Adventure Borneo

After a scenic two-hour bus ride to the south of KK, we are brought to the quiet town of rural Beaufort for the....

Proboscis Monkey River Cruise and Fireflies Tour

Prior to departure, we were able to grab a booking through Nasalis Larvatus Sdn Bhd, Riverbug and Traverse Tours via their Philippine contact Ms. Mhay Rondael (Mobile: +639172085317). I hate travel agencies simply because they have nothing better to do than capitalize on the dumb tourists. I am very satisfied to know that there are tour operators that can still be highly trusted. Mhay was a great contact, her replied email took less than a day and service was absolutely excellent. She even gave us some tips on our Kota Kinabalu trip.

The "Proboscis Monkey River Cruise and Fireflies Tour Itinerary"

1330 hrs: Depart From Kota Kinabalu for Beaufort, two hours overland to the Southern part of Sabah. (It was a scenic route of mountains, towns and rice fields.)

Garama Camp

1530 hrs: Arrive at Garama Base Camp some few kilometers away from the busy highway and are being transferred to the mangrove swamps forest filled with their own distinctive busyness and beauty. (There was some time to have some tea or coffee with a few Malaysian rice cakes and sweets.)

Boat ride

1600 hrs: On board a fiberglass boat for 1 hour river cruise in this red river (effect of tree’s tanine) surrounded by mangrove trees. Proboscis monkey can be spotted most of the time in the trees feeding on young leaves, shoots, sour fruits and seeds. Among others, you will have the opportunity to observe Macaque, the rare Silver Languor, Water buffalo crossing the river and variety of birds. You may also witness sunset while cruising back to the river lodge. (Consider yourself lucky if you see the rest of the animals BUT spotting the Proboscis is more than enough).

Only in Borneo



Proboscis Monkey

Alpha-male & Harem

Monkeys at play


Water buffaloes and friends

1800 hrs: Upon arriving at the lodge, a sumptuous BBQ dinner served in buffet line to satisfy your hunger after the river cruising. (Actually it was a Malaysian buffet, which must have been better than a Western meal).

1830 hrs: After dinner, a short walk to the viewing deck to catch the glimpse of fireflies decorating the mangrove trees like a Christmas tree. After 10-15 minutes of firefly watching, it’s time to head back to Kota Kinabalu.

2100 hrs: Estimated time of arrival in Kota Kinabalu.

Jesselton Point is the main port to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park (TAR). Expect to pay for additional fees. Speed boat operators show 16 Ringgit for a ride to the island and back, but are kind enough to let you know that you must add 6 Ringgit for tax and another 10 Ringgit for admission fee before entering each island.



Pulau Sapi: is said to be the best island for snorkeling when in TAR. Although it does have a coral garden of some sort, the claim is only being said probably because it needs its marketing banner for tourists.

Manukan island: is one of the most developed islands around TAR with overnight lodging available. Dubbed as a 'must-see' in the tourist itinerary. We must always be reminded to keep our expectations low as snorkeling in this island is horrible with what dead sea corals and colorless marine life it offers. The island is over populated with day-trippers, to say the least, so choose another pulau if you prefer some solitude.

Four out of the five islands in TAR have piers and each one boasts its unique set of resident fishes who have developed communities and have found a sanctuary close to the wooden stilts. These spoiled cold-blooded animals gather in schools waiting for their next meal and scramble for tossed bread.

Fish Feeding

To make up for the lousy snorkeling sites and overabundance of other tourists, have yourself a good meal by the beach. Pulau Manukan has sumptuous offerings in two buffets and an a la carte menu you, your palate and your wallet can choose from. The Grill & BBQ buffet at the far end of the island puts up an intimidating if not exciting array of fresh seafoods, meats and vegetables all for grilling and BBQ-ing at a hefty, touristy price of 60RM for the hefty touristy diner.

The 28RM (+/-) buffet by the restaurant offers a more humble but competitively appealing layout of food playing on Malaysian-Southeast Asian-Indian cuisines while the a la carte menu, from which we chose from, allows you to customize your own meal with the variety of offerings while allowing you to still keep in mind your budget and appetite. Lunch had us some divine chicken satay served with savory rice cakes and refreshing zucchinis bites, a few tasty vegetable samosas and some squid and prawn fritters. A satisfying and filling lunch, which could only lead to the inevitable -- a nice short nap on the next island on our itinerary.

Pulau Mamutik: is probably the best island in TAR. Snorkeling is great even with exciting currents to make skin diving a great exercise. It is the least populated yet is developed enough, accommodating a food stall and scuba center. In addition camping is allowed in this Pulau. Trees along the stretch of fine sand provide shade for an intoxicating afternoon nap. After lunch, there is nothing but whispers from the wind, hypnotic buzzes from insects and a calm crash of waves on the distance. Spending an entire day is highly recommended.

There are many other eco-adventure activities to do in Borneo, Mt. Kinabalu alone takes 3-days off the itinerary. Other attractions include Orangutans over at Sepilok, dips in the Poring Hot Springs, a scenic old-school train ride, white water rafting, diving in Sipadan, and the list goes on.

Borneo surely is a haven for nature-lovers and nature freaks -- from newbies to hobbyists to extreme seasoned challengers. With all that Borneo offers, almost everyone can find any eco-activity suited to one's liking and fancies, and KK is definitely the city you'd want to jump off from and end with your Borneo Adventure.

triptayo Sabah-Borneo was done last April 27 - May 1, 2007
more photos here and here