So there you have it. Borneo, with its unrivalled natural context, characterised by the world’s oldest rainforest, offers the promise of an eco-trailfinder’s paradise par excellence. With natural wonders such as its breathtaking geological features, world-class national parks, exotic flora and fauna, and ethnologically fascinating indigenous tribes, it offers the ultimate venue for good old-fashioned adventure, and an authentic escapade of a lifetime. So pack your bags and head for the last of the truly ‘untouched worlds’ which awaits you. Unlike the ancient seamen of days gone by, you’ll have nothing to fear, but the fear of adventure itself!
