Knowledgeable guides will accompany our tour all the way, explaining the indigenous lifestyles, histories, and the Bornean environment. Borneo s lifeblood is water. Surrounded by such romantic sounding waters as the South China, the Java, the Sulu, and Suluwasi Seas, the Makasar and Karimata Straits, a lot of attention on this tour will be directed oceanwards as we skirt this giant isle. One of our rest stops will be Mabul Island where sea turtles lay their eggs practically beneath our bungalows. Or we could catch the mass scuttle of the hatchlings as they head pell-mell towards the surf.
Rivers are countless.
Many days will be spent following their lazy course, crossing over them, and watching commerce and daily chores take place on their surface. Then we head for Tawau where a chartered ocean-going vessel lands us in Tarakan, East Kalimantan. Traveling south on decent roads we visit Tanjungredeb and the booming oil towns of Samarinda and Balikpapan. Crossing into South Kalimantan we head to Benjarmasin, the Venice of the Orient and the most interesting town on the Kalimantan side. We spend extra days sightseeing and exploring their diamond and gemstone fields, visit a floating market, and watch the construction of old- fashioned but still in service Bugis schooners.