A week or so in Borneo (Sabah)

Hi all -

My wife and I will have a week or so in Sabah, Borneo in June, sandwiched between diving trips to Layang Layang and Malaysia.

I was going to spend 3 nights in Kinabatangan, doing river safaris; 2 nights in Dunnum Valley and 1 night in Sepilok (Orang Utan rehab center). The goal is to get good photos of orang utans, proboscis monkeys, gibbons, hornbills and other animals/birds.

For those of you who've been there - any advise/comments on the above itinerary? Any "must visit" places?

Also, because I will be carrying a large bag full of underwater camera gear, it will be hard for me to pack my 500/4. I'll be taking a 300/4 + 1.4x TC as my longest lens. Would that be enough reach for most subjects?

Any and all comments and suggestions welcomed.

Vandit

Hello Vandit
I will be of no help to you. I am jealous however and plan to do this similar trip in summer of 2008. I would love to pick your brain when you return. Have a great trip.
Rick T
If you want to send me any info later please feel free.

Hi Rick -

I'd be happy to share whatever I learn with you. I'll be posting a report online as well, but as I tend to be very forgetful, please email me at vkalia at photosafariindia dot com in July or later, and pick away.

Cheers,
Vandit

Vandit, Sabah, you are in for a treat. I would strongly suggest bringing along the 500mm and 1.4 converter for the birds and close portrait shots of monkeys, probosis as well as macaques. Different types of hornbills and other types. Birds at Dannum are also special. You will need the long reach of the 500. Near Kinabatangan, there are some limestone caves. Birds nests are harvested here, however at dawn, the swifts go out and the bats return, vise versa in the evening. You can walk into the caves which has a huge guano mound. You will be walking on a carpet of insects feeding on the guano, some insect life is pale in color as they do not come out into the light. You will also find perfevt skeletons of swifts and bats that have fallen ad died and have been picked clean by the insectlife, Facinating place. Very strong smell of armonia from the bat and bird waste, also have a disposable light poncho to protect your self. People live in the caves to protect the birds nests from being illegally harvested. Also along the Kinabatangan river and Dannum valley, elephants are occassionally seen. About 18mths ago or so, the scientific world declared that these were a sub species in their own right. I was there a few years ago and had a great time. I assume that you are off to Sipadan, I do not dive by a collegue regularly visits there and describes the place as the best dive spot and all I can say is enjoy.
On the negative side, you will see mass deforestation by logging, legal and illegal, large numbes of illegal logs floating down the Kinabatangan, habitat loss.

Hi Hari

Oops, yes, I meant to write "sandwiched between dive trips to Layang Layang and Sipadan".

Thanks for this info - I guess I will find a way to pack the 500/4. Urp. Hope they dont decide to weigh our carry on bags.... that could get ugly :)

One question for you - would it be better to spend 3 nights in Kinabatungan and 2n in Dannum, or the other way around, from a wildlife sightings/photography point of view?

The sight of illegal timber felling is something I am far too familiar with, living in India. Recently, 5 of the 230 only remaining Asiatic lions were killed by poachers... :(

Really excited about this trip!

Vandit

Hi Vandit, if you are going to Danum Valley from Sipadan, two days will be fine, though tight. From Danum to Kinabatangan, it is a longer drive so, three days are fine. Danum is a birders' Mecca, lots of walks and if you are after specific birds, it can be arranged that you and a guide can be dropped off. The guides are able to mimic calls to attract the bird. On the Kinabatangan, lots of water trails by boat. Can do some walking, but can be muddy. I fogot to mention, get some leach overcovers for your ankles. This is leach country. If one attaches to you, sprinkle salt or use a cigarette to encourage it to fall off. If you pull it off, this will often leave the mouth parts behind, and may lead to infection of an open wound. Leaches on their own are relatively harmless. Certain species were and are used on patients to reduce high blood pressure.
It is sad to hear of the loss of the lions. A visit to that part of the world is on the wish list.