Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Borneo - Kuching - Bako National Park - Batang Ai National Park - Mulu National Park - Gaya Island - Singapore
100% customisable for you
Overnight flight, arriving the next day. Access to the lounge while waiting for your flight to Kuching.
Arrival in Kuching and private transfer to your hotel for a three-night stay. Right in the heart of the old town, this unique property consists of two fully-restored 19th century houses, retaining their old-fashioned charm. The interior features a contemporary and elegant decor with colonial objects from Sarawak and other ethnic cultures. Each room is individually decorated. From the suites, the view across the city and the river is stunning.
Included in the itinerary - Cycling in the Kuching countryside. Your guide takes you on country trails in and around Kuching. You'll get a chance to see the city when it wakes up and then experience the rural and multi-faith life of the surrounding area. Then, board a traditional boat to get close to fishing families. The morning ends with an equally authentic lunch before returning to the hotel.
Included in the itinerary - Bako National Park, by boat. Arrive by traditional boat and then on foot explore this small peninsula at the mouth of the Sarawak River, home to seven ecosystems that are distinct from the rainforest - giving it remarkably rich animal and plant life. This is safe haven for proboscis monkeys, silvered leaf monkeys, long-tailed macaques, wild boars, flying squirrels and monitor lizards, as well as hundreds of species of different birds. In terms of flora, you can count on seeing mangroves, strangler figs and other carnivorous plants. Unusual geological features punctuate the coastline, while well-marked trails lead to rugged jungle-covered peaks and secluded beaches.
Transfer to Batang Ai. On the way, already included in the itinerary - A visit to the Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. This reserve was founded in 1975 as a sanctuary for orangutans who are injured, orphaned or being kept captive as illegal pets. This wildlife centre now has a thriving population of healthy teenagers and semi-wild adult orangutans. Two-night stay at your hotel. Situated in the heart of a lush forest, the property is home to several traditional longhouses perched on a hill and facing the lake. The wood-panelled rooms are spacious and comfortable. The swimming pool is beautifully refreshing after a day of sightseeing.
Included in the itinerary - Discover a traditional house of the Iban people. Depart by boat to the Mengkak Longhouse, bordering the Engkari River. The house, long enough to contain thirty-seven doors, is perched on stilts and typical of the Iban people, who have historically lived there as a family. There are performances and cultural discoveries before lunch.
Return to Kuching for one night, at the same hotel you stayed at previously. Optional - Sarawak cooking class.
Transfer to the airport and flight to Mulu. Your hotel for the next two nights is immersed in the jungle of Borneo. Windows and balconies reveal green everywhere, while the jungle soundtrack grows louder at night. The rooms offer adequate space and comfort, with just the right amount of mattress thickness and (life-saving) air conditioning. Overall, there's a beautiful blend of local materials and contemporary design. Relax on the large veranda with its tables and comfortable armchairs. The outdoor swimming pool allows you to enjoy this wilderness while cooling off. Included in the itinerary - Visit the Deer and Lang Caves, two separate underground spaces located in the hills on the south side of the park. Despite being the smallest of the four caves in Mulu National Park, Lang Cave boasts a spectacular range of stalactites, stalagmites, helictites (twig-like stalactites), shawls and stone ponds. Deer Cave, however, is not only Mulu's largest cave, it's quite simply the largest underground passage in the world. A powerful river flows through it, dissolving and eroding the limestone to form an ever-growing cave passage. This visit is scheduled to coincide with the bats' flight in the late afternoon.
Included in the itinerary - Exploring Clearwater and Wind Caves. In the morning, sail to the Wind Cave with its impressive limestone formations in 'King Chamber'. Then, arrive at the Clearwater Cave entrance. Here, stalactites and stalagmites have formed delicate lacelike patterns. Like most caves in Mulu, Clearwater Cave is a safe haven for many plant species, including the one-leaf plant, which can only be found in Mulu. Enjoy a delicious picnic around a watering hole where you can swim beneath the shelter of the giant trees of the rainforest.
Transfer to the airport and flight to Kota Kinabalu. Drive to the port and speedboat to Gaya Island. The largest of East Malaysia's five islands, which make up Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, is home to a hotel bordering soft, sandy coves worthy of Danny Boyle's film 'The Beach'. The concept of arriving by boat is enough to set the scene: hibiscus and hillside dwellings are nestled in the dense and ubiquitous jungle, which makes you feel instantly in a truly exotic location. Everything is made from local natural materials that blend perfectly with their environment and respect the traditional architecture of Borneo.
Offshore – but very close – to Kota Kinabalu, Gaya Island is a perfect blend of lush jungle and beautiful, deserted beaches. The coastal attractions also lie beneath the surface of the sea, which is particularly fantastic for snorkelling adventures. Romantic as could be, the island is largely wild, except in the east.
Boat ride to Kota Kinabalu then flight to Singapore. Transfer to your hotel, an architectural gem that is out of place amid the Central Business District's forest of steel, concrete and glass. Nature is everywhere in this hotel and garden, from the green facade, reminiscent of typical Southeast Asian rice terraces, to the rooms and their wooden walls. Everywhere, there are walls lined with plants, small ponds and gardens where you can sit back and relax in sofas, which seem to take on the features of large birdcages in this setting. The infinity swimming pool completes this slice of paradise, where you can admire the skyline day and night.
Included in the itinerary - Singapore with a local. A walking tour with a local expat guide so you can experience Singapore like a Singapore resident. Our guides are lovers of Singapore and Asia, enthusiasts of multicultural travel and experiences and fans of the country's nightlife and culture. Over the years, they have become real locals, knowing the city by heart and offering a truly immersive experience in this fascinating and buzzing city. It's in their footsteps that you discover the city through its fashionable places, private neighbourhoods, street food, markets and much more... Mingle with the crowd or escape from it, but the main thing is you experience everything about everyday life in Singapore.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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