Borneo and Malaysia small group holiday
Optional single supplement from £550 - £600.
Minimum age 16.
Late availability on these dates: 28 Sep, 05 Oct, 02 Nov, 09 Nov, 07 Dec
Description of Borneo and Malaysia small group holiday
This Borneo and Malaysia small group holiday takes in both the main Malay Peninsula and also the Malaysian part of Borneo. We start, however, on Borneo, landing in Sandakan, but transferring immediately to Sepilok, the largest wildlife sanctuary of its kind in the world, thanks to its rescuing of injured or orphaned orangutans and then preparing them for life in the wild again. They do extraordinary work here, and along with the Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Centre, with its canopy walkway, its a wonderful introduction to wildlife and the jungles of Borneo.
From the sanctuary we move more deeply into the jungles, taking a cruise down the River Kinabatangan, home to pygmy elephants, primates and wonderful birdlife. Our last couple of days on Borneo are spent exploring some of its cultural heritage too, visiting the Sabah Tea Plantation at the foot of SE Asias highest mountain, Mt. Kinabalu, where we stay in a traditional Sabah longhouse.
The second half of our holiday is spent on the Malay Peninsula, flying into Kuala Lumpur, where we spend a couple of days later in the week taking a guided tour of all its wonderful sites. But first we transfer to Malacca, a former fishing village that is now a bustling multi-cultural city, but with fascinating colonial history and architecture, particularly in its UNESCO old centre.
We then take a train to another city of George Town, the capital of Penang region which is actually on an island. This is the artistic hub of Malaysia, but with a fusion of fine food, beach life, cultural festivals and art galleries, making it a wonderful place to spend time. And a very different world from the part of Malaysia where you started your trip. More island life and beach bliss awaits on Langkawi where we spend a couple of days enjoying its rainforest-covered mountains and Andaman seaside life.
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Price information
Optional single supplement from £550 - £600.
Minimum age 16.
Check dates, prices & availability
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Holiday information
Reviews
3 Reviews of Borneo and Malaysia small group holiday
Reviewed on 29 Jun 2024 by Steve Rochford
I really enjoyed it. Seeing orangutans in Sepilok and seeing a wide variety of birds and animals on the river Kinabatangan. Read full reviewReviewed on 19 Feb 2023 by Helga Brown
A holiday in 2 parts, wildlife and cities. Our Malaysian guides were excellent and tour leaders were paramount in making our holiday enjoyable. Read full reviewReviewed on 01 Mar 2018 by John Roy Dewell
Seeing the orang-utans, especially in wild when taking the morning river cruise. Second best was the foodie tour of Kual Lumpur. Really enjoyable. Well organised. Excellent guides from Exodus, plus they selected really good local tours for us. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
Wildlife:A portion of this trip is dedicated to observing the abundance of diverse wildlife in Borneo. Our care for the natural environment and indigenous species in the area extends even beyond careful briefing, meticulous waste disposal and payment of National Park fees which help to protect the wildlife. This particular trip directly supports the Sepilok Orang-utan Sanctuary which rehabilitates injured, orphaned and captured Orang-utans into the wild. At 43 square kilometers, Sepilok is the largest sanctuary of its kind in the world and so this is a great place to find out more about these loveable monkeys and to make a donation or buy souvenirs.
Food & Drink:
Malaysian cuisine is quite varied with influences from India, China and Malaya. We visit local markets and go on a food tour of Kuala Lumpur. Our passengers are also encouraged to try the many varied local dishes available along the way. Places where we eat will be sourcing their produce locally. A number of accommodations we use provide drinking water which can be used instead of having to purchase plastic bottles of water.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
People
Community:We use locally owned hotels, restaurants and employ local guides and operators. This keeps our tourist money in the host countries by providing income for people in the area. Often there is the chance for clients to enjoy and participate in cultural entertainment such as traditional dancing and music. We are keen to emphasise that interaction with indigenous groups should not be a one-way street and so our guides will teach some Bahasa Malay so those travelling can interact with local people.
A Fair Deal:
We work closely with our local operator and ensure that all of our guides are local and that in exchange for their expertise that they are paid and treated fairly. Our leaders and guides have been trained in responsible travel and actively encourage our suppliers, drivers, and other members of our team to respect the environment, protect the culture and support the local economy. They have also completed Child Safe training which enables them to take positive action should they encounter children at risk as well as educating clients re child protection within tourism.
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