High up in the trees of Borneo, above the flying birds and climbing monkeys, is the most impressive Canopy Walk I’ve taken.
There are some massive trees in Gunung Mulu National Park
Massively long swinging bridges, connected to enormous trees create what is supposedly one of the largest Canopy Walkways in the world.
Gunung Mulu National Park in Borneo is home to a lush forest, where creep crawlies abound and odd bugs seem to appear out of nowhere. Everything seems alive! Sticks start moving (stick bugs) and leaves start crawling (leaf bugs). Even the squirrels here can fly.
The Tree-Based Canopy Skywalk in Mulu National Park, Borneo
So, with so much going on, being able to rise high above the forest and get a birds eye view of the action is a great way to appreciate just how dense and impressive this forest is.
Don’t do this if you’re afraid of heights…
Immensely tall trees make up the pillars for all of the Canopy Walk in Mulu. There are no safety harnesses here or required guides. Once you’re approved to climb to the canopy, you’re on your own. So if you have a fear of heights…you might want to skip this activity!
One of the massive trees that supports the canopy skywalk in Mulu National Park, Borneo
Climbing to dizzying heights, this Canopy Walk quickly surpassed those I’ve done in Canada and Costa Rica. You could see more wildlife here and having the walkway built into the trees of the forest meant you’re not walking along some huge metal contraptions that seem out of place.
Colourful birds, like Hornbills, would fly by without a care and monkeys would meander through the trees beneath me. Orchids and all sorts of odd vegetation grow up in the canopy as well, so much diversity! What a great way to wander around a forest.
A strange little bug up in the forest canopy
Definitely a highlight from my travels to Mulu. The park is famously known for it’s impressive caves, but if you head here, don’t skip out on the Canopy Walk. A big two thumbs up to this one.
Walkway in the Canopy at Gunung Mulu National Park in Borneo
Wildlife Photo: Proboscis Monkey in a tree, Kinabatangan River, Borneo
Malaysian Borneo is a wonderful wildlife destination, with mammals big and small. The forests of Borneo are under threat but still sustain decent populations of monkeys.
The most famous is the Orangutan, but the most odd-looking has to be this one, the Proboscis Monkey!
An endangered species, the Proboscis Monkey has a humorous look. Males are the ones with the extra long noses, which can extend down beyond their mouth.
Your best bet for spotting an Orangutan in Borneo is a visit to the Sepilok Rehab Centre run by the Sabah Wildlife Department. At any given time there are a number of Orangutans being cared for at this facility near Sandakan.
Orangutan at the Sepilok Rehab Centre in Borneo
Seeing an Orangutan in the wild is a special, but elusive experience for many people that visit Borneo. But at Sepilok, they do a great job of keeping these amazing animals healthy and happy in a natural environment. They’ve been doing it since 1964 with the aim of releasing orphaned and injured Orangutans back into the wild Kabili-Sepilok Forest.
Orangutan enjoying some Bananas at Sepilok
Part of their rehab process before being released on their own is an Outdoor Nursery, where workers feed the Orangutans and visitors can watch the Orangutans eat from a special viewing area. The feeding times are 10am and 3pm each day and those are the only times that you’ll be virtually guaranteed to see some Orangutans up close. Outside of feeding time they’re off in the forest and may be out of sight.
Orangutan and Staff at the Feeding Platform at Sepilok
Be sure to take advantage of visiting during both feedings, as different Orangutans show up at different times. Plus, your day pass allows you to get in free the second time! As is common at places popular with tourists, if you want to take any photos or videos while visiting the Centre, you’ll have to pay an extra (nominal) fee.
An Orangutan and Monkey at Sepilok in Borneo
It is a great place to explore, with many hiking trails and pathways winding through the forest, which is also home to monkeys, butterflies, birds and other creatures. You can also visit the nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre and go on a night hike looking for flying squirrels and other interesting nocturnal animals.
A Fuzzy, but Poisonous, Caterpillar at Sepilok Rehab Centre
There is no ‘zoo’ feel to the place either, which is refreshing. The natural environment and obvious ability for the Orangutans to come and go as they please makes it a rewarding wildlife experience in Borneo.
One of my favourite things to do in new countries is visit the local convenience and grocery stores to see what seemingly odd creations or local treats are on offer.
Borneo definitely didn’t disappoint when it came to trying some new foods and drinks, although I can’t say I acquired a liking for all of them!
Fresh Fruits
Fruit Stand in Borneo selling Snake Skin Fruit
Visiting a roadside fruit market was a great way to get some free samples of various tropical treats. Borneo was the first place I had fresh mangosteens – amazing! But my favourite fruit surprise, partly because of it’s nickname, was the snake-skin fruit.
They literally look like scaly snake skin on the outside, but are tasty on the inside – kind of like a crunchy, sweet apple. The real name of the fruit is salak and they’re pretty popular around Indonesia and Malaysia.
Snacks
Stocking up on different brands of crackers and sweets helps pass the time on long bus rides. I have a few weak spots for snacking when I travel – pringles chips (they’re everywhere!), fresh cashews (they’re so expensive at home) and a strangely compulsive need to order shrimp cocktail appetizers wherever I can find them.
Borneo didn’t disappoint on the cashews or shrimp cocktails, but I had the worst pringles chips ever – twice! First was shrimp-flavoured pringles. I thought they’d be amazing, like shrimp crackers at a Thai restaurant. Nope.
They were hideously horrible, I couldn’t eat them. I don’t even know how to describe the fake shrimp flavouring, it was so bad. I should have learned my lesson but then I tried the soft-shell crab flavoured pringles. They were just as bad.
Drinks
Kickapoo Joy Juice, Citrus Beverage
Lots of Tiger beer! But I tried a few different sodas and teas that I hadn’t had before. I also love going somewhere tropical like Borneo and finding drinking water with penguins on the label. Sold!
The various crysthanamum tea and soft drinks I had were quite enjoyable, some other flavoured sodas like ‘Grass Jelly Drink’ (which includes corn starch, cincau and liquorice extract) and ‘Soursop’ (a fizzy soda with salt added) were one-time only for me.
The real winner of the snack and drink tasting in Borneo? Kickapoo Joy Juice. What a great name, even if it comes from an American beverage company! It’s basically your average citrus-flavoured carbonated beverage, but it easily has the best looking design and most amusing name.
It all began with a quiet scratching sound emanating from within the wall. Just beside my bed. Gradually the sound got louder, quicker. Then it was gone…
Misty morning at the Kinabatangan Jungle Camp
I’d been in Borneo for about a week, spending time exploring Mt. Kinabalu and most of the Sabah region.
It had mostly been a urban adventure up to now, cities and night markets and beaches and BBQ’s. But we had now arrived in a more wild part of Borneo.
The Kinabatangan River. This river is one of the last great wildlife refuges in Borneo where orangutans, pygmy elephants, rhinos, proboscis monkeys and an abundance of bird life still flourish.
One of many birds at Kinabatangan Jungle Camp
It is also home to Geckozilla.
Now, I love Gecko’s. They’re usually a cool green colour, move kind of funny and remind me I’m in a tropical place – not at home. I admire the way they seem to glue themselves to walls and stealthily stalk flies and other prey, even smaller Gecko’s. Indeed, Gecko’s had a happy place in my travel heart – until I encountered Geckozilla.
Some memories are a bit fuzzy, perhaps subconsciously hidden in the deep, dark parts of my brain for my own sanity. But I’ll try to piece together the events leading up to when I was attacked by Geckozilla.
Day 1
Arrival at our jungle camp along the Kinabatangan River in Borneo. There are friendly land monitors and big birds hanging around. Our lodge is only accessible by boat, or a very lengthy hike through the jungle. A bit of paradise. The only place you might get a cell phone signal is right at the river’s edge.
Kinabatangan River, Looking for Wildlife
I didn’t even try, I was there to enjoy nature.
All seems peaceful and relaxed. The lodge owner talks politics and likes that I’m from Canada. I drop off my bag in the simple rustic chalet, then head off for a longboat ride down the river in search of wildlife.
Monkeys, hornbills and more delight us all. We return back to the lodge for dinner and a much needed rest.
The Kinabatangan River in Borneo is home to many Proboscis Monkeys
As I turn off the lights and lay my head down I hear a rustling inside the wall. Something wants to get out.
I turn over and ignore it, but it won’t go away.
Like the childhood boogeyman in the closet I take the ‘if you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist’ approach and put on some headphones. It works to drown out the noise, until the pauses between songs. Exhausted, I finally fall asleep.
Day 2 Early Morning
Waking early in hopes of more wildlife sightings I mention the thing living in the wall to my room mate. His non-reaction does little to calm my nerves. Seems he didn’t hear it.
Looking at the wall beside my bed I notice a rather large metal grate. About mattress height off the floor, and about a foot from where my head was lying at night. It seems out of place and serves no real function. Then it dawns on me that the grate is there for a singular purpose – to ensure the thing living in the wall, stays in the wall. Crap.
Heading off to breakfast I point the grate out to my room mate. He is slowly coming around and no longer thinks I am delusional about the thing living in the wall.
Day 2 Late Morning
Lots of birds and two wild orangutans were the highlight of the morning boat journey. Everyone is happy. We return from the boat ride and head to our cabins to prepare for a jungle walk to get closer to the critters of Borneo.
Headed out for a wildlife hike in Borneo
Back in the cabin there are no signs of foul play or animals lurking where they don’t belong. The wall is quiet.
Then something catches my eye as I go to leave the cabin. It’s in the shadows and scurries away. A Gecko, I think…but it seemed awfully large. Hmmm. No time to investigate, must head off on a jungle hike…
Day 2 Early Evening
Quiet time in the cabin to get cleaned up, do some reading and wait for dinner. We’d had an extra amazing afternoon. Reports of pygmy elephants down the river proved fruitful and we had seen some of the most amazing creatures in all of Borneo, plus more proboscis monkeys.
One of the Pygmy Elephants seen along the Kinabatangan River
The creature in the wall and the large Gecko-like thing I saw were now the main topic of conversation in our cabin. Was it a Gecko? How big was it? How was it making so much noise when they’re usually so quiet? Both my room mate and I were a bit on edge now. Time for some beers and some food to take that edge off.
Day 2 Night
After celebrating a friend’s birthday late into the night, we’re happily fed and full of beer as we return to our cabin.
With the flick of the light switch, we immediately notice something different. There is a large object on the wall. There it goes -scurrying across the wall towards the bathroom!
We cautiously approach and see what must be the largest Gecko in the world. Both my room mate and I are spellbound by it’s size. It’s more brown than green, and blends in well with the wood cabin. But it is just a Gecko, and a huge sense of relief comes over us. Sure, probably it was just this big Gecko making those noises in the wall. Ha, funny…being afraid of a Gecko. We have a good chuckle.
The fearless, leaping Geckozilla
Not long after, it’s time for sleep.
I find myself standing in the small bathroom, brushing my teeth. The Gecko of unbelievable size has scurried into the corner of the shower and is watching me intently. He chirps a couple of times from the relative darkness. How nice. Cute big Gecko.
Then it happens…he attacks!
Without provocation, without warning. As I’m brush my teeth, Geckozilla lunges from his perch high above my head and comes sailing down, head first, legs out, directly for me! I spot his attack from the corner of my eye and move slightly. He misses, but lands on my foot! I’ve been hit!
I let out a series of incoherent expletives and jump back out of the bathroom.
Notice the huge feet and eyes on Geckozilla
My room mate comes to investigate and I tell him I’ve been attacked by Geckozilla. It’s not a friendly Gecko after all, this is a blood-sucking man-eater of a Gecko. The lunge must’ve been at least 10 feet, a jump that surely would have injured a lesser Gecko.
Grabbing cameras, we both peer back into the bathroom, trying to locate the killer Gecko. Where is Geckozilla hiding?
He scampers from under the sink over the the shower and makes a run for the shower drain (half the size of the wall grate beside my bed). It’s closed. He can’t escape back to his lair inside the walls from there. He runs up the wall and towards the window, sneaking outside through a thin crack.
With the heart beat back to normal, I finish brushing my teeth.
Turning the bathroom light off we joke about Geckozilla and his brazen attempt on my life. Crazy how such an innocent looking creature could create so much noise in the wall. We’re just happy that he’s out of the cabin and we can get a good night’s sleep tonight.
I head to bed. Cabin light is turned off. Room mate and I say goodnight, thoughts moving on towards tomorrow.
A few seconds later there is a loud scratching a clawing at the grate beside my bed. But this time it goes on longer. It’s louder. Something is about to break through!
Then there is the sound of claws running up the other side of the wall, across the ceiling towards the end of our cabin, where the bathroom is. Finally, a loud metal crashing sound as the beast, the thing living in the wall, leapt from the roof of our cabin into the nearby jungle trees.
