Borneo Orangutan Holiday

Written by Aleena Che Ramli

Borneo island, an equatorial haven of tropical biodiversity, known for its wide array of incredible plants and amazing wildlife in Southeast Asia. A number of travelers from all over the world comes to the island of Borneo to see one of the native great apes to Asia. This is none other than the endangered species of Pongo pygmaeus better known as Borneo Orangutan. Three-quarters of the world’s orangutans live in the forest of the Borneo island.

The jungles of Borneo is an acoustics orchestra of its own - the fresh and earthy smell of the trees and ground, gibbons calling, birds and cicadas singing - quite the setting for seeing these animals play, swing and live among the treetops.

There are only a few places on earth that gives you the chance to see orangutans in the wild. Having said that, the Ultimate Orangutan Observation tour in Malaysian Borneo – Sabah and Sarawak would be an opportunity of a lifetime to view the primate orangutan be it in primary or secondary forest and in sanctuaries. Traveling between both Sabah and Sarawak is relatively convenient as there are daily domestic flights available. This maximizes your opportunity to see the orangutans and its wildlife friends during your Borneo holidays.

Authentic Bukit Piton, Sabah

Departing from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu to visit Danum Valley and Tabin Wildlife? Little is known, that Bukit Piton in Lahad Datu itself is a place where you can get a surreal experience of observing the orangutans in the wild. It is an extension of Danum Valley Conservation Area, located not far from the Lahad Datu town.

And the best thing is, it’s away from the tourist crowd where you get to enjoy your orang utan adventure at your own pace. Situated at the Ulu Segama-Malua which was once destroyed by fire and poor logging practices, Bukit Piton is now being reincarnated to a thriving secondary rainforest that welcome the orangutans and other wildlife back to their home bound. During your orangutan safari tour, you will sit at the back of a pick-up truck, enjoying the views while exploring the Bukit Piton forest reserve, populated by around 300 of wild orangutan (2008 estimate, WWF-Malaysia, unpublished report)

Besides orangutan, you’ll be surprise with the incredible amount of wildlife that can be found here such as slow loris, hornbills, civets, mousedeer, otters, flatheaded cats, western tarsier and clouded leopard when you go for the night safari.

Alternative Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah

Just 2 hours drive on the north east of Lahad Datu, Tabin Wildlife Reserve can also be an alternative to the Danum Valley to see the orangutan which was released from the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. Despite partially being a secondary rainforest, there are approximately 1400 orangutans living in Tabin Wildlife Reserve. It is also a home to an an astonishing variety of 300 species of birds including 8 species of hornbill and some other rare endemic species like Borneo pygmy elephants and Banteng. Just like Danum Valley, the license nature guides will always keep in touch with each other using a walkie-talkie to update on any wildlife sightings they encountered. Jungle trekking in Tabin can be quite exhilarating, anticipating an orangutan or an elephant.

Tabin Wildlife Reserve also has several mineral rich mud volcanoes and salt water springs that attract a variety of nutrient seekers . So, it is an ideal spot for wildlife spotting like elephants, Bornean wild cats, civets and gibbons. There is also an observation tower nearby at the Lipad mud volcano. Once you are there, make sure to look out for some animal footprints around the area.

Luxury Danum Valley, Sabah

Nestled in the east of Sabah, One of the last patches of primary rainforest in Borneo is the world famous Danum Valley rainforest. The 130 million year old ecosystem comprised of pristine primary lowland forest teaming with endemic flora and fauna, that will have you awe-inspired upon every sense. Sizeable population of orangutans are vastly roaming the dense jungle of Danum Valley Conservation Area. Danum Valley Field Centre, Infapro and Taliwas Recreational Forest are a perfect stay during your wildlife adventure in Danum Valley. You can also request your private guide to take you along the jungle trails, in search for the orang utans among the dense foliage. It is estimated that there are 500 orangutans living in Danum Valley. In fact, trekking into the Danum rainforest is the main way to go in search of wildlife here. But remember, Danum Valley is a living jungle not a zoo, and while one trek might bring many wildlife sightings, another trek can be sparse. Besides the orangutan, Danum’s canopy walkway elevates you to life in the treetops, where you can find over 270 colorful bird species including hornbills, Bornean bristlehead, kingfishers and flycatchers. To explore further into the ancient forest, hop on to 4WD safari vehicle for more extraordinary sightings of Bornean pygmy elephants, sun bears, bearded pigs, mousedeer or even clouded leopard.

Accessible Kinabatangan River, Sabah

Located just 2 hours from Sandakan, the Kinabatangan river is a perfect destination to spot multitude wildlife especially the orangutans. It is the longest river in Sabah, emerging high from the Crocker range and travelling 560km down to its mangrove swamp estuary into the Sulu Sea. Kinabatangan river provides a very unique and rich ecosystem, that makes the concentration of wildlife in the lower region of the river absolutely remarkable. According to the experts, Kinabatangan river is the most varied and easily accessible wildlife in all of Southeast Asia. Therefore, it is the most accessible and easier way to see orangutan in the wild where you get to cruise along the river and its tributaries which lets you cover more ground and get closer to the animals without imposing on their habitat. Studies shows that there are around 1100 orangutans at the Kinabatangan corridor. The best time for you to see the wildlife from your boat are in the late afternoon. If luck is on your side, you get to catch a glimpse of an orangutans preparing their nest for the night high in the treetops, pygmy elephants taking a bath, Proboscis monkeys munching on shoots and various birdlife flits and darts along the river. The night safari will unveil the mysterious life of the nocturnal creatures. With powerful spotlight and expert guides, its common to spot curious crocodiles surface on the water, flying squirrels, thousand of sparkling fireflies, sleeping kingfishers and ominous owls perched on the banks. If you are a bird lover, Kinabatangan river is the place to see amazing birds in their natural habitat, from a close distance.

Up Close Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Sabah

As you touch down in Sandakan Airport, Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre would be a good introduction and educational exposure on the orangutans before you head to the jungles of Borneo. Here, you are almost guaranteed to see rescued youngsters and adults at close quarters. Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre takes care of young orphan orangutans, helping them to learn vital skills to survive on their own in the wild. It was the first centre around the world to be dedicated to the rehabilitation of orphan orangutans. Your visit usually starts with a short informative documentary about the survival and challenges of the orangutans and other fascinating exhibition. The highlight here is watching the orangutans swing from one tree to the trees for their daily fruit meals. Watch them eat, tumble and play on the feeding platform. You can also stay at the nearby Sepilok Nature Resort or Sepilok Forest Edge Resort if you just can’t get enough of these adorable orange creatures

Convenient Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Sarawak

If you are looking to see orang utan in Sarawak, Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre is a place to go. Although it is not as popular as the Sepilok Orang Utan in Sabah, Semenggoh offers intimate wildlife viewing. At Semenggoh, it is strictly observational from a safe distance in order not to intimidate the creatures. There are two main observation areas where visitors can watch the orangutans feeding. Both location gives you a great view of the orangutans in the trees. Nevertheless, make sure to plan your trip well as there is no guarantee that you will be spotting orangutan especially during the fruiting season. This is because most of the orangutan are preoccupied with nature’s bounty which is further in from the viewing platform. The sanctuary is located 30 minutes drive from the capital city of Sarawak, Kuching which makes it convenient for you to combine your trip to visit other attractions such as the Iban longhouse or even cruises along the Sarawak river, Kuching heritage city tour or a trip to the oldest Bako National Park where you get to see the rare Irrawaddy pink dolphins, proboscis monkeys, mud skippers and saltwater crocodiles.