National Geographic Traveller: Meet the Iban of Batang Ai

Get to know the real Borneo in Batang Ai National Park, where the Iban tribe live among the boughs and branches of the jungle

Kuching sheds its skin awfully quickly. The capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak has all the noise, clamour and clutter — motorbikes scuttling, cars growling, shops spilling onto the street — that comes with any sizeable city in the Far East.

But as the car passes through the outskirts, the jumbled homes start to press the road with less urgency and the jungle steps in instead: deep, green, all-encompassing.

Once upon a time, Borneo was like this in its entirety; all 287,000 square miles of it, one vast stretch of 140-million-year-old rainforest.

But some things don’t change. Batang Ai National Park, 150 miles south-east of Kuching, is one of them.

And here, amid the dense growth, my journey into the real Borneo is gaining pace.

I’m seeking the Dayak, the indigenous people of the island, who have long lived a simpler, less intrusive life among the boughs and branches.

Specifically, I’m looking for the Iban, the Dayak tribe who eke out their existence in the backwoods of Sarawak and Sabah, their homes seamlessly slotted into the jungle, rather than overpowering it.

Batang Ai Reservoir fades behind me, the Delong River pulling me east in a wooden boat — more an extended canoe than a ferry — so low to the brown-green water that it seems likely to be swallowed by it at any second.

The motor snorts and coughs every time the pilot has to swerve us around a floating log or shallow section or through a patch of rocky rapids.

There are shrill calls and rhythmic beats from the canopy, hornbills and woodpeckers at work.

And the trees seem to crowd ever closer with each mile, as if the jungle wants to pluck me from my damp seat and hold me close.

t will have its way. After 90 minutes, we pull ashore at what seems the smallest of gaps in the foliage. And there it is in a clearing: the Nanga Sumpa Longhouse.

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National Geographic Traveller: On the red ape trail in Batang Ai

Journey deep into the rainforests of Batang Ai for a chance to spy one of Sarawak’s famous orangutans — otherwise known as the red ape — in its natural habitat

In the inky-black darkness of the rainforest night, we stand, ankle-deep in water. With only head torches to guide us, we scan the riverbanks for signs of life. One eye means spider, two eyes means frog, we’re told, as we dodge low-hanging branches and navigate slippery rocks.

Tree frogs reveal themselves, including a strange white one with translucent skin and tiny froglets the size of fingernails. A giant river toad, native to Borneo, perches on a rock, showing off its craggy, wart-covered skin. Tonight we’re looking for amphibians, but somewhere out there lurks another creature, the real object of our fascination.

It’s the first evening on the Red Ape Trail, an extended, multi-day trek taking us through prime orangutan terrain in Borneo’s remote Batang Ai region. It has already taken an adventure to get to this point — a five-hour, 170-mile drive from the cosmopolitan city of Kuching, past ever-more dense jungle and terraces dotted with pepper and rice plantations to a jetty on the shores of the vast Batang Ai reservoir.

Then, a bracing two-hour journey upriver by longboat — the traditional wooden vessel favoured by Borneo’s indigenous Iban tribe — to reach Nanga Sumpa lodge on the upper reaches of the Delok River. After a night spent acclimatising to jungle life, a three-hour hike has taken us even deeper into the forest to reach Mawang Camp, our home for the next few days.

The Red Ape Trail was created in 2000 by Borneo Adventure, a local tour operator, founded by Philip Yong and Robert Basuik in 1987. The pair came in search of an experience that would offer travellers the chance to glimpse Borneo’s prized wildlife, while learning something of the region’s dominant Iban tribe. They settled on Nanga Sumpa, a traditional, timber longhouse in which the locals lived communally.

A trail network has since been developed from the longhouse into the surrounding forest. The Red Ape Trail is the most challenging of these, taking walkers out into the jungle to camp out over multiple nights, in the hope of glimpsing wild orangutans. It originally started as an epic, 10-day challenge, but has since been reduced to a more manageable five-day trek — wise, in a country with humidity levels that can rise to up to 80%.

At camp after our frog hunt, we sit playing cards with our Iban guides, drinking potent tuak rice wine. As well as two guides, Bayang and Sobeng, we’re accompanied by a team of Iban men, who lavish us with spicy Malaysian curries and fried jungle ferns.

The biggest character is Ronny, who speaks great English, having worked on the oil and gas rigs in Bintulu further north. With a big smile and prominent tribal tattoos, he sports a football shirt with his name on it — a modern token in an otherwise traditional life.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: National Geographic Traveller: On the red ape trail in Batang Ai

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12 new plant species found in Batang Ai and Lanjak-Entimau sites

KUCHING: Twelve new plant species have been found in Sarawak, with potentially more awaiting discovery in an ongoing collaboration between the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and Singapore Botanical Gardens.

The plants, which were discovered in the Batang Ai National Park and Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, comprise one species of wild orchid, one ginger, one Marantaceae (prayer plant) and nine species of begonia.

One of the begonias has been named Begonia jamilahanuiana after the Chief Minister's wife Puan Sri Jamilah Anu. The other new species have yet to be named.

SFC chief executive Wong Ting Chung said the new discoveries were made three to four months ago by a joint survey team of scientists from SFC and the Singapore Botanical Gardens.

“The significance is that one team, in two trips, has discovered 12 new species. There is still a lot more to discover and there may be more new discoveries to come.

“If just one team can find so many, what more when more experts come from overseas,” he told reporters after announcing the finds here yesterday.

According to SFC, the wild orchid, ginger and Marantaceae were discovered in Lanjak-Entimau.

Of the nine species of begonia discovered, five were found in Lanjak-Entimau, two in Batang Ai and two at both sites.

The Begonia jamilahanuiana, which was discovered in both Lanjak-Entimau and Batang Ai, can grow up to 60cm tall and is unusual because the adult plants retain their white spots, unlike other begonias.

Wild orchids and begonias in Sarawak are protected under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: 12 new plant species found in Batang Ai and Lanjak-Entimau sites

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All orangutan habitats in Sarawak are Totally Protected Areas

KUCHING: All orangutan habitats in Sarawak – Batang Ai National Park, Ulu Sebuyau National Park, Sedilu National Park and Lanjak Entimau Wild Life Sanctuary are Totally Protected Areas (TPAs).

Around 1,600 orangutans roam freely in the contiguous TPAs of Batang Ai National Park and Lanjak Entimau Wild Life Sanctuary.

In the effort to enhance management and protection of orangutans, the state government collaborated with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) last year to draw up ‘An Orangutan Strategic Action Plan’ that will provide a holistic approach to the management and protection of these animals.

This plan includes expanding the boundary of Batang Ai National Park to include the area around Ulu Sungai Menyang, where surveys estimated there are some 200 orangutans.

A Conservation Centre of Excellence (CCOE) for orangutan research has also been established in Batang Ai National Park.

Research data and results would be used to draw up a comprehensive management plan for orangutans in Sarawak.

Last year, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem launched the Rimba Sarawak project (Research for Intensified Management of Bio-Rich Areas of Sarawak), allowing international researchers into the state’s forest estates, especially TPAs.

It aims to provide a platform for international collaborative research in developing intensive, practical conservation management procedures for bio-rich areas including the conservation of orangutans in Sarawak.

WCS Malaysia programme director Dr Melvin Gumal said then there is no other country that he is aware of that has set that kind of focus.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: All orangutan habitats in Sarawak are Totally Protected Areas

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Batang Ai tugs at the heartstrings

FOR someone like me living in the comfort of Kuching city with its modern technology and infrastructure, a trip to the interior has never sounded all that inviting or exciting — at least not before my expedition to Batang Ai recently.

The familiarisation trip, organised by Aiman Planet Borneo Group of Companies, really filled me with a deep sense of anticipation. I would be venturing into an area that was not exactly my cup of tea but the thought of experiencing all that Batang Ai had to offer was too hard to resist.

On Jan 30, I met up with Aiman group general manager Mona Abdul Manap, director Gracie Geikie, database and online management executive Alcila Abby Afflin at their headquarters at Riveredge Commercial Development before commencing our trip at 8.30am.

After a smooth drive along Kuching-Serian Road with its beautiful countryside scenery, we made a stop at Lachau Bazaar between Serian and Sri Aman for brunch at 10.30am. Half an hour later, we continued our drive, arriving at Batang Ai Dam at 1.10pm where we took a boat across the lake to Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat.

From the jetty to the resort, guests would have to wait their turn to board the boat at scheduled times — between 9.30am and 5.30pm — taking a minimum of 20 minutes each way.

Situated at the edge of the verdant Batang Ai National Park, the Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat is well hidden from view. We got there at 2.15pm and I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome from the resort staff.

We were treated to lunch at Nanga Mepi Restaurant, famous for Sarawak local cuisine, including chicken cooked in bamboo or better known as ayam pansuh. Tilapia and chips were on the tiffin menu. After the midday meal, and spending some tranquil moments at the Wong Irup Lounge, I adjourned to my room for a much-needed rest before the next activity on the programme.

In the evening, we went for the nature walk, led by the guest relations and activities manager Ramona Ngalih. We walked among treetops on the canopy of the rainforest along a 130-metre walkway, suspended 50 metres above the jungle floor.

Our very knowledgeable guide Ramona showed us pretty much everything she could — the flora and fauna, including the Kapok Tree bark with large thorns and spines which can be used to create music. She also gave us tips on surviving in the rainforest.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Batang Ai tugs at the heartstrings

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Sarawak - Sharing a unique heritage

WHEN thinking of Sarawak’s romantic era, many would look to the time of the White Rajahs.

The Brookes have always been the subject of nostalgia, which is probably why the frequent visits to the state by the grandson of the last ruling Rajah Muda, Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke, have invariably caught the attention of the local communities.

Jason Desmond Anthony Brooke’s two-week-long visit this time included an overnight stay at the Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat on Jan 31 that quickly created a buzz among the local Iban community who formed a welcoming committee to receive him.

Brooke and his entourage, including Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) advisor Lim Kian Hock, its executive secretary Willie Kueh and Borneo Adventure senior manager Emong Tinsang, were greeted at the resort by a traditional Iban dance before they were brought to witness another important cultural rite — the miring ceremony.

Brooke was also invited to sign the ‘Fort Alice Escapade’ brochure, featuring one of the resort’s new activities where guests can visit Fort Alice to learn more about Sarawak’s history. In the evening, thesundaypost had a chance to sit down with Brooke for an interview on his current updates, programmes and plans.

According to Brooke, his last visit to Sarawak was in early 2015 where he represented the Brooke Trust, a UK charity working to preserve and share Sarawak’s unique heritage and use it to inspire communities.

“My recent visits had focused on work for the Brooke Gallery at Fort Margherita. The permanent museum exhibit will display a collection of my family’s artefacts, sponsored by the Brooke Heritage Trust that tells the history of Sarawak for the first 100 years under the Brookes.

“The exhibit aims to share the important items and artefacts related to the history of Sarawak with Sarawakians and provide opportunities for them to engage with the items and learn more about their local cultures and heritage. The Gallery is scheduled to open in April or May this year,” he said.

He described the Brooke Gallery as an exciting project by his Trust, working together for a few years with the Sarawak Museum Department, saying: “Among the items to be showcased are digitised records from the Brooke era.”

Interesting projects planned

The Brooke Heritage Trust is an organisation founded by Brooke together with his younger brother Laurence Nicholas Brooke and his father James Betram Lionel Brooke. It works to share and preserve the 175-year-old heritage left by their family.

Besides the gallery, the Trust has a number of other interesting projects in the pipeline, including a biopic titled ‘White Rajah’ which tells the story of James Brooke’s first 20 years in Sarawak.

The proposed feature film has captured the attention of many film enthusiasts, especially Sarawakians.

While the film is not produced by Brooke personally, ‘White Rajah’ has been supported by private investors in Malaysia as well as the Sarawak government. The Brooke Trust is a technical adviser to the producers, encouraging them to shoot the film in Sarawak and trying to make it as historically accurate as possible.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sarawak - Sharing a unique heritage

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German tourists vow to return to Batang Ai

KUCHING: A family of German tourists has vowed to return to Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat after staying there this month.

After conducting a talk and giving lectures at a local university in Peninsula Malaysia recently, timber expert Dr Simon Aicher decided to visit the resort with his wife Eva-Maria and son Simon Jr.

The family stayed at the resort just days after Aiman Agro Park Sdn Bhd and Aiman Planet Borneo Lodge Management took over the ownership and management of the 20-year-old resort on Jan 1.

“We enjoyed our stay here and we would come back and see all the new developments that you all are putting in here,” Eva-Maria told resort interim manager Mona Abdul Manap.

Eva-Maria said her husband was impressed with the wooden structure of the resort, although he agreed some maintenance and repair works were needed.

She also agreed to be the model for a photo shoot for the resort’s spa by the poolside and received a complimentary full 45-minute body massage.

This prompted Eva-Maria to book another massage session for herself and her son the following day.

The 100-room resort, which is located at the fringe of Lanjak Entimau National Park overlooking Batang Ai Hydro Electric Dam in Lubok Antu district was previously owned by Tradewind Hotels and Resorts and managed by Hilton.

Since taking over the management, Planet Borneo Lodge Management has conducted some refurbishment work to improve the facilities and ambience, as well as added more activities for guests.

All the resort’s operations and business activities will continue as usual.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: German tourists vow to return to Batang Ai

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Batang Ai Longhouse Resort now Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat

KUCHING: Batang Ai Longhouse Resort is now renamed Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat following a change of ownership from Hilton Hotel Kuching to Planet Borneo Lodge Management Sdn Bhd.

Minister of Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg witnessed the symbolic key handing-over from John Warmington, general manager of Hilton Hotel Kuching, to Samat Othman, chairman of Aiman Planet Borneo Group of Companies at a ceremony held at Hilton Hotel here yesterday.

In her welcoming address, director of operation for Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat Gracie Geikie said the new management’s immediate plan is to rebrand and position the resort as a premium nature and wellness resort.

She added facilities at the resort would be refurbished and services revamped while pledging that no major construction was to take place in any way that would inconvenience clients.

Gracie disclosed that three major events would be hosted at the Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat this year and in 2017. Among them will be Photography Challenge and Extreme Bike Challenge.

She said small conferences pertaining to eco-tourism, nature and wildlife would also be organised at the 20-year-old resort.

While a series of industry and trade briefings had been held in the city and Kuala Lumpur, she said she would take similar sessions to Kota Kinabalu and Hong Kong in the near future.

On the resort, she said: “A lot of people talk about the distance, saying that it is a setback. But I disagree.”

She asserted that visitors could savour the beautiful country sight on the journey, not to mention the stops at Serian and Lachau.

“They can sample local food and buy souvenirs. After that, they can go to Sibu and other places as well.”

Gracie was pleased to note that almost all the staff who had been with the resort since its opening in 1995 had stayed with the new management.

She also pledged to work closely with the Sarawak Tourism Federation and Sarawak Convention Bureau to promote and position the resort as a globally renowned tourism spot.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Batang Ai Longhouse Resort now Aiman Batang Ai Resort and Retreat

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Book on people and wildlife of Batang Ai launched

KUCHING: A book featuring a fascinating part of Malaysian Borneo that has often been overlooked is launched at the Malaysia Pavilion at the World Travel Mart (WTM) 2015 today, according to a press statement issued by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB).

The book entitled “Batang Ai – Rainforest, Wildlife and People” takes readers on a visual journey through the remarkable beauty of the greater Batang Ai region in Sarawak.

Published by one of Malaysia’s renowned tour operators, Borneo Adventure, the book features the captivating areas at Batang Ai, the indigenous Iban heartland of the tropical rainforest and one of a few remaining viable habitats for the orangutans in Sarawak.

The book focuses on the inter-related mix of flora and fauna and the local inhabitants, with chapters devoted to conservation and the development of the local community’s involvement in the tourism industry.

Batang Ai’s patchwork of primary and secondary rainforests, interwoven with fast flowing rivers, is home to a range of wildlife as well to a number of Iban communities who live on the fringes of the rainforest.

Philip Yong and Robert Basiuk who co-authored and edited the book started working with the local communities in the area some 28 years ago.

Describing the book as a partnership effort, Yong who is also the managing director of Borneo Adventure, said his company partnered with the people of Nanga Sumpa longhouse in 1987 and together developed a range of high value tourism activities providing economic benefits for the people.

The tourism activities have since been extended to include five other local surrounding communities.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Book on people and wildlife of Batang Ai launched

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CNN: On the trail of orangutans in Malaysia

Achong is struggling to push our longboat against the current of Borneo's Batang Ai River, so we jump into the water to help him.

"Stay in the boat," he pleads, but we ignore him.

It's dry season and every ounce of weight is a factor as the longboat's hull scrapes the bottom of the shallow waterway.

This is the only time we ignore Achong.

Like other tattoo-covered Iban tribesman, he's a master boatman and this is his territory.

The Iban, once fearsome headhunters, are also expert trackers who have turned their talents to trailing one of the world's most fascinating endangered creatures: orangutans.

The ape pursuit takes us to Sri Aman Division, a remote area of Sarawak that nudges the border of Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of Borneo.

Borneo and neighboring Sumatra island are the only places the shaggy-haired red ape survives.

The chances of seeing them in the wild are increasingly slim.

"There's no guarantee," warns Borneo Adventure in its publicity blurb for the Red Ape Trail, the safari that has brought us deep into the Asian island's dense, steamy jungle.

"Ape numbers are about 20,000 and constantly declining due to forestry, palm oil crops and poaching."

Far more certain is searing heat, humidity of 80-100%, slippery conditions and the possibility of leeches.

"This walk demands a great deal of physical and mental exertion," says Philip Yong, Borneo Adventure's co-founder. "The region is totally isolated from the outside world."

Pampering base

Fortunately there's a soft option -- surprisingly, it involves a longhouse.

Longhouses are the large jungle huts that generations of Iban and other Dayak tribes have called home.

Usually built on stilts, they're dark, communal living spaces often shared by several families.

The Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort in the Sarawak region of Malaysia's portion of Borneo island takes its inspiration from traditional local homes, and translates this into luxury accommodation.

Seen from its jetty on the Batang Ai, a massive man-made reservoir in the Sri Aman region, the Hilton-managed resort appears like any other longhouse in the area.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics & Vids) at: CNN: On the trail of orangutans in Malaysia

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Keeping alive folktales of orang-utans

LONG ago, while looking for game deep in the jungle, an Iban hunter saw a pair of orang-utans on top of a tall tree called perawan.

The female orang-utan was giving birth while the male was crushing the roots of some plants.

When the Iban hunter passed under the tree where the orang-utans were nesting, some chunks of roots fell on him.

“What are these things?” he asked.

He took a sniff but could not tell what the roots were.

The hunter was not put off, however. He took the roots back to his longhouse and planted them. And in time, the roots yielded what is known ginger.

When the hunter’s wife gave birth, he applied the ginger on her body — like he saw how the orang-utan was doing.

According to Kebong Manggum of Rumah David Ujan, Ng Sepaya (Ulu Engkari), that was how the Ibans learned about the medicinal values of ginger and the knowledge was passed down and is still being used to these days.

The story of how the Ibans learned to use ginger as a medicine is featured in one of the 37 folktales of Ulu Engkari and Ulu Menyang, collected in the book titled Ensera Mayas Enggau Bansa Iban — Orang-utan folklore and the Iban Communities.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), in its involvement with the Iban communities and conservation works at Batang Ai, discovered that not only the Iban communities in the two areas — Ulu Engkari and Ulu Menyang — are different, their folklores handed down the generations are also distinct from other Iban communities in Sarawak.

While the Ibans from the other areas may regard orang-utans, especially those encroaching onto their gardens, as food, their counterparts of Ulu Engkari and Ulu Menyang treat the primates as relatives and forefathers.

This is one of the reasons a significant number of the great apes is still found in the two areas.

Folktales in Iban

The book was produced after many interviews. All the 37 folktales, presented in Iban language, depict the close relationships between the orang-utans and the Iban communities of Ulu Menyang and Ulu Enkari, the two tributaries of Batang Ai.

According to the folktales, the Iban communities in these two places not only learned how to use ginger from the orang-utans, but also let their women folk give birth naturally.

Before this, husbands used to cut open the stomachs of their wives to deliver newborns. So for every new life, a mother had to pay with her life.

“There are also tales of orang-utans changing into men and women and married the local Iban folks. It is, thus, not surprising the Iban communities here regard orang-utans as relatives or ancestors.

“It is also the belief of the communities that whenever their ancestors passed on, they would reincarnate as orang-utans and come back to visit them as orang-utans.

“So unlike the Iban communities in other areas, those in Ulu Engkari and Ulu Menyang have for centuries lived side by side with the orang-utans. It is taboo for them to hurt or hunt orang-utans,” said Now Sidu, one of the four writers of the book.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Keeping alive folktales of orang-utans

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RM1 mln a year spent on orang-utan conservation in Sarawak

KUCHING: Sarawak spends about RM1 million on the conservation of orang-utans each year.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Environment) Datu Len Talif Salleh who disclosed this, said the amount included salaries for conversation staff, management costs and maintaining research centres.

He said Sarawak has fewer than 2,500 orang-utans, the lowest number compared to the rest of Borneo island, with Sabah having about 15,000 and Kalimantan even more.

“Despite the relatively small number, Sarawak has put in a lot of efforts in conserving the primates,” Len told The Borneo Post yesterday.

As research has shown that there was quite an extensive presence of orang-utans in areas outside Lanjat Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary and Batang Ai National Park, he said there were proposals for the conservation parks to be expanded since two years ago.

He revealed that 14,200 ha near the international border with Kalimantan had already been gazetted but the state was facing some setback in extending Batang Ai National Park as the exercise would be seen as encroachment into native customary rights (NCR) land.

“To preserve the orang-utans, we do not allow the NCR to be converted into oil palm plantations.

“While we forbid them to turn their land into plantation, we have to come up with a solution that not only serves the purpose of conserving the wildlife there but at the same time, bringing in income to the locals.

“The government is also looking into other possibilities and presently the best possibility is to develop the area into an eco-tourism destination to ensure that income will be generated for the local land owners while at the same time, we don’t harm the habitat of the orang-utans,” said Len.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: RM1 mln a year spent on orang-utan conservation in Sarawak

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Three very different days meeting the IBAN

The dinner on Monday night was the first time we were all together as a group.

Gary hails from Lamertville Michigan and has undertaken 10 tours with Toto tours;

Bill is from New York and Palm Springs, a retired advertising executive, and Vietnam vet;

Tesh is from Hawaii, living 25 km from the volcano on the big island;

Steve from San Diego taking his second Toto tour; and

Steve M from New York, a retired banker, taking his 14th Toto tour.

We went to a local food hawker market for a typical local Malay meal and turned in early as we had a few very big days ahead.

We left early, travelling through the usual peak hour traffic in a small bus, cosy and intimate. We stopped to spend 45 minutes at a market in a regional town, an hour from Kuching. Not much for a tourist to buy.

On our way again, we travelled through rural Sarawak, passing pepper gardens, cocoa and rubber plantations, lunching at a roadside 'diner'.

We arrived at Batang Ai Lake at about 1430 to board our Longboats to the lodge, a journey of 90 minutes. The Lake was created to provide hydro power and opened in 1985.

We were well prepared for the fierce sun, wearing long sleeve shirts, hats and covering ourselves in block out. The Longboat journey took us across the lake and up one of the estuaries feeding into the lake.

We went from calm water to small rapids in a strongly  flowing river; crossing the rapids showed how skilful our boatmen were, although our guy had to stop to change the propeller .

Arriving at the lodge (1 star), we settled into our very basic accommodation (we were warned this would be the worst we would stay in). We had to bring our own towels, soap, torch and  electricity was only available between 1830-2230.

We had to leave our main luggage in Kuching, so we had very little in the way of changes of clothes etc. Some of us (me) had a room without a bathroom and had to use a communal set up, which was like being back at boarding school, only with cold showers.

The lodge is part of a local IBAN longhouse ( Nanga  Sumpa ) community of 23 families. The longhouse is situated across a small bridge. It burnt down 12 months ago and is now being rebuilt.

The meals are prepared by the women of the Longhouse, and dinner is served around 1900. On the way up we stocked up on gin and lime (no tonic) and so settled for a few cocktails before dinner. Steve M (NYC) had his trusty iPod with every US top 100 from 1960 so we more mature lads had a very nice time reminiscing.

Dinner was really good, fresh local produce skilfully prepared. We were hit by a powerful tropical downpour which was over in 30 minutes.Off to bed early, covered in mosquito repellent, the tropical cologne.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Three very different days meeting the IBAN

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Sarawak a role model in orangutan conservation efforts

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) impressed with state’s conservation efforts, sustainable land development

KUCHING: Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary and Batang Ai National Park are teeming with more than 5,000 orang utans today, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is impressed.

In fact, the WWF considered the state’s conservation efforts, especially of the orang utans, a role model, said Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh.

He added that the state had 34 national parks, animal conservation centres and wildlife sanctuaries.

“We are very serious in our efforts to conserve our flora and fauna, and we have been very successful in protecting the orang utans in Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary and in Batang Ai National Park,” Len told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He was commenting on a WWF report which included data from the World Bank, that stated that as of last year, some 34 per cent of Canada’s total land area was forest while in Malaysia, it was 61.7 per cent. WWF also reported that the whole island of Borneo had been listed as one of 11 major deforestation fronts worldwide.

The Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary spans some 200,000 hectares (ha). It is part of the Heart of Borneo (HoB) area, which includes some 300,000 ha from the Kalimantan (Indonesia) side.

Len said the state government under Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem had been collaborating with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as WWF and World Conservation Society (WCS) to better protect the state’s rich nature reserves.

“This is part of the government’s efforts to develop the land in a sustainable manner, which is even acknowledged by WWF.”

Len further ascertained the report by WWF that some six million ha of forests in Sarawak – about half the size of the state – was being logged sustainably.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak a role model in conservation efforts

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Tracking orangutan in the wilds of Borneo

Achong is struggling to push our longboat against the current of Borneo's Batang Ai River, so we jump into the water to help him.

"Stay in the boat," he pleads, but we ignore him.

It's dry season and every ounce of weight is a factor as the longboat's hull scrapes the bottom of the shallow waterway.

This is the only time we ignore Achong.

Like other tattoo-covered Iban tribesman, he's a master boatman and this is his territory.

The Iban, once fearsome headhunters, are also expert trackers who have turned their talents to trailing one of the world's most fascinating endangered creatures: orangutans.

The ape pursuit takes us to Sri Aman Division, a remote area of Sarawak that nudges the border of Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of Borneo.

Borneo and neighboring Sumatra island are the only places the shaggy-haired red ape survives.

The chances of seeing them in the wild are increasingly slim.

"There's no guarantee," warns Borneo Adventure in its publicity blurb for the Red Ape Trail, the safari that has brought us deep into the Asian island's dense, steamy jungle.

"Ape numbers are about 20,000 and constantly declining due to forestry, palm oil crops and poaching."

Far more certain is searing heat, humidity of 80-100%, slippery conditions and the possibility of leeches.

"This walk demands a great deal of physical and mental exertion," says Philip Yong, Borneo Adventure's co-founder. "The region is totally isolated from the outside world."

Pampering base

Fortunately there's a soft option -- surprisingly, it involves a longhouse.

Longhouses are the large jungle huts that generations of Iban and other Dayak tribes have called home.

Usually built on stilts, they're dark, communal living spaces often shared by several families.

The Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort in the Sarawak region of Malaysia's portion of Borneo island takes its inspiration from traditional local homes, and translates this into luxury accommodation.

Seen from its jetty on the Batang Ai, a massive man-made reservoir in the Sri Aman region, the Hilton-managed resort appears like any other longhouse in the area.

Built from large chunks of belian (ironwood), it sits amid swirls of mist on the edges of the reservoir.

A huddle of pastel pink and blue painted longboats are tethered to its moorings.

This will be our pre-and-post-punishment pampering base.

Here we can cool off in a swimming pool -- safely out of leech reach -- and escape the melting humidity in air conditioned suites.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Tracking orangutan in the wilds of Borneo

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Geology walk at Santubong National Park

CRUSTS, caramel, nuts in porridge – they sound more like a cooking lesson than a walk to learn about geology.

However, these are the striking analogies Hans – a geologist with Shell in his former life – and a dedicated nature lover and photographer, used to explain to us about the ways rocks have behaved over the geological time scale.

Santubong is a striking coastal sandstone mountain reaching an 810-metre elevation.

Some brave, and fit, souls actually climb to the summit, but last month, about 30 MNS members took a much gentler walk from the newly operational Santubong National Park headquarters as far as the waterfall with the canopy bridge.

We walked slowly as Hans explained about continental and ocean crusts.

Continental crust consists largely of granitic (mainly quartz and feldspar) rocks that form the continents.

Oceanic crust, on the other hand, is located under the oceans and mainly composed of different materials known as basaltic rocks, which are mostly dark in colour.

Over the aeons, different crustal slabs slide or ‘dive’ under one another, releasing enormous forces that often push up continental rocks (but sometimes oceanic rocks are pushed up).

That is part of the story of how, Hans explained, Gunung Santubong, which seemingly arises almost directly out of the sea, was formed. Another piece of the puzzle may be found in the intrusive rocks found at Santubong.

How can we detect where these slabs of crust (known as tectonic plates) have dived under one another? One important clue, Hans explained, is when we see dark-coloured basalt rocks, usually hidden under the oceans, at the land surface.

One of the big boundaries between crustal slabs in Sarawak corresponds approximately with the Lupar River.

One can see dark-coloured basalt rocks on a bank of the Batang Ai hydroelectric lake. Interestingly, though not surprisingly, some tree species are only found on one side of the Lupar valley dividing line, while others are only found on the other.

So how about the caramel? The cooks among us will know that to make kueh sarang semut, one first has to make caramel.

This we do by heating sugar carefully in a pan until the mass of white crystals begins to melt to a shiny liquid and darken in colour.

In the same way, Hans explained, showing us a sandstone rock that was pale brown on one side and dark brown on the other, some of the sandstone at Santubong has been heated up by hot magma injected into narrow cracks in the sandstone, and has undergone a similar change, with the melted part not gritty like normal sandstone but smooth and also darker in colour.

After melting, the rock is known as hornfels, (a German word for horn rock) as smooth as the horns of a cow.

This is where the nuts in porridge example comes in – an example of rock that was injected as hot paste into cracks of the sandstone is diorite – which cooled very slowly when still deep underground, so that some components made big crystals of mainly feldspar and hornblende (the nuts) floating in a fine-grained mass (mainly feldspar).

Then Hans explained some of the other geological features we can see at Gunung Santubong.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Geology walk at Santubong National Park

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Five Ways to Dig Deeper into Borneo

Borneo remains one of the world’s most treasured destinations of natural beauty, a landmass dominated by jungles and home to some of the most rare and incredible species on the planet. Split into two parts—western Sarawak and eastern Sabah—the vast lands of this stunning island retain their ancient traditions, attract those with a sense of adventure and lure those with an eagerness to get off the beaten path. Here are five highlights to get you started on your Borneo journey!

1. Visit an Orangutan Sanctuary

Getting up close to an Orangutan in Borneo is akin to seeing pandas in China—it has to be done. The opportunity to see these incredible creatures in their natural habitat should not be missed.

As Borneo tackles the issue of deforestation and the destruction surrounding the palm oil industry, the best way to see these endangered creatures is in a ‘Rehabilitation Centre’—set up to care for orangutans that have been displaced, or rescued from an inhumane environment. Here they have a vast section of jungle to roam in and are taught to fend for themselves.

Despite many visitors crossing the line when it comes to the rules of interaction, the Orangutans rule the land here—it is their space and you are in it. The most magical moments come as you quietly observe them coming into the main areas for feeding time, when they cross the pathways right in front of you and as they swing from the tress right above you.

There are two sanctuaries in Borneo—the most popular one in Sepilok, in the eastern state of Sabah and the other in Semenggoh, in the western state of Sarawak.

2. Stay Overnight at a Tribal Longhouse

While many Iban tribal longhouses in Sarawak are deliberately set up for tourist groups, many remote ones also welcome visitors to learn about this unique and traditional jungle lifestyle. A preserved way of life, untouched by the face of modernization, the tribal groups are eager to welcome you and share their culture.

The Iban are one of many groups of indigenous people still living in Borneo, who (unlike the Penan migrant hunters) settle in one place in a communal longhouse. This wooden, stilted structure has a row of family rooms on one side and an open social area on the other and is continually extended as more families arrive to join the tribal hold.

To get there you will journey through neighbouring towns (where now some indigenous people have integrated) and embark on a river journey towards the area of Batang Ai, where you will be greeted by the local people, tour the longhouse, dine with all the families and meet the Chief and the elders.

It’s an incredible experience, which can be arranged in advance with your favourite small group adventure company or after your arrival with local travel outlets. For the most authentic experience, your only hope is to wait for a personal invitation from a local.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Five Ways to Dig Deeper into Borneo

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Trip down memory lane to Batang Ai

ON Feb 18, Tetsuo Fujii, a civil engineer from Osaka, took an emotional trip down memory lane to Batang Ai.

It was arranged by Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) for him to visit the hydro electric dam there.

Fujii, now 80 years old, played a key role in the construction of the Batang Ai dam. In 1981, he headed the team that built the diversion tunnel as the project manager of Okamura Corporation, the contractor for the first phase of the dam construction.

It was the beginning of his love affair with the Land of Hornbills that lasts until today.

After finishing the tunnel diversion, Fujii stayed on as the general manager of the joint venture company — Okamura and Maeda — in charge of phase two of the project.

He left Sarawak in 1987 after completing the dam to take up other contracts in Japan but his heart remains in the land that has become as much home to him as the place where he was born.

The challenges of his next job as project manager for the construction of the 38km bridge from Honshu to Shikoku Island kept him away from Sarawak.

Re-establishing links with Sarawak in later years

Later, after landing a job as civil works manager with the Kobe City Council, he managed to find time to return to Sarawak. Thereafter, he made regular visits – even after his retirement.

On several occasions, he visited Batang Ai privately just see how the dam, which he helped to build, had fared over the years but never had a chance for a comprehensive visit and to be briefed by SEB officers.

On his way to power station last Tuesday (Feb 18), Fujii recognised several landmarks along the road. He was very impressed with the progress of the towns and villages along the road, especially the modern longhouses.

He also remembers the big tapang tree by the roadside after passing through Serian town.

“That was the tree we always looked out for to and from Batang Ai because it told us we were leaving Kuching or were near the city.”

He also remembers he and his Japanese colleagues called Bukit Bengunan,about half way to Batang Ai, the Weeping Hill as it was there that they started to miss the good times they had in Kuching during their break.

Upon arriving at the power station, Fujii was briefed by the station manager Encharang Ngtingih on the operation and condition of the dam.

He was gratified to learn that the structure of the dam was still in very good condition and some parts of the walls and panels were still in their original paint.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Trip down memory lane to Batang Ai

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20 more parks and natural reserves in Sarawak to be gazetted

KUCHING: The Sarawak government plans to gazette 20 more parks and natural reserves statewide to conserve and protect the state’s diverse biological resources.

Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Special Functions), Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem highlighted this yesterday to rebut international claims that a big part of Sarawak’s forests have been destroyed.

“Despite the tremendous development that has taken place, the cultural and diversity is very much alive,” he said.

“We have proposed to the Cabinet for 20 more parks and natural reserves to be established, which have been approved as the government recognises the importance of the state’s diverse biological resources,” he said.

“The proposals include Piasau Camp in Miri,” he told reporters after opening the ‘Second International Conference on Alfred Russel Wallace: His Predecessor and Successor’ at Riverside Majestic Hotel here on behalf of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

“To gazette the areas involved, we have to do things according to procedure including hearings and respect the Forestry Ordinance which may take some time, but we will do it as soon as possible,” he assured.

Re-emphasising the state government’s commitment to the environment in the chief minister’s speech, he pointed out Wallace’s other major publication from Sarawak on the orangutan was written in Simunjan in 1855 and published the following year.

Wallace’s measurement and observation of adult orangutans led him to speculate that two kinds probably existed in Sarawak – a smaller and larger type.

“We now know from DNA studies that two species of orangutan existed in the world – the Sumatran and the Borneon species,” he explained.

“His study of the habit of orangutan led him to conclude that the quality of habitat, especially level of disturbance caused by humans, was crucial in determining the occurrence of orangutan.”

Recognising the need for the protection of habitats for these endangered and other wildlife species, he said the state government was close to reaching the target to set aside about a million hectares of forest as totally protected areas (TPAs).

“Batang Ai National Park and Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary have been gazetted specifically for the conservation of orangutans while rehabilitation and release programmes are continuing at Matang Wildlife Centre,” he added.

Continue reading at: 20 more parks and natural reserves in Sarawak to be gazetted

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Sarawak eager to tap hinterland tourism

KUCHING: International consultants and tourism experts are conducting studies in the hinterland to ascertain the tourism potential of Bakun and other potential dam sites.

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said these studies might lead to the building of resorts in these places, including Murum and Baram.

He said the studies would take about one to two years to complete as it involved many technical and environmental aspects.

Speaking to reporters after launching ‘Malaysian Craft Promotion 2013’ at Kuching Waterfront yesterday, Abang Johari said the state was keen to have air taxis (amphibious aircraft) to boost its tourism appeal.

He said the state recorded a 17 per cent increase in tourists arrivals during the fi rst six months of this year compared to the same period in 2012.

The increase was also partly due to the many conventions held in the state.

These quality tourists, he noted, tend to stay back for a few days after the convention to visit national parks and places such as Batang Ai.

The availability of amphibious aircraft would lure more tourists to the rural areas, and this would be good for the rural populace.

Abang Johari believed Lubok Antu, for instance, could become a busy township if amphibious aircraft fl ew to Batang Ai.

He added that he had discussed with MASwings’ chief executive offi cer Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Awang on the possibi lity of turning their old Twin Otters into amphibious aircrafts since the airline had recently purchased new Twin Otters.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak eager to tap hinterland tourism

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