My wife and I are considering travelling to...

My wife and I are considering travelling to Borneo next year and wonder if you have any travel tips for this destination? Thank you

Answer 1:

Borneo, home to soaring Mount Kinabalu, is one of the few places in the world where Orang Utans can be observed in thier natural environment, and is an aboslute must if visiting Borneo.

Stay at the Shangre La Rasa Ria Resort, and get the best of both worlds. The resort is set overlooking Pantai Dalit beach, yet in 400 acres of tropical rainforest and is adjacent to the Rasa Ria Orang Utan nature reserve. The resort is only 35 minutes from Kota Kinabalu Airport, yet has facilities that include; A Spa, watersports centre, white water rafting, tennis club, and an 18 hole golf corse set amid the natural vedgitation.

There are no direct service flights from the UK to Borneo, so it should be considered with an en route stopover in either Singapore or Kuala Lumpar.

Any Elite Travel Group member should be able to assist you with making a reservation for flights, and/or accommodation. Your nearest member can be found by logging onto www.elitetravegroup.co.uk

Bob Grinsell
The Elite Travel Group
www.elitetravelgroup.co.uk

Answer 2:

Travelling to Sarawak and Sabah in Malaysian Borneo is for those who enjoy nature, wildlife, beach/marine adventure and tribal culture. It is an all year round destination with sunshine and hot weather throughout the year but the best time of the year to travel is during the dry season from March to October.

A great way to explore Borneo is to combine a beach holiday with a journey into the interior to stay with the indigenous people, visit great national parks like Kinabalu National Park or Mulu National Park and the orang utan sanctuary at Sepilok in Sabah or Semenggoh in Sarawak.

For those who enjoy observing wildlife, a river safari in Sukau on the Kinabatangan River in Sabah is a must. Two or three weeks' duration would be adequate to cover the adventure of a lifetime in Borneo. Make sure you book through reputable tour operators who have experience in handling tours in Borneo.

Helen Oon
Author
Malaysia (Globetrotter Travel Pack) and Malaysia (Globetrotter Wildlife Guide)

4 September 2008