Borneo’s eco attractions, along with the direct flights from Auckland to Brunei are drawing Kiwis to the destination.

Active Asia product manager Paula Watson said interest in Borneo is picking up. She said the wholesaler has seen a big increase in enquiry and sales for Borneo over the last two years, particularly for the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island.

And the wholesaler has released a stand-alone brochure this year for Borneo in response to the interest.

The country of Brunei, located on the island, is proving to be more popular with Kiwi travellers too.

The tourism board said the New Zealand market has increased in arrivals and is expected to increase again this year with direct flights from Auckland to Brunei.

The key attractions of Borneo are the Orangutans, the turtles and diving.

“It’s adventure, eco-style touring,” Watson said.

“There’s flora, fauna, plenty to see for bird watchers and great stays in lodges.”

Visitors can view animals in sanctuaries – at Turtle Island where clients can see turtle eggs hatching or many of Orangutan rehabilitation centres – such as the Sepilok Orangutan sanctuary.

For clients wanting a marine experience, there is the ‘scuba’ village of Kapalai, located 15 minutes from Sipadan in Sabah, one of the world’s renowned dive sites. 

And Active Asia has the Sabah Wildlife tour, a seven-day round trip from Kota Kinabalu into Northern Borneo where clients see the Orangutans, turtles, caves and hot springs.

Travellers can also extend this, Watson said, adding a couple of days’ at the Shangri-La where they can spend some time relaxing at the beach or go to Sipadan Island for diving.

The wholesaler has been selling quite a lot of groups to the destination, such as school groups, Watson said.

“And the tourism board is trying to push that – it’s well set up for that sort of touring,” she said. 

Other groups heading there are special interest groups and clubs, such as those interested in bird watching or photography.

Watson said a larger number of clients know what they want out of a trip to Borneo and more people are now aware of what’s on offer in the destination.

“And there are good, world-class hotels and resorts there too,” she said.

In Borneo, the Shangri-La has its own Orangutan sanctuary with a canopy walk just for guests.

Le Meridien is located in Kota Kinabalu and over in Sarawak is the Four Points Sheraton and the Hilton.  

Watson’s top tips for clients travelling to Borneo are to take good walking shoes, insect repellent and sunscreen – all necessities in the jungle.

Also, if anyone wants to climb Sabah’s Mt Kinabalu they need to be fit.

“It’s an overnight trip, with an early morning start making it to see the sunrise – and there are some very steep parts.”

Watson said clients travelling to Sabah can choose to stop through either Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for some shopping, or go through Brunei which is an easy option as it’s only a 40-minute flight from Brunei into Kota Kinabalu.

Sarawak

Sarawak, also on the island of Borneo, is also a good destination for Kiwis after an eco-adventure. It has resorts such as the Permai Rainforest Resort (www.permairainforest.com), an eco-resort for nature lovers and the Borneo Highlands Resort (www.borneohighlands.com.my), an environmentally-friendly retreat with a top golf course.

For tourists keen on wildlife, they can consider the Turtle Volunteering programme on Sarawak’s Talang Talang Island (www.sarawakforestry.com) or Bako National Park is home to the Proboscis monkeys, pitcher plants, jungle streams, waterfalls, secluded beaches and trekking trails (www.forestry.sarawak.gov.my).

Borneo and beyond

The island of Borneo, the third largest in the world by area, is divided among Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah (East Malaysia) are in the north and the sovereign state of Brunei is located on the northern coast.

The key tourism destinations on Borneo are Sabah and Sarawak, as well as Brunei.

The access point for most tours in Borneo is Kuching in the south or Kota Kinabalu in the north.

Clients can easily access the region with direct flights into Brunei with Royal Brunei, or direct flights into Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines.

Pictured (top): Macaque monkey

and (bottom): Brunei's jungle

Images courtesy of Brunei Tourism