Borneo

Travel Guide Borneo

As the third largest island in the world, Borneo offers a wide range of different habitats such as rainforest, mangrove swamps or mountain landscapes. You have the chance to visit a unique country with a culture rich in traditions and close to nature.

Our trips to Borneo:

Volunteering Indonesia – Species Conservation Borneo

Highlights in Borneo

The Niah Caves are part of the Niah National Park which is located within Miri Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The main cave, Niah Great Cave, lies in a large limestone block and is made up of several voluminous chambers with high ceilings. Due to its length of almost one kilometer and a width of 500 metres it is considered the largest of the Niah caves. The cave system is a very important archeological site which delivers crucial facts about early human settlements in Southeast Asia. As a history and hiking enthusiast you should make sure to enjoy this highlight.
Mount Kinabalu, located in the Northern part of Borneo, is the highest mountain in Malaysia with a height of 4095 metres. Kinabalu is a popular tourist site and lots of daily hikes are offered. To get to the starting point of Timpohon Gate you need to take a minibus first – afterwards you can go on a one-day hike or even a several-day trip to reach the mountain peak.
Kota Kinabalu City Mosque is also called “The Floating Mosque” as it is surrounded by a human-made lagoon. The Mosque can be visited by tourists who are required to wear modest clothing. If you don’t have appropriate clothing with you it can be borrowed from the Mosque. At night, the building is illuminated and reflected in the waters that surround it, something that underlines the fascinating Mosque scene even more.

Geography of Borneo

Borneo covers a surface of around 751.940 km² and is the third largest island in the world, more than twice the size of Germany. The island is situated at the equator in the midst of the Malaysian Archipelago. The island is divided between the states of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Borneo is subdivided into the Sultanate Brunei, the North-, East-, West-, South and Central Kalimantan as well as the federal states Labuan, Sarawak and Sabah (Malaysia). The largest and most famous cities of Borneo are the Cat City Kuching (Malaysia) such as the River City Banjarmasin (Indonesia). Other well-known cities are Kota Kinbalu (Malaysia), Pontianak (Indonesia), Sandakan (Malaysia), Balikpapan and Samarinda (both Indonesia).

Geomorphology/Geology

Like the other islands of the Malay Archipelago, Borneo is of volcanic origin. The largest mountain of Borneo is the Kinabalu, located in the north of the island. From this direction, a mountain range stretches far inland. This range mainly consists of granite or magmatic rocks which developed during the formation of Borneo. The highlands of the island give way to gentle plateaus which offer space for the species-rich rainforest of Borneo. Because of the volcanic origin of the island, the soil contains an extremely large amount of minerals which is why the Bornean rainforest is particularly fertile.
Mineral resources such as copper and gold were also found and processed on Borneo, which led to a special interest in the island.

Travel Tips and Trivia for Borneo

Dos
- You should take off your shoes in/close to temples/mosques.
- When you are offered a drink as a guest you should take it.
- Always use your right hand when you eat or hand our/receive a present.
Don'ts
- Do not touch anyone on the head as this is considered as impolite.
- Do not drink and smoke in public. Most muslims refuse these substances.
- Be aware of the local dress code and do not wear a bikini or shorts when on public beaches.
- Do not interrupt people when they are praying.

Climate on Borneo

Since Borneo is situated at the equator, the climate in Borneo is extremely tropical with a high humidity. Seasons such as we know them in Europe or North America do not exist. There is a dry season and a rain season. The dry season usually starts in October and ends in April, the rain season lasts from May until September. Usually the dry season is a lot warmer than the rain season, but both can last longer then expected. Sudden rainfalls and tropical storms can happen any time.

Flora and Fauna on Borneo

Due to its isolated location many fascinating species can be found in Borneo. They have developed over the centuries and do not exist in any other place on the planet. There are many animal and plant species which are typical for the Asian region, but due to the isolation of the island many species which are native to other Asian countries cannot be found in Borneo and the other way around. This is also why in Borneo the oldest and most species-rich rainforests on earth can be visited. Over 15.000 plants can be found in these forests from which most are endemic, which means they can only be found on this island. Borneo is also home to the most orchid species in the world, from which over 750 species are located in the mountain range of the Kinabalu. Between 2005 and 2006 more than 20 new plant species have been discovered in Borneo.
In the past there have been several cases of unknown animal species which have been discovered in Borneo. Among these is, as an example, the Borneo Pygmy Elephant which was discovered in 2003. Moreover, 30 new fish and two new tree frogs species have been discovered between 2005 and 2006. Other endemic species are the proboscis monkey, the orangutan (except for the north of Sumatra), the Bornean ground cuckoo and the Borneo bay cat.

Artenschutz auf Borneo: Ein Schmetterling sitzt auf einer Pflanze im Sebangau-Wald.

Ein junger Orang-Utan bei einer kleinen Mahlzeit im Sebangau-Wald auf Borneo.

Social Geography of Borneo

There is no official uniform language; in the different parts of the federal states many different languages are spoken. In the south of the island the inhabitants speak Indonesian and in the northwestern parts you will hear mostly Malayan. In Malaysia and Brunei English is a second official language, in Indonesia most of the population can understand English as well.