Primate Viewing Holidays

I had booked this trip to visit Indonesia and see the Komodo dragons which did not disappoint. On the whole the trip was very well organised and the guide was exceptional.
However both the outgoing flight and transfer at Kuala Lumper and the return flight had very tight connection times. I have given some feedback to Malasian airlines as I do not feel that I should have had to run through a very large airport with bus transfer between international and domestic terminals to make my connection. The airline, knowing many ( at least 20) people needed this connection, should either have put on direct transport or guaranteed the flight be held to allow us to confortably get to the flight. Whilst reasonably fit,at 65 I expect this even without a 7Kg backpack I would struggle!!!
I also feel a little more time to acclimatise to the humidity and rest after the long journey before the first hike in the Jungle would have benefitted some of the group including myself. The Ecolodge at Bukit Lawang was anything but eco other than cold water which could easily heated by means of solar panels non of us could find anything eco about it. Whilst it was convenient for the jungle there were many other hotels close by that may have had better washing facilities. All the group felt a warm shower with sufficient water to actually wash, rather than a dribble , would have welcomed us to Indonesian heat better than this lodge.
On return to Medan there was bearly time to enjoy the pool at that hotel and to enable more sleep and avoid another early start, I wonder if there is not an airport hotel that would be more suitable.
There was one American lady on this trip who did not have the fitness required to be able to complete the trip without putting others at risk. Her deafness also caused some issues as she would rudely overtalk the leader and failed on many occasions to hear the istructions needed and Elly would constantly have to repeat them.

susan bowler Primates & Dragons of Indonesia

An amazing two weeks – first half spotting wildlife in the Borneo rainforest then a week on the mainland visiting colonial towns and modern cities. A perfect blend of two holidays merged into one. A full on itinerary but never felt too rushed, the hotels were mainly very good, the exception being the final hotel in Langkawi which in my opinion is in dire need of some refurbishement, a bit of a disappointment after the lovely hotel in Penang. Food was good with an exceptional group meal on the final night in Langkawi. Most trips were included in price only additional cost was the cable car and mangrove tour in Langawi both of which were worth doing. Melaka was great fun, a little bit bonkers and very lively night life, a real culture shock after our time in the simple lodges in the Borneo rainforest. We also took a 2nd trishaw tour in Penang to see the street art, not included in trip but we all really enjoyed it and saw a lot more than on foot as quite a big town. For a bit of luxury try the cocktails or afternoon tea at the Eastern and Oriental hotel in Penang (think Raffles in Singapore). A really lovely group of people helped make this one of my most memorable holidays. My first time on an organised tour but I’m a convert and this wont be my last.

Sian Allen Borneo & the Malaysian Peninsula

What can I say – what an amazing trip. From start to finish we were incredibly lucky with what we saw and the encounters we had. Starting in Bako NP, we saw wild proboscis monkey and were treated to a rare sighting of a Colugo (flying lemur) taking flight over our heads during the day. On the way back on the boat, we were even treated to a viewing of pink dolphins.

In Mulu, the caves were beautiful and great fun to walk through. Although we were supposedly there during the ‘dry’ season, climate change has made the weather much more unpredictable. We had lovely weather both mornings, but torrential rain in the afternoons and overnight, so much so that the bats stayed inside the cave on the first night. Patience and a willingness to walk in the rain with crossed fingers paid off on the second night, and we were treated to a spectacular bat exodus during sunset. The weather is very changeable in Mulu (and Borneo in general) so even if it looks as though it may be too wet for the bats, I would recommend heading to the viewing area anyway as you never know! Even in the rain, the air temperature is warm and you dry off quickly.

Moving to Sabah, the highlights have to be the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley. Both were so rich in wildlife and we had such amazing viewings in both locations. The Orangutan and Proboscis monkey sanctuaries are great and do fabulous work, but nothing compares to seeing these animals truly out in the wild. We were incredibly lucky with our sightings and saw not only the Borneo Big 5 (orangutan, proboscis monkey, crocodile, rhinoceros hornbill and pygmy elephant) but a huge array of other primates and birds (long and short tail macaques, gibbons, silver and red leaf monkeys, flying squirrels, owls, civets, slow loris, eagles, deer and many more) . Particularly in Danum Valley, take the opportunity to do as much as possible. There are a couple of places on the track and boardwalk that you can go independently providing the sun is up. A few of us in the group met up at 6am on both mornings in Danum and we were rewarded with a group of gibbons eating and playing in the trees on both mornings – a sight not repeated during the day. Seize every opportunity and just explore and enjoy.

Angela Beckwith Borneo Wildlife Discoverer