Countdown to 2017 as Visit Sibu Year, starring Bubu the croc

SIBU: Thousands met tourism mascot ‘Bubu the Crocodile’ when a countdown at Sibu Town Square rang in 2017 as ‘Visit Sibu Year’ amidst a rich tapestry of cultural sounds and sights, and splendour of fireworks on Saturday night.

The VIPs included Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh as the Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) held the countdown to the New Year, ushering the town into a year of colourful events where townsfolk will welcome visitors in their tradition of warm hospitality.

Bubu – a combination of two words ‘Sibu’ and ‘Bujang’ the Dayak legendary warrior – was well embraced with loud cheers when the croc pranced around with children on stage in a re-enactment of last March when the mascot was launched. The green mascot represents the friendly warrior that guards and bless Rajang River basin where its people bask in the beauty of ethnic diversity.

The tourism mascot also represents the unspoilt natural beauty of the Sibu hinterland where the reptile has ruled the lush tropical rainforest from time immemorial.

In a celebration that started at 7.30pm, the momentum at 9.30pm peaked with the gathering crowds, until the countdown of fireworks in the clear, night sky rang out 2016 and ring in 2017 at midnight.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Countdown to 2017 as Visit Sibu Year, starring Bubu the croc

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Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort bags two ‘green’ awards

MIRI: Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort, touted as the state’s only agro-nature resort, has made the state proud, having clinched two prestigious awards for good environmental practice.

It was honoured with the special ‘Green Hotel Award’ from the Tourism and Culture for 2015, and the ‘Asean Green Hotel Standard’ by the Asean Tourism Forum.

The first award was presented to the resort’s managing director Henry Law Ing Hua by the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng here recently.

The second recognition was received during the ceremony held in Manila, the Philippines, where Malaysian Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin attended as the guest-of-honour.

On the awards, Law told reporters here that the road towards achieving such recognition was not an easy one as there were lots of criteria to be met, adding that the green concept did not only mean having lush greenery, but also cleanliness.

“Clean, in the sense that it is not limited to the absence of rubbish, but also no pests like flies and rats,” he said.

“To maintain cleanliness at the resort, any food leftover from restaurants is collected and recycled as fish food. This works both ways — we avoid pests but at the same time, we feed the fish in our pond.”

Law also assured guests that they would not have to worry about mosquitoes, despite the resort being nestled in the middle of the jungle.

According to him, the place actually has special ornamental plants that can repel the insect.

Another green practice at the resort is the collection of rainwater and the use of solar panels to power up water heaters.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort bags two ‘green’ awards

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More than 80 per cent of Sarawak’s land mass covered by forest

KUCHING: More than 80 per cent of Sarawak’s 12.4 million hectares (ha) of land mass are covered by forest, an evidence of the state’s high commitment to its forest management programme.

Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan on Sunday said the government would also continue to strengthen its efforts in sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation and research.

The Sarawak Planted Forest, an agency entrusted with the state’s forest replanting initiative, has targeted to establish about one million hectare (ha) of planted forest by 2020. In addition, the state has also targeted to gazette about one million ha of forest as totally protected area in seven years’ time.

“The state has a land mass area of about 12.4 million ha, in which more than 80 per cent are covered by forest. This includes secondary forest.

“This is by far much higher when compared to European countries such as Holland, Denmark, Germany and United Kingdom among others, which only have less than 10 per cent forest area throughout each country.

“We should be proud of this fact despite the state receiving numerous criticisms and negative opinions from both local and foreign individuals and NGOs. I believe all these allegations were made to cover up their own weaknesses and shortcoming.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: More than 80 per cent of Sarawak’s land mass covered by forest

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The Adventurer: orang-utans in Borneo

Last month, I had the privilege of a personal encounter with one of the world’s most extraordinary and charismatic creatures. Deep in the primary rainforest of Malaysian Borneo, I came face to face with a “man of the forest” – as the name orang-utan means in the local language.

Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also saw these amazing animals in the Malaysian part of Borneo. My encounter was in a wilder, lesser-known area, in the state of Sarawak, at the Matang Wildlife Centre. Animals uprooted by deforestation or poaching are rehabilitated at the sanctuary, then returned to the wild in the surrounding Kubah National Park.

It was there that I helped a group of volunteers prepare hessian sacks stuffed with tapioca, jam, nuts and sunflower seeds, which are given to the orang-utans as part of an “enrichment” plan. Wearing a surgical mask and gloves (orang-utans are susceptible to human disease and it is vital they have no physical contact with visitors), I handed Aman, a 25-year-old male orang-utan, one of the sacks. I watched, mesmerised, as he carefully shucked each sunflower seed in his mouth, extracting the contents with his tongue and removing the shell from his mouth.

Aman was blind, but regained his sight after a pioneering operation on his cataracts. He is too old to be returned to the wild, but the younger orphans can be taught how to survive on their own.

This includes daytime and overnight lessons in the rainforest, and I joined four young orang-utans and six rangers during a lesson one afternoon. We hiked through dense green foliage to get to the “classroom”, to the accompaniment of a spectacular natural orchestra of the tropical rainforest, which buzzed, hummed, chirruped, barked and roared.

It was rather like being with a group of toddlers as they rolled around on the path. The orang-utans had tantrums and lay down, refusing to move. Except for the ginger hair and the wrinkled face, it could have been my son out there in the jungle. Without parents, these youngsters rely on rangers to teach them how to forage and even how to climb. One, which had been terrified of heights, overcame its vertigo after watching its foster carer climb a tree.

Soon the youngsters had tired and it was time to return to the centre. It was moving to see these young primates riding piggyback or holding their human carers’ hands as they wandered back, clutching fruit and sticks they had collected during the afternoon.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: The Adventurer: orang-utans in Borneo

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Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort experiences influx of visitors

MIRI: The Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort recently experienced an influx of visitors who were keen to get back to nature.

The 780-acre eco-tourism resort is located next to Lambir National Park, 36km from Miri city. Last Saturday, 240 Hashers took part in the Miri Hash House Harriers’ 12th Borneo Ball Breaker Run.

Runners from Germany, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Brunei and across Malaysia joined the 23km jungle run flagged off by Miri Hash House Harriers chairman Daniel Francis Fosythe.

The resort also hosted association, school and church group members including from Recollection Gerempung Sembayang Iban Miri (112 members), Kolej Tuanku Haji Bujang (149 teachers and students), Methodist Church Limbang (60 members), SMK 3 Rivers Mukah (61 teachers and students) and SK Chung San (24 teachers and students).

The natural setting of the pristine and lush Lambir Hills tropical rainforest makes for a perfect retreat for relaxation and the revitalisation of body, mind and spirit.

Resort owner Henry Law said visitors are also attracted to the resort’s open water park, which is the first of its kind in Malaysia.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort experiences influx of visitors

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Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival to stay in Kuching but with new approach next year

The excitement from the just-concluded Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is still felt amongst visitors.

Now, it is going to get little bit hotter.

Rumour has it that the next edition of the state’s annual signature event will no longer be held in its birth city, Kuching.

Instead, it is going to be shifted to Miri, specifically to a venue that shares the festival’s namesake.

The Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort (BTRR), nestled deep in the Lambir forest about 33km from the city, is touted to be the next site for the RWMF.

To find out more about this, The Star yesterday contacted BTRR owner, Henry Law Ing Hua, who was quite surprised with the news.

He said: “No, I have not heard about this. However, we did request for RWMF to be brought over to Miri two years ago but it was turned down on the ground that it would be too costly for the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) to hold the festival here.”

Nevertheless, Law said if the news turned out to be true, he would be truly delighted because having the festival here would take Miri tourism to a different height and not to mention, “a great bonus for BTRR”.

“I did have guests who came here recently asking me why I did not get some of the performers from the RWMF to perform at my place. They said our location will be suitable for the event.

“In my opinion, BTTR is surrounded by the forest and is away from the city centre. It has retained certain spiritual charms much like those in a rainforest. But at the same time, the outfit may not be able to accommodate the huge crowd of the RWMF, which has grown from year to year,” he pointed out.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival to stay in Kuching but with new approach next year

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5 Ways You Can Save Tropical Rainforests

The Earth’s rainforests continue to disappear at an alarming rate. Each day, an astounding 80,000 acres of rainforest are lost forever, despite international disapproval and concern.

Groups like the Rainforest Action Network, the Rainforest Alliance, the Borneo Project and international programs like UN-REDD work to save global rainforests through incentive-based initiatives, education and conservation programs.

Still, it’s an uphill battle that requires a long-term complex social, environmental and economic approach to win.

One of the main reasons rainforests continue to be destroyed comes down to basic economics: they’re worth more (monetarily) cut down than standing, at least by today’s standards.

Rainforests are also predominantly located in some of the poorest regions on Earth, leaving local populations vulnerable to corruption and foreign business advancement.

Palm oil production, for example, which consists of cutting down virgin rainforest in order to plant a mono-crop of oil palm trees, trees that can only grow in tropical climates, is just one example of rainforest development.

Use lipstick or eat ice cream?  Chances are palm oil is listed as one of the ingredients.

Rainforests are also home to 50% of the world’s species, which are directly impacted by deforestation.

In addition, the forests act as a major carbon sink and hold countless natural, historical and medicinal wonders.

They’re also home to some of the world’s last remaining indigenous peoples who are linked to past civilizations including the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs. These cultures have learned to live with the land and therefore uniquely understand the intricacies of the rainforest and its animal and plant inhabitants.

Scientists and activists remain concerned about the best approach to save the rapidly disappearing rainforests of the world, yet there appears to be agreement of what has and has not worked in the past and it’s clear that rainforests will survive only if local people and governments can be shown a tangible economic benefit to their intact existence.

While many living abroad can see the environmental and emotional benefit of a rainforest, those living locally and deep in poverty with an immediate need for money are more likely to sell out.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: 5 Ways You Can Save Tropical Rainforests

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Braving dangers to capture Sabah’s beauty from air

At 9pm tomorrow, 25 Feb, a new documentary that features two professional photographers Jonathan Tan and Cede Prudente flying paramotors and braving risky weather conditions to capture breathtaking bird’s-eye views of Sabah’s tropical rainforest and sea will be aired over the Bio Channel (Astro 731).

The ‘Shoot for the Sky’ documentary will take viewers to various locations, including the mangroves on Sandakan coastline, Semporna islands, the reefs and home of the sea gypsies and foothills of Mount Kinabalu.

According to its director Julian Shori, the production of the show involved huge physical and emotional challenges.

“It all started in Kuala Lumpur when we had to pack and transport over 500kg of equipment to Sandakan. We encountered many technical, logistical and weather problems.

“In the early stage, the fuel was contaminated and could not be used. So the engines had to be emptied and cleaned, then refueled.

“We also had to travel by boat each day from Semporna to the islands and had to return by late evening with the heavy equipment,” he said.

Julian said the time for taking better photographs varied from location to location.

“In the Sepilok area, good lighting for photographs was in the early morning and late afternoon. At the islands, the ideal lighting condition was around noon when the light was from above. At the mountain the only time they could photograph the eastern ridge was in the early morning,” he said.

“So it was a nightmare for me. Could they ever accomplish their mission with all these conditions and all the obstacles in our way?

“This programme was completely unscripted and therefore the talents were not directed at all in anyway. We, the crew and I, had to anticipate what would happen and be there when it did.

“It was difficult to say the least, but we succeeded in most situations,” he said, adding that “Murphy’s Law” was their guide all along, which means that if anything goes wrong, it will go wrong.”

Julian said they spent four days in Sandakan as they realised that Cede and Jonathan needed some more time training with their cameras.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Braving dangers to capture Sabah’s beauty from air

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Calls for upgrade of Sandakan airport

SANDAKAN: Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Liew Vui Keong said Sandakan should have a distinctive airport of international standing in order to attract more foreign tourists.

Describing Sandakan as a destination offering diversity in eco-tourism, he said based on the number of aircraft movements and the increasing number of passengers from year to year, it was appropriate for the airport to be upgraded and the flight frequencies increased in order to make it competitive with other airports in the country.

“Upgrading the airport is in line with the government’s aspiration to make Malaysia a premier tourist destination in Southeast Asia.

“The Ministry of Tourism targets the revenue earned from tourism be about RM161 billion with an influx of 36 million tourists by 2020,” he said.

Liew, who is also Sandakan member of paliament, added by upgrading it into an international airport, the district would be able to attract investors.

He said that when declaring open the 12th Sandakan Festival held at the lobby of the Sandakan airport yesterday.

The two-day festival which started yesterday, is an affirmation of welcome for tourists to visit Sandakan which is known for its natural environment and tropical rainforest.

Various events and activities have been planned to attract the people to come and visit the Sandakan airport.

“We must treat this airport not only as a point of arrival and departure but also to visit the outlets which offer products to suit the tourists’ tastes,” Liew added.

Continue reading at: Calls for upgrade of Sandakan airport
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An unforgettable climb - Tips and guidelines for conquering Mount Kinabalu

If experiencing the natural beauty of a tropical rainforest and mighty mountains sounds like your dream vacation, then Mount Kinabalu might just be your ideal destination, and a truly once in a lifetime experience.

For centuries, stunning images of Mount Kinabalu have captured the interest and imagination of explorers and travellers from around the world. Even today, the towering granite peak and natural wonders of Mount Kinabalu remain strong attractions for mountaineers who climb to the summit just to get a glimpse of the breathtaking sunrise at 4,095m above sea level.

Situated in the East Malaysia state of Sabah on the island of Borneo, Mount Kinabalu is famed for its biological diversity. And with a height ranging from 500 to 4,000m, the mountain is home to many varieties of flora and fauna. In fact, Kinabalu Park has documented more than 608 species of ferns, which exceeds the number of species found entirely in mainland Africa. Kinabalu Park is roughly 80km east of Kota Kinabalu (formerly Jesselton), the capital of Sabah state in Malaysia.

From the foot of the mountain to the summit plateau, visitors get a chance to gradually see all the different flower and plant species, from small ferns and moss with tiny flowers in the tropical rainforest to an array of subalpine plants close to the summit throughout their ascent.

Though the trail to the summit is less than nine kilometres long, most mountaineers need two days to scale up the steep slope, while contending with thin air, before reaching the rocky granite peaks of Mount Kinabalu. However, to experience the natural wonders up close and be able to look down the mountain after a long ascent is well worth the climb.

All who wish to climb Mount Kinabalu must buy a climbing permit and book accommodation in advance before heading to Sabah, as the hotels there can accommodate only 150 people per night; most climbers stay overnight at Laban Rata Resthouse since it offers heated units _ the only other lodging that has heated units is Gunting Lagadan Hut _ and it has the only restaurant. It is recommended that visitors book five months in advance.

All climbers must also notify the park one day before climbing.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: An unforgettable climb - Tips and guidelines for conquering Mount Kinabalu

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Extinct tropical raintree species discovered in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Foresters are excited about the discovery of three tropical raintree species that were thought to be extinct in Sabah.

The rare dipterocarp species, known locally as Keruing Jarang was found in the Siangau Forest Reserve, near the coastal town of Weston, about 100km from here.

The discovery was made during a survey of the area by a research team from the Forestry Department.

In a statement here yesterday, Sabah Forestry director Datuk Sam Mannan said the species Dipterocarpus lamellatus was last recorded at Beaufort Hill in 1955.

The only other record was from Labuan in 1951.

The island today is virtually devoid of any natural dry land forests, said Mannan.

“It is a very exciting development for us,” he added, saying the research team also encountered four other rare dipterocarps in the reserve.

The survey was part of a statewide inventory by the Forestry Department to determine the conservation status of dipterocarps in Sabah, he said.

Forest botanist John Sugau said that of the 267 species of dipterocarps known to exist on Borneo island, 183 were found in Sabah.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Extinct tropical raintree species discovered in Sabah
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Tawau Hills Park, Not A Mere Natural Recreation Spot

TAWAU -- In 2006, American scientist Dr Roman Dial and two friends climbed up a 'Seraya Kuning Siput' (Shorea faquetiana) in Taman Bukit Tawau near here.

The trio risked life and limb in order to find out the accurate measurement of this tree, a tropical rainforest plant, located in the forest reserve of some 28,000 hectares.

After placing the end of the measuring tape at the tip of the highest point on the tree, Dr Dial, a professor in Biologi and Mathematic of Alaska Pacific University, finally recorded the tree's height at 88.32 metres.

That measurement made the Seraya Kuning Siput in Tawau Hills Park the highest tropical rainforest tree in the world.

After recording the tree's height, Dr Dial and his team then moved on to look for trees of other species in the park. In two square km there, they found seven more that measured more than 80 metres in height.

The discovery by Dr Dial and his team was recorded in the National Geographic magazine, July 2006 edition.

FOREST RESERVE

Even though the Seraya Kuning Siput in Tawau Hills Park is 10th among the world's tallest tree species, Malaysians should be proud of it as it is the tallest among the tropical species.

So far, the tallest tree in the world is of the redwood species (Sequoia sempervirens) found in Redwood Forest, Redwood National Park in California, United States at the height of 115.55 metres.

Meanwhile, out of the 25 tallest trees from various species various in the world, 11 are found in Tawau Hills Park with each exceeding 80 metres in height.

At the moment visitors to Tawau Hills Park would make it a must to view the world's tallest tropical rainforest tree there. A visit to the park is considered as 'incomplete' without taking a look at this gigantic tree.

TAWAU'S TREASURES

The world's tallest tropical tree is located 900 metres from the park's station and in order to get to the site, visitors have to move along a natural trail constructed by the park's authorities.

Along the trip to that spot the visitors can, apart from breathing in the fresh forest air, view the lush greenery comprising various plants and vegetation in the park.

For those who are lucky, they can see the Red Leaf Monkey that are quite 'friendly' with the visitors.

"We were surprised when the scientist told us that the world's tallest tropical rainforest tree is here. To us it is like a treasure to Tawau".

Continue reading at: Tawau Hills Park, Not A Mere Natural Recreation Spot
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Sabah Government's Role in Danum Valley Success

KOTA KINABALU: The achievements at Danum Valley are testimonies of the state government’s openness and commitment to promote research with the aim of making Sabah a centre of excellence in tropical biodiversity research.

This idea of becoming a centre of excellence was adopted as a key strategy in the Sabah Development Corridor.

And it supports the federal government’s vision to transform the country into a world centre of excellence in conservation, research and utilization of tropical biological diversity by 2020.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman said this at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Royal Society and Danum Valley Management Committee on the rainforest research and training programme for the next five years at a resort here yesterday.

He said through the excellent collaboration between the Royal Society and the Danum Valley Management Committee, this field centre was now regarded as a leading and influential tropical rainforest research establishment in South East Asia.

The field centre in Danum also owes its success to the state Forestry Department, Yayasan Sabah, Universiti Malaysia Sabah and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment.

“Globally, it is one of the top three facilities of its kind after La Selva in Costa Rica and Baro Colorado Island in Panama,” he added.

However, the Chief Minister said the quest towards achieving excellence in tropical rainforest in Sabah was still far from complete.

“Compared to the Royal Society’s existence of more than three centuries, this is just the beginning,” he said.

Given the complexity of tropical rainforest and its status as one of the least understood of ecosystem, Musa said there was still a lot to be researched.

“We need long-term multidisciplinary research and we are aware that findings are crucial to ensure Danum’s sustainability in this fast changing world.

“And, there is also a need for continuity and enhancement of current programmes, with greater participation by both local and overseas research interest,” he said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sabah Government's Role in Danum Valley Success
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Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort - Living his dream

Perseverance in what you do is the sure way to success and happiness, insists Henry Law Ing Hua, 58, whose dogged pursuit of his dream of an agro-tourism resort has made him “the luckiest man in the world”.

Law was just eight when he was trained to follow in his father’s footsteps in the family nursery business. The late Lau Siong Nguong, a pioneer in the nursery business and an expert in bud-grafting fruit trees, established Kai Nguong Nursery in Sibu in the early 60s.

Law’s early association with plants nurtured in him an appreciation for mother nature and everything living and growing within it.

“Since my teenage years, I have dreamt of owning a piece of land where I could create a beautiful garden,” Law recalls.

He has now acquired that land and is transforming it into an agro-tourism park with many beautiful chalets and gardens. Law is the man behind Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort at km36 on the Miri-Bintulu Road in northern Sarawak.

Visiting the resort, about 30 minutes’ drive from Miri, I find the resort owner to be extremely affable and down-to-earth, and most willing to talk.

“After completing Form Five in Sibu, I took over the management of Kai Nguong Nursery as my father branched out to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah,” Henry says, as we lunch at the resort’s One Tree Hill Café.


Continue reading (incl. pics) at: Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort - Living his dream
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Exploring Borneo Tropical Rainforest

From TravelSphere Blog:

The Tropical Rainforest is earth's most complex biome in terms of both structure and species diversity. It occurs under optimal growing conditions: abundant precipitation and year round warmth. There is no annual rhythm to the forest; rather each species has evolved its own flowering and fruiting seasons. Sunlight is a major limiting factor. A variety of strategies have been successful in the struggle to reach light or to adapt to the low intensity of light beneath the canopy.

The Tropical Rainforest has always been one of the most mysterious and adventurous place to visit. Throughout the whole world, only a few tropical countries are lucky to have tropical rainforest with them, these are Amazon tropical rainforest, Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Indonesia and Malaysia.

When travelling in the tropical rainforest, it's adventurous and mysterious; we definitely want to think about our own safety. Amazon and Africa Tropical rainforest system are similar to the one in Malaysia and Indonesia, but for safety reasons, we always encourage visitors or tourists to visit the 3rd largest island in the world - Borneo.

Continue reading at: Exploring Borneo Tropical Rainforest

Sarawak Rainforest art expo

KUCHING: Over 120 paintings submitted for the Sarawak Rainforest Painting Competition 2007 are on display and for auction at a two-week exhibition which started yesterday.

Organised by Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Galleria, a local art gallery, the competition was open to students in two age groups, 12-15 and 16-18, between March and September this year.

The top three paintings in each category will have a starting price of RM50 and the rest RM30 in the auction, with subsequent bids priced at a minimum raise of RM10.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Sarawak Rainforest art expo

Sabah set aside 240,000ha for Orang Utan conservation

Kota Kinabalu: The State Government has designated the whole of Ulu Segama and Malua forest reserves covering an area of about 240,000ha for an orang-utan conservation programme.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun, said the move proved that the Sabah Government was committed to preserving the State's wildlife and forest.

He dismissed claims that orang-utan in the State were being threatened by the clearing of forests for the development of the oil palm sector.

"We don't kill orang-utan as the creatures are a very important component of our tourism industry. Killing the orang-utan is tantamount to killing our tourism industry. And we won't do that," Masidi said.

Continue reading at: Sabah set aside 240,000ha for Orang Utan conservation

Sepilok set to become top rainforest centre

KOTA KINABALU: Sepilok, known worldwide as a premier orang utan conservation area, will consolidate its place in the world map once Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi opens the nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to open the centre, some 30km from Sabah's coastal town of Sandakan, on the first day of his two-day visit to the state from tomorrow.

Located within the 4,500ha Sepilok-Kabili forest reserve, the RM6.7mil centre would, among others, enable visitors to experience a walk within a rainforest and its canopy.

Continue reading at: Sepilok set to become top rainforest centre

Rainforest of Sabah

By Anna Vivienne

Forests that receive high rainfall of up to 2000 mm are called rainforests. Rainforests are usually made up of big, tall trees and undergrowth. On the first layer a number of very large trees growing above the general canopy can reach the heights of 55 metres and above.

Some have been known to grow up to 60 metres high. These trees however are hardy as they have to withstand various weather conditions.

The layer where these trees are inhabited Eagles, butterflies, bats and some intrepid monkeys. After the tall trees comes the canopy, estimated to comprise 40 plant species, which is tremendous.

The inhabitants of the lofty trees also like to make their home in this level but there are more of other life forms there including various insect species.

Between the canopy and the forest there is a space, known as the under-storey. This is home to a number of birds, snakes, and lizards, as well as predators.

Armadillos also live here. The leaves are much larger at this level. Insect life is also abundant. Many seedlings that will grow to the canopy level are present in the under-storey.


This layer can also be called a shrub layer. The layer just above the floor, consists of mainly large-leaved plants and small trees able to survive on the meager amount of light let through by the canopy.

Next come the forest floor which receives about two percent of the sunlight. Only plants that have adapted to the situation can grow in this region. Away from river banks, swamps and clearings where dense undergrowth is found, the forest floor is relatively clear of vegetation, as little sunlight penetrates to ground level.

It also contains decaying plant and animal matter, which disappears quickly due to the warm, humid conditions promoting rapid decay. Many forms of fungi grow here which help decay the animal and plant waste. Danum Valley and Maliau Basin are well known for its rainforests in Sabah.

Courtesy of: New Sabah Times 'In' Sites - Sabah Travel and Leisure Guide

Further Reading: The Tropical Rainforests of Sabah

Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort - New nature resort blooms in Sarawak

Belian-plank walkway trekking with the natural tropical greenery
A custom-made farm tractor to take visitors for an enjoyable

ride to the 100 acres of large tropical fruit orchard

One room type at the resort chalet

Photos courtesy of and Copyright to Brunei Press Sdn Bhd.

By George Francis

MIRI - Sarawak's first privately run multi-million ringgit agro-based tourism and nature resort, Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort, is scheduled to open by December this year with the completion of its 48 rooms full service accommodation and other eco-tourism recreational facilities.

In a sprawling 780 acres of secondary jungle, the resort is nestled in the midst of the rainforest blending in perfectly with the natural lakes, water falls, rivers and the hilly landscapes. Adjacent to an extraordinary species-rich forest Lambir Hill National Park, the resort is only 38 km from Miri City, midway between Lambir Hills National Park and Niah National Park.

Resort developer-operator, Syarikat Kai Nguong Resort Development Sdn Bhd obtained a 60-year-lease of the area from the state government in the late 90s and has been doing works in the area for the past four years.

It is however, geared for a soft-opening next month for the Phase I comprising of 150 acres which encompasses the completion of 18 chalet rooms, cafe, banquet hall, outdoor pavilions, domestic animal farm, tropical fruit orchard and other exciting eco-tourism recreational activities.

In a media briefing to Borneo Bulletin and West Malaysian journalists and Sarawak Tourism Board on the sideline of Miri International Jazz Festival, the first such opportunity before the resort is open to the public, Ms Sim Ling Ling of Ethos Connect International Consultant, said once fully completed, it will have 48 rooms full service accommodation, meetings and banqueting facilities, health centre and business services and a range of eco-tourism recreational activities appealing to the discerning leisure and corporate travellers.

The tour of the agro farms takes about two hours as a custom-made farm tractor takes guests on a comfortable and enjoyable ride to the 100 acres large tropical fruit orchard in which 38 species of tropical and ethnic fruits such as bawang, dabai, etc are found. The seventy acres large domestic animal farm rears about 1,000 numbers of free range chicken and some 100 sheep and goats.

Another exciting event is the boat ride along a river where guests could enjoy the beautiful scenery of the flora and fauna, rainforst, wildlife and birds in a natural outdoor environment.

Other options to consider include fishing, jungle trekking, botanical gardens, sports, camping and BBQ. There are nature walks and rainforest trekking with a combined distance of 2770 metres.

"Combine relaxation with wide range of sports activities, sight seeing, educational and recreational actvities suitable for all ages," said the resort owner, Henry Law, 56, whose interest in building resort all started because of "outdoor hobby" and his family background too, from his father ranging from orchard, housing and landscaping businesses.

In Miri, Syarikat Kai Nguong, is a renowned landscaping contractor, a housing-property development in Labuan and Auckland New Zealand.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend