Local Culture

For millennia the indigenous ”Sungai” people of the Lower Kinabatangan had lived off the rainforest for food, medicine, household commodities and products of trade.   When the British arrived they named the people “Orang Sungai” meaning “People of the River”, and this is the name by which they now call themselves.  Islam came to Borneo around 16th century and so the community here is Muslim.  The world of the Orang Sungai changed dramatically in the 1960's , with the advent of mechanised extraction of the forest’s timber resources. Even though they were forced into the modern world and away from their ancestral activities, they have kept some of their culture intact.  The community likes to share some of this culture with you and you are likely to see a demonstration of their dancing and martial arts which is lively and colourful. Traditional musical instruments accompany the dancing (tarian kebudayaan) and the martial arts (silat) segments and you may be given the chance to try out your dancing and musical skills, on the gongs (agup tungal), kuling tangan, drum (tambur), bandil and the xylophone (gabang). 

The people are very friendly and eager to meet you and improve their language skills but please be aware that there are certain behaviours that can cause offence – women need to keep their shoulders and knees covered at all times and only use your right hand for  eating. Women must also sit in certain ways on the floor when in the company of men;  please ask your homestay hostess to guide you.  Alcohol is totally forbidden.  

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River Cruise

What an incredible way of getting close to some of the endemic species like Proboscis monkeys, Gibbons, Silver Leaf monkeys as well as crocodiles, Bearded Pigs, otters and if you are very lucky, Pygmy Elephant.  The variety of birds is wonderful – birding alone can keep you busy the whole trip.  Make sure you bring your binoculars.  The boats will take you either up or down river in the mornings and evenings and the adventure normally last about  2 hours.  A qualified guide will be with you to make the experience worthwhile;  our guides are bursting with knowledge on the people and flora and fauna of the area.  The experience of travelling down the river, with a cool evening breeze, the ripples on the water and the sounds of the monkeys settling in the trees for the night will stay with you forever.

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Jungle Treeking

Walking through the jungle, amongst the tall trees, listening to the sounds and watching the most beautiful butterflies float past is an experience many people long for.  We offer two walks, one at night, to see the animals that come out when the sun goes down, and one in the early morning when the many species of birds are most active.  These walks are around the lake or along the paths through the magnificent trees stretching to the sky.  Most walks last about an hour but will naturally last longer if you have good sightings. The peace is profound, occasionally broken by leaves falling or the call of a bird or the chatter of the monkeys, a world away from our normal lifestyles back home.

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Wildlife

When people think about Borneo, the first animal that normally springs to mind is the Orang-utan but this species is only one of hundreds that can be found in this region.  Maybe during your night walk you will be lucky enough to see a Clouded Leopard, or the rare Sun Bear which is active periodically during the night and sometimes during the day.  The rarely-seen Western Tarsier is active to a height of about 7 m in the trees, leaping from one to another in search of its insect meal and don’t forget to keep a look-out for the Slow Loris, or Flying Foxes silhouetted against the dusk sky, or the many species of flying squirrels, and Gibbons calling during the first hours of daylight, and Proboscis Monkeys with their big noses and fat stomachs, and Macaques – one species with a tail and one without - and crocodiles, and otters (3 species) and the Pygmy Elephant and the list goes on and on.  Borneo has 8 families of Bats each with many species so if you are here for the flora and fauna of the area, you won’t be disappointed. If you love birds there are 10 species of Hornbills, Brahminy Kite Eagles, Kingfishers, Sea and Fish Eagles, Bee Eaters, egrets, storm storks, herons, swifts and swallows, including the species that provide the nests for birds’ nest soup!  

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Hammock Camping

info still in construction

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Supu Camp

 info still in costruction

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Tungog Rainforest Eco Camp (TREC)

Tungog Rainforest Eco Camp (TREC)Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysian BorneoHidden in meander-belt forest on the fringe of the pristine Tungog Lake, the Tungog Rainforest Eco Camp (or TREC for short) offers a unique insight into the secretive life of a Borneo Rainforest. There are ten live- in observation platforms called “camp-platforms” or “jungle-platforms” with limited accommodation for only 20 eco visitors.  TREC has numerous eco design features built in to ensure zero waste, zero chemicals, a zero energy spreadsheet and maximum water conservation. Staying at the camp supports the lake restoration (Salvinia  removal) and orang-utan habitat restoration projects (Tree planting) through the MESCOT Initiative.  TREC is a birdwatchers paradise. Wild fruit trees surround the eco camp and daily attract up to five species of hornbill, orang-utan, macaques, and a host of other rainforest birds. With a local nature- guide there are more than 18km of forest trails to explore through meander-belt, limestone or fresh-water swamp forests.  Stay at the Tungog Rainforest Eco Camp for your next conservation retreat, research trip or educational project; or simply sit-back on a “camp platform” and absorb the smells, sights, and sounds of the Borneon Rainforest. For more information contact KOPEL Office.

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