1 independent reviews for Borneo small group vacation
Reviews for Borneo small group vacation
Sue Hutchins review 13 Aug 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
So hard to say as there was at least one highlight every day. From the first nights meal out in a local restaurant to seeing Orang-utans in the wild. Having local guides mean that you are immersed in the culture of Malaysian Borneo.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
1. We struggled to work out how much cash to take with us so here is what we spent. We spent about £700 for the two of us including souvenirs (about £150) and tips. This included a couple of beers each most days. You can spend a lot less than this if you are on a tight budget. There are ATM’s that give good rates in Kota Kinabalu and in Sandakan. Just ask the tour guide to point you in the right direction. The other places on the tour you would be wise to have cash with you. 2. You don’t need towels of any sort. All hotels have towels and there are beach towels available on Manukan Island. 3. Take a decent torch. If you choose to go for the night jungle walk (you need to pay extra for this) a torch is a must. We were told that head torches are not a good idea as the insects fly straight at your face, but you can always hold these in your hand. 4. Take a decent pair of walking shoes/boots and good moisture wicking socks. The jungle trekking can get muddy and the Gomantong Caves are very slippery with bird droppings and bat guano (not to mention crawling with cockroaches) . There are Wellington boots available to hire in the jungle lodge but they have limited sizes and members of our group had to have boots that were the wrong size which made the trekking very uncomfortable. 5. We took leech socks and wore them in the jungle but we were the only ones that had them and only the guide got a leech on him so I’m not sure they are essential. 6. Bring binoculars. The guide had a pair that he lent out but having your own is better than waiting your turn as you often miss out. 7. Listen yo your guide and ask questions. They are happy to share their knowledge. If you have Rony as your guide he is also a wildlife ranger and knows so much about the flora and fauna. 8. Eat in local restaurants with your guide. They may not look as sanitary as they would at home but if the guide says they are ok take the risk! The food is amazing we were never unwell from eating local food.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The local people benefit as local companies are used for transportation and local guides are used throughout. We also had lunch in a local home. So the local economy was supported. The guide always had drinking water for us to use to top up our water bottle from. He also encouraged us to boil some water as soon as we went to our room to provide drinking water rather than using plastic bottles. The tour visits three animal sanctuaries which have the aim of rehabilitation and return to the wild. There is of course a negative impact on the environment with us traveling to Borneo via air travel and the tour includes a short flight too.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
If you are looking for a tour that gives you a flavour of Malaysian Borneo this is the one for you. There is wildlife spotting, jungle trekking, city visits, a reflection on the effects of WW2 on this island and a lazy couple of days on Manukan island with plenty of opportunities for snorkelling. The local guides make this a truly amazing vacation.Holiday Reviews
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