Borneo Jungle Adventure

Home of one of the worlds oldest and largely unspoilt rainforests, you can’t fail to see the attraction of Borneo. There are over 15,000 species of flowering plants with 3,000 species of trees, 221 species of terrestrial mammals and 420 species of resident birds in Borneo. The most famous resident of the vast jungle being the endangered Bornean orangutan for which this is there only natural habitat left on Earth. It is one thing to see an orangutan in the zoo, but when you come face to face with one of these majestic creatures in their natural habitat it is a truly memorable experience.

Borneo is comprised of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, the sultanate kingdom of Brunei and the Indonesian province of Kalimantan. This multicultural island, the third largest island in the world, is home to an enormous diversity of exotic flora, fauna and natural beauty. The extensive rainforest eco system that engulfs most of the island is one of the oldest in the world. If you want adventure, beauty, natural wonders and responsible eco tourism then Borneo has it all on its doorstep.

Due to the nature of the rainforest areas of interest tend to be difficult to reach, located away from the main centres of population and transport links. This however just makes the adventure more real, the trek through the jungle to reach these remote parts of the country providing as much adventure as the destination. Sabah is home to Mt Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in South East Asia, but an attainable climb for most adventurers.

Borneo really is the new adventurers playground from pristine, untouched golden beaches, to virgin rainforests, rice fields and dense Jungle, towering Mountains and wildlife sanctuary’s there is so much to do in Borneo it is almost impossible to decide where to start.

Borneo

Borneo is the third-largest island in the world (after Greenland and New Guinea), and is located south of Hong Kong, east of Singapore, and north of western Australia. It is divided into four political regions. The largest part, the southern region of Kalimantan, is part of Indonesia. The two regions of Sarawak and Sabah are both part of Malaysia. The fourth region is the tiny oil-rich independent state of Brunei.

Borneo and its immediate vicinity. White areas belong to Indonesia.

The Forest

The forests of Southeast Asia are rapidly dwindling, yet contain some of the highest biodiversity in the world. Characterized by Diptocarp forests (subtropical and tropical broadleaf forests) and unusual dry and rainy seasons, these forests are under heavy pressure from the agriculture used by growing populations and palm oil and timber interests.

The island of Borneo was almost completely covered with dense rainforest until logging began a few decades ago. As with most rainforests, the land underneath is not very good for agriculture, usually yielding good crops for only a very few years.

This ecoregion is among the richest in the world for floral diversity, exhibiting many mountain plant species, including many species of orchids and rhododendrons not found elsewhere.

The region is also home to some wonderful and highly endangered animals, such as hornbills (Sarawak is called "land of the hornbill"), Sumatran rhinos, and primates such as proboscis monkeys, tarsiers, and orangutans.

Orangutans

Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), peaceful tree-dwellers, are truly fascinating and sympathetic creatures. "Orangutan" comes from the Malay words 'orang' ('man') and 'utan' ('forest'). The remaining wild orangutans live only on the islands of Borneo and neighboring Sumatra, though they once ranged throughout southeast asia and even into southern China. Mother Orangutans have only one offspring at a time, nurturing and teaching it for up to eight years before having another baby. The Orangutan Foundation International web site (www.orangutan.org) contains much more information about Orangutans, their lives, and the huge challenges facing them. You can also learn about Tanjung Puting National Park, near where our rattan is produced, on their site.

More Information

More information about Borneo is available at EarthIsland.org, which includes a separate page on shopping intelligently to protect Borneo's rainforest.

Dian Niaga

We import our Borneo products from Dian Niaga Eco-Traders. Dian Niaga (dee-AHN nee-AH-gah) is a non-profit organization based in the state of Kalimantan, which is the Indonesian, southern part of the island of Borneo. They invest in biodiversity conservation and in assisting local communities, and are the marketing end of a participatory community forest project.

This project is developing a variety of small-scale enterprises, all using forest products other than timber. Sales support Dian Niaga and their efforts to nurture artistic traditions, provide employment, and promote conservation.

Rattan Palm Fiber

The rattan products we sell are made from sustainably harvested rattan palm fiber. Rattan is a palm that only grows in natural forests, but within the forest it can be easily replanted.

Here are some pictures of rattan as it is processed:

rattan leaves growing in a forest

a rattan stem in the wild

cleaning rattan strips

rattan hanging up to dry

weaving rattan

Day 150. Borneo!

I can hardly believe it. I am in Borneo! The island looks brilliant green from the air, the South China Sea is incredibly blue, and the small atolls look like strange rhunic characters on its surface. I landed without problems, rented a car, and in the early afternoon was driving into Kota Kinabalu. This city reminds me of Puerto Vallarta, with its outer shell of fancy resorts but a nice solid core of old coastal town. Like everywhere else in Malaysia, the people are a veritable league of nations, friendly to the visitor, and obsessed with eating.

I used the afternoon to make some arrangements to climb Mount Kinabalu on June 14 and 15 (reservations are needed for the lodge half way up the mountain), find my way around, and find lodgings for the night. I landed in the Step In Hostel, a wonderfully friendly backpackers hostel, where I managed to secure the last bunk).

I went for a long walk (hot, but not terribly hot) in the search of the Islamic Museum, but got there too late to visit. Pity. On the way back I stopped at the hostel to cool down in the big and airy common room, and then went for another walk through the marketplace. It was a fascinating mix of smells and sights, and I found that kids and vendors were not at all shy when it came to pictures.

The sun is setting, and the waterfront is full of activity. I know I am going to like it here!