Borneo vacation, Sarawak highlights

Planet

We work with the Orangutan Appeal UK, the only not-for-profit charity that works directly with the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary in Sandakan. Clients have the option to sponsor an orphaned Orangutan named Canyon who was being kept illegally as a pet and was taken in by the sanctuary when she was 2 years old. She is now 5 years old and progressing well. The money goes directly to the Sanctuary in Sepilok to continue their excellent work. Clients receive an ‘adoption certificate’ and regular email updates on the progress of Canyon over the course of a year.

Our Sarawak ground operator owns and operates a number of eco-lodges which are included in this itinerary. Accommodation has been locally built and is run and operated by local people. The main purpose of these trips is to interact and contribute to village communities and projects and understand the need to minimize any negative impact on the local environment. Our ground agents only employ native guides to accompany our clients. All food in the lodges is sourced within the region, helping the local rural communities wherever possible. Our ground agent also helps in the training of the local Iban guides, and with this training comes not only an enhanced experience for guests but also a greater knowledge within the community of their need to protect the environment for future generations to maintain their lifestyles and financial security.

People

On this Borneo vacation, you will visit the Semengoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Sarawak, to rehabilitate orphan Orangutans and aim to release them back to the wild. A visit to the Rehabilitation center benefits the Orangutans in a number of ways - as the entrance fees paid to the center goes directly to paying the staff, providing the food and the training of specialist guides to rehabilitate not only the Orangutans, but the other animals that are now brought here. Donations are welcomed by the center although not a condition of entry and we would ask all our clients to donate a small amount for their visit.

The itinerary also includes a visit to the Iban tribe who still live by their traditions in Longhouse homes. You can either stay with the tribe or at a local lodge/hotel both of which directly contributes to the Iban people. Our local ground agent in Sarawak is an important supporter of this traditional community in many ways. It is important to them that they be part of the ongoing conservation efforts in Sarawak, of both the social and ecological environments. Since the start of the support of this community in the late 1980’s, our ground agent offers ‘soft loans’ to the community members to buy things like outboard engines as both our ground agent and the Iban people understand that tourism should not be relied on as a sole means of income. This allows the community to take responsibility for and control over their means of production.

Our ground agent also runs a scholarship scheme with the Ibanl school. They have established the ‘Along Scholarship Fund’ (named after the former headman of the longhouse) which is funded by a portion of the cost to guests of staying at the longhouse, with incentives given to the students who first attend and then excel in their studies. This is producing excellent results with the number of students completing their tertiary education far exceeding the national average.

Our Sarawak agent has helped to source funds to establish a water supply project, health care services and a community help project resulting in better drainage and a proper sanitation system. They have also provided substantial funds towards materials for the re-building of one of the longhouses.
Our agent is mindful of the ‘carrying capacity’ of the longhouse so guest numbers are capped. They also try hard to work around the schedule of the community and are sensitive to times of harvest, bereavements etc and will close visits to the longhouse if necessary.