For any keen nature and animal enthusiast, a visit to the untamed rainforests in Sakau is an absolute travel must. This vast expanse of wild, lush terrains is located on the Malaysian side of Borneo, one of the largest islands in the world.
Amidst the towering trees and dense flora and fauna live a whole host of incredible creatures that call the Sakau rainforest home – including the curious, distinctive, yet endangered, orangutans. These majestic apes run free in the Sakau rainforest, but are also rehabilitated by an expert team at the Orangutan Conservation Centre.
Cruise.co.uk‘s Product Operations Manager Holly Giles got the chance to see these rehabilitation efforts and see the Sakau rainforest lodge for herself, as part of our Borneo Jungle & Paradise Islands Bucket List cruise package.
In this blog, she describes her experience visiting Sakau and seeing amazing creatures up close, and shares her top tips for those looking to visit themselves…
Well, where do I start? I had the chance to visit Sakau and experience what I can only describe as an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
My adventure started by spending one night in Sandakan, a Malaysian city near to Sakau forest. After my one-night stay, I was picked up at the hotel lobby and transferred to the Orangutan Conservation Centre at around 9am.
The conservation centre is absolutely amazing. Here, you can learn about the work they do in rehabilitating orangutans and actually get to see these animals in their natural environment. I even managed to see one up close! It was truly astounding seeing them swinging through the trees and relaxing in the sunshine – it’s a memory I will never forget.
The centre has its own viewing platform to see the orangutans, as well as its own maternity where you can see young orangutans learning the ropes from their mothers.
At around 10:30am, we sadly had to say goodbye to the Orangutans and go to the Sun Bear Sanctuary, where we got to see more elusive creatures! We only spent about an hour here before being transferred to our hotel for a delicious buffet-style lunch.
After lunch, we hopped on a small boat into the thick of the rainforest itself, travelling to our excellent Sakau Rainforest Lodge. En route to the lodge, we glided through quiet rivers and had the chance to see even more native wildlife.
When we arrived at the lodge, our luggage was swiftly picked up by onsite staff and taken to our overnight accommodations while we freshened up in preparation for our evening wildlife-spotting river cruise, one of several we would get to experience. On this voyage, we saw Macaque monkeys while the sun was slowly setting on the horizon – an unforgettable sight to see!
After heading to bed and waking up the next morning feeling refreshed, our group embarked on yet another river cruise at the crack of dawn to see more Macaques monkeys and even a small juvenile crocodile! We then returned to the lodge and enjoyed a lazy afternoon poolside, followed by an interesting talk on Orangutans.
At around 5pm, we embarked on a third river cruise, this time on the lookout for exotic birds including the hornbill. In the evening, as an optional extra, we decided to partake in a late-night river cruise completely in the pitch black!
It was really exhilarating as you didn’t know what was lurking in the darkness…
After that evening of excitement, we headed to bed. The next morning we headed out for our final river cruise at 6am. This river cruise was really special, as we saw Proboscis monkeys, even more Macaque monkeys, iguanas and a huge crocodile that was very much stalking our boat!
Our final afternoon at the lodge was spent eating, relaxing and walking around the lodge grounds for the very last time. We even got treated to a little talk on the local native trees and wildlife, which was very informative.
Overall, my whole experience at the lodge, Orangutan Conservation Centre and on numerous river cruises was just breathtaking. The guides are phenomenal, friendly and so knowledgeable, nothing was too much trouble for them! If you’re even considering going to Borneo, I would say just go! You won’t regret it.
If you have already booked your next cruise & stay holiday to Borneo, here are a few top tips to help you prepare and pack:
- Pack a raincoat and insect repellent with high DEET concentration
- Pack your essentials, such as money, coats, water etc, in a bag when you leave your hotel
- Take some local currency with you. Malaysia’s currency is called “Ringgit”
- Take a range of clothing suitable for all climates. It’s also best to pack long trousers, as these are crucial for the rainforest tours
- Check your vaccinations are up to date, in accordance with guidelines available on the FCO website
