Wild Frontiers

Day 1: Kuala Lumpar - Kuching
Transferring to the airport this morning you will take a short flight across to Kuching, Sarawak's bustling capital. Established by Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak, this fascinating riverside city is filled with temples and colourful landmarks that date back to its colonial beginnings. Transferring to your centrally based hotel you will have a chance to freshen up and enjoy the views of the city and the river, before an afternoon trip down to the mouth of the Santubong and Salak Rivers. This offers a chance to perhaps catch a glimpse of rare Irrawaddy River dolphins and, as you enter the lush mangrove forests of the Kuching Wetlands National Park, keep a look out for kingfishers, proboscis monkeys, fireflies and even crocodiles. The cruise ends at the charming stilted fishing village of Kampong Salak, from where you transfer back to the city by road.

Day 2: Kuching
This morning you will visit the rich ecosystems of Bako National Park, Sarawak's oldest and smallest protected reserve. Driving first to Baku village, you will then take a short 25 minute boat ride to the park, set on the tip of the Muara Tebas Peninsula at the mouth of the Bako and Kuching Rivers. One of the best places in Sarawak to see wildlife in their natural setting, Bako is home to proboscis monkeys, wild boars, monitor lizards and a rich collection of bird species. The rich diversity of landscapes around here range from rainforest and mangroves, to tropical swamps and beaches and a number of jungle walking trails offer a chance to explore more of this fascinating area, before returning to Kuching later this afternoon. (B,L)

Day 3: Kuching - Batang Ai
Departing Kuching this morning you will drive on to the Batang Ai reservoir, the traditional homeland of the Iban people. Travelling via the Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, you will first have a remarkable opportunity to watch the feeding of the orang utans, before continuing on to the colourful market town of Serian. A dazzling collection of native produce is always on display, including edible ferns and tropical fruits, providing visitors with some priceless photo opportunities. Continuing through rural Sarawak, you then visit a pepper garden and stop to view some wild orchids and pitcher plants en route, before stopping for lunch. Arriving at the Batang Ai Reservoir later this afternoon you will board a traditional longboat for the 1-2 hour journey up river to Nanga Sumpa and your stunning lakeside resort. Surrounded by some of Malaysia's most spectacular rainforest, the Batang Ai Longhouse Resort is a wonderful fusion of tradition and luxury on the shores of the fresh water lake. After a chance to settle in and enjoy an excellent dinner, you will then cross the river to visit a traditional Iban longhouse, for an evening of cultural interaction and some local rice wine. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Batang Ai
After breakfast depart by longboat and travel upriver to a local longhouse to learn about the Iban culture and enjoy a traditional lunch. This afternoon is free to relax and swim. Later in the afternoon you can take a guided walk through the rainforest. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Batang Ai - Kuching - Kota Kinabalu
After breakfast you will take the boat journey back to the jetty and return by road to Kuching. The trip back by road will take some 4-5 hours and you will stop en route for lunch, before continuing to the airport for the afternoon flight on to Kota Kinabalu. Upon arrival in the Sabah capital you will be transferred on to the five star Shangri La Rasa Ria Resort, lying besides the pristine white sands of Pantai Dalit Beach. (B,L)

Day 6: Kota Kinabalu
Today you have an opportunity to relax and enjoy the facilities at the Shangri La Resort. Set within the lush landscapes of some 400 acres of tropical vegetation, it boasts its own nature reserve and an enviable array of leisure activities - both in and out of the water. With a health club and spa on site and its own secluded beach, the resort provides a tantalising choice of recreational pursuits besides the transparent waters of Borneo's northern coast. (B)

Day 7: Kota Kinabalu - Sepilok - Kinabatangan
This morning you fly out to Sandakan and visit the orang-utans at Sepilok Nature Reserve, where you can observe them at their feeding stations and enjoy a short presentation on the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Programme. Following the visit you then travel by boat on to the Kinabatangan Sanctuary and the pristine mangrove forests of the Kinabatangan River Delta. You will be staying at the Abai Jungle Lodge, some 47 kilometres from the mouth of the Kinabatangan River. A beautifully located eco-tourism lodge, set about an hour's boat journey from Sandakan, it overlooks the rich waters of the second longest river in Malaysia.(B,L,D)

Day 8: Kinabatangan
Running from its source in the mountains of the south-west, to the Sulu Sea east of Sandakan, the Kinabatangan River is blessed with one of the world's richest ecosystems. Home to the largest forest covered flood-plain in Malaysia, the river supports everything from limestone forests to saline swamps, providing a haven for some of Borneo's richest concentrations of wildlife. An early morning boat ride today takes you around the nearby Ox Bow Lake, for a chance to search out some of the abundant bird and animal life in the area. Returning to the lodge for breakfast, you then pay a visit to the nearby Abai village, before returning to the river again to enjoy another waterborne safari in search of proboscis monkeys and more endemic wildlife. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Kinabatangan - Lankayan Island
Retracing your journey to Sandakan this morning, you then board a speedboat on to Lankayan Island, a 90 minute journey that will bring you to one of Sabah's premier diving spots. Virtually uninhabited and lying amongst the remote turquoise waters of the Sulu Sea, Lankayan Island is part of the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area, an important nesting area for both green and hawksbill turtles. You will be staying at the island's only resort, in spacious sea-front chalets that look out onto lush tropical jungle and an endless white sandy beach. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Lankayan Island
The next two days have been left free to enjoy this tropical haven at your leisure. The island is an idyllic spot to simply relax and soak up the beauty of the setting from the beach or the open-air terrace. For those that wish to try some diving, the waters that fringe the island offer a matchless choice of dive sites that boast everything from wrecks and sharks to rays and giant clams. Between March and May these waters are also renowned for regular sightings of the huge and elusive whale sharks, the largest living species of fish left on the planet. (B, L D)

Day 11: Lankayan Island
Day at leisure on Lankayan Island. (B,L D)

Day 13: Lankayan Island - Sandakan
Taking the speedboat back to the mainland this morning, you will transfer to the airport where your tour will end. (B)