Wild Malaysia, or meeting proboscis monkeys on Borneo

What comes to mind when you think of Borneo? An inaccessible, exotic island, wild jungle, headhunters and bizarre animals.... I wanted to see what it is really like and whether you can actually see proboscis monkeys up close. Borneo is the third largest island in the world, shared by 3 countries: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (I described the Sultanate of Brunei in a separate post here ). Malaysian Borneo consists of two states: Sarawak in the west and Sabah in the east. This post is about Sarawak, as I have saved a trip to Sabah for another time.

It turns out you can fly to Borneo.... on a low-cost airline. It is no joke: taking off from Berlin's Tegel airport (TXL), with a short connection in Singapore, you can fly with FlyScoot to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak. Fly Scoot is the low-cost arm of the renowned Singapore Airlines, although the differences are considerable. As befits a budget airline, there are not even simple seatback screens on board, let alone a full entertainment system. No blankets and no eye masks. You will not get any free drinks or food. You also pay for checked baggage. But there is plenty of legroom and, unlike on short budget flights, the seats recline, and the aircraft is top-flight too, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. And then there is the price: Berlin to Borneo for 1700 zlotys.

Kuching - the Waterfront, Chinatown and the city of cats

The capital of Sarawak is Kuching. It is a great base for several worthwhile attractions in the state. It is amazing how many interesting places you can visit not far from the city. I hired a car at Kuching airport and, driving intensively for 7 days, covered just under 350 km. Kuching is the seat of the state government, housed in a picturesque building on the riverbank. Its style is so intriguing that it has earned the nickname "the umbrella". It can be seen perfectly both from the riverside promenade, known here as the "Waterfront", and from the footbridge linking the two banks. At night the bridge is lit up in all the colours of the rainbow and forms the backdrop for fountain shows held every day (the first "show" at 20.30).

Kuching will surprise travellers with restored buildings that bear witness to its colonial past, a picturesque riverside promenade and a Chinatown district offering food from many corners of the world.

The colonial past is linked with the charismatic figure of the English adventurer James Brooke, who defended and developed the city. Kuching is the "city of cats" and, surprisingly, you will find statues of them in many squares. There are plenty of places to eat well, and those tired of Asian food will be seduced by the excellent pizza made by a Serb who has settled on Borneo, in the Old Bazaar.

The well-organised tourist information centre in the city centre, near the river, is a great help in planning a stay in the national parks. It is worth booking accommodation in Bako National Park through them. There you can also find out whether the famous rafflesia is in bloom anywhere in the state.

Orangutans at Semenggoh Nature Reserve

20 km south of Kuching lies the Semenggoh Nature Reserve. It is the only place in Sarawak where you can come face to face with orangutans. If not here, that leaves Sepilok in the neighbouring state of Sabah or the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Tourists arrive at the reserve for 9.00 or 15.00, because that is when the apes are called out of the jungle for feeding. There is, however, a small "but"..... From December to March there is plenty of food in the jungle, and the orangutans turn their noses up at the prepared meal and ignore the keepers' calls for weeks. When I was there, the chance of meeting an ape was close to zero, as a board at the main entrance honestly informed visitors. Nevertheless, the rangers carried out the full procedure. It was an interesting briefing on safety and the animals' habits. Then we went deep into the jungle, where you wait for the orangutans at a certain distance. The park staff called them and laid out food on a special platform, but, as predicted, the orangutans did not show up.

Where tourists wait, there is a large board describing the whole group. 33 orangutans live in the park, and each of them has its own distinctive features, foibles and a set position in the group. Was the visit wasted? Certainly not: it was packed with information and also gave me plenty to think about regarding who we are, where we come from and what our responsibility is.....

Serikin, Siniawan Night Market and KBS Buddhist Village

It is always worth straying a little off the beaten track.... somewhere I found a short note about the market in the village of Serikin. Formally it is still Malaysia, but it feels as if it is already Indonesia. Traders from across the border flock to this last village in the country, bringing all kinds of goods, from vegetables and fruit to rattan furniture. It is colourful, noisy and exotic, and the heat and dust make themselves felt.

If you fancy it, you can hunt down a perfect fake of a designer rucksack or a pair of jeans. Indonesians come here under local border traffic rules, but tourists cannot cross the border. Driving from Kuching, practically halfway along, it is worth making 2 stops, ideally one in each direction. On one side of the road you will find the Siniawan Night Market , and on the other the KBS Buddhist Village. The first is a charmingly situated historic settlement of the Chinese community on the riverbank, which from 17.00 until late at night turns into a huge open-air bar and restaurant. Distinctive two-storey wooden houses line both sides of the street, and behind them the river flows unhurriedly.

The second is a modern Buddhist centre, but beautifully laid out. It is crying out for a photo shoot: small and large temples, Buddha statues among the greenery, ponds big and small with colourful fish....

Proboscis monkeys in Bako National Park

Bako National Park is a phenomenon. It is close to the Kuching conurbation, it is small, yet very varied and guarantees encounters with all kinds of animals, including proboscis monkeys. The fact that its wildlife has survived is certainly linked to the fact that it can only be reached by boat, and the jetty is about half an hour's drive from the city. There are two options for the boat transfer: hiring a boat for yourself, which will take you there and bring you back at the times you choose, or sharing with a group once 6 people have gathered (40MYR pp). The problem is that you are supposed to return in the same group and at the same time, which is quite a hassle (the return is usually 14.00-15.00). Fortunately, in February this was not enforced. The boat set off with 4 people on board, and I came back with completely different people. Sometimes, after leaving the river delta, the boat battles fairly big waves, and apparently the crossing is sometimes not possible at all. At the jetty, large signs warn of crocodiles. Although a crocodile last ate a person in 2006, I stayed on my guard.

In the park you will see vipers sleeping by day, mischievous macaques just waiting to steal something from people, and wild pigs frolicking on the beach. Although the park can be visited without staying overnight, it is better to spend the night, because in the evening and early morning the proboscis monkeys stroll between the buildings. Yes, proboscis monkeys are the park's biggest and most eagerly awaited attraction.

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It is best to book accommodation while in Kuching, at the city tourist information centre I mentioned earlier. I witnessed the bitter disappointment of people who learned at the jetty that the whole lodge was "fully booked". At the beginning of 2020 the chalets were being rebuilt, with the standard of the buildings and the boardwalks connecting them being improved. The main building will probably be rebuilt too, as the self-service canteen in particular is crying out for an upgrade.

Damai Beach and The Culvert hotel

The best beach near Kuching is Damai Beach. The sunsets seen from the terrace of the Escobar restaurant are captivating. The place itself could do with a refresh, but the food is first-rate. Be sure to try "umai", raw fish with ginger and lime.... By the beach there is a large holiday resort, "Damai Beach", but I do not recommend it. It has everything, but it lacks character and is too expensive (450MYR a night). In February it looked dormant, with only a handful of holidaymakers. It is better to book a room at the nearby The Culvert Hotel Resort Kuching. Staying there is an adventure in itself.... the rooms are made from long, huge concrete culvert pipes cut into sections and stacked in cascades on a steep slope. It is cosy and.... designer. The two swimming pools are subtly lit at night, and in several spots there are great swinging hammocks for several people, perfect for chilling out. Steps lead down to the beach, but be careful, as snakes and crocodiles are sometimes found there.

Miri and Lambir Hills National Park

Let us leave Kuching and look at Miri, the second largest city in Sarawak. It is no match for Kuching in any respect. It is usually just a stop on the way to Brunei or to Mulu National Park. From here you can reach the Sultanate of Brunei (read about Brunei here ) overland, and Mulu by plane (I described Mulu in a separate post). Miri once had a bad reputation: there was much talk of the port district with hotels rented by the hour and hordes of prostitutes. I visited the fish market, a Chinese temple and the revitalised, modern "Times Square" quarter. The "Handicraft Center" souvenir centre is also worth seeing, where you can stock up on goods branded Miri, Sarawak or Borneo. If fate means you have to spend a night in Miri, do not despair. The city has several restaurants serving fish and seafood. The best is probably "New Thompson Seafood", which has a wide choice of delicious dishes, although it is not cheap. A dish costs 30 MYR (the M portion is quite enough; do not order the L size unless it is 1 portion for 2 people).

Not far from Miri, just half an hour's drive away, lies Lambir Hills National Park. A motorway intended to cross the whole of Sarawak is being built along the park's boundary. On the one hand access will improve, but on the other nature may suffer. For now, the best way to get there is to arrange private transport. On the way back you can catch a bus on the main road. Roughly every hour it will pass the turn-off to the park; you need to wave and be ready to pay 10 MYR pp. Lambir Hills is mainly about beautiful waterfalls and the chance to swim in some of them. You can stay overnight on site (an air-conditioned bungalow costs 100 MYR). The park entry ticket is 20 MYR, but be warned: there is no working canteen or shop on site, so everything you want to eat or drink you have to bring with you. The waterfalls are in the middle of the jungle. To reach them you can take a trail that takes 3-4 hours, during which you will see 5 waterfalls, two of which you can swim in. The trail is quite tiring, as it is full of steep climbs and descents, and at the lowest point you usually cross a stream.