10 Day Tour - A Taste of Borneo

Tour Code: BTS 10

Day 1

Take your flight to South-East Asia and on to Kuching in magical, mystical Borneo. Kuching, the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, can be accessed by flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other towns and cities in Borneo. Flights to Kuching from Kuala Lumpur arrive throughout the day.

You will be met at the airport and transferred to the Kuching Hilton Hotel which lies close to the Sarawak River in the middle of the town - depending on arrival time, have the remainder of the day at leisure or get some rest.

Day 2

Morning tour of the sights of Kuching City - purported to be the cleanest city in Malaysia. Discover the charms of the city, as well as spending some time uncovering the past and pondering the future at the world famous Sarawak Museum, completed in 1891, which is definitely one of the best museums in the whole of South-East Asia. In the city centre, see buildings dating back to the time of the white Rajahs, ancient Chinese temples and colourful markets displaying the produce which first brought the traders to Borneo. At the conclusion of the tour, you will return to the hotel. Afternoon at your leisure to look for local handicrafts and artefacts in the traders' street known as Main Bazaar near the Sarawak River waterfront. (Breakfast included)

Day 3

Travel from Kuching, about a one hour journey by coach/mini bus, to Anah Rais, located in the heart of the Padawan District (about 40 km from Kuching). Anah Rais is the largest Bidayuh longhouse which exists in Sarawak. Explore this peaceful Bidayuh village and learn about the culture of the Land Dayaks who were once headhunters. Visit the baruk (headhouse) where skulls can be seen.

Return to Kuching. Spend the remainder of the afternoon at your leisure. (Breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 4

Spend a full day visiting Sarawak's oldest National Park at Bako. Drive about 35 minutes to Bako Village. From the village, take a 25-minute boat ride (depending on the tide) to the park situated in a peninsula. Bako is one of the best places in Sarawak to see wildlife in a natural surrounding.

The various types of animals that are commonly spotted at Bako include the proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys, long tail macaques, wild boars, monitor lizards, and numerous species of birds. Tropical rainforest ranges from mangrove to kerangas (heath forest), tropical swamp vegetation, cliff vegetation and beach vegetation. There are several trails inside the park depending on level of fitness and interest. There is a possibility to swim in the warm waters of the South China Sea by one of the secluded beaches. Return to Kuching mid to late afternoon.

Spend your last night in Kuching at the Kuching Hilton Hotel. (Breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 5

Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Mulu Caves which may be either direct or via the oil town of Miri, depending on flight schedules.

On arrival in Mulu, you will be met and transferred to the Royal Mulu Resort which has been built on a bend in the river in the middle of the rainforest.

Gunung Mulu, as it is known locally, is the gem of Sarawak's national parks and contains the largest limestone cave system in the world. It is now a recognised World Heritage listed area. Mulu's system of caves is truly spectacular. The world's largest natural chamber (Sarawak Chamber), the world's largest cave passage (Deer Cave) and the longest cave in South-East Asia (Clearwater Cave) are all found at Mulu.

Tour the Deer and Lang's Caves on your first afternoon and evening in Mulu National Park. Return to Royal Mulu Resort for the night. (Breakfast included)

Day 6

Morning tour the Wind and Clearwater Caves and enjoy a picnic lunch and perhaps a swim in the mountain stream. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent at your leisure. There is plenty to see and do above ground, without having to venture into the caves. The park contains 15 different types of forest - including mixed dipterocarp, heath, peat swamp, moss forest and montane vegetation - and thousands of species of ferns, fungi, mosses and flowering plants, including 170 species of wild orchid and 10 species of pitcher plant. Mulu's wildlife is as rich as its flora, and is inhabited by an impressive variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and other invertebrates. Overnight at Royal Mulu Resort. (Breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 7

Transfer to Kota Kinabalu. Depending on flight schedules, you may fly direct from Mulu to KK, or alternatively, via the oil town of Miri on the coast. This will depend on flight schedules which vary from day to day. You will be met at the airport on arrival in KK, and transferred to Shangri-la's Tanjung Aru Resort. After checking into your hotel in KK, spend the remainder of the day at leisure. (Breakfast included)

Day 8

A full day trip to Kinabalu National Park and Poring Hot Springs. Enjoy the vista of the jungle covered mountains and valleys as you proceed up to the base of South-East Asia's highest mountain. Near the base of Mt Kinabalu, you will find a local Tamu or market, where you will be able to stop to look at the variety of goods on sale.

You will proceed on to the Springs where you will be able to take a "canopy walk" through the canopy of a rainforest, (the canopy walk is generally closed for a few weeks in April for maintenance - check at time of booking) before returning to the hot baths which were built by the Japanese. If time permits, you may be able to enjoy a soak in one of the hot baths. At Kinabalu National Park World Heritage Site, visit the Education Centre and Mountain Garden, home to various species of the flowering rhododendrons, carnivorous pitcher plants and orchids. You will be taken on a guided walk through the botanical gardens at the park.

Return to Kota Kinabalu, arriving at Tanjung Aru Resort in the late afternoon. (Breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 9

Spend your last full day in Borneo visiting the Islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the main jetty in KK. Transfer about 20 minutes from the KK jetty to Gaya Island. Explore one of the 2 km jungle treks and learn about some of the unique medicinal plants, tropical hardwood trees, coastal vegetation, tropical dipterocarp rainforest and the ecology of the mangrove forest.

Transfer across to Manuakan Island for a picnic lunch. Relax, snorkel and free at leisure before returning to KK around mid-afternoon.

Return to your hotel for the night. (Breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 10

At leisure until transfer to the airport for your flight to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Brunei, and then on to your final destination (home?). (Breakfast included)

Prices:

Tour Code	Itinerary	Duration	Inclusions	Joining Point	1 person	2 people	3 people
BTS10	A Taste of Borneo	10 days/9 nights	Transfers, Accommodation, internal flights, meals indicated	Kuching	$3292	$1905	$1780

Prices per person in Australian Dollars and valid to 31 December 2010 Accommodation is based on hotels, resorts and lodges indicated in itinerary.

Tour prices based on twin share or triple share (in the case of three people). Single supplement will apply if separate rooms are required.

High Season Rates apply to some accommodation during Easter, July/August, December/January and Chinese New Year - please contact us for details. Additional photographs on this page are courtesy of Phil Youdale (Bako National Park, Mt Kinabalu and Kinabalu Park), Albert Teo and Forestry Sarawak (Mulu Caves).