Wildlife and culture holiday in Malaysia
| country: | Malaysia, Borneo |
| departures: | Available all year. This suggested itinerary can be modified entirely to your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used and how long you spend in each destination. |
| price: | From £2225 (15 days) including flights from the UK. This trip can also be booked without flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
On arrival you will spend a few days exploring the island of Penang, affectionately known as the Pearl of the Orient. From your base in Georgetown, you will visit the Penang National Park, here you will enjoy a waterborne tour of the mangrove forest fringing much of the island's coastline, affording you the chance to witness sea eagles in their natural habitat. Your tour of the national park concludes with a visit to a rare meromictic lake and a short trek through the dipterocarp forest.
After a day spent exploring the vibrant, multicultural capital, Georgetown, you will fly to Kuching the capital of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Join your private guide for a walking tour of the city, wander through the spice laden markets and streets lined with traditional shophouses.
Venture out to Bako, Sarawak's oldest national park and only accessible by boat. Bako National Park affords you one of the best chances within Sarawak of seeing wild proboscis monkeys and rare hornbills.
Your tour of Sarawak includes the opportunity to spend a night with an Iban community on the banks of the Lemanak River. You will be welcomed into the longhouse in a traditional way with music, dancing and free-flowing tuak (rice wine).
End your visit to Sarawak with a stay in the remote and picturesque Mulu National Park. Visit the awe-inspiring caves which the park is famous for and witness the amazing sight of millions of bats exiting Deer Cave into the dusk.
Spend the final few days of your trip in the cosmopolitan capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Enjoy a day trip to the Elephant Sanctuary in Kuala Gandah where rescued and rehabilitated working elephants assist with the relocation of wild elephants.
Your final day in Kuala Lumpur includes a city tour before returning to London on an evening flight.
Please note: The first and final nights are spent on board the aircraft.
It is worth noting that prices do increase during school holidays and availability can be limited in July/August and over Christmas.
After a day spent exploring the vibrant, multicultural capital, Georgetown, you will fly to Kuching the capital of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Join your private guide for a walking tour of the city, wander through the spice laden markets and streets lined with traditional shophouses.
Venture out to Bako, Sarawak's oldest national park and only accessible by boat. Bako National Park affords you one of the best chances within Sarawak of seeing wild proboscis monkeys and rare hornbills.
Your tour of Sarawak includes the opportunity to spend a night with an Iban community on the banks of the Lemanak River. You will be welcomed into the longhouse in a traditional way with music, dancing and free-flowing tuak (rice wine).
End your visit to Sarawak with a stay in the remote and picturesque Mulu National Park. Visit the awe-inspiring caves which the park is famous for and witness the amazing sight of millions of bats exiting Deer Cave into the dusk.
Spend the final few days of your trip in the cosmopolitan capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Enjoy a day trip to the Elephant Sanctuary in Kuala Gandah where rescued and rehabilitated working elephants assist with the relocation of wild elephants.
Your final day in Kuala Lumpur includes a city tour before returning to London on an evening flight.
Please note: The first and final nights are spent on board the aircraft.
best time to go
It is possible to visit Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia year round but the best time to go to Borneo is during the "dry" season (although it still rains in the rainforest) which is March/April – October. The seasonal differences are less dramatatic than they are in other parts of Southeast Asia and downpours tend to be short and refreshing. It is worth noting that prices do increase during school holidays and availability can be limited in July/August and over Christmas.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Kuala Lumpur. Depart London today and fly to Kuala Lumpur. Overnight on the aircraft. |
| Day 2: | Arrive at Penang. You will arrive into Kuala Lumpur in plenty of time to connect with your onward flight to Penang. On arrival in Penang you will be met and transferred to your hotel. You have the rest of the day at leisure to relax and acclimatise. Overnight at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. |
| Day 3: | Penang National Park. Today you will be driven to the wildlife rich mangrove forest which fringes Penang's north-eastern shores. You will be taken through the waterways of the mangrove and then out into the open sea to Penang National Park. Once at the park you will do a short trek through the dipterocarp forest before returning to your hotel. Overnight at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. |
| Day 4: | Explore Georgetown. This morning you will enjoy a city tour taking in many of the sights and sounds of Georgetown. The characterful colonial capital of Penang is a fabulous place to spend time particularly the Little India and Chinatown districts in the afternoon. You will be collected in plenty of time for your evening flight to Kuching. On arrival in Kuching you will be met and transferred to your waterfront hotel. Overnight at Kuching Hilton. |
| Day 5: | Kuching. Spend the morning exploring the fascinating city of Kuching on foot with your guide and learn about the history and culture of the area. A visit to the Sarawak Museum will provide you with a great insight into the tribal culture and wildlife of Borneo. Overnight at Kuching Hilton. |
| Day 6: | Bako National Park. Today you will head to Bako National Park with your guide and spend the day in search of wildlife. The oldest national park in Sarawak, Bako combines both dipterocarp rainforest and coastal mangrove forest. You can explore a number of nature trails in search of troupes of proboscis monkeys (indigenous to Borneo), leaf monkeys and a variety of other wildlife. Overnight at Kuching Hilton. |
| Day 7: | Arrive Batang Ai. In the morning you will be collected from your hotel and leave Kuching for the jungle and rivers of Batang Ai. En route you will stop at the rehabilitation centre of Semenggok. Here you have the opportunity of seeing a number of orang-utans undergoing the rehabilitation process for relocation back into the wild. On arrival in the Batang Ai area you be taken up the Lemanak River in a longboat to an Iban longhouse where you will overnight with the tribal community. |
| Day 8: | Explore Batang Ai. Waking up to the sounds of the jungle your guide will make you a hearty breakfast before you set out on a short nature walk. This is a great chance to learn about the local flora and fauna. You then enjoy a barbecue lunch on the banks of the river before continuing onto the Batang Ai Hilton. You have the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at Batang Ai Hilton. |
| Day 9: | Free afternoon in Kuching. Departing Batang Ai this morning you will return to Kuching where you have the afternoon at leisure. A walk along the waterfront is a great way to absorb the atmosphere of the city. Overnight at Kuching Hilton. |
| Day 10: | Mulu National Park. This morning you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Miri and onto Mulu National Park. In the afternoon you will stroll through the rainforest and explore Lang's and Deer Caves. You will also have the opportunity to witness the amazing spectacle of hundreds of thousands of bats exiting Deer Cave at dusk. Overnight at Royal Mulu Resort. |
| Day 11: | Wind caves. Today you will explore Clearwater and Wind Caves and be awed by the amazing stalagmite and stalactite formations. You will have the afternoon at leisure to enjoy the pool or sun loungers by the river back at the resort. Overnight at Royal Mulu Resort. |
| Day 12: | Arrive Kuala Lumpur. Enjoy a leisurely morning at the Royal Mulu Resort before flying to Miri, here you will connect with your onward flight to Kuala Lumpur. On arrival in Kuala Lumpur you will be collected and transferred to your city centre hotel. Overnight at Renaissance Hotel. |
| Day 13: | Elephant sanctuary. Today you will visit the inspiring Elephant Sanctuary at Kuala Gandah. Spend time learning about these magnificent creatures and if you wish to you have the opportunity to ride a rehabilitated elephant. Overnight at Renaissance Hotel. |
| Day 14: | Explore Kuala Lumpur. Explore the vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur this morning with your guide. The afternoon is free for you to wander around the sights and shops at your leisure. Depart Kuala Lumpur this evening for your overnight flight to London. |
| Day 15: | Arrive Heathrow. Arrive into Heathrow airport early in the morning. |
tailor made holidays
This trip can be tailormade to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more individual trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments, with the flexibility to plan a trip at your own pace. Quality and value are the hallmark of these trips, with most services being provided on a private basis.how this holiday makes a difference
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Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang has been faithfully restored to its former glory. It has a responsible attitude towards the environment and has limited facilities as a result. You are encouraged to sample the fabulous local food at nearby restaurants as the mansion is only equipped to provide guests with breakfast.
Penang National Park has a strong environmental awareness and is among Malaysia's least visited national parks. It provides research and learning opportunities for scientists, conservation students, local people and visitors to the region. The mangrove tour introduces you to a thriving ecosystem where local communities are encouraged to take a responsible and sustainable attitude towards their environment. Your visit provides employment for local people as well as introducing you local conservation concerns and practices. Bako National Park is a small, coastal, mangrove forest well known for its conservation and education work and is one of the best places in the state to see proboscis and other rare monkeys as well as an array of colourful birdlife. The longhouse that you will stay at near Batang Ai used to house over sixty families, unfortunately a fire altered their lives forever. The community had to split into three groups as a result they receive very little support from the authorities. The community relies on tourism as a way of maintaining their age-old customs and traditions. Visitors to the longhouse provide employment opportunities for a significant number of the community and the chance to share their cultural history and delicious food. Just visiting one of Sarawak's Iban communities positively contributes to their economy and enables these diverse and vibrant people to continue their traditional way of life. Each family will line up to show you the handicrafts that they had made, and the purchase a few items allows these expressions of tribal identity to survive indefinitely. Semenggok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre is run by the Forestry Commission and provides a safe-haven for orphaned orang-utans as well as those illegally kept in captivity. The primary focus of the centre is to educate visitors and local people about the plight of wild orang-utans. You will spend a night at the Batang Ai Hilton, despite being just one hotel in an international chain, it has a refreshing approach to the environment and local culture. The resort provides employment for a large number of local people who may otherwise have left their communities as soon as they completed their education and moved to the city. The Elephant Sanctuary at Kuala Gandah is home to the Elephant Relocation Team responsible for relocating wild elephants from areas where their habitat has been encroached by human activity to other suitable habitats. The centre houses a small number of former working elephants, who are retrained to assist in the relocation programme. A visit to the centre is not only educational but your entrance fee is used to continually improve the facilities for research and development. Our guides are all employed locally and have a passion for their homeland and a desire to share their cultural heritage with visitors. Using local guides provides employment opportunities. |
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