Borneo Travel Guide

Overview

Home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world, spectacular coastline, high mountain ranges, an abundance of incredible wildlife and extensive biodiversity, Borneo sets the perfect scene for a memorable adventure.

The geographic center of Southeast Asia, the third largest island in the world and the largest in Asia, Borneo is politically divided into three countries, in the north Brunei and Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak and Lauan) and in the south Indonesia (Kalimantan). Known for the beauty of its natural environment and range of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, Borneo offers visitors a wealth of nature-based activities such as trekking, hiking and wildlife watching.

Located along the equator, the island enjoys a thick cover of warm, wet rainforests, its tropical climate ideal for a diverse range of flora and fauna. There are many unique and endangered species, including proboscis monkey, Borneo rhino, pygmy elephant and hawsbill turtles as well as organutans which are only found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Many research and conservation projects are conducted in the national parks, rainforests, mountains and remote regions on the island.

In Batang Ai National Park the Iban tribe are the custodians of the lush forest and its inhabitants and play a central role in the wildlife conservation projects. Situated in Sarawak, visitors can reach the park on steamers and authentic Iban boathouses. This local community-driven national reserve is home to a number of rare and protected species; vibrant birds, gibbons, slow loris, clouded leopard, bearded pigs and giant squirrels. It also has the highest orangutan population density in central Borneo so there is a good chance of seeing wild orangutan.

Also in Sarawak, Gunung Mulu National Park, famous for its limestone karst formations, is teeming with flora and fauna – eight species of hornbill, including the rhinoceros hornbill, 27 species of bat, bearded pig, moonrat, Borneon tarsier, long-tailed macaque, gibbons, squirrels, deer and the small Malaysian sun bear, the only bear known in south-east Asia.

Some of Borneo’s rarest mammals can be found in Sabah’s Deramakot Forest Reserve. It’s a key habitat for the threatened orangutan, Borneon pygmy elephant, tembadau (banteng), proboscis monkey and clouded leopard, as well as marbled cat, slow loris and Malaysian sun bear.