On Mon, Dec 8, 2008 at 7:43 PM, Paul Dodd <> wrote:
Paul,
Have a fantastic trip! I've got a couple of comments and suggestions
for you regarding Malaysian Borneo.
> >From there we head back to KL then fly over to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah,
> Borneo. The current plan is to spend 3 days on Mount Kinabalu, 3 days in the
> Danum Valley before heading back to Kota Kinabalu and onto Kuching, Sarawak.
A few notes:
* At Danum Valley, you get hooked up with a guide and shown around. If
you want to walk around on your own, just ask.
* Some of the guides are really expert at birds, others are not. Danum
Valley largely attracts general-interest "eco-tourists" so it's worth
mentioning your specific interest in birds ahead of time. The company
that organizes everything on the ground is based in Lahad Datu so it's
worth contacting them directly.
* The field station at Danum is supposed to be different to the resort
and very nice, but we haven't been there.
Danum fully deserves its reputation, it's amazing! We stayed something
like five days and kept seeing new birds on each and every walk. I've
got a bit of a report up at
http://www.wombatcountry.com/trips/borneo_2006/index.html
> Also, it is proving quite difficult to organise a tour climbing Mount
> Kinabalu, is it recommended that we climb the mountain? Or can we do some
> good birding without doing that? Unfortunately the same tour company
> organises accommodation at Danum Valley (at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge), I
> don't want to miss out on that.
I don't think we ever got more than a couple of kilometers from the
excellent accommodation at the park headquarters. (See the trip report
link for a map of the HQ area.) You don't have access to a couple of
the high-altitude endemics this way but you should see lots and lots
of great birds. Given you only have a couple of days and may well get
mist/rain, you should have plenty to do right around HQ.
> >From Kuching we'll head to Bako for a couple of nights before flying home.
First off, good for you for including Sarawak in your itinerary.
Birding reports and trips all focus on Sabah...partly I suspect
because everyone goes to Sabah. Sarawak has a lot to offer and is, in
many ways, easier to negotiate than Sabah. We were there in 2007 (no
trip report) and I can offer a few pointers, given your short
schedule:
* When we were there, the trails at Bako were muddy and very rough
going. The accommodation provided by the park service was pretty
nasty. The Proboscis Monkeys were great, but you can see those on a
day trip. It's certainly a lovely spot...but we left early.
* We rented a car and spent a couple of nights at Kubah (Matang) in a
forest lodge. The drive was easy (not a lot of traffic, not far to go)
and the park was spectacular. There were lots of decent trails and
heaps of wildlife: birds galore, squirrels, mouse deer, etc. I'd go
back there in a heartbeat. The accommodation was decent.
We were there at the end of July so my comments may be off due to the
time of year. If you haven't already, try doing a trip report hunt at
TravellingBirder.com for December:
http://www.travellingbirder.com/birdwatching/birding_Malaysia.php?from=12&to=12
Regarding bird books, you'll have Robson, no doubt. For the Bornean
endemics, the book to have is "A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo,
Sumatra, Java, and Bali" (MacKinnon and Phillipps). This book can be
hard to find and was unobtainable in Sabah or Sarawak when we were
there. Robson has the bulk of what you need and you should be able to
find the pocket plates edition of Smithes in Borneo...but it's not all
that helpful. If you want MacKinnon, try and find a copy before you
leave. If the book has become more obtainable lately or there is a new
edition out there, please let me know.
Have a fantastic holiday!
---------------------------------------------
David Adams
Wallaga Lake 2546 NSW
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