Happy Trails Asia
13 Days Sarawak & Sabah
Malaysia (Kuching – Kampung Sadir – Damai – Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan – Sepilok – Kinabatangan)
Overview
TOUR CATEGORIES: Nature, City Tour, Heritage, Beach
This 13-days itinerary brings you through the twin cities of Borneo – Sarawak and Sabah
In Sarawak experience trekking to Bako National Park, visit the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre Rehabilitation Centre, get involve with activities from Jungle trek to handicraft, Bidayuh longhouse visit, swimming in spectacular waterfalls in Saloma Villagestay before going to Sabah.
In Sabah enjoy a day trip covering both the Kinabalu Park World Heritage Site and the Poring Hotsprings. Overland to Sandakan and experience searching wildlife along the river as well as observing the endangered Bornean Orang Utans at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.
HIGHLIGHTS
Arrive at Kuching Airport, meet with our representative and transfer to Kuching Hotel.
Kuching is located in the island of Borneo and is known as being one of the most charming cities in ‘Malaysia’ with traditions and cultures that have remained fairly unchanged for the last 160 years.
Visitors to Kuching will be welcomed with open arms and are encourage to be a part the charm that this city is exudes effortlessly. With a compact city centre where one can find stores selling a multitude of unique goods to restaurants and cafes all serving a wide variety of local delicacies with some featuring wild deer, jungle ferns and Buah Mata Kuching (Cat eye fruit, similar to a lycee) which some believe is the reason behind the name of this City.
For those seeking for nature, there are many National Parks that surround Kuching and ready to be explored. The most famous one being Bako where the impressive proboscis monkey (large nosed monkey), and a wide array of other unique flora and fauna can be found. Come to Kuching for a quaint and exhilarating adventure full of unique sights and experiences.
Accommodation : The LimeTree Hotel
Meals included : –
Experience the jungle trekking through the tropical forest at Bako National Park.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and driven to Bako village. At Bako Village, board one of the local motor-boat, for a twenty minutes ride to Bako National Park.
Bako National Park is situated on a peninsular, and despite being the smallest National Park in Malaysia, offer a large variety of different vegetation.
Bako is also the best place in Sarawak to spot wildlife, however as wildlife is free to roam around freely, sight is not guaranteed. Look out for Proboscis Monkeys, a specie of Monkey endemic to Borneo, long-tailed Macaques, Silver-leaf Monkeys, Monitor Lizards, Bearded Pigs, and many bird species.
Rainforests and mangroves give way to Kerangas (heath forest), swamp, cliff, and beach vegetation. Follow one of the nature trails, depending on your fitness and interest. You will see species of carnivorous pitcher plants.
Take a swim in the South China Sea at one of the secluded beaches. The coastline of the park is indented by sandy bays providing excellent swimming ground. Return to Kuching in late afternoon. We advise that you dress casually in loose and light clothing and proper trekking boots. You might also want to bring along a swimsuit with a towel and flip-flops, a pair of binoculars, insect repellent, torchlight, and raincoat.
Accommodation : The LimeTree Hotel
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch
Around 08.30am, you will be picked up from your accommodation in Kuching, and you will start the drive towards Kampung Sadir, where Saloma’s Villagestay is located. Before reaching the village, just at the outskirt of Kuching, stop at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, for a quick visit.
Weather permitting, have a sight of the Orang Utan, that will be roaming around the platform of the centre. Continue the journey to the village, for an authentic lunch experience. After lunch, settled in the room, and after a short briefing, your host will take you for a walk around the village, where you will visit the original Bidayuh Longhouse and the boarding school.
In the evening, dinner at the homestay followed. After dinner, go for a short night walk, to look for the creature of the night crawling in the nearby jungle. Return to the village, and you can either opt to mingle with the locals or relax by the balcony of the homestay. Overnight at Saloma’s Villagestay.
Accommodation : Villagestay
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast your host will take you for walk through the forest & jungle to the family farm (1hr walk).
Along the way you will be introduced to the local flora & wild herbs/veggie and their use. Here you will have the chance to carry out jungle shopping, (i.e collecting & gathering edible fruits, soots & leaves to be cooked and consumed at the farmhouse).
You will also see all the local varieties of crops planted for local consumption as well as commercial cash crop sold for daily sustenance by the locals.
At the farmhouse you will witness & participate in bamboo cooking. All the dishes are prepared and cooked in the specially prepared bamboo utensils. Even the herbal tea is sourced locally from the jungle, cooked in bamboo & served in bamboo cups. Those delicacies cannot be found in any restaurant!
You can either take a refreshing dip in the cool mountain stream and see the local fish species or you can participate in the farm work or you can just relax in the farmhouse. Trek back to Saloma’s Villagestay and after dinner you will go for a short night walk to see small creatures of the night, fire flies with their blinking lights are always the favourite even among locals.
After that you can lazy around with the local to listen to their stories. For those who want to stay up longer, there are rice wine & beer on sale at the village shop.
Accommodation : Villagestay
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, you will trek to the waterfall (35 min) walk for a refreshing swim or just to marvel with awe at mother nature’s creation.
You will get the chance to listen to the beautiful symphony of the forest & rivers which are just like music to the ears. Here, you will also be introduced to the local flora & wild herbs and their use. If you are lucky and you come at the right time you will get to see the beautiful colour of the jungle and blooming wild flowers.
Trek back to Saloma’s Villagestay for lunch and then drive Damai Beach.
Accommodation : Damai Beach Resort
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch
Experience a cruise along the wetland and mangrove swamps set around the Santubong Peninsula.
Your Nature guide will pick you up in the morning from your hotel, take you to Santubong Village, where you will board a boat and begin the cruise.
The cruise will pass along the mangrove forest, with its rich flora & fauna and depending on the timing & tide, normally mud skippers, crabs, reptiles, monkeys and other wildlife’s can be seen quite easily.
Near the mouth of Santubong and Salak River, the Irrawaddy Dolphins can be spotted, always depending on the tides and weather.
Cruise along Kuching Wetland National Park, to look for Proboscis Monkey and other wildlife. Return to the jetty, transfer back to Damai.
Accommodation : Damai Beach Resort
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, check-out from Damai Beach Resort.
Meet with our driver at the hotel lobby for the transfer to Kuching airport for your scheduled flight to Kota Kinabalu.
Arrive at Kota Kinabalu Airport. Meet our driver/guide at the arrival hall, and transfer to hotel.
Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Malaysia’s Sabah state in the northern region of the island of Borneo. Often referred to as KK, it’s a coastal city partly surrounded by rainforest. It’s known for its bustling markets, beaches and waterfront. It is also a gateway to Kinabalu National Park, home of the 4,095m-highest peak in Malaysia Mount Kinabalu and the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park.
Accommodation : Hotel Shangri-La
Meals included : Breakfast
Enjoy a day trip to UNESCO World Heritage site Kinabalu Park, with a visit to Educational Centre and Montane Garden, and the sight of the spectacular Borneo’s ancient rainforest, from the canopy walk.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning, and drive from Kota Kinabalu to 5,000 feet above sea level, at the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu. A short stop at the roadside stalls at Nabalu market to savour some exotic fruits before continuing on to Poring Hotspring for a nature walk up to Canopy Walk.
After a light lunch, depart towards Kinabalu Park Headquarters, the continue the adventure, exploring the Education Centre and Mountain Garden, a botanical paradise filled with some of the mountain’s unique flora! If weather permits, you can even take a guided walk on one of the trails – a refreshing trek in the pleasantly cool climate of the montane forest (temperatures at the park are usually around a refreshing 14°C – 25°C).
Afterwards, you’ll depart from Kinabalu Park at 3.30pm for the journey back to your hotel.
Accommodation : Hotel Shangri-La
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch
Enjoy a day of sun, sea, and sand on an offshore coral island.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and transfer to jetty for a short-ride boat to one of the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Park islands for a day of relaxation and explore jungle trails on your own.
You will snorkel in crystal clear water among coral reefs, and rainbow-colored fishes. A Packed of lunch will be provided.
In the afternoon, boat back to Jesselton Jetty, and continue with a transfer back to the hotel.
Accommodation : Hotel Shangri-La
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, meet our driver at the lobby, for transfer to Kota Kinabalu Airport for the scheduled flight to Sandakan.
At Sandakan Airport, meet our driver at the arrival hall, and continue your journey to Sepilok.
Arrive at the jungle, check-in and the rest of the day is free at leisure.
Famous for the Orang Utan Rehabilitation centre, established in 1964, Sepilok is located in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, a mixed dipterocarp forest, natural home to the Orang Utan. Sepilok, is one of the locations where the sight of the ape can be guaranteed daily, especially if assisting at one of the two feeding session (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). A wide range of jungle lodges are available in the area, from lodges suitable for family with large rooms, to hostel beds for people travelling on budget.
Accommodation : Sepilok Jungle Resort
Meals included : Breakfast
Meet our representative at the jungle lodge in the morning and proceed to the world-famous Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre situated in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. Upon arrival, a short briefing by your guide. Then watch a video documentary on the rehabilitation of orphaned Orang Utan before taking a boardwalk through the lowland rainforest to view the feeding platform.
After the visit at Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, depart on a two hours journey overland to Bilit Village, located along the Kinabatangan River. Upon arrival Bilit Village, cross the river by boat and check-in at Bilit Rainforest Lodge.
After the briefing, join a river cruise in search of endemic Proboscis Monkeys, different birds, and other wildlife along the river bank. Return to the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Bilit Rainforest Lodge.
Accommodation : Bilit Rainforest Lodge
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today, you have a choice to start your day with an early morning cruise or jungle hike at the Ox-Bow Lake for bird watching. After your morning exploration, enjoy your breakfast at Bilit Restaurant. Lunch at Bilit Rainforest Lodge Restaurant.
At 16:00, join the river cruise in search of more species of primates and wildlife along the Kinabatangan Riverbank. Overnight at Bilit Rainforest Lodge.
Accommodation : Bilit Rainforest Lodge
Meals included : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, check-out and depart from Bilit Rainforest Lodge. Journey overland back to Sandakan where you will be dropped off at Sandakan Airport or the Hotel.
Accommodation : –
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch