Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/30/2016 - 06/11/2016
All Day
Location
Miri and Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Categories
BIENNIAL – PRE-TOUR MIRI SARAWAK, MALAYSIA CONCLUDING IN KUCHING SARAWAK
Dates: Monday May 30, 2016 starting from Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia – Saturday June 11,2016 concluding in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Cost: $2,430 per single reservation sharing a double room, $3,030 for single reservation in a single (unshared), $4850 for two people sharing a double room.
All reservations must by made by February 29, 2016, or until all places have been sold, which ever occurs first. The tour is based on a mimimum of 20 participants and a maximum of 30.
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This tour takes you through about 800km of the east Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo from the oil town of Miri in the north east to the state capital Kuching in the south west, passing through the coastal town of Bintulu and river city of Sibu and visiting seven national parks and natural habitat areas as well as many roadside palm stops on the way. Parks visited include Mulu National Park, only accessed by air, Lambir Hills National Park with its waterfalls, Niah National Park where Borneo man was found in the 1950’s, Similajau National Park with its dune, peat, and mangrove forests, Batang Ai National Park only accessible by longboat, and Borneo Highlands Resort’s mist forests on the Kalimantan border at an altitude of about 1000 metres.
This 13-day 13-night tour is available only to IPS members, is provided by local Kuching tour operator, Borneo Adventure, and can only be booked through the IPS. As numbers are strictly limited preference will initially be given to members also attending the biennial. If you are not attending the biennial but are interested in this tour please register without payment to get your place on a wait list and we will let you know as early as possible. Local guides will accompany and lead the group at all venues. In addition IPS members with a knowledge of the habitat venues and Sarawak palms, who have assisted in setting up the itinerary, will accompany the tour as volunteer palm guides. To maximise your experience all trails at all venues have been pre walked to record palm species and locations.
Depending whether you chose the short, medium or long trails at each venue, attendees may see in excess of 70 palm species in over 20 genera including Areca arundinacea, Areca dayung, Areca catechu, Areca insignis var insignis, Areca furcata, Areca minuta, Areca sp cf jugahpunya, Arenga distincta , Arenga undulatifolia, Arenga brevipes, Borassodendron borneense, Caryota mitis, Caryota no, Cyrtostachys renda, Eleiodoxa conferta, Eugeissona minor, Eugessonia utilis,, Iguanura melinauensis, Iguanura myochodoides, Iguanura sp, Niah, Korthalsia sp, Licuala bidentata, Licuala bintuluensis, Licuala borneensis, Licuala collina, Licuala collina Batang Ai, Licuala maculata, Licuala mattanensis var mattanensis, Licuala mattanensis var paucisecta, 
Licuala petiolulata, Licuala sp Batang Ai,four Licuala sp from Lambir hills, Licuala sp, Niah Licuala sp Similajau, Metroxylon sagu, Nenga pumila varpachystachya, Nypa fruticans, Oncosperma horridium, Oncosperma tigillarium, Pholidocarpus majadum, Pinanga aristata, Pinanga auriculata, Pinanga capitata var capitata, Pinanga chaiana, Pinanga crassipes, Pinanga lepidota, Pinanga ligulata, Pinanga minuta, Pinanga mirabilis, Pinanga aristata, Pinanga mooreana, Pinanga pilosa, Pinanga ridleyana, Pinanga rivularis, Pinanga salicifolia, Pinanga sessilifolia, Pinanga tenella var tenella, Pinanga tenella var tenuissima, Pinanga veitchii, Salacca affinis var. borneensis, Salacca dransfieldiana, Salacca rupicola, Salacca vermicularis, Salacca sp Batang Ai, Salacca sp Borneo Highlands plus numerous Calamus, Ceratolobus, Daemonorops, Korthalsia and Cycas edentate. You will have to join the tour to find out which palm species are found at each venue, however the accompanying article and photos of the reconnoitre for this tour will show you some of the highlights to whet your appetite!
Day 0 – Sunday May 29th, 2016
The Borneo Adventure and IPS volunteer pre tour team arrive early to prepare for attendee arrivals on Day 1. If you intend to arrive before Day 1 you will need to book your hotel accommodation at your own cost, contact details for Borneo Adventure are included on the registration form.
Day 1 – Monday May 30, 2016 (D)*
This is arrival day for all attendees, through the day a shuttle will meet flights at Miri airport and transfer to the Meritz hotel. A welcome reception and dinner at the Hotel gives an opportunity for the group to get to know each other and run through the plan for the days ahead.
Note: West coast US attendees leave USA very early am flight Sunday US time arrive Sarawak late-afternoon Monday Sarawak time as you lose a day due to crossing the International Date Line.
Day 2 – Tuesday May 31, 2016 (B)
After breakfast at hotel check out and gather for transfer to airport for the included morning flight to Mulu. On arrival transfer to park headquarters to check into the chalet and longhouse accommodation. Have lunch, (own cost) at one of the local eateries, then gather for a guided walk to Deer and Lang caves mainly on boardwalk through the forest to see palms, and a guided walk through the caves, relax at the viewing station for bats exiting caves in mass at dusk, walk back to park headquarters before dark. Evening is free, dinner (own cost) at one of the local eateries.
Day 3 – Wednesday June 1, 2016 (BL)
Breakfast at park HQ before gathering at jetty for longboats upriver to Kuala Berar, stop at Penan village for crafts and tour, photo stops for palms from river, depending on water levels may have to wade while the boat is dragged up rock shelves (remember to bring your rock hopper/water shoes), at Kuala Berar walk part of Camp 5 trail to view palms. Return by longboat to Clearwater for box lunch and swim in river lagoon. After lunch take a guided tour of Clearwater and Wind caves. Return to Park Headquarters by longboat. Evening is free, dinner (own cost) at one of the local eateries.
Day 4 – Thursday June 2, 2016 (BD)
After breakfast your morning is free to explore the local park trails or relax around park headquarters and river, lunch (own cost) at local eatery. After lunch check out and transfer to airport for afternoon flight to Miri where tour bus will transport us to the Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort. Take in the rainforest setting and meet later for a group dinner at the resort.
Day 5 – Friday June 3, 2016 (BLD)
To make the most of the day we will have an early breakfast and depart by bus to Lambir Hills National Park. There we will walk the waterfall trail and then break into 3 groups for short/medium/long guided walks to suit attendee’s interests and abilities. A box lunch is provided as the medium walk will take to early afternoon and the longer walk will take most of the day. The tour bus will be available to ferry back to the resort during the afternoon. Dinner at the resort.
Day 6 – Saturday June 4, 2016 (BL)
After breakfast check out and board the tour bus to Niah National Park with photo stops on way. At Niah, ferry across the river to visit the archaeological museum displays and enjoy box lunch at park headquarters, then join guided tour on the 3km boardwalk through forest to caves spotting the palms on the way, once again you can choose walks through the caves to suit your interest and ability. Return on the boardwalk, tour bus to Bintulu, check in to the Riverfront hotel. The evening is free, you can join an optional group dinner (own cost) at a local open air seafood restaurant.
Day 7 – Sunday June 5, 2016 (BL)
After breakfast, board the tour bus to Similajau National Park. Walk the mangroves boardwalk trail then break into 3 groups for short/medium/long guided walks. A box lunch is provided as the medium walk will take to early afternoon and the longer walk will take most of the day. The tour bus will be available to ferry back to the Riverfront hotel during the afternoon. The evening is free, you can join an optional group dinner (own cost) at a local restaurant.
Day 8 – Monday June 6, 2016 (B)
After breakfast check out of the hotel, depart by bus for drive to Sibu. There will be palm photo stops, rest stops, and roadside rest station lunch stop on way and a habitat stop if time permits. Check into the Kingwood hotel on the Rajang river front in Sibu. Evening free to explore the night markets, and you can join an optional group dinner (own cost) at a Chinese restaurant.
Day 9 – Tuesday June 7, 2016 (B)
After breakfast, check out, depart by bus for Batang Ai stopping at Sebankoi Country Park for walks and palms in habitat, once again there will be the opportunity for short/medium walks. From the park drive to Saratok Rest Stop for a late lunch (own cost), then on to the Batang Ai jetty for ferry to the Batang Ai Longhouse Hilton resort.
Day 10 – Wednesday June 8, 2016 (B)
After breakfast gather at jetty for longboats upriver to Lubok Baya, on the way stop at National Park information centre, explore both branches of river by longboat, walk the ridgetop trails in search of palms (again short/medium/long), special lunch at park ranger’s station. Return to resort by longboat.
Day 11 – Thursday June 9, 2016 (B)
After breakfast, guided walk on resort nature trail before lunch at resort (own cost) and check out. Ferry back to jetty and tour bus to Borneo Highlands, photo stops on way. Smaller vehicles will ferry us from the main road up the hill to the resort at approximately 1000 metres.
Evening free, dinner at resort (own cost).
Day 12 – Friday June 10, 2016 (B)
After breakfast walk to the lookout and straddle the Sarawak – Indonesian Kalimantan border, then break into three groups for short/medium/long guided walks through forest trails returning to resort for late lunch (own cost). Rest of afternoon and evening free for resort activities and dinner (own cost).
Day 13 – Saturday June 11, 2016 (B)
Check out and depart after breakfast, smaller vehicles ferry the group back downhill to the bus. Visit the Anah Rais longhouse and explore the old hydro scheme for Salacca sp Padawan. We will stop in the town of Padawan for lunch (own cost). Bus to Kuching and check in to Kuching Hilton hotel (this is the IPS biennial hotel). The following day is the IPS board meeting and arrival day for general attendees. Optional tours will be available through the Kuching tour operator.
THE TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:
- Return flight Miri to Mulu return
- Airport transfers as mentioned in Miri and Mulu
- One night stay at the Meritz Hotel with welcome dinner and breakfast | Twin–‐share basis
- Deer & Lang Caves Tour
- Clearwater & Wind Caves Tour + Camp 5 Trail Exploration (with Lunch)
- Two nights stay at the Mulu Park HQ with daily breakfast | Twin–‐share basis
- Overland transfers as mentioned from Miri – Lambir – Niah – Bintulu – Sibu – Batang Ai – Borneo Highlands – Kuching
- Lambir Hills National Park Tour (with Lunch)
- Niah Caves Tour (with Lunch)
- Two nights stay at the Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort with daily breakfast & dinner |Twin–‐share basis
- Simalajau National Park Tour (with Lunch) two nights stay at the Riverfront Hotel Bintulu with daily breakfast | Twin–‐share basis
- One night stay at the Kingwood Hotel Sibu with breakfast | Twin–‐share basis
- Lubok Baya and Batang Ai National Park Tour (with Lunch)
- 2 nights stay at the Batang Ai Longhouse Resort with daily breakfast | Twin–‐share basis
- Kalimantan Border Lookout Tour
- 2 nights stay at the Borneo Highland Resort with daily breakfast | Twin–‐share basis
- Anah Rais Longhouse Tour
- English speaking guides
- Meals as indicated
THE TOUR PRICE EXCLUDES:
- Alcoholic beverages, juices and carbonated drinks
- All flights except Miri to Mulu return
- Tips and Gratuities
- Optional activities / items not mentioned
- Meals except as indicated (see Remarks under each day’s summary)
*B – Breakfast included; L = Lunch included; D = Dinner included.