Southeast Asia 2025

Since it was an early flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, I spent the night packing and headed to the airport early. Check-in went smoothly, allowing me to spend some time in a lounge. In Kuala Lumpur, I met up with James from the group, and we continued on the same flight to Sandakan. He had a bit of trouble with my German accent, but otherwise we got along well.

I've been asked if Germany is part of the United Kingdom. Tell me you're American without telling me you're American 🙃

There were other members of the group on the connecting flight, but we didn't know that at the time. We then drove to our hotel for the first night. A nice, spacious room and a large pool, which we inaugurated after a quick freshen-up.

We'd miss the pool a lot in the next few days, says Forrest when we meet him. Little do we know, How much we would miss it. During a short shopping trip with Forrest and his wife, we learned that it's not uncommon to be asked to take off your shoes when entering enclosed spaces.

Since we're changing hotels today, we have to check out, so I get up early to enjoy the pool first. A monitor lizard keeps me company. They come several times a day, take a dip to cool off, and then disappear again.
I find it exciting and watch it curiously as it swims only two meters away from me.

Later, we, who arrived the day before the tour's start, are taken to Sepilok, where we stay for three nights. I have a nice, large room and a huge bathroom. It's nicely air-conditioned. Important, because we're expecting temperatures around 32-34°C! After we've settled in, we have some spare time until we meet up with Forrest and Eryanto, who give us an overview of what to expect over the next few days. This is also where we meet the other participants for the first time.

Afterwards we celebrate our First Supper^⛧ – we can get to know each other better. As I expected, given the mix of people someone like Forrest Valkai attracts for a trip like this, everyone seems really nice 😊 This expectation was, of course, a decisive factor in booking the trip. Of course, I had been a little concerned beforehand about the legal situation in Malaysia.^{💀🏳️‍🌈}. The reason I ultimately decided to go for it was that Sharia is “only” applied to Muslims there^☪and also that Borneo is a bit more touristy, and that I would stay with the group most of the time.
Of course, I recognize that the situation for Muslim locals affected is precarious.
Ultimately, however, I felt comfortable, and the interactions I had with locals outside of the group were positive. I found the entire time there much more pleasant than my experience at Istanbul Airport, especially at the gate and on the plane to Düsseldorf two years earlier, where there was an unexpectedly high level of aggression in the air and I felt truly unsafe.

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^⛧Was ok (no wonder)
^💀LGBT rights: Malaysia women caned for attempting to have lesbian sex
^{🏳️‍🌈}LGBTQ rights in Malaysia (Wikipedia)
^☪ Freedom of religion in Malaysia (Wikipedia)

Our day begins before breakfast with a morning walk at the Rainforest Discovery Center. There, artificial elevated walking trails have been built through the rainforest in the style of old railway bridges, allowing tourists to enjoy nature without disturbing it too much. And, of course, to enjoy a view that simply wouldn't be possible from the ground.

My camera fogs up with excitement as soon as we get started. The shots for the first half hour are therefore... problematic. Wiping the lens doesn't even last long enough to lift the camera, aim at an object, and take a shot. But eventually, it settles down. And it should be noted that the trip has once again shown how me slim my chances of survival would be without technology. While our guide and a few other participants spot all sorts of animals in a very short time, I'm just looking at green leaves, even if I've already seen where everyone else is looking. But eventually, I do spot something...

After the morning walk, we head to breakfast and then to the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, a private sanctuary for proboscis monkeys. And yes, I can hardly look at them with their noses and take them seriously; they look kind of funny. But I'm also impressed to see them later, bathing with the younger ones, and I think you can clearly see them having fun and their playful nature.

In addition to proboscis monkeys, we also see the silvery langur, a banana squirrel and a mudskipper.

We also take a group photo here.

In the evening, we return to the Rainforest Discovery Center, this time for a night walk. Here we see millipedes (Platyrhacidae), which are slightly larger than the ones we see at home. Scorpions and giant spiders are part of the nightlife, as is a giant flying squirrel (Taguan). The Sunda slow loris, which we see, is the only venomous primate species. Their venom can be life-threatening even to humans, but fortunately, they move rather leisurely. We find a small bat on a branch, protecting itself from predators by behaving like a leaf in the wind.
Of course, I don't use a flash there, which has a corresponding impact on the image quality.

Afterwards, we have dinner and a brief discussion of the next day's program. I copy the pictures, recharge my batteries, and then I'm off to bed pretty soon. A beautiful day 😊🦇

We visit the orangutan rehabilitation center. There's a central feeding platform, surrounded by spectator stands behind mirrored glass panels to prevent us from being directly seen. This is how the center is financed and gives us insight into the behavior of these impressive animals. To allow them access from the surrounding forests, ropes are stretched from the trees to the platform, which they climb up to, just in time for feeding time. The feeder is careful not to make eye contact, but still assesses the condition of the arriving orangutans. After all, they shouldn't develop trust in us humans, because unfortunately, they are still being mercilessly poached. I enjoy the playfulness of the younger ones and the serenity of the slightly older ones.

There is also a second feeding station, which is located a little further away in the forest, where a different crowd (of orangutans) comes by to eat.

Afterwards we visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, which is dedicated to the conservation of the sun bear.

For dinner today, we're going to a restaurant near our accommodation. It's a bit loud at first, as they're also having karaoke, but it calms down after a while. What I mostly remember is that at some point, there was apparently a fight between two geckos on the ceiling, and the next moment, the two of them plopped into my half-full glass and disappeared in a flash.

Today we have to pack again because after breakfast we are moving to the Sukau Greenview Resort, which is located at the Kinabatangan River.

Several of us experience regular power outages, which isn't surprising, since the air conditioners are all preset to a target temperature of 17°C, which can obviously never be reached, especially when outside temperatures reach 35°C. So, the air conditioners are always fighting at maximum power. I set mine to a target temperature of 24°C, which it quickly reaches and then remains almost whisper-quiet. Quite impressive for a bungalow structure exposed to the blazing sun.

Upon arrival, we first choose our mud boots for the upcoming jungle hikes and soon set off. Forrest had already prepared us over the past few days for how strenuous and uncomfortable it would be, as with every step we would sink into the mud, only to then free ourselves with a squelching sound for the next step. And all of this in the correspondingly humid weather, surrounded by mosquitoes. However, we hardly noticed any of that, as it hadn't rained for days. I was glad about that. I also had virtually no problems with mosquitoes, thanks to Deet^© – I discovered this for myself ten years ago on my trip to Fiji. The trick lies in the correct order and combination of applying sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

All I can say about the subsequent lunch is that it's unfortunately prophetic: While the food has been pretty unremarkable over the past few days, at Sukau Greenview, it's downright awful: chicken served with broken bones and noodles that seem to have been refried for the fifth time. James and I, in our desperation, compensate with more and more chili, but more on that later 🌶️

In the afternoon we have our first river trip across the Kinabatangan. We see several groups of pig-tailed macaques, including one that is just about to cross the branch we are currently traveling through. We can see how, for example, heavier members of the group help the lighter ones by using their weight to push down the branch, making the jump easier for the lighter one. We feel very sorry for one of the group; he seems to have an ulcer on his testicles, which has made his scrotum about the size of a basketball, and he has to hold it with his hands while climbing to avoid pinching it. I don't want to know how painful the jump to the other side must have been for him.

Towards the end, the weather takes a turn, and even though the boatman tries his best, we can't make it back dry. We're so wet when we get back, it's hilarious. Forrest has a fit of laughter ⛈️😂 I also quite like getting a nice rain shower in such warm weather. It shows us that, despite everything, we still don't have control over nature, and I think we need that sometimes...

We set off on a river cruise before 6 a.m., rewarded with a beautiful early morning landscape. We see various pig-tailed and proboscis monkeys.

Unfortunately, I can't join the jungle hike that follows because my stomach is revolting. We have more river tours in the afternoon and later in the evening, and luckily I'm feeling better in time for them.

After dinner, our night excursion begins. The Imam echoes across the riverbank, creating a curious atmosphere so far from civilization. We get to see saltwater crocodiles, considered the largest and most dangerous crocodiles in the world. But ours are small—a baby and a juvenile. It took me a while to see them, even though I could see exactly where everyone else was looking. There could be a full-grown crocodile next to me, ready to strike, and I wouldn't realize it until I was already dead. I don't think I'd last long there.

Oh, and Eryanto just happened to spot the little snake during full speed from the boat, despite it being barely bigger than the reeds it was in. Unbelievable! Good man! 👍🏽

We have another early morning river tour, which takes a bit longer because our guide is determined to track down some Borneo pygmy elephants for us. And he finds them. Somehow. Well, for a brief moment, I glimpse some leathery elephant skin through the leaves of the plants along the bank, and they're gone before we reach a spot with better visibility. Afterward, we linger for quite a while, hoping for a second chance, which unfortunately doesn't materialize. But technically we saw them. It was just a matter of ticking off the "Borneo Big 5" for our tour.

For me, it's less about ticking off a list than about what we see being a moving experience. The completeness of a list is secondary to me.

And anyone who knows me knows that bats are more important to me—and that's exactly what's on the agenda this afternoon. Finally! 🦇🥰

We're off to Gomantong Cave, where millions of bats and birds live together. The bird nests are regularly "harvested" by local workers and then sold as a delicacy. Unfortunately, I forgot my floodlight. Of all things! But it wouldn't have helped me much anyway, because the cave is so tall that it wouldn't have been enough to illuminate anything there effectively. And even with my 300mm travel zoom lens, there's not much I can do with the size of the bats.

Before entering the cave, we put on helmets; we're already wearing long trousers. We're also given gloves, but I take them off straight away because they get in the way when using the camera. We do this because the entire cave floor is covered in bat guano, making it very slippery in places. None of us is keen on slipping here. Looking up for too long to find a subject with the viewfinder can also be dangerous. At the very least, keep your mouth closed. Thank me later. Towards the middle of the cave, it builds up into a veritable mountain of guano, and upon closer inspection, you can see countless insects that have made their habitat there. If a bat were to fall in here, especially a young one, it's pretty much its death sentence. Unfortunately, we see a few that suffer that fate and are eaten alive. One, however, seems to fly down there on purpose and it helps itself to the insects like a buffet.

After touring the cave, we climb approximately 666 steps to reach the upper cave exit, where we expect the bat colony's evening outing. The climb is reminiscent of the Wall of Tears in the Galapagos, and I found myself cursing inwardly just as much. Just before we reach the top, someone in the group realizes they've forgotten something, and Forrest and I joke about how convenient it would be if Lucy (from the Galapagos group) were there: Not only would she have been back in five minutes, she would have also brought drinks for everyone, and not a drop of sweat on her forehead...
Unfortunately, we are not rewarded because the bats do not fly or do not fly out via this exit. We have funny conversations instead, though.

At dinner, James and I are once again dealing with our last stash of chili powder to somehow enhance the less-than-average food, when I overhear Forrest telling the others that the real reason for the trip isn't to see all the animals, plants, nature, and so on, but to experience how I slowly lose my mind over the food being served. This explains a lot.

Unfortunately, our time together is coming to an end. We check out of the Sukau Greenview and are taken to the Sabah Hotel Sandakan, where we spent the first night. We head into town in the afternoon to visit a department store, strolling through two markets. After the first few stalls, everything starts to look a bit the same. I notice that more fruits are on offer here that seem familiar than was the case in Singapore, for example. There are still differences, though. Our cauliflower, for example, is larger, but they have some truly monster carrots, to name just two examples.

Afterwards, we treat ourselves to another relaxing time by the pool. It's already quite warm. Then we're taken by bus into town, to a fine restaurant that has prepared a delicious buffet for us, and as a farewell, we celebrate our Last Supper.

Well-fed, we then head to the obligatory karaoke bar – just like the year before on the Galapagos. A very curious karaoke bar: We occupy a kind of living room as a group and pay with alcohol consumption. Especially in a Muslim country, this is rather unexpected. There are two employees that stand in the back, in the dark, watching us closely. As soon as one of us even takes a sip, they immediately emerge from their hiding place and refill all our glasses with more beer, before disappearing back into the background.

Forrest delights again with Frank Sinatra and other songs. I make the mistake of choosing "Reflection" from Mulan, which turns out to be quite emotional. Kole, a Rammstein fan, then lifts the mood again with "Dicke Titten"...