One of our most popular hotels in Borneo, Borneo Rainforest Lodge, is reopening in December after extensive refurbishment works to the property. Six of the deluxe chalets are also being upgraded and these works will be completed in April 2018, ensuring that one of the region’s most luxurious places to stay is even more so. Our South East Asia specialist Nathan visited the lodge last year, and he describes his stay below.
When friends find out you're an Asia travel specialist one of the first questions they ask is where is the best place you have been. In so many ways that open ended question simply can't be answered, unless they ask where is the best place in Asia you have been for wildlife, in which case the Borneo Rainforest Lodge wins hands down. The journey getting there is an adventure in itself, driving along bumpy roads through primary rainforest spotting the occasional tell-tale sign of elephant dung from one of Borneo's big five, the pygmy elephant.
The last thing you expect to see emerge from the dense jungle is a beautiful lodge. The view from the restaurant is stunning with a clear sight of the river and beyond into the rainforest (above); you could easily while away a few days enjoying the amazing food and listening to the sounds of nature. That said, it would be a crying shame not to lace up your walking boots and head out with an exceptional guide into the jungle in search of gibbons, orangutans and all manner of creatures great and small.
There are various trails to enjoy along with stunning canopy walks, which are ideal for the birding enthusiast (there are over 275 species of birdlife in the Danum Valley alone) and you are bound to hear the world's largest hornbill passing overhead. In the evening there are night drives available to spot more elusive animals such as the slow loris or western tarsier. This is followed by everyone heading for dinner, ready to gather around the bar and share tales of what they've just seen out in the rainforest.
There are three standards of accommodation at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge. The entry level rooms are large with private bathrooms, making them perfect for small families. The deluxe rooms have views of the river and boast an outside bath (above). There are also some newer luxury chalets, which are not quite in keeping with the rainforest. Personally I would go for a deluxe room (number 19 if possible).
This is easily the best wildlife lodge in South East Asia, so it's worth noting that it does get booked up incredibly early throughout the summer months.
Contact Nathan on 020 8741 7390 or nathan@wildfrontiers.co.uk to discuss a tailor-made holiday in Borneo or elsewhere in South East Asia.
