Sunday, October 15, 2017

Kim and Joe's Travels: Borneo – Sabah Part 2


Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Danum Valley

On our final morning in Kinabatangan, we opted for an additional boat safari.  We had been so close to an orangutan sighting the previous morning based on the freshness of the nests, that it seemed a no-brainer to have another attempt.

As it panned out, we didn’t manage to find one, but did manage to track down a Bornean Gibbon based on its distinctive call.  Add to that some sea eagles, hornbills and a baby crocodile and all in all it was a very worthwhile additional excursion.

After breakfast at the camp, we began our journey to our next stop, Lahad Datu.  A boat and two different buses got us to our comfortable and basic guesthouse in Lahad Datu.  After two hot and sticky nights in the jungle, the AC and warm(ish) shower made it as good as a 5 star hotel!

Lahad Datu offered very little as a destination in its own right, but does offer a route into Danum Valley.  Unfortunately, the shuttle bus to Danum Valley Field Centre (DVFC), wouldn’t be leaving for two days. 

Although as luck would have it, we were both fairly keen for a couple of restful days after an action packed time on the Kinabatangan.  There was plenty of tasty food close to where we were staying and we had a comfortable bed.  It wasn’t the most exciting couple of days, but there are worse places to recharge the batteries ahead of the next excursion.

It also gave us time to consider the next stage of the trip, in Central America.  Something that had seemed a million miles away not so long ago, but all of a sudden was only a few weeks away.  The search is on for somewhere interesting (and ideally cheap) on the Baja California peninsula, with a decent language school, in which we can base ourselves for a few weeks.

Back to the current trip, it was soon time to take the minibus shuttle from the DVFC office to the field centre itself.  The journey in was very fruitful.  Even before we had arrived at the centre, we had met some of the residents of the rainforest of Danum Valley. 

Macaques (of both pig and long tailed varieties), bearded pigs, sambur deer and electric blue kingfishers all made appearance in the last 20 minutes of the journey as we neared the field centre.

Up by our accommodation, we met even more of the local inhabitants.  A huge bearded pig strolled confidently outside the dormitory, whilst two maroon langurs sat high up in the canopy in the distance.  We even met some people!  As it happened, they were the same people who would be on our night safari later that evening.

Even the walk to dinner was a wildlifespotting  opportunity!  Frogs, sambur deer and bearded pigs all made an appearance en route to a tasty dinner in the dining hall.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Kim and Joe's Travels: Borneo – Sabah Part 2
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