After travelling quite extensively to many parts of Asia (of course, there is still so much to discover), I have sometimes wondered if there are still some destinations out there that can surprise me all over again. I wouldn’t have considered this a possibility until I arrived in Sarawak, during my recent visit to Borneo. Since Discova has seen an increase in demand for travel to Borneo, I was excited to learn first-hand about what makes this destination so special and better communicate this feeling to our clients.
It is fairly straightforward to get to Sarawak’s capital city, and it is a very welcoming and interesting place, with many historical buildings, new architectural developments and hidden treasures of different street art and murals. Our guide took us around the most important parts of the city, explaining a lot about Sarawak and Borneo’s rich history. This guided tour gave an interesting background and context to the place and made for a great start for us to get to know Borneo as a destination.
We had an early morning start the next day to travel to Bako National Park, which is easily accessible from Kuching. Bako is one of the top national parks in Asia for wildlife-watching so it’s certainly worth visiting. It offers numerous trails with different lengths, and our guide took us on a fantastic trek through the amazing rainforest, explaining all there is to know and see. We did spot the famous Bornean Bearded Pig, among many other animals – but this one seemed to get most of our attention that day.
Visiting Batang Ai was the highlight of our trip. Batang Ai is located approximately 275 km from Kuching and is the site of the oldest Iban settlements in Sarawak. Our programme included staying deep in the rainforest alongside a local community for two nights.
After a four-hour drive with a stop at a local market, we arrived at Batang Ai Lake, where we boarded a longboat and travelled up the river for about 1.5 hours. Travelling upstream allowed us to experience the relative isolation of the wider Batang Ai area, seeing how the rainforest outside the protected areas has been left undisturbed (except for local farming activities), providing ample area for both the Iban people and orangutans to coexist in peace.
Sarawak’s orangutan population is estimated at 1,600, with 95% living in Batang Ai. Not many places in the world offer this experience in an untouched environment without the intrusion of logging and palm oil development. This pristine place underscores the importance of responsible tourism. Tourists can visit this area and stay with the local community to experience an immersive and authentic environment, and their visit directly contributes to the needs and requirements of the local people.
In this way, travellers do not disturb the local way of life but help generate substantial economic benefits for the Iban communities living in the area. This means fewer visitors, specifically staying in traditional longhouses, meeting the local community, and getting to know more about their culture and environment.
Our accommodation was quite simple but very comfortable. We felt part of the community, as we got to know some of the villagers, and were very impressed by their locally produced artifacts, some of which made for amazing and unique souvenirs.
During our stay, our guide took us for a hike through the rainforest, where we spotted some wildlife and learned about the local flora and fauna. One of our highlights was another boat ride further up the river, where we visited a beautiful waterfall and spotted more wildlife along the way.
Our group left this remote village, our longhouse accommodation and the beautiful Borneo landscape very impressed and happy. We were fully aware that we had just experienced something very special while visiting this unspoiled and (still) protected area. Our guide explained to us that the limited tourism here does support the community and prevents the government from allowing logging in these rainforests. As a DMC, we can only lend our support and hope that our efforts will help preserve the traditional lives of Iban inhabitants and the conservation of this region’s diverse wildlife.
On our way back to Kuching, we visited Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, which is an orangutan sanctuary and nature reserve and one of the top attractions in Borneo. It offers the chance to see semi-wild orangutans up close (not too close), and yes, we did see lots of them.
Sarawak is often overlooked by the more popular Sabbah region (which of course is also very beautiful) but here’s what I discovered. If you are looking for a mix of culture and nature-based travel experience, this is your place to visit. And I am sure you will be positively surprised – just like I was.
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