53 independent reviews for Borneo tailor made tour on a shoestring

Hi Sarah, thanks for your comments and I'm really thrilled you had some memorable moments in Borneo. It's been a long busy season as travel has returned to the region and Eric has always been a shining star, so i'm glad you were able to spend time with him. Regarding your point about the plastic, it is a difficult situation and many of the resorts put as much resource as possible into cleaning this up. Unfortunately, the mess is often not their waste, but still lands at their door. Local plastic pollution is often dumped by the poorest of communities and education is a major factor in reducing this...although sadly education levels dropped among the people who needed it most during the pandemic. It can take some time for the situation to improve. Meanwhile, I did look into your trip to Abai as many clients previously have commented on having a positive engaging experience with the villagers. The previous tree planting project has been paused due to lack of available space, but the community are preparing to launch next season's 'Most beautiful House' competition. Although these villagers have very little financial income, this community project is a lovely way for the residents to decorate and instill pride in their homes, while offering a more interesting experience for visitors. It has proved to be very popular in previous years! Thanks again for your comments and best wishes, Felicia.

Hi Justine, thanks for your lovely comments and the personal chats we've had since your return. It's great that your daughter is conscious of the environmental practices around her and we liaise frequently with the lodges we use in Borneo. Since the pandemic, i'm afraid a lot has changed and your return to the country just weeks after it's reopening is the very best we can do to contribute and improve sustainable practices that were making great strides pre-2020. For example, the tree planting programme you should have enjoyed in Abai is temporarily on hold due to villagers preferring not to welcome foreign guests into their homes at this point in time. The resorts around Gaya Island are actively involved in coral re-planting projects and as motorised water sports are limited, the hope is that reef damage is minimalised. These resorts used to be foreward leaders in the reduction of single use plastic so it's disappointing that they've had to revert to plastic water bottles again. We hope they will soon be in a position to restart their sustainability efforts as soon as the resorts are financialy stable and capable of delivering the same standard of service in a more environmentally friendly way. They truly appreciate your support though and we will work with them to assist in any way possible.

Hi, thanks so much for your valuable feedback and I'm so glad your vacation to Borneo was a great experience. It is sometimes difficult to see where conservation efforts occur - in the case of Gaya Island, the beautiful surroundings you experience are evidence of the work that has gone on - to protect the coral reefs, manage and educate tourists and locals, run school programs, reduce trash, save and protect wildlife, rehabilitate turtles and sea life. In addition to the immediate resort area, the conservation fees are collected and transferred to Sabah Parks to help in preserving the rich ecosystem of the region. Sabah Parks manages, promotes and conducts the administrative works of various terrestrial and marine parks in Sabah, and produces conservation programs and sustainable eco-tourism practices. Thanks again for traveling with us! Felicia

Hi, and thanks for submitting your review. We are sorry your expectations of Borneo weren't met as we generally have nothing but excellent feedback on this tour. As we discussed on your return, it was unfortunate that your visit to certain lodges coincided with a large party booked by another operator, which we couldn't have known, but your trip was independently booked and planned so your movements around the rest of Borneo were individually coordinated. Sometimes in peak season, lodges are fully booked by other guests on similar itineraries, so you will overlap and encounter other groups of travelers. With regards to the environmental impact, it is a shame you didn't see how your vacation contributes. As you know, even though the tree-planting at Abai is currently on hold as the project has been a success and the assigned land is now full, your visit still contributes to the upkeep of this project, as well as further education in the region. Visiting the families helps them, and the wider community recognise the importance of tourism and how crucial it is to make choices to preserve their ecosystem locally, so tourists will continue to visit and fund their economy. Nearby, I believe you visited Sepilok, where the famous orangutan and sun bear sanctuary rescues orphaned and injured animals with the aim of recovery and return to the wild. Finally, your stay at Gaya Island pays to help preserve the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, where the resort is located. The contribution helps with clean up, wildlife protection and local education, as well as preserving the clean waters and healthy coral gardens that provide the excellent snorkelling in the area. I hope you got chance to visit the naturalist and marine biologist at Gaya Island who are always delighted to tell you about the many other programmes they are working on to conserve the local environment (turtle conservation, coral planting, preserving the '7 Wonders of Gaya' programme, etc We do value your comments, and continuously work to deliver a Borneo experience that delights our guests. Your feedback helps us to focus on the areas that might need more attention, so we appreciate hearing about anything else we can do for improvement. Thanks and best wishes

Thank you so much for your review. We are delighted to hear that you had such incredible experiences and made some of your dreams come true! We look forward to taking care of you and your travel plans again in the near future.