There are two things I remember about the very long bus ride from Sepilok to the lodge on the bank of the Kinabatangan River.
The first is this: A few days earlier Don had fallen on a hike in Bako National Park and had a wound on his arm that we’d finally gotten properly cleaned and dressed by a doctor in Sandakan. Two days later, on the bus to Kinabatangan, more or less at the beginning of what is to be a very long day, Don quietly tells me that the bandage on his arm stinks. I smell it. It smells like dead meat. I have visions of gangrene. Don has thoughts of sepsis. It feels urgent. We don’t dare unwrap it and have a look because this time we don’t have the first aid kit with us to replace the dressing. We quietly freak out, but sitting there on the bus there is absolutely nothing we can do; after a while we both let it go.
The second thing I remember is miles and miles and miles of palm plantations. The palm oil industry. It has stripped most of Borneo, and many other parts of the world, of its natural tropical forest. I’ve heard about this, but this is my first time seeing it. For three hours just about all we see is palm plantations. It makes me sad.
Despite the palm plantations Borneo still has a deep sense of mystery about it. It feels like a secret, and has long been a place of fascination for explorers with its soaring mountains, waterways, and dense forests. We only have a few days in Borneo, and every one of them feels enchanted.
The Kinabatangan River, the second longest in Malaysia, rises in the mountains to the east where it begins its 563 kilometre (350-mile) journey to the sea. For the most part flowing through a broad, heavily forested plain,
it culminates in a wide delta at the Sulu Sea, and we are on our way to cruise along the river. The original lowland forests have survived and they have some of Borneo’s highest concentrations of wildlife.
After about three hours we arrive at a remote jungle lodge on the banks of the river. There is accommodation, and communal bathrooms, and a large dining area. Some people stay for two or three nights. It reminds me a lot of the jungle lodge in the Amazon, all weathered wood, with half open walls and fans whirring in the rafters overhead. In the dining room we are served tea and coffee and a snack (home-made donuts I think it was. I don’t quite remember, but I do remember having several because they are so good). Wild monkeys stalk along the rafters, hoping to get a quick snack. The staff shoo them off with a stick but they are smart and wily. If you don’t guard your plate well enough you’ll lose your food in a flash. There are dozens of them around the lodge – pig-tailed macaques and long-tailed macaques, clever troops that know how to get a quick meal if you let your guard down.
Soon it is time. We all buckle up our life vests and pile into the boats. For a long time we simply travel down the river. There is nothing but dense jungle on either side
and then suddenly a white egret.
We keep on going. I’m beginning to wonder if we’ll see anything because we’re going quite fast down the centre of the river when suddenly a boat comes towards us. The guide in the boat puts his wide-open hands against his ears and flaps them back and forth. It is a clear signal. There’s an ellie ahead! Yes!
The Borneo Pygmy elephant can grow to be about 2.5 metres (8ft) tall. The Asian elephant can reach a height of 3 metres (9.8ft), and the giant of them all, the African elephant, can grow as tall as 4 metres (13ft). Although smaller than their Asian and African relatives they still hoover up over 90 kg (200lbs) of vegetation – every day! At first sight they look much like other elephants but relatively their ears are bigger and they have long tails that almost reach the ground. They are found only on the island of Borneo, and there are about 1500 to 2000 of them left, the biggest threat being habitat destruction . . . . .
On we travel down the river until at last we come to another boat stopped by the shore and pull in next to it. And there it is: a Borneo Pygmy elephant wallowing in the mud at the side of the river.
I sink so deeply into presence that I cease to exist. All that exists is this lucky luminous moment: the ellie heaving itself slowly up out of the sucking mud,
the low golden light, the lush green grasses and forest. There’s a glowing aliveness to it all that takes my breath away. Time folds in on itself and disappears, until at last the elephant is fully upright, and without a backward glance and with mud still clinging to its back, it ambles off into the jungle.
And then it is over, but I am elated by this rare sighting. I could just about shriek with joy and feel that if we see nothing else the trip has been worth it.
We see plenty more. Our guide turns the boat around and heads back to the lodge but this time slowly slowly slowly, looking from side to side. On the ground and in the trees by the bank are troops of monkeys, dozens of then, feeding, grooming, playing. We see both long-tailed macaques,
and pig-tailed macaques
of all ages and sizes from the tiniest babies to big alpha males.
Borneo has 10% of the world’s species of primates, including of course orangutans. We don’t see any orangutans on this trip, but we see plenty of macaques. They are the Asian equivalent of Africa’s baboons and seem to be able to survive anything. We saw them everywhere we went in India from Tamil Nadu in the south to Uttarakhand in the north. They are one of the world’s most successful species of urban wildlife, able to live comfortably around people. Often it’s not so comfortable for the people; we were always wary of them in India with good reason. But here in the Bornean jungle, watching them in their natural habitat, I feel as if I’m really seeing wild macaques for the first time.
We pass by an Asian Water Monitor clinging to a tree,
and we also see Proboscis Monkeys. Dozens of them. They are native to Borneo and unique in several ways, the most obvious being their comical nose. Apparently the bigger your nose the more the girls will fall for you. The males produce a loud honking sound; that would be something to hear! No one really knows why they have such big bulbous noses though scientists posit that it creates an echo chamber that amplifies their call thus impressing females and intimidating other males. It seems as good a theory as any and apart from this there doesn’t seem to be any reason for them. Proboscis Monkeys are highly arboreal, rarely coming down to the ground, and indeed high in the trees is where we see them.
They have huge pot bellies that are basically large fermentation vats that break down sugars and detoxify poisonous leaves so they can survive on a low quality diet. They’re endangered due to the usual habitat loss and humans hunting them for food and Chinese Medicine ingredients. There are estimated to be about 7000 of them in the wild.
Moving slowly along the river we see several troops of them, each troop being a harem with one male and several females and their young. They travel throughout the forest swinging wildly from tree to tree, and at the end of the day they roost for the night high in their arboreal sanctuary.
Headed back now we pass by another camp, the river reflecting the golden radiance of late afternoon
and as the light fades and we travel the final few hundred metres to the lodge. A huge lavish meal awaits us. We pile our plates high, head to a table out on the veranda, and eat as the sun sets casting a soft glowing light over all.
Weary and full in so many ways we climb into the bus for the long drive back to Sepilok. Of course the first thing we do on arrival back at the resort is to take the stinky bandage off Don’s arm to discover with a huge sigh of relief that it is only the bandage that needs washing. His wound is fine and healing well. We put on a new clean dressing and fall into bed, exhausted and deeply content. Borneo you’ve done it again!
All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2020.
The elephant!
How amazing is that.
I know for sure you travel Alison, and I know you see and feel what you see.
Which is wonderful.
I know this because I feel and see, just a bit, this way too.
You are really talented person.
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Oh thank you so much Cindy. I’m so glad I could convey what it was like. I think one of the most special things for me ever is seeing wildlife in their natural habitat. Somehow I’m transported by it every time. Right in Vancouver there is a huge beaver lodge in a pond in one of the big parks and just last week we were there in the evening and saw both adults and 3 babies all in the pond playing and feeding and grooming and it was so magical – just like seeing the ellie. I’m glad you could see the ellie through my eyes.
Alison
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Splendid! Compare this with monocolture… how much are we losing?
BTW, and to lower the level of this post, is it true that proboscis monkeys, well, vent “air” a lot?
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Thanks so much Fabrizio. Sadly we are losing a lot 😦
I have heard that about the proboscis monkeys, yes. It is true 🙂
Alison
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Ooooh they are my spirit animals!!! Long nosed and flatulent!
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ROFL!
Aaaaaaand the males have a permanent sweaty erection – not joking! Just thought I should share that tidbit with you too 🙂
A.
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I think we human males evolved straight from these guys.
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ROFL again!
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Amazing experience. 😊🌹💕
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Oh it really was. I’m so glad we went.
Alison
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Glad to know. Take care. 🙂
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Breathtaking photos, Alison. What an experience all round. So glad Don was on the mend though it must have been pretty worrying at the time.
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Thank you so much Tish. It was a pretty special day. Well any day I get to see wildlife in the wild rates as special for me 🙂
We were worried about Don’s arm. It was definitely scary, but we just put it out of mind because there was nothing we could do about it – so far out of mind that we didn’t even think to ask at the lodge if they had a first aid kit which I’m sure they would have had.
It was a great relief at the end of the day to discover that he was ok.
Alison
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what a wonderful adventure
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Thanks Beth, yes, really wonderful. So glad we went.
Alison
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ah beautiful! thank you for bringing back my memories of spending a few days on the Kinibatangan River, and the lovely ellies that we saw 🙂
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Thanks Danila, glad I brought back some good memories for you, and jealous of you spending a few days there 🙂 I’d love to do that but we were short of time and then Covid landed on us and we had to scurry home 😦
Alison
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Alison – even though I know you are safe now, I worried about Don the entire time I read your lovely story and looked at the beautiful photos. I’m so glad it all turned out well – take care – Susan
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Thanks so much Susan. Although it did really scare us when we initially discovered the stinky bandage all was well in the end, and I’m so glad we were able to let go of worrying enough to enjoy the day. I think it comes from so much travelling – there are times you just have to let go and hand it over. I’m still amazed that we didn’t think to ask for help at the lodge!
Alison
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That is so awesome you got to travel by water and the animals are awesome!
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It was really a special day. I’m so glad we did it.
Alison
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Yeah. Here’s to more adventures post-pandemic!
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Serious monkey business, Alison. And the elephant was a treat. So glad to hear the happy ending to Don’s wound. That was a bit scary. –Curt
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Thanks Curt – yes, definitely scary. It wasn’t even a very big wound, but when something gets stinky it’s never a good sign.
Nothing quite as wonderful as seeing wild animals in the wild!
Alison
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“Nothing quite as wonderful as seeing wild animals in the wild!” In total agreement on that, Alison. There is a rabbit out munching grass beside our RV right now and event that gets me excited. 🙂
Not good to mess with smelly wounds! –Curt
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I can imagine your excitement when you saw that Borneo pygmy elephant — I remember how excited I was when I saw my first wild elephant in Sri Lanka eight years ago. As for the macaques, I have mixed feelings about them, knowing how aggressive they can be based on my observation in some places where tourists feed them. But seeing them in the wild is different, I guess. And proboscis monkeys… I’ve always wanted to see them!
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There’s nothing quite like seeing wildlife in the wild! I’ve seen ellies in India, Bali, Laos, and heck, even in the zoo in Melbourne when I was a child, but this was my first encounter in the wild. So exciting! I too have mixed feelings about the macaques. They can be quite dangerous, but seeing them truly in their natural habitat was a whole other experience. And seeing the proboscis monkeys was definitely special. So many of them!
Alison
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I couldn’t concentrate on your post because i was so worried about Don all the way through it! Now I’m going back to read at leisure!
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Oh sorry! I hope you enjoyed the post the second time around. The smelly bandage was such a freak out for us, and we’d never experienced anything like it before. But we let it go because there was nothing we could do about it short of stopping the bus and trying to find our own way back to the doctor in Sandakan and then get to Sepilok to our hotel – and miss out on this day! That was not going to happen. I don’t know why we didn’t think to ask at the lodge – SMH.
Alison
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Alison, This post is a thrill to read and view your marvelous images. (after I worried about Don’s arm.. I should’ve skipped to the end first like your reader above…)
What a fantastic experience to see these unusual animals. The Borneo Pygmy Elephant was an amazing sighting and your primate images are stellar. Thanks for taking me there! 🙂
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Thank you so much Jane. Don’s arm – it’s such a good travel story I had to share it – and yeah, we were genuinely worried about it, but I’m so glad we continued with the day. It really was magic even though we had such a short time there. Thanks for coming along!
Alison
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Wow that sounds like quite an adventure. I really like the monkeys with the big noses and the pot bellies. Sounds like a perfect character for a romantic comedy movie. 🤣 Great post and I had hoped to get to Borneo!
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Thanks so much Heather. Those proboscis monkeys really are something else – the noses, the pot bellies, more or less continuous farting, and a permanent sweaty erection – they get better and better as the male lead LOL 🙂 Not!
I hope you get to Borneo one day – it’s really magical.
Alison
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Borneo is the one part of Malaysia we have not yet explore but is high on our wish list. I think the Proboscis Monkeys are my favourite type- I prefer my monkeys high in the trees.
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I know what you mean about liking monkeys that are high up in the trees. We had to contend with macaques all through India, and Bali. They can be a bit of a menace. I hope you get to Borneo – it really is special.
Alison
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I just loved reading this! Thank you for taking me back to a place I have been twice before. Seeing the elephants (twice) on the Kinabatangan River is one of the highlights of my travels! Those pygmy elephants… they really aren’t so small and are such a treat to observe. Your words and photos transported me right there!
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Thanks so much Alison. I’m so glad it brought back some good memories for you. It must have been wonderful to see ellies twice! I wish we could have had more time there. Our whole time on Borneo was really magical, and you’re right – those elephants are not so small!
Alison
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Those moments of pure presence are gifts from Heaven. Like a return to the Garden of Eden. And you really were in a magnificent garden. Borneo seems like Papua New Guinea (I visited there in 1995) but without the intense social unrest. Hope you both are well!
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In those moments of pure presence I feel as if everything is love, and everything is benign. Magical moments indeed. The Borneo we saw was a quite magnificent garden, and I’d love to see more of it someday. There are still a few places that have never been touched at all so the jungle and wildlife are as they have always been.
I’ve never been to New Guinea though my sister lived there for a few years. I’d love to go. One day . . . .
Alison
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I visited the Kinabatangan River last year and your post brought back lots of very happy memories. I wasn’t lucky enough to see a pygmy elephant on my trip, so I really enjoyed seeing your photos (it was much bigger than I thought it would be!). Thanks for sharing and bringing a smile to my face 🙂
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Thanks so much LOW, my pleasure. I’m glad my post brought back some good memories for you. Too bad you didn’t see an ellie 😦 I know we were incredibly lucky to see one.
Alison
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Another on the list of places I now wonder if I will ever visit … well, at least, I have seen it through your talented and thoughtful eyes and mind! Thanks for the quick immersion in exotic nature for this city gal stuck far away from such sights.
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Thanks you so much Lexie. I’m glad you enjoyed a little escape from the city. Borneo is magic. I hope you get there one day.
Alison
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Fascinating experience! I had no idea there were elephants on Borneo. And I really loved all your photos of the wildlife.
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Thanks so much Wendy. I’d heard of pygmy elephants, but had no idea that they come from, and are native to Borneo. It was so amazing to see one. And all the different monkeys. Borneo was a really special time.
Alison
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Alison, what a wonderful read and to have that experience must have been truly amazing. How awful you had to endure the idea of Don having sepsis but so pleased to hear it was just the bandage smelling. I love the photos and especially the pig-faced macaque – his eyes speak to you, don’t they? I wonder what he was thinking about? and those pigmy elephants, what a joy to have spotted them. This sounds like the trip of a lifetime and one I would love to do.
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Thanks so much Angie. It was definitely a really amazing experience, and I’m so glad we went there.
I too love that pic of the pig-tailed macaque – lucky to get a shot of it looking right at the camera. Such a depth of presence in those eyes.
I only realized as I wrote this post – months later – that we could have asked for first aid help at the lodge! We didn’t even think of it, and I bet they would have had at least a basic first aid kit there. Anyway in the end all was well.
Seeing the ellie was pure magic! I hope you get there one day!
Alison
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A Borneo Pygmy elephant…I had no idea that elephants exist on Borneo. So cool to see this! I don’t think I’ll ever tire of seeing Proboscis monkey photos. What a unique looking creature and I love how large noses appear to attract females. Mike has rather a large nose, which I’m quite fond of.
I’m so glad that Don’s wound healed and it was just the stinky bandage.
Thanks for my stimulating my exotic travel daydreams!
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Thanks Caroline, my pleasure 🙂
It was such a full rich day – Don’s wound, the great food at the lodge, the macaques and proboscis monkeys, and of course the ellie! It was a really good day trip. I knew about pygmy elephants but didn’t know at all that they are native to Borneo. So lucky to see one.
Alison
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The egret, reflection in the water, boat ride and sunset photos are simply stunning. I could not help chuckling at the monkeys’ noses. I bet they get more oxygen that other monkey species, I can only hope otherwise that would be a waster organ. 🙂 Thanks for taking me outdoors.
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Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. It was such a wonderful day for us. I don’t know if the monkeys get more oxygen, but they sure can holler louder!
Alison
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Reading of these experiences and seeing your pictures is so delightful. Photos of these beautiful places took me directly to there. It sounds so tempting: “we arrive at a remote jungle lodge on the banks of the river”. I am impressed!
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Thank you so much Bill. I’m glad you enjoyed it. It was such a special day. We’d love to come back to Malaysia one day. Our trip was cut short by the pandemic and I feel there’s so much more to explore.
Alison
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What a treat, Alison, with that moving elephant sighting and the relief of not having a medical emergency brewing. Your writing is always so engaging, and the photos tell the story just as well but together, it’s great. I kind of love that Water monitor in the tree! 😉
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Thank you so much Lynn. It’s a process weaving the photos into the narrative, but I enjoy creating something whole out of it. Or at least attempting to. The ellie was a truly special moment; it’s so rare to see them. And yes, a huge relief to discover Don’s arm was just fine.
Alison
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Wow, so much wildlife! The elephant is beautiful. I was really worried for Don’s arm but also happy that you just said f*ck it and kept going! Being fearless often results in the greatest rewards, like this day in Borneo. ♥
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I’m so glad we just kept on going too! As you say, being fearless, or at least not letting fear stop you can bring the best rewards. It was an amazing day. Long, but so worth it.
Alison
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What an amazing trip, one you will never forget. Especially the elephant. xo
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It really was a fabulous day. And yes, one I’m sure we’ll never forget. That ellie moment was pure magic! xo
Alison
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Ooo we visited the same place last year, I think. Our photos are nothing compared to yours though. Haha!
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Isn’t it an amazing place! We loved it. Thanks re the photos 🙂
Alison
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We absolutely loved our visit to Borneo. Did not see an elephant; for me, the highlight was a night tour in a park with hundreds (thousands) of rare frogs. Magic!
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We only had about a week in Borneo and it was all magic. I wish we could have had more time there but our trip was cut short by the pandemic. The night tour seeing the frogs sounds amazing!
Alison
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Great 👍
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Thank you. It’s a really fabulous place.
Alison
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Wow! If the light is that compelling in the pictures, I can only imagine what it must have been like in person.
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It was amazing! Such a special day. A lot of driving but so worth it.
Alison
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I wonder why I haven’t read this post before 😛 The jungle river looks amazing, especially during sunset. At what time of the year did you travel to Borneo? I am eyeing this area haha.
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We absolutely loved Borneo. Our trip was cut short by covid 😢
We did the day trip to Kinabatanang River from Sepilok Jungle Resort, but you can stay at the resort on the river for a longer experience. We were there in March 2020
Alison
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I see. Thanks, Alison. Sad to hear that your trip was cut short. But the good side was that you had come home safely, before the madness started.
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