After all the madness of planning an Indian wedding, there are only four things we needed for the perfect honeymoon: sun, sand, adventure and lots and lots of food (oh and of course each other!) Borneo, although not your typical honeymoon destination, ticked all the boxes.
Borneo is one the most underrated, beautiful and romantic destinations. Borneo is the world’s third largest island and showcases pure nature and luxury at its best. It’s known for its pristine beaches and untouched rainforest, home to countless flora and fauna, including orangutans, sun bears, proboscis monkeys, turtles and countless birds.
Borneo isn’t the easiest place to get to, so we started off our trip flying into Kuala Lumpur. It was great to start off by indulging in so many Malaysian delicacies such as Laksa, Roti Canai (which is very similar to Indian paratha) and Pandan cake. It was also interesting to see how intertwined Malaysian culture is with Indian mythology. The Batu Caves with its massive gold statue is one of the most famous sights, but what people often miss is the Ramayana Cave which is tucked away on one side. This temple was full of amazing illustrations, describing the whole story of Ramayana.
After a day in KL, we hopped on a short flight to Kota Kinabalu and headed straight to Shangri-La Rasa Ria to kick-start our honeymoon in style. Everything about this place makes it one of the best hotels we’ve stayed at. The hotel is split into two wings, Garden Wing and Ocean Wing. The Ocean Wing (or as we called it the “adults only” wing) is worth every penny. The room was out of this world, with a large balcony and outdoor spa bath overlooking the sea (with a menu of treatments available any time of day). After a day of relaxing by the pool, we enjoyed cocktails and canapes while admiring Borneo’s famous sunsets.
From Kota Kinabalu we took a 45 minute flight to Sandakan and from there a short drive to Sepilok. In Sepilok you get to experience the wildlife and Borneo is known for: orangutans, sun bears and rainforest, all in one day. Our visit to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre was inspiring. You’ll see those cute baby orangutans that have put Borneo on the map, but also learn about their rich history and the stark reality. Orangutans are critically endangered species due to poaching, deforestation and exploitation by palm oil plantations. Those that survive are often left without mothers. The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is the mother for these baby organgutans, teaching them how to feed and preparing them to live in the forest when they are ready.
Next door is the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where you can get up close to bears climbing up trees, without fear of being eaten alive. There are also countless nature walks to experience the beauty of the rainforest.
We always said we wanted a lot of adventure on our honeymoon, so for our next stop we headed to Mulu National Park on one of the smallest planes. There isn’t anything like the feeling of flying over the rainforest, looking out of the window felt like we were seeing something out of Jurassic Park.
We based ourselves in the Mulu Marriott Resort and Spa, which was an oasis in the middle of the rainforest. The room or rather villa was 3 times the size of our flat in London! It was not your typical hotel but in a good way, it felt like being in a log cabin in the woods, but a very luxurious one. The hotel offered free shuttles to the national park which was only a 5 minute drive away. Located in the state of Sarawak, Gunung Mulu National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a sight full of incredible natural beauty and countless activities. We woke up at the crack of dawn to walk along the longest tree-based canopy walk in the world. Spanning 480 metres and 20 metres above the ground, you felt like you were walking on the tree-tops. It was no doubt one of the scariest things we’ve done, but it was the definitely worth it and the best way to experience the rainforest up close. We would recommend going for the earliest slot around 7am, as it is much cooler and you’re more likely to see birds.
What lies beneath the rainforest is just as breath-taking, with a wide network of caves and rivers to explore. We recommend doing one of the tours that takes you through the four Showcaves: The Deer and Lang Caves, Clearwater Cave and Cave of the Winds.
After a few days of adventure, reconnecting with nature in the rainforest, we flew back to Kota Kinabalu to end our honeymoon in style at Gaya Island Resort. Our journey began with a short ferry ride from Jesselton Port. Gaya Island’s vibrant coral reefs and pristine beaches make it a romantic getaway to remember and one that could easily rival Maldives. What is most incredible about the Gaya Island Resort is its commitment to ecologically sustainable practices and advocating conservation through education, turtle rescue, coral reef restoration and wildlife rehabilitation. Gaya Island is the perfect place for snorkelling and nature walks to admire the surrounding rainforest and natural wildlife (if you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse of some hornbill birds or proboscis monkeys!)
Although there were countless activities, the resort was the most relaxing part of the honeymoon. Our villa in the resort was nestled at the top of a hill with incredible views of the clear waters, rainforest and outline of Mount Kinabalu in the horizon. The room even had a wide array of luxurious mangosteen-scented bubble bath salts and lotions. Even Spa Village at Gaya Island used only the finest local ingredients and mixed many of Sabah’s local traditions into their healing treatments. Finally the highlight of our time at Gaya Island Resort was definitely the service. As honeymooners you expect to receive a few perks, but the staff at this resort truly went above and beyond to make every part of our stay memorable.
Borneo will always hold a special place in our hearts and we can’t wait to go back. There is something for everyone and even after 2 weeks we barely scratched the surface!
Eat.Through.Travel 