Honeymoon in Borneo

Reviewed 14 Apr 2012 by Leah Brinton

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

Abai Jungle lodge - so remote and romantic, plus tons of wildlife. It felt like the first time you visited a zoo.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

Appreciate how much waiting time is involved in traveling around to different places - lots of flights means lots of waiting times and early mornings. Make sure your book is in your hand luggage!

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

To some extent. Obviously our presence helped sustain jobs, and tree planting raised our awareness of the deforestation issue (although this is only lip service to tree planting - you plant within 50 yards of where they are grown, and the trees are subsequently replanted somewhere else within the week).

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

Good balance of activities, busy but also quite relaxing. Would do again.

Reviewed 08 Jun 2011 by Adrian Colberg

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

Seeing green turtles laying eggs in the wild, seeing orang-utans and other wildlife like proboscis monkeys, salt water crocodiles, red lipped monkeys, and a whole host of birds. Definitely climbing Mount Kinabulu - the views were spectacular and the sense of achievement brilliant! (We summited in one day). The birds nest caves were fascinating and the fact that we did a fair bit of traveling around meant we got to see different areas of Borneo and met a variety of people. Beach time at the Rasa Ria at the end was great as the rooms were spectacular and the rest was needed and deserved by then!

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

Don't try to pack too much in - we were very tired after moving around so much and being up at 6 each morning but it was worth it! But definitely have some rest time at the end as you might need it. If you summit Kinabulu, summit in one day if at all possible. We were able to as we started early and climbed quickly. It was a clear afternoon and we got the whole mountain to ourselves for some spectacular views. Beware of the sand flies on the beach! Take a good book and be prepared to be patient while waiting for the turtles to hatch etc. Learn a few local words and interact with the Malay people - they are friendly and welcoming. Have a lovers bath at the Rasa Ria on your balcony. If you stay at Sepilok, walk 20 minutes down the road to the rainforest centre - it's a great chance to wonder around the rain forest and also walk up in the canopy - look out for flying squirrels! And if you visit the birds nest caves, avoid wearing flip flops!

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

I was impressed by the efforts taken by the conservation projects to minimise the tourism impact on the wildlife and pleased that we made the choice to go with the local companies. For example, I was pleased to see that we were only allowed to see one turtle, and only once she had begun laying. We were also not allowed to use flash photography and had to leave once she had finished to not disturb. The local guides were very knowledgeable and helpful about the wildlife and local areas. The local agents were excellent - well prepared, on time, friendly and knowledgeable and made the whole experience very smooth and stress-free.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

It was our honeymoon and it couldn't have gone any better. The local operators were excellent and we were pleased with the efforts towards conservation. The local pick-ups made everything very smooth. There was a lot of traveling involved (and lots of 6am starts) which meant that we were tired quite a lot but we also tried to cram a lot in to 2 weeks. Ending at the Rasa Ria was brilliant and the hotel, its staff and their service are exemplary.