Malaysia is associated with the island of Borneo, which is a real legend. Indeed, numerous pirate stories are inextricably linked with him. A stunning atmosphere reigns here, which gives the vacation a special mood. Believe that you will remember a vacation in Borneo (Malaysia) for a long time.
Location
The island of Borneo (Malaysia) has another name - Kalimantan, and it is located in the very center of the Malay archipelago in Southeast Asia. The island is unique in its own way. The fact is that the territory of Borneo is divided between three states - Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. The total area of the island is more than 743 thousand square meters. km The largest part belongs to Indonesia. And the territory of Malaysia is about 200 thousand square meters. km It is divided into two provinces - Sarawak and Sabah, which border on Brunei and Indonesia.
The coast of Borneo is washed by the South China Sea, as well as by the seas of Sulawesi, Yavansky and Sulu, Makassra and Karimata straits. Nearby are Java, Sumatra and the Philippine Islands. Borneo has a mountainous terrain, the highest point is Mount Kanabalu, its height is 4095 meters. Most of the island is covered in jungle thickets inhabited by wild animals. Malaysia, Borneo is a great example of a country with an amazingly high standard of living. The capital of the island is Kota Kinabalu.
How to get to Borneo (Malaysia)
Getting to Borneo is not so easy, you will have to take advantage of air service. There are two nearest airports from which you can reach the island. One of them is located near the city of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, and the second is in Kuala Lumpur. You can take a taxi from the airport to the cities (there are special taxi services at the airports).
Between themselves, states and cities are connected by flights of the company "Malaysia Airlines". Such flights are very popular not only among tourists, but also among local residents. In addition, trains and buses run along the island itself.
There is also a sea connection. So, ferries from Brunei and Labuan come to Kota Kinabalu. In addition, large cruise ships enter the city.
Climate and weather Borneo
Tourists are most interested in a beach holiday in Borneo (Malaysia), which means that before the trip you should find out what weather awaits you during your vacation. In general, the island is characterized by a hot, humid tropical climate. Borneo has no significant fluctuations in annual temperatures. At any time of the year, temperature indicators are in the range - + 27-32 degrees. It rains throughout the year, but there are still periods with greater intensity.
The wettest months are October, November, May and April. But even during these periods, precipitation does not bother vacationers too much, since they usually fall out at night and for a short time. Therefore, we can say that eternal summer reigns in Borneo, which corresponds to the equatorial climate. Nevertheless, the months of January and February are considered the most successful for visiting the resort. The water temperature on the island is not too different from the air temperature, so you can always swim here.
Beaches of Borneo
The island of Borneo (Malaysia) attracts tourists, first of all, with its tropical snow-white beaches with rich vegetation and fine sand. Most of them are protected by coral islands from the waves. Between the coast and coral islands, boats are constantly plying, taking tourists to buy them. This is especially true during the "red tide" when it is forbidden to enter the sea. The ban is introduced for a reason. The fact is that the “red tide" is nothing more than the flowering of sea water. In such periods, mass reproduction of plankton is observed, which colors the sea red. Plunge into the water at this time is really very dangerous, because you can become a victim of toxic poisoning.
To the delight of tourists, the island has virtually no beaches owned by hotels, so you can safely stay on any stretch of the coast and bask in the hot sand. According to tourists' reviews of Borneo (Malaysia), it can be argued that the best beaches boast the cities of Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Although, the entire coast of the island is beautiful and clean, in contrast to the more famous and famous world resorts. A very nice bonus is the complete absence of waves on local beaches. Coral reefs reliably protect the coast from severe storms, so surfers have nothing to do here. But the marine world of Borneo is simply stunning the imagination with its exoticism.
Nevertheless, the best beaches can be enjoyed on the territory of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, which includes five small islands. Having paid a trip here, you can visit all the islands at once and go diving. The islands have minimal infrastructure - cafes, showers, changing rooms, toilets and more. Not only tourists come to rest on them, but also local residents. Stunningly clear sea and clean sand - the best place to relax.
Local kitchen
Going on vacation to Malaysia on Borneo (photos are in the article), you need to have an idea of the local cuisine, as you will have to eat in the hotel's cafe or in numerous street venues. Malay cuisine does not have a clear set of dishes. Locals absorbed the culture and recipes of several peoples at once. For example, Chinese soup is very popular in Sabah province, and Thai fish soup was born in a completely different country, but was loved by local residents.
One of the main dishes on the island is rice; it is served not only as a side dish, but also as a main course. Most of the local population are Muslims, so pork is not consumed here. Although other types of meat people love and know how to cook deliciously. In addition, seafood is incredibly popular on the island. Here you can taste barbecue made of raps, grilled octopus, shrimp with sauce. All these dishes are prepared only with fresh seafood.
On the island they love everything very spicy, so the food is seasoned with different sauces, generously pouring food on them. If you want to try something unusual and exotic, you can order shark fins, locusts or swallow's nest in the broth. Borneo has one feature. It is customary to pour spicy food with ice water with lime and various herbs.
Our compatriots should know that alcohol is not popular on the island. And for drinking wine or beer, everyone can even be arrested in full view. And yet, they produce palm vodka and wine, which taste good. Tourists should definitely try a delicious drink from tangerines. Well, beer lovers will not be indifferent to this drink made from the juice of palm flowers.
Food in hotels
According to reviews of Borneo (Malaysia), resort hotels offer only breakfast, at best even dinner, so you will have to eat at local establishments during the day. On the island, fish markets are very popular, which are small restaurants that contain marine inhabitants in aquariums. You can choose and order any of them for lunch. When you cook a fresh dish from the marine life. Nevertheless, experienced travelers recommend eating in establishments. Located in the central part of cities and resort areas to avoid unpleasant consequences with the digestive tract.
Sights of Borneo
Sights of Borneo (Malaysia) - this is an indispensable part of the cultural holiday in the resort. Of course, tourists give priority to beach-sea vacations, but they don’t forget about interesting places. Moreover, there are a huge number of places worthy of the attention of holidaymakers. The island for a long time developed completely separately from the mainland, which left its mark on the flora and fauna. Borneo was incredibly lucky that no minerals were found in its jungle, and therefore most of the territory has long gained the status of a nature reserve. It is difficult to imagine, but annually up to 50 new animals are discovered here that were not previously known. Some of them are very small, which is why they have not been noticed before. So, for example, in 2007 a new species of rhino was discovered on the island.
A living attraction of Borneo is called a unique tropical flower called rafflesia. Its diameter is about a meter. The flower exudes a disgusting smell of rotting meat. To meet such a plant can be infrequent, it blooms only a few days. During a tour of the reserve there is still a chance to see a flowering monster.
Kinabalu National Park is located on Sabah Island. It is on its territory that the highest mountain of Malaysia is located. At the foot of the jungle. Evergreen rainforests are filled with unique and interesting plants. They grow more than a thousand species of beautiful orchids. Most of the plants in Borneo are endemic, since they cannot be found in other regions. The wildlife is no less interesting. Here you can see deer, monkeys and a real Malaysian bear.
A natural health complex was opened for guests on the territory of the reserve, where you can relax in the hot springs.
Deer cave
Tourists do not have to think long what to look at Borneo (Malaysia). The island is very interesting in terms of natural attractions. You should definitely go to the Deer Cave. The largest cave in the world is located on the territory of another national park called Gunung Mulu. In the old days of the hunter, deer were driven into her, which is why she got this name.
The cave is so huge that twenty Boeings could easily fit in it, but so far only bats live in it. Tourists are very interested in watching the massive evening departure of these creatures. Inside the cave there are stalactites and stalagmites, as well as translucent fish.
Wetlands
According to reviews of Borneo (Malaysia), you can recommend visiting the wetlands near Kota Kinabalu, which occupy about 24 hectares. Most of the plants here are mangroves. Once there were a lot of them, but now you can see only what remains - these are just 20 small plots that remained under the protection of the government. Land is very important as a habitat for migratory birds.
Fort Margarita
Near the city of Sarawak is the old fort Margarita, which was built to protect against pirates. The English fortress played an important role in the history of the entire island. The fort was built on a hill near a river. Beyond its walls, people were safely hidden from pirates. Now you can wander around its territory and see the internal arrangement. The fort has long lost its significance and is now a historical monument.
Interesting places of the resort
Experienced travelers will certainly recommend visiting the island to those who dream of a bounty-style vacation. Beautiful islands and exotic nature will not leave you indifferent. The resort has several advantages. There are never storms and waves, thanks to coral reefs, and the weather is favorable almost all year round. In addition, a large number of beautiful places and natural attractions that can be seen here are pleasing.
Borneo also has man-made attractions that you can see. Of course, they are inferior in scale to natural ones, but they can also impress someone. In this regard, the state museum in Sabah is interesting. It occupies about 17 hectares of land. On its territory there are not only exhibits, but also a zoo, a zoo and even an ethnographic village. The museum is interesting for visiting as a family, its exhibits can tell tourists a lot.
Borneo Island (Malaysia): traveler reviews
Holidays on the island are always good impressions and a lot of positive. Sometimes tourists compare Borneo with Bali, making hasty conclusions. But this is fundamentally the wrong approach, since these are completely different resorts and culture. Holidays in Borneo (Malaysia) will present many pleasant surprises. Here is a very beautiful nature and rich wildlife. For thousands of years, the island developed separately from the mainland and was able to preserve the unique flora and fauna. On the territory of Borneo and the nearest islands, many national parks have been created in order to preserve the unique nature. The resort is good in that you can visit it at any time of the year. Rains never interfere with relaxation, as evidenced by reviews. The island of Borneo (Malaysia) is a mixture of different cultures, more than 200 nationalities live here. The resort has a lot of Chinese and Japanese, and our compatriots can be met infrequently. But in hotels all the staff understands English, so there are no language problems. In general, locals are great tourists.
Borneo is also interesting in terms of scuba diving. Coral reefs and their rich underwater world are the dream of any diver. But surfers on the island have nothing to do, because there is no way to wait for the waves.