Borneo tailor made vacations, wildlife & beaches

Environment

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 Beryl, who was found alone on a plantation by one of the workers when she was only a year old. 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 Beryl and of course if you’re lucky you may see her when you visit the Centre.

On this Borneo vacation, you will visit the famous Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah, founded in 1964, to rehabilitate orphan Orangutans. The site is 43 square kilometres of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve. Today around 60 to 80 orang-utans are living free in the reserve. The facility provides medical care for orphaned and confiscated Orangutans as well as dozens of other wildlife species. Some of the other animals which end up being treated at the center include endangered Sun Bears, gibbons, Sumatran Rhinos and the occasional injured elephants. A visit to the Sepilok Rehabilitation center benefits the Orangutans in a number of ways - as the entrance fees go directly to paying the staff, providing food and the training of specialist guides to rehabilitate the Orangutans back into the wild. As part of our programme, we will 'adopt' an Orangutan for our clients for 1 year (1 per booking).

During the tour you also have the opportunity to visit the neighbouring Sun Bear Centre, a conservation center with the aim to raise awareness and encourage research on the world’s smallest bear. Found throughout mainland Asia, Sumatra in Indonesia and Borneo, the exact number of Sun bears in the wild is unknown, making it even more pressing to reduce pressure on a species that is classified as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List and at risk of becoming endangered unless circumstances threatening their survival improve. The BSBCC, the first and only facility of its kind in the world, is a non-governmental organisation set up in 2008 through collaboration of the Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Wildlife Department and LEAP. Donations are welcomed by the center although not a condition of entry and we would invite all of our clients to donate a small amount for their visit.

The Danum Valley Conservation Area is one of the largest and best-protected expanses of pristine lowland forest remaining in South East Asia. When visiting the region guests are only allowed to walk on well established trails and with experienced, registered guides to minimise impact on the vegetation. Education is an important part of the package at Danum Valley so guests are also able to visit the Danum Valley Field Centre which was set up in 1986 for the purposes of research, education, training and wilderness recreation to learn more about the importance of the region. Guests can even enjoy talks by the resident scientists on what is being done to preserve Sabah’s natural heritage.

The Tanjung Aru Resort collaborates with the WWF and works with villagers from Kampung Berungus in Kudat to preserve the seagrass bed habitat of the seacow or 'dugong'. The Resort obtains a weekly supply of sustainably harvested fish and shrimp to be served in the resort’s restaurants. It is anticipated that this long-term collaboration will help restore the integrity of the marine eco-system whilst providing poverty troubled villagers with a consistent source of income. The Resort has also introduced a 'Bakashi' program which is a system using fermented organic matter to create compost for gardens from kitchen organic waste. This has resulted in a reduction in the amount of fertiliser and compost used.

Community

Our local ground operator owns and operates a number of eco-lodges which are included in this itinerary. Accommodation has all been locally built and is run and operated by local people. The main purpose of these trips is to interact and contribute to local communities and projects and understand the need to minimize any negative impact on the local environment. Our ground agents only employ local guides to accompany our clients. All food in the lodges is sourced locally, helping the local rural communities wherever possible.

The Abai Jungle Lodge hosts a tree planting and optional lunch programme with the local Abai villagers as part of your time there. This programme has been introduced by the Lodge as a way to directly contribute money to the local village community, plus it helps guests learn a little about the way this traditional community lives.

Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort has partnered with Seri Mengasih, a school for over 100 intellectually and physically challenged children, since 2008. 2010 marked the third year of full school fees support alongside regular hotel skills training in areas such as housekeeping and bakery, with the goal of hiring apprentices into the hotel. One apprentice works at the registration and towel counter by the poolside and is able to interact with guests.