Borneo To Be Wild

Flying over Borneo after departing Kuala Lumpur, I am struck by the vast, ubiquitous green of the landscape below me. I am arriving ahead of an eight-day river cruise on board the RV Orient Pandaw and am looking forward to my journey into pristine jungle along the Rajang River.  

The Rajang is the longest waterway in Borneo at 640 miles, with this being the third largest island in the world after Greenland and New Guinea. Sarawak, on the Malaysian north-west side of Borneo, is also famous for its orangutan sanctuaries.   
My first few days will be visiting these animal rehabilitation centres. Located only 5 degrees north of the equator, the leftover monsoon rains thankfully lower the temperature slightly. Daily temperatures are a sweltering 35°C, with humidity levels of about 90 per cent.

Capital city Kuching is within close range of the sanctuaries and is also a multi-cultural Mecca. Colourful Buddhist and Chinese temples reside across from my accommodation and the Divisional Mosque, in front of the India Street market, is also nearby.  
The wet climate ‘stains’ this otherwise attractive city with black smudges and streaks running down nearly every cement building. Carefully lain criss-crossed brick sidewalks have been ripped up by rain; only the lush foliage planted along the roadways flourishes in this damp environment.   

Rivers and water are the life-blood of Borneo, and this city is no exception. If you turn your back on the markets, omnipresent Chinatown shop fronts and high-rise hotels, you become entranced with the Sarawak River. 

The river has jungle encroaching to the edge of its banks. And, along the bank are monuments, such as the Astana Palace, that pay homage to the Brookes family that ruled Borneo for more than a century. The Grand Margharita Hotel, my accommodation, is on this riverfront where I watch Sampans float by. Just a few steps away, there is a beautiful promenade where townsfolk walk in the early hours and commune with nature.  

The city awakens at 5.30am with the call to prayer and I stir as well. Soon after breakfast, my trusty driver and tour guide, Selvam, arrives to take me to the Semenggok Sanctuary to see orangutans in the wild. Semenggok is located in primary forest, 40 minutes from the city, and there is a nominal entrance fee of 3 Malaysian ringgit (about 65p). The orangutans may have been born in captivity at this sanctuary but soon afterwards are released into the surrounding jungle. It is their choice to come back to the feeding platforms for daily breakfast offerings, or not, often travelling many miles if they decide to do so.  

If you are lucky, these wonderful animals stick around so you can watch them eat, observe their unique behaviour and snap copious photos. I am thrilled to see several juveniles munching away on fruit and swinging from tree to tree. The next day I have a chance to visit the Matang Rehabilitation Centre, where injured animals are treated and released back into the wild. There are deer and hornbills, as well as orangutans, on view in spacious enclosures.  

RAJANG RIVER

I am ready to embark on the next leg of my itinerary and, after a short flight from Kuching, I join the Orient Pandaw. Docked in the market town of Sibu, it is here I will meet my fellow guests. There is a large German-speaking Swiss contingent, all excellent hikers who have their own tour guide; a British couple from Penang; several other Brits who are experienced cruisers; an Australian; an American father and son and two Japanese passengers.
 
Before we board, there is an opportunity to look around the big Central Market. With native stalls offering jungle fern, fresh chillies and bananas, a fish market where catfish squirm in large buckets and a vegetable market, the amount of goods on display is staggering. We are all shocked to see live chickens completely wrapped in newspaper, with their bound feet and heads visible. Only 10 ringgit makes for a tasty dinner.

We are soon ready to cast off and sail into the jungle interior, stopping first at Durin Bridge to anchor for the night. If the water levels are high enough next morning, we will manoeuvre up a large tributary named Kanowit and visit a native farmhouse before returning back to the Rajang River.

But first, I settle into my comfortable, well-apportioned en suite cabin, decorated with dark wood panelling. There are spacious drawers underneath the bed, a good-sized shower and air conditioning. The sun deck has plenty of loungers, comfortable rattan seating and a bar. There is even a lecture theatre opposite the dining room.
 
With the exception of wine at dinner, which must be purchased, alcoholic and soft drinks are included with Pandaw Cruises. Though the first meal is a slightly disappointing duck stew, everything improves after that. Guests are able to choose their main course (from a selection of three) for lunch and dinner. The soup-and-salad buffet offered at lunchtime has enormous choice and many skip the main dish just for this option.   

Our guide, Louis, explains some local customs in conjunction with our first visit to a native Iban longhouse. On that same excursion, there will be a chance to visit a local market (Teresang), so we are taught a few key phrases to do a bit of bartering and make a good impression with the locals.  

The Miring, or welcoming, ceremony at the Ruman Jandok Longhouse, and every Iban longhouse, has a distinct tradition and involves not only the sharing of food and drink but also the sacrificing of a chicken. Today, the tribal leader only moves the chicken around us to replicate this tradition (much to our relief). A welcome dance (Ngajat) is performed and we are all invited to get up and participate.

RIVERBANK BBQ

On the morning of day four and we take our tender and travel up the Baleh River. After a visit to a remote native school and medical clinic, we penetrate even further upstream and discover a deserted sandy river bank set up with tables and chairs.  
What ensued was a delightful BBQ feast entirely organised by the Pandaw’s cooks and crew.  We tuck into chicken and rice, cooked in huge, round bamboo sticks in the ground (Pansoh) and accompanied by vegetables. The meal concludes with a colourful array of native fruits.  

As we return to our mooring, there is a useful sarong wrapping demonstration followed by a chance to try out a blowpipe, the deadly weapon used by the Penan tribe. By blowing the hardwood dart through the wooden pipe, simultaneously using a bit of diaphragm action, you can achieve good accuracy. Luckily, there is no poison on the dart tips!

JUNGLE TREK   

I am looking forward to the first real trek into the jungle and the day dawns clear and hot. As there are leeches, we are advised to cover from head to toe. Within minutes of climbing the first hill, my companions and I are dripping with sweat.  

Our tender has carried us to a tiny opening in the trees, where a makeshift pier is the only access to a muddy slope we must navigate to scamper up to the trail. Though the first 15 minutes of the trail is manageable, the rest of the 2-mile hike is fairly treacherous. At least there are sturdy ropes to hang on to, but, being just 5ft tall, I found the tall steps, carved into the side of the mountain, difficult to negotiate. Going downhill it is nearly impossible not to slip.  

However, I did find crossing the bamboo bridges (basically, three poles lashed together with a railing for balance) great fun. And it was fascinating to see a native ‘animism’ grave, though if we hadn’t been told it was a grave, no one would have guessed. It was a tiny a-framed wooden structure with a sports bag suspended underneath (packed with clothing for the after- life), with pots of food arranged around the grave to give sustenance to the person who had died.  

SOUTH CHINA SEA DELTA

On day six, we leave the interior and retrace our steps to Sibu, where we will dock for the night before travelling on to the delta and, ultimately, the South China Sea. It is a rainy morning, but this does not dampen our spirits. After a fascinating visit to a Malanau village down yet another tributary and the chance to see the sago palm flour-making process, we re-embark Orient Pandaw and sail on to Sarikei.  

The evening’s special entertainment is a Lion Dance performed by the local Buddhist Society’s award-winning troupe. In true multi-cultural form, the troupe has Malaysian members as well as Chinese. The performance by these youngsters, all to the sonorous accompaniment of a Chinese drum, is well received by an appreciative audience.  

Morning dawns in Sarikei and, after breakfast, we take a manageable trek through a pepper plantation. There are still a few challenges on this walk as well, including navigating several rickety bridges.  

For those with plenty of energy, a short hill-climb reveals the small Pau waterfall, one of the many sources of the Rajang. Afterwards, we visit another Iban longhouse and enjoy some freshly-baked cookies. On the way back to our ship, I spot a pair of hornbills flying across the road. It is exciting to finally start noticing the wildlife on my own.

Clichéd as it sounds, the sunset over the mangrove forest is possibly the most gorgeous I have ever seen. The sky has suddenly turned a deep turquoise and the clouds are an orangey-pink shade, which is reflected on the seemingly endless wild palm trees along the river’s edge.

We had been scouting for proboscis monkeys and other wildlife along tributaries off the main river. These unique animals exist only in this part of Borneo and locals take us in their long wooden boats into the mangroves on a quiet safari to seek them out. Unfortunately, a shy langgur monkey was the only animal sighting. There are no guarantees of wildlife here in the delta, but the magic of the mangroves cast its spell on everyone and we were delighted by this amazing landscape.

FINAL THOUGHTS

My adventure in the jungle may not have been exactly what I expected, but I have enjoyed it thoroughly and been surprised by the diversity of cultures in Sarawak. And, of course, the bonus has been the warm welcome by the indigenous people, who are open and genuine. I am looking forward to hearing the words Selamat Datang (“Welcome”) again soon.

PANDAW CRUISES FACTFILE

Orient Pandaw
Built: 2008 in Saigon
Length: 180ft
Beam: 34ft
Draft: 3ft
Berths: 60 passengers on Main and Upper Decks
Decks: 4
Crew: 28

ITINERARIES: A 9-day cruise, including accommodation in a twin cabin, airport transfers, full board plus tea/coffee, soft drinks, local beer and all gratuities costs from £2,419pp ( based on 2 sharing), with return flights on Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com) from London Heathrow. Departures: June 20, Aug 1, Sept 1, Oct 1, Nov 1, 10, 20, December 10, 20. 

MORE INFO: In the UK, call 0808 168 1458 or visit www.ewaterways.co.uk; in the US, call 1877 359 7458 or www.ewaterways.us.  

Emirates also offer flights to Kuala Lumpur, www.emirates.com. Pre-cruise was sponsored by Sarawak Tourist Board, www.sarawaktourism.com, and Diethelm Travel, www.diethelmtravel.com.