Borneo Eco Adventure

On arrival at Kuala Lumpur airport we will be met from the arrivals area and transferred to our hotel. Your Big Journey Company representative will introduce you to the rest of the tour group and brief you on plans for tomorrow.

Today we will enjoy an exploration of the spiritual Batu Caves. Here we will admire the beauty of the local area and encounter the mischievous monkeys looking to pick up treats from visitors. The caves are said to be around 400 million years old. The Hindu temple sat at the top of 272 painted steps was added more recently, around 100 years ago and the 140ft golden statue of Lord Murugan at the foot of the staircase took 3 years to construct. 
Before heading back to the hotel, we will enjoy a panoramic tour of the city taking in the Petronas Tower, the National Mosque, Merdeka Square and the Bird Garden.

After breakfast we say farewell to Kuala Lumpur and head to the airport for our flight to Sandakan.  
On arrival in Sandakan we will enjoy a quick orientation tour to include Sandakan War Memorial and then on to Puu Jih Shih Temple which is a Buddhist temple located at the hilltop of Tanah Merah with great views of Sandakan and Sandakan Bay. Afterwards we check into our hotel for the evening.

Today we have the pleasure of a full day of wildlife tours. We will enjoy feeding time at the Sepilok Orangutan Centre. The centre opened in 1964 as the first official orangutan rehabilitation project for rescued orangutans from across Borneo. There are now roughly 80 orangutans living at the centre. We will also see the world’s smallest bear at Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. This research and conservation centre aims to improve animal welfare and provide rehabilitation for Sun Bears. They work to improve education about and habitat conservation for the Sun Bear.
We will also have the chance to see proboscis monkeys that are found only on Borneo. The potbellied and red-faced proboscis monkeys are named for their long bulbous noses, but once you have seen one you will see it has many remarkable features! We will learn more about this animal with a visit to the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, sited among local palm plantations.
After the tours we head back to the hotel for some rest time.

After checking out from the hotel, we transfer to the jetty for a boat ride to Selingan 'Turtle' Island. Selingan island is one of the most important nesting sites in South East Asia for Green and Hawksbill turtles. A lot of work has been put into making the beaches here a safehaven for turtles to lay their eggs and for the hatchlings to make it safely back into the sea. Spend the afternoon stretched out on the sandy white beaches, swimming and snorkelling (snorkelling gear available to hire locally). We will meet again in the evening for turtle watching on the beach - the possibility of seeing a mother turtle coming in from the emerald waters of the Sulu Sea and laying her eggs is highly probable at this time of year and we'll see new hatchlings scurrying down the beach for their first swim. Accommodation here is basic but it is the only accommodation on the island.

We check out early this morning to return by boat to Sandakan and begin our journey to Kota Kinabalu. 
On the journey, we will visit the Agnes Keith House. Agnes Keith was an American author. She is best known for her autobiographical books about life in Borneo before, during and after the second World War. Her previous home has now been sympathetically restored and stands as an interesting insight into her life and into this period of Borneo’s history.
We will make a stop at the English Tea House for lunch before moving on to Bilit village. On arrival, we will head out on an afternoon river cruise to search for proboscis monkeys and the local birdlife that gather along the Kinabatangan River. 

We make a very early start to the day today to be up and out for a morning cruise to see the local birdlife. We will return to the lodge for breakfast. If you are feeling energetic after breakfast, there is an opportunity to take a guided jungle trek and learn more about the local riverine forest. The trek will return to the lodge in time for lunch. If you prefer a more restful morning, you may enjoy participating in batik painting at the river lodge.
In the afternoon there will be a second river cruise to see more wildlife by boat.

Our journey from Bilit to Kundasang will include stops at a Bornean foot spa and the locally reputed Gomantong Cave, famous for the large amount of bats that live inside. There will be the opportunity to learn more about Borneo's history at one of the preserved POW camps in the area. We drive overland to Sabah Tea. Have lunch. Have you ever wondered how the tea you drink has made its way into your tea cup? Will find out all about the process on a visit to a tea factory today. Sabah tea is only available in Borneo as they only produce enough to meet local demand. Then, we drive onwards to Kundasang. On arrival, we will check into the resort for an evening at leisure.

Today we start with a visit to Kundasang War Memorial Park. The park exhibits four different beautiful gardens – the Australia Garden, the English Garden, the Borneo Garden and the Contemplation Garden and Pool to represent the different nationalities.

Then, we continue to a famous 'Up-Side-Down' House & 3D Museum. Everything inside the house, from furniture to household appliances, hover above your head, as the ceiling is actually the floorThe 3D museum is a fun way to engage visitors in thinking about the importance of protecting Borneo's unique biodiversity, ecosystem and natural resources. Afterwards we will transfer to & check into the resort in time for you to be able to watch the stunning sunset along the beach.

After breakfast at the hotel, this morning you are free to relax and follow your own interests in this stunning setting. There are many possible ways to spend your day including enjoying the facilities at the resort like the spa and pools, or the local guide can help to arrange watersports or guided nature trails.

Aruond 1300hrs, we depart the hotel to visit the Mari Mari Cultural Village. This village now operates as a museum, preserving Borneo ethnic culture and features information on 5 different ethnic tribes in one place. We will learn more from the rice farmer of Kadazan-Dusun, the longhouse resident Rungus, the hunter and fisherman Lundayeh, the cowboy and sea gypsey Bajau, and the famously-feared headhunting tribe Murut. After MMCV, transfer back to hotel. 

Breakfasts included at the hotel before being picked up early afternoon from Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort. We'll stop by a local 'Tamu' open market, where you can find local produce from the nearby villages and valleys such as tropical fruits, vegetables, Sabah fern, homemade traditional cakes, traditional homegrown tobacco, honey, fish, etc. We will enjoy the experience a walk on a suspension bridge to see the forest from a different angle. Then, we transfer to & check into Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort (STAR).

By 1600hrs, transfer to Marina Sutera, head for North Borneo Sunset Cruise with dinner onboard. After the cruise, we return to the hotel.

Today you will need an early breakfast to be ready for a spectacular boat ride to Sepangar Island resort for a morning spent swimming, snorkelling and sun bathing on the beautiful beach.
After lunch together, we return to the mainland and our hotel.

At approx 1700hrs we will depart the hotel to have our farwewell dinner at Kampung Nelayan witha cultural dance performance. After diiner, we return to our hotel for our final night.

After breakfast in the hotel we travel to the airport and for your flights home.