SOUTH EAST ASIA - STA Travel Hub

BEST OF BORNEOKota Kinabalu KuchingFR$2,59914 DAYSHighlights• Marvel at views from Mt. Kinabalu• Observe turtles at their nesting site• Spot amazing wildlife on jungle walks• Meet an orang-utan face-to-face• Explore the biggest caves in the world• Visit Borneo’s oldest museum• Sleep in a local tribe’s longhouseDepartures 2014STARTFINISHJan 26 Feb 08Feb 23 Mar 08Mar 23 Apr 05Apr 20 May 03May 18 May 31STARTFINISHJun 22 Jul 05Jul 20 Aug 02Aug 24 Sep 06Aug 31 Sep 13Sep 14 Sep 27STARTFINISHSep 28 Oct 11Oct 12 Oct 25Oct 26 Nov 08Nov 16 Nov 29Dec 21 Jan 03SOUTH EAST ASIAInclusionsTrip Style: Classic Service Level: StandardPhysical Grading: 3 Age Group: Any ageAccommodation: Simple hotels/guesthouses(9 nts), traditional longhouse (2 nts), nationalpark lodges/mountain huts (2 nts, multishare)Transport: Private van, kayak, ferry, minibus,plane Meals: 13 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2dinners Budget: Allow USD $270-350 formeals not included Group Leader: ChiefExperience Officer (CEO), local guidesGroup Size: Max 15, Avg 12Tour Code: GAAAHBMy Own Room Available: Fr $899Borneo’s lush rainforests engulf the island’s jagged mountains, exotic wildlife, and a diversetribal people that have lived there for thousands of years – and it’s all there just waiting tobe explored! This two-week long journey keeps you on your feet and takes you to the tip ofnorthern Borneo to watch turtles nest and complete their pilgrimage to sea, up steep MountKinabalu to marvel at the sunrise that peaks above the horizon, trekking through caves andjungles teeming with fantastic animals, and curling up for a night in a tribal longhouse. You’llexplore every inch Borneo has to offer and it’ll only leave you wanting more!DAY01-0203-0405-0607-0809-10111213-14ITINERARYKota Kinabalu / KudatArrive at any time during the day and feel free to venture out into the city to explore. Don’t forgetto save room for a delicious local home-cooked dinner after meeting the rest of your travel group!On Day 2, drive to secluded Kudat on the northern tip of Borneo for a magical day visiting a turtlenesting site and lounging on secluded beaches, or there’s fishing, surfing and jungle trekking for themore adventurous. You can even get involved in a local beach clean-up project if you wish. (B, D)Mount KinabaluTop up your tan on the beach in the morning before heading to Kota Kinabalu Park. You’ll attend abriefing on the next day’s hike up Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain between the Himalayas andNew Guinea! If trekking up a mountain isn’t your thing, ask for the tour guide to arrange for a placefor you to stay on the base of the mountain. Start your journey with a climb to Laban Rata on Day 4,with a reward of a buffet-style dinner at the end. Take in your beautiful surroundings and keep youreyes peeled for the rafflesia, the world’s largest flower! (2B, L, D)Mount Kinabalu Summit / PoringYou’ll reach the summit on Day 5 in time for an awe-inspiring sunrise which will more than make upfor your efforts (and the early start). Head back down the mountain with the promise of relief foryour muscles with a dip in Poring’s hot springs. Spend the next day exploring Poring with a host ofactivities – go wildlife-spotting at the Lupa Masa jungle and a sun bear sanctuary or visit the famousSabah tea plantations and, if you haven’t had enough walking, take to the local hiking trails. (2B, L)Weston / MiriThe quaint town of Weston is your next destination where you can visit the oldest wooden school inBorneo and a 100-year-old jetty before kayaking down the river to spot wild proboscis monkeys andother exciting wildlife. After dinner, opt to take a boat ride to see fireflies light up the night. On Day8, a speed boat will zoom you up to Labuan to catch a flight to Miri – take advantage of the city’sfamous music scene and stock up on supplies for a long day of travel to Mulu. (2B)MuluAfter a day of travelling by boat, stretch your legs and get active on Day 10 with cave exploring,wildlife night parks, abseiling and traipsing along the Headhunters Trail’s in lush green forests. Atdusk you can even watch thousands of bats flutter out of some of the world’s largest caves! (2B)KuchingAfter your flight to Kuching, you have a free day to explore! Your tour guide will help you get the layof the land with an orientation walk and then you can venture off to what takes your fancy. Opt totake a cooking class or go for a walk along the promenade. If you want to learn more about Kuching’sculture and history, hit up the Sarawak Museum, Borneo’s oldest museum, the Chinese HistoryMuseum and don’t forget to save time for Fort Margherita. (B)Longhouse StayGet some insight into the local way of life when you stay at a tribe’s longhouse just outside Kuching,soaking up their culture and feasting on all the incredible food! (B)KuchingGo wild at the Semenggoh Nature Reserve on Day 13 for an afternoon of feeding orang-utans andexploring the centre which has been rescuing orphaned, injured or animals in captivity since 1975.On Day 14, it’s time to say your final goodbyes to Borneo and head home. (2B)CALL 1300 676 561 TO BOOK79