Borneo with Friendly Planet
This item appears on page 44 of the January 2016 issue.
Malaysian Borneo proved to be interesting. Its people were exceedingly friendly.
Highlights of the tour that my wife, Joann, and I took, May 7-21, 2015, included seeing orangutans, visiting the bat-infested Niah Caves (where man settled 40,000 years ago) and meeting people of the Iban tribe.
The Ibans live in groups of about 300 each in longhouses, all 300 under one roof, each family having one room. Formerly, Ibans were headhunters. Fortunately, they now are peaceful.
Hiking through jungles, sailing the South China Sea, viewing insect-eating plants and photographing long-nosed monkeys and whiskered pigs rounded out our adventure. The highlight of the trip, for me, was firing a blowgun and hitting the bull’s-eye.
May was a good time to go. Aside from raining hard one afternoon and evening, plus some sprinkles, it did not rain as much as predicted.
Our trip to Borneo was with Friendly Planet Travel (Jenkintown, PA; 800/555-5765, www.friendlyplanet.com) and cost about $3,500 per person, which included air from Los Angeles and trip insurance. The accommodations and food were first-rate.
TERRY MOSS
Roseville, CA