Five of the best Borneo river trips to see its nature and wildlife up close – from rainforest cruises to tribal adventures
The lush rainforests of Borneo hide a startling array of flora and fauna, as well as tribes who live life by the island’s waterways. Tamara Thiessen reports on the best river adventures available and what you’ll see along the way
The best way of experiencing the rainforests of Borneo, an island in Southeast Asia two-and-a-half times the size of the British Isles, and of getting close to nature there is to jump on a boat.
Don’t expect fancy cruises; instead revel in the astounding flora and fauna and fascinating ethnic cultures. Here are five tried-and-tested river journeys – all different – that take you deep into the island’s wild heart.
1. Batang Ai, Sarawak
The island of Borneo is divided between three countries: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. This tour takes you down the Batang Ai river deep in the forests of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It also takes in the Red Ape Trail, a multi-day trek in Sri Aman Division, a remote area in central Borneo bordering West Kalimantan on the Indonesia portion of the island.
Together with the neighbouring island of Sumatra, Borneo is also the only place where orangutans survive. The chances of sighting one of the shaggy-haired red apes in the wild, though, are becoming increasingly slim. Orangutans are disappearing due to deforestation, palm oil plantations and poaching. The guides estimate some 70,000 to 80,000 currently survive.
Recent findings by UK researchers suggests as many as 100,000 orangutans – considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature – died between 1999 and 2015.
