After 6 days in the Malaysian Peninsula which included Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Kuala Terengganu, and Melaka in Rs. 18.5K / $268 (excluding food) we proceeded for our Borneo adventure. (For Part 1)
Day 7
On day 7, our flight to
Kuching departed at 7 a.m. from
KLIA2 (Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2). It was a cheap flight deal by Air Asia for
89 RM. Always a good idea to plan trips around cheap flight deals since the major expense of a trip is the airfare. Interestingly, at Kuching airport, we had to go through immigration again and our passports were stamped again, though Sarawak is a part of Malaysia. Not sure why!
 |
| Kuching |
At the airport exit, there was a visitor information booth, which provided us with the required information about Kuching and the places of interest. Next, as directed by the guy at the information desk, we took a prepaid taxi to Kuching city center. The fare was 26 RM. We headed directly to a hostel selected from online TripAdvisor recommendations. The hostel was in Chinatown in the city center - 'Three house bed and breakfast'. I loved it from its very first 'red' look. Would definitely recommend it. 1 dorm bed is 20 RM, a 2-bed room is 60 RM, and a double-bed room is 70 RM. We opted for the dormitory since it was available. The hostel was neat, and clean, with a kitchen where one can cook, a reading room with interesting books, a TV, CD player, and movies, a laundry section, clean bathrooms, and very friendly staff and owner. We also had good company in our dorm of 6, a Chinese student, a French airline employee, and a Russian globetrotter. One of the best things about traveling is meeting many new people sharing a common space and exchanging notes from across the world.
 |
| Three House Bed and Breakfast |
For the first day in Kuching, we decided to just relax and explore on foot. We went around the local markets, small streets, riverfront, Chinatown, Indian Street, and local places of interest. It drizzled now and then but not enough to get wet. Hanging out at the riverfront was the best part. I even dozed off sitting on the bench as the soft breeze lured me to la la land. In the evening we savored yummy Sarawak laksa at a pretty bistro.
 |
| Bistro and Sarawak Laksa |
Total expenditure excluding food: 135 RM / Rs 2160
Day 8
The next day we woke up early, had a hearty breakfast of bread and jam (complimentary at the hostel), and rushed to catch the 7 a.m. bus (#K6) to
Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Center from the bus station near
Jalan Masjid, which was at a walking distance from the hostel. Yet, unfortunately, we missed the morning bus and had to take the next one in the afternoon. There are only two buses to Semenggoh but it is highly recommended to take the morning one precisely because, if you miss an orangutan sighting in the morning session, you might get fortunate in the afternoon one. The last bus back was scheduled at 4 pm and we were warned that failing to get on that one would mean paying a fortune for a cab.
TRAVEL TIP: Keep a cab number handy and also the number of the hotel staying at, just in case one gets lost or stranded. It's always useful.
 |
| Semengohh Rehabilitation Center |
The to-and-fro bus fare to Semenggoh was around
6 RM. We extended our stay at the hostel since it was quite comfortable and beds were available in the dorm (our accommodation expense for the day therefore was
20 RM). The entry fee for foreign nationals at Semenggoh was
20 RM. We were told, 'It's advisable to let the bus driver know that you intend to return by the 4 pm bus. He will make a note to pick you up.' Our tight pockets ensured that we heeded those wise words.
There's really very little to do at the Rehab center if you are pressed for time. A very short stretch is open to visitors and the only option for Orangutan sighting is during their feeding time. Unfortunately, November is the fruiting season in Borneo and most Orangutans do not turn up at the feeding point. The forest ranger mentioned that three baby Orangs had come down to the feeding point in the morning. Ahh!! Not again :((( (My luck is pretty bad for sighting animals :( ) but well that said, with high hopes we waited. At 3 pm the ranger asked everyone to follow him through a trail to the feeding point. One of the feeders hollered in almost Orang tongue (perhaps) to invite them for lunch. We were asked to wait in absolute silence after being instructed to not tease or feed an orang if it appears anywhere close, cause they might get agitated and aggressive and then whatever may follow may not be very pleasant. Hmm! We waited till 3:30 but none turned up. We took the chance and waited another 15 minutes before heading back with a heavy heart :( and a very anxious heart (we were about to miss the bus!)
 |
| At least the Orangutan Statue |
Way back, the bus dropped us in front of a Gurudwara. Excited we entered the Sikh temple and met local Indians. Like a Chinatown in every prominent city in the world, there is also an India Street in every part of the world.
TIP: Without fail, take the first bus to Semeggoh in the morning. Find out the bus timings from the ticket counter near Jalan Masjid the day before. This will give a better chance for Orangutan sighting.
Total expenditure excluding food: 46 RM / Rs. 736
Day 9
On day 9, we had to shift to a 2-bed room since the dorms were pre-booked for the day. Hence, our room tariff for the day was
30 RM. We rose earlier the next day since we couldn't afford to miss the 7 a.m. bus (#1) to
Bako Village from the Jalan Masjid stop. The to-and-fro bus fare was around
7 RM.
TIP: Bus timings keep changing, so please find out the timings and numbers the day before from the bus stop counter. If planning a day trip to Bako National Park, one MUST absolutely take the 7 a.m. bus.
 |
| Kampung Bako Jetty Point |
It took about 50 minutes to reach the jetty pier at Kampung Bako. The entry fee to
Bako National Park for foreign nationals was
20 RM. We had to show our passports and enter our passport numbers in a register there. Then we bought one-way boat tickets to the park for
20 RM. The return ticket should be bought at the counter at the park. It's best to buy it as soon as one reaches the park especially if it's peak season (guess you don't need to wonder why! :). It was a 30-minute ride through the South China Sea's beautiful seascape. At the park's visitor center, we were asked to sign a form and select trails we wished to trek. We chose three trails. Two for sighting the proboscis monkey and one for a viewpoint. We planned to take the last boat back at 4 p.m. TIP: First thing after landing go to the boat ticketing counter, find out the boat timings buy your ticket if planning to return on the same day, and then plan the treks accordingly.
 |
| Dead Mangrove |
If I haven't forgotten, I think we chose the trails Delima, Pandan Besar, and Pandan Kecil. We began our trek at 9 a.m. The treks were manageable but we didn't see any animals in close range, though we heard a lot of rustling in the trees and saw monkeys way up but too far and too quick to be photographed. Rather they were like shadows jumping around. I wanted to see a monkey close enough to be photographed but not close enough to stand face-to-face :P at least not somewhere where me and the monkeys were alone :/ I hoped not!:) Guides can be hired in Bako but we chose not to. The reason was not our adventurous spirit but our limited budget. I think they charged anywhere between a whopping 100 to 180 RM. We were told the treks could be managed without a guide and we took the risk.
 |
| Bako Trails |
It was pretty hot and lots of mosquitos. Thankfully, I wore full pants and a full-sleeve shirt and carried a mosquito repellant cream. TIP: Must carry a bottle of water but keep it hidden, monkeys love to snatch bottles from unsuspecting trekkers. On our way back from Delima, we decided to take a quick hike to Ulu Assam. It was a little eerie, and some steep climbs. Am not a very tall person and it was quite a bit of work to climb steep root steps at points. My friend wasn't feeling well and decided to head back, so I went forward alone. After reaching the top I saw a mark that said 'beware of bees' but there was no sign as to which way I had to proceed next. The tree marks may have faded, but then I realized, that Ulu Assam was not ticked as our chosen trail, and we didn't meet any other person on our way, if we got lost, this might be the last place anybody would search. With these thoughts in mind, I decided to turn back. I had to catch up with my friend as well who had already headed back. Later, we mentioned the missing signs at the information desk.
 |
| Bako Trails |
Pandan Besar was supposed to be a 2-hour walk (to and fro) but I got lost in between trying to look for Pandan Kecil which was supposed to be somewhere around as well. It started raining halfway through but only for a few minutes and it was sunny again. Anyway, I completed the trails in about 3 hours or so. By then I was completely exhausted, I had been walking since 9 a.m. and it was almost 2. Tired, I went back to the information center where my friend was waiting.
 |
| Proboscis Monkey Finally! |
There is a small self-service eatery, next to the information desk, with the least appetizing food but the hunger pangs forced us to buy 4 slices of watermelon and a piece of cake. We had just finished eating when we saw a Proboscis monkey right in front of the cafeteria, perched up on a tree. Well after 5 hours of animal-free, we finally saw one :) now that was some luck. I think I did prefer it there, than meeting one alone in the wilderness :P The monkey was irritated and threw something hard at a visitor clicking its photograph. We also saw a silver leaf monkey that stealthily tried to enter the cafeteria.
 |
| Bako Trails |
Though we had bought tickets for the 4 pm boat we decided to head back an hour early. Because of low tides, we had to board the boat from the beach. The boat was way out in the sea, and I was half wet by the time I boarded. That covered my sea bathing :P. We reached Kuching about 5 ish. The first thing I needed was a hot water bath followed by a scrumptious dinner. I didn't want to try anything new and went for a tasty olive shrimp fried rice at a Korean restaurant and a sweet dish I don't remember the name of. A good way to end a tiring day.
 |
| Low Tide at The Boat Boarding |
Note: One can stay overnight at Bako National Park and take the night treks and the waterfall trails. There are limited beds at the Bako Lodge, hence they have to be pre-booked. Booking is confirmed at their booking office in Kuching. Word of caution: the lodge has bed bugs, so be prepared :P our dorm roommate had been bitten.
Day 10
On day 10, we were back to the dorm for
20 RM. We had plans to visit the
Gunung Gnading National Park with hopes to see the largest flower in the world, the Rafflesia. The bus schedule at the hostel was an old one, which gave us the wrong bus timings. In the confusion, we missed the first bus to Lundu town. Therefore, once you arrive at Kuching, one of the first things to do is to confirm all required bus timings and numbers from the nearest bus station. Do not depend on internet information or hotel schedules. The timings and numbers change often. There are no direct buses to
Lundu town from Jalan Masjid. One must go to
Kuching Sentral and then take a bus to Lundu. The bus fare to Kuching Sentral was
4 RM. It took 30-40 minutes to reach Kuching Sentral. The bus to and fro Lundu was
24 RM. It took 2 hours to reach Lundu. The friendly bus conductor asked us if we planned to walk to the park or take a cab. Since we were short on time we told him we preferred to take a cab. Turned out this guy was a part-time conductor and a part-time cabbie:P He said when we reach Lundu station, he will fetch his taxi, drop us at the park, and then resume his conductor duties on the bus back to Kuching. He added, that if we needed a taxi on our way back, we should call up his friend to give us a ride and all for
10 RM only. We accepted the deal. We didn't have many options anyway.
 |
| On The Gunung Gnading Trail |
The Park entree fee was
20 RM. At the park information center, we received the sad news, that the last Rafflesia had dried out a week back and the new one was still in the bud stage. :( There's really no Rafflesia season. The park kept track of the flowers growing in the conservation area only, there could be flowers deeper into the forest but one could never be sure. We were told Rafflesias don't grow very easily and many times the porcupines feed on the buds making their chances of flowering rarer. I asked the guy at the desk, if not the flower, can I get lucky enough to sight a hornbill? He smiled and replied, 'If you are lucky enough, you might see a python as well' Hmm... I didn't want to get that lucky :P
TIP: If planning to visit Gunung Gnading Park, please call the park to find out if there is a rafflesia in bloom. Otherwise, it may be a waste of a day and money if you have limited time in Kuching. Of course, there are forest trails, but we had already trekked much the day before. Even the waterfalls at the park weren't in full flow. We were quite disappointed since we could have gone to the caves or the beaches. Anyway, now that we were in the park, I wanted to see the bud at least, unfortunately, we couldn't find the bud either. A guide at Gunung Gnading charges 30 RM. I think it's a must to hire one if looking for the flower, trust me it wasn't easy to locate the bud without one.
Next, we took a trek to the waterfalls. There are three. We were at the first when the siren buzzed. There were some local students bathing at the waterfall, they rushed out and told us to hurry as well. We weren't sure why the hurry. One of them said it's going to rain. Running back wasn't an option at all, the path wasn't the most comfortable, and it was a typical forest trail with slimy rocks and stone, so I took it easy rain or no rain. The students disappeared soon. Guess they are locals and used to these trails. After a while a forest guide appeared out of nowhere, he told us to hurry and disappeared in a jiffy. Thankfully, it started raining heavily, just after we reached. At the information desk, we were told that it's not safe to be in a rainforest when it rains because the tall trees fall down often and may hurt people around.
After the rain stopped, we called the cab to take us back to Lundu. It rained all through for the next hour or so. There are no canteens or shops at the Park. One should ensure to bring bottles of water from Lundu. There is a beach near Lundu but we were too late to make it. We reached Kuching Sentral at 6:30 only to find that the last bus to Kuching city center had left at 6pm. The option left was a taxi. :(
 |
| Lundu River Front |
A guy who was following us from the bus kept asking if we needed a cab to Kuching center. When we confirmed at the bus counters, there were no buses back, we told the guy that we indeed needed a cab. The guy took us to a group of taxi drivers, one made an offer for 50 RM, another 60 RM and another went to extremes to
100 RM. It was getting dark and we started getting a little worried. We realized these guys were taking advantage of our situation and would keep hiking the price with each passing minute. At the same time, we were feeling victimized and refused to give in to their demands. We argued. Even mentioned that the guy at the airport visitor center had mentioned, that the highest cab fare between any two locations within the City was 26 RM but they laughed it off.
Vexed, hurt, and worried, we went and complained to other tour operators around but they were not well versed in English and couldn't help us much ( I think so!). Luckily, we saw a taxi booth outside the bus stop tucked in one corner. A prepaid taxi booth shouldn't cheat us! With this thought in mind, we approached the guy sitting at the counter. He gladly wrote down a receipt of
30 RM and assigned us to an old taxi driver. That was much better than 50, 60, and 100 definitely :) back at the hostel our hostel owner said, We should have called her, she would have sent some taxi guy she knew. Therefore, it's wise to keep taxi numbers and hotel numbers handy.
Total expenditure excluding food: 108 RM / Rs. 1728
Day 11
The next day, we checked out of the hostel at noon but the owner allowed us to keep our bags there and to use the bathroom and toilet. She said we could use the lobby or the reading room as long as we wished to. We spent the whole day shopping rather than looking for souvenirs. Our flight back to Klia2 was late at 10:30 p.m. We left the hostel at 8 p.m. The taxi from the hostel to the airport charged us
26 RM. Flight back from Kuching was not the best of deals at
160 RM. We reached KLIA2 at around 2 p.m., due to a flight delay. We spent the night at the airport.
 |
| Famous Malaysian Layered Cake |
Day 12
On day 12, we decided to visit
Melaka again to make up for our previous fiasco. Our return flight to India was scheduled for departure at 9:30 p.m., which gave us enough time to make our Melaka trip. There are direct buses from Klia2 to Melaka at regular intervals with an estimated travel time of 2 1/2 hours. The bus fare to and fro was
50 RM. From
Melaka Sentral, we took a bus to Melaka city center where the Unesco heritage sites are located. Bus to and fro to Melaka city center was
4 RM. We went to the visitor center, picked a map, and then walked around covering all the places mentioned. We took the 4:30 p.m. bus back to Klia2. The fare of the flight back to India was
Rs. 6000.
 |
| Melaka heritage site |
 |
| Here's what we ate in Malaysia |
Total expenditure excluding food: 407 RM / Rs. 6918
Grand Total of the 5 days in Borneo and a quick Melaka visit = 1004 RM / Rs. 16,064
