Malaysia > 'Welcome to the tropical rainforest'

Malaysia - The perfectly upright oriented Travelers Palm

As I stand under the – warm this time – shower, I can still hear the rain tapping on the roof. On television I saw that a heavy depression is moving toward the Philippines. There were already severe floods there last week. Also in Malaysia, on Sabah, there is flooding. Because of this, the route to the next overnight stay has been adjusted. The luggage goes ahead. I head to another jetty. The boat trip to the lodge will therefore be longer. This trip is directly combined with the evening cruise, which was already on the program. I drop my luggage at the reception and walk to the restaurant. During breakfast the rain stops and immediately the sun breaks through strongly. Only now do I really see how beautifully the garden of the Sepilok Jungle Lodge is laid out. I stroll along the walkways through the garden. I photograph the gorgeous flowers and try to capture a squirrel without it moving.

Malaysia - The walkways of Sepilok Jungle Resort

At eleven o’clock I drive off the grounds of the Sepilok Jungle Lodge. In about three hours I head toward the Kinabatangan River. Along the way I stop in a small town for lunch. Around a little square there are several local eateries. Everyone spreads out among the small restaurants. I order a hearty noodle soup. Apart from me, the place is filled with local customers. After lunch the plans turn out to have changed. The luggage has arrived at the Kinabatangan River without too much trouble. We are going to try with the buses as well, along the originally planned route. A little further on I leave the paved road, and things get tense right away. Construction workers are building a new bridge. Because of the high water level, the detour is very muddy. The workers guide the bus with a shovel just in case. Slowly they drive ahead of us. If the bus gets stuck, they can pull us out immediately. We drive at a crawl over the clay. The bus skids often but manages to push through the mud on its own. To my left and right the forests are completely underwater. It must have rained heavily here. Once I reach the original road again, the problem is over. I continue toward the river.

Malaysia - A beautiful Rhinoceros Hornbill in Borneo

There I transfer to a boat. The resort is on the opposite bank of the Kinabatangan. Nelson, the owner, welcomes me with coffee and fried banana. “Welcome to the tropical rainforest,” he says enthusiastically. I carry my luggage over the wooden walkway to my hut. It’s all the way at the back. A fine place to stay, with air conditioning and hot water. What more could you want? At four o’clock I’m ready for the boat safari on the Kinabatangan River. Dark clouds gather. Just in case, I keep my poncho ready. The boat has barely pushed off when a heavy downpour breaks loose. I duck deep under my poncho. I’ve safely stored my camera in a waterproof cover. Despite the rain, the boatman spots a monkey in the trees. As I get closer, it turns out to be a wild orangutan. A remarkable encounter. A little further on a rhinoceros hornbill is perched in the trees. The rain eases somewhat. From under my umbrella I manage to capture the bird, its beautifully colored, curved beak clearly visible. As soon as I come closer, it quickly flies away. When I enter a side river, it is practically dry. That makes spotting much easier. I stop at a troop of proboscis monkeys in the trees. I see a snake among the branches, and a group of long-tailed macaques crosses the river via a stretched rope. On the way back I see several birds of prey in the treetops. A few more hornbills fly overhead as well.