1.04 to 4.04.09, 3 days, currency rate 1 € = 4.75 R (Malaysian ringgit)

highlights – forget about the explorer freedom - tourist attractions aren’t for individuals here. This is place of booking and overpaying. The only advantage, however very important, the guides, taxi drivers, salesmen – aren’t aggressive and it is enough to say them just once "no, thanks", some of them can even help.

All Sarawak we rushed to see yet the jungle in Sabah. From the earlier research I knew that is worth to go to Sungai Kinabatangan River, there probably is the most wildlife to see. So we found Uncle Tan company, which is this destination  specialist. But we were surprise when we found out that all  places are fully booked for the next 3 weeks. We wanted to go to another company, but it looks like that Uncle Tan is the only one with the government license in that site. Other companies go north from Sukau, and I heard from other tourists  very negative stories comparing these trips to safari around the villages, not in a real jungle. We were waiting for a cancellation and Uncle Tan crew was very kind to us. They  changed the location of the jungle camp in 2008. Now there is not permitted to walk in the forest alone - only with a guide. 3 days and 2 nights cost 320 R per person (67 €) and includes everything, but starts and finish at noon, so it really are 2 days.

In this case we had no choice like to go to see orangutans in nearby rehabilitation center in Sepilok (entry fee 30 R (6 €),  camera 10 R (2 €), 2 km from the Uncle Tan base camp). Of course you cannot compare it to the free wildlife, but is better than nothing. This is not the Zoo, monkeys have 40 square kilometers of space, they are fed daily and have a contact with humans. When they get strong enough they are  release to freedom. However, it is easy to imagine the beginning of feeding looks sad (10 am and 3 pm) - the first monkey that appears near the feeding platform get shots with hundreds of lenses and flashes. Later, however, we can walk on wooden passageways alone. We chose the 1 km trail, which turned to muddy road. The leeches have begun the attack, with leaking blood we had to turn back and fortunately we encountered orangutan resting on the rail. He was delightful. We stayed with him over an hour, including such surprising moments as his attack on Ewelina’s daypack. Clever beast was trying to open the zip by teeth - I did the photos and some tourists helped release Ewelina. Going to the exit we were  completely alone. At some point on a wooden path we encountered another male – he jumped off from the rail and start to walk in our direction. He looked much mature then previous one and we were a little threatening. We stopped and quickly moved the camera behind my back. Too late. Orangutan get to me and with long arm grabbed firmly the lens. I snatched him out the camera and located it between my back and Ewelina. He didn’t give up – embraced me with a second arm and tried to walk around. And I was blocking him the way, once to left, once to right, and orangutan all the time embraced me in the waist, Ewelina was like my shadow on the back – we looked like a dancing trio. After 30 seconds “fighting” the ape   quickly rolled forward, and we jumped backwards - all the time I loudly and firmly spoke to him, I was afraid use the whole force to don’t make him aggressive. We went back on slowly, and he sat as the innocent child and looked at us with confusion and no understanding.

At the beginning of our trip we rushed and near Kuching we missed Bako NP and orangutan’s rehabilitation center - certainly there is less tourists then in Sabah. Bako NP is the place where you have a big chance to find endemic proboscis monkeys. We couldn’t go also on river safari, so we decided to see them in a private sanctuary in Labuk Bay (expensive, entrance fee 60 R, 12.5 €, private hired transport usually about 150 R from Sandakan). The owner twice a day feeds them (11:30am and 4:30pm), and they are coming from the forest for the meal. In this way, we could see monkies from short distance. And you will admit that they are so original - with huge long funny nose.

Since we were not able to see the wild Borneo, we wanted at least to know people better. We started hitchhiking and the drivers were nice and helpful. On our way we stopped yet in Mt. Kinabalu NP, to breath with fresh air. We hiked on the trails in the lower parts of the park (you can easily get around the ticket office gate, and get a trails draw map at the reception), since climbing to the summit is too much commercialized. Currently mandatory fees are: permit 100 R, authorized guide 85 R (from 1 to 3 people), insurance 7 R, mandatory overnight accommodation on the route from 100 R (as for me at this moment the only available place cost 290 R), optional return transport to the starting point 33 R - certificate 10 R. A total from 242 R up to 535 R (50 to 115 €) per person, a bit too much.

In Kota Kanibalu is nothing special to do. Even food in Sabah seemed to us to be less tasty than in Sarawak, with the exception of the night market (near the Filipino market), where you can get delicious grilled fish.

accommodation – we slept in Uncle Tan in Sepilok, well-organized dormitory for 38 R (8 €), but the price includes meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner - self-service with cold and hot dishes. Normally food on the street costs from 3-5 R for a meal.

On Mt Kinabalu nights are very expensive. So we went from the park to the main road and we turned to the left (towards Ranau), after 500 m on the left side there is a Mountain Resthouse, dormitory for 20 R per person.

transport - going to the Orangutan Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, you should take the bus to Sandakan and ask the crew to leave you at Sepilok Junction (roundabout), 25 km before Sandakan. Tickets can be negotiate, and the last bus from Kota Kinabalu leaves at 8pm – that means in Sepilok you take off in the middle of the night (you can sleep on a bus stop).

From junction to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is only 3 km, on the way is Uncle Tan B&B (500 m from the roundabout). Uncle Tan organizes free transportation to the centre at 9am, return at 12:30pm.

The prboscis monkeys sanctuary is in Labuk Bay, around 20 km from Uncle Tan – first 8 km by main road towards Kota Kinabalu and then turn right and go 12 km to the ticket office (and for  the remaining 2 km they organize pick-up). On the first way we  hitchhiked, and on the way back I have run at evening in a pleasant temperature (Ewelina hitch).

The official bus price from Kinabalu NP to Sepilok is 35 R, and to Kota Kinabalu 20 R.

In Kota Kinabalu we heard then Citybus No. 2 runs to terminal 2 (Air Asia and Tiger), but we failed to find it. So we caught bus number 16B (the last one at 7pm) from the town hall, but the no. 17 goes near the airport as well.