Borneo

My family and I spent nine nights in Borneo. We arrived into Sandakan at night so the next day we were picked up by a tour guide and small bus to take us to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation center. While there I saw orangutans eating bananas and swinging on ropes and trees. We learned about what they eat and how they live. We walked on a platform in the forest and I was excited so I ran ahead of my parents. My Dad told me to stop and just as he did I looked to see an Orangutan coming right at us! He was on the railing and came right in front of us. I was a bit scared so I walked quickly back to my parents just in time to see him pass by. It was cool and a bit scary.

Boat Ride to Sukau Rainforest Lodge                                   

We took a two and a half hour boat ride from Sandakan to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. I like being on a boat and didn't mind the life jacket. I liked the Sukau Rainforest Lodge in the Borneo Rainforest on the Kinabatangan river. Our guide was really nice.                                                                              

   The dining area at the Rainforest Lodge

Sukau Rainforest Lodge

          One of my favorite things about the lodge were seeing the monkeys try to steal food at breakfast in the early hours. They were fun to watch and I learned why the local people think they are trouble. I really liked seeing  a bright green frog and then a bit later when the guide brought us a snake that was eating that frog!  

Snake eating a frog

I also liked going on the river cruise in the morning with my Dad and some others who were at the lodge. It was fun but too long so I was bored at the end. We did see cheeky monkeys jumping all through the trees which was the best. They had a funny nose and our guide said that they were Proboscis monkeys. We saw a crocodile on the river bank and lots of birds. My favorite bird was the Hornbill. My Mom went on the river safari the next morning and asked me to come with but I didn't want to because the boat ride is too long. She said she saw elephants and an orangutan! Too bad I didn't go.

One of the many monkeys we saw in the Rainforest

After two nights in the rain forest we took the long boat ride back to Sandakan and had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the town. I had fun running around the open grass with Julia and another boy who was there. We took a plane ride to Kota Kinabalu and then a boat ride to our resort called Bungaraya Island Resort off the coast of Sabah Malaysia. My Mom had met some people from the hotel in London and said that it sounded great and we needed to go.

At Bungaraya we had the rainforest and the beach!

We had a two bedroom villa in the trees and it was my favorite place in Borneo because they had  the coolest pool. My parents thought so too because it had a pool area that was perfect for kids. Julia could play on her own because it was shallow enough. I am a good swimmer and can go in the deep end on my own. I am so good that a group of people came to watch me and smiled and pointed. They didn't speak English but my Mom said that they were talking about how impressed they were that I could swim because not many of their friends and family can and certainly not the kids. I decided to show off after hearing this.

One of my other favorite things about Bungaraya was the zip line. I went with my Dad and it was super mega awesome. I wasn't even afraid! I wish I could go again.

There were animals all around the resort. We liked watching the bearded pigs look for food at night and the monkeys search for food in the morning. My most favorite animal was the monitor lizard. 

Checking out the items in the touch tank

One day we took a boat ride to another resort, Gayana, to see their Marine Ecology Research Center. They had a touch pool with snails, starfish and sea cucumbers. I liked the starfish that the marine biologist called the chocolate chip starfish. We also got to plant a piece of coral in concrete to be put back in the ocean.

We took a boat ride back to the mainland after 5 fun nights at Bungaraya. A nice Korean boy my age was on the same boat ride back and I asked him to sit by me. He didn't speak English but it did not matter as we both spoke to each other anyway.

Sitting down to enjoy the fish tanks

The hotel we stayed at in Kota Kinabalu was good because it had mirrors and lights in the lobby. I liked how the men and women that worked there smiled at me and talked to me a lot. They invited us to try their dinner that night because it was a big party for people who are breaking their fast for Ramadan. There was lots and lots of food and something called a dessert wonderland. This was my favorite.

What Kids My Age will Like About Borneo:

1. Chicken satay with peanut sauce and rice is yummy. Try it with a banana smoothie or any fruit smoothie!

2. It is cool to see so many animals such as the Orangutan, monkeys, and bearded pig. My favorite was the Monitor Lizard.

3. Kids (and parents) will love the pool at Bungaraya as it has a shallow part which is great for kids that are not yet good at swimming.

4. It was fun to go on the boat rides.

5. The Zip line and canopy walk is super fun!

Facts I found Interesting about Borneo:

1. Orangutan is translated as "person of the forest".

2. Orangutans can only be found in Borneo and Sumatra

3. Borneo is the world's third largest island, behind Greenland and New Guinea.

4. Monitor Lizards are large lizards that always live near water.

What I Learned to Say in Bahasa Malaysia (Malay):

1. Monkey is monyet.

2. Boat is Perahu

3. Wild Boar is Babi Hutan

The entrance to Bungaraya Island Resort