Blogger: Lauren Lucy Crowley
Borneo is a giant beautifully picturesque island in Southeast Asia’s Malay Archipelago! It is both part of Malaysia and Indonesia and best known for its white soft sanded beaches, bio-diverse rainforest and home to exotic wildlife! We recently took a tip there and have gathered some top tips for you!
Spend as much time as you can in Borneo: If you’re planning a trip to Borneo… make sure to leave plenty of time to discover this wonderful place… because you simply wont ever want to leave! Have you ever looked at holiday brochures and seen photos of glistening turquoise crystal clear water and soft white sand and wondered if places like these really existed? Well they do in Borneo! I honestly felt as though I was living in a postcard!
Rent a boat from the locals, not tourist traps! Although there are no beaches on Borneo itself, there are hundreds of stunning islands just a short boat ride away! There are plenty of tour operators offering day trips, however we decided to go down to the pier ourselves where we rented our own boat and chose our own islands for a fraction of the price of an organised day tour! (OntheQT tip: The tour operators charge almost 10 x the price of what we paid, and most people fall into this trap as they don’t realise you can do your own trip!) We also got the benefit of local knowledge and learn a little bit about local culture!
Go Snorkelling as much as you possibly can! The islands were the most idyllic places I have ever been… in fact they were so picturesque our surroundings almost felt surreal! We rented snorkels from our local friends for €1.00 a day.. the water was so clear and there were so many fish/coral you barely even needed a mask.. but it was great to have one to allow you to stay down for longer!
Visit the Shangri – La Orangutan sanctuary: Located in a rainforest just off a beautiful hotel, this sanctuary allows you to get up close to beautiful exotic animals! We were lucky enough to arrive just before feeding time – so it was pretty cool watching the orangutans being fed! We also got to sun bathe at the gorgeous hotel pool after which meets a beautiful white sanded beach! The perfect day out!
Make some time for shopping: Who knew shopping in Borneo would be so good? Honestly it was amazing, and great value too! From local souvenirs to high street fashion.. if you’re looking to purchase some presents you’ll be sure to fill up your suitcase in Borneo!
Hope you have a great time exploring this magical place and surrounding islands.. we would LOVE to hear how you get on, simply email us at: OnTheQT.ie@gmail.com! x
