Nohatch
Mad scientist
Hey everyone, I'm looking for a bit of advice for an upcoming trip to Malaysian Borneo next month. The main purpose of the trip is a hydrology field campaign in Sarawak (on small rivers between Kuching and Maludam NP), but I'll have a day or two at the start in the Kuching area, plus 3-4 days in Sabah at the end. This will be my first visit to the island and in fact the region - I enjoy striking out on my own and am happy to drive myself, so I won't be getting a guide.
My planned itinerary is roughly as follows:
05/03 Arrive, visit Semenggoh with colleagues in the afternoon
06/03 Birding Kubah NP (lowland dipterocarp forest) + Bako bay late afternoon (shorebirds)
07/03-14/03 Field campaign on lowland rivers (mainly peat swamp forests) and one offshore transect (seabirds)
15/03 Transfer to Sabah, later afternoon visit to Penampang paddy fields
16/03 Rafflesia Forest Reserve in the morning, drive to Poring Hot Springs
17/03 All day at Mt Kinabalu NP
18/03 All day at Mt Kinabalu NP, late afternoon drive back to KK
Any thoughts on this schedule? My main 'worry' is balancing Mt Kinabalu versus the other sites. I can't really find any alternatives to Poring Hot Springs, which looks very touristic (although I'll be there on a weekday out of season), so is it worth spending half a day there? I was also looking at Inobong sub-station in Crocker Range NP (elevation 500 m), the Kota Belud wetlands and even Manukan island (anything else there than the flycatcher and the scrubfowl?).
Heck, is it even worth driving all the way over to Sepilok and flying back to KK?
Thanks for the advice!
Joost
My planned itinerary is roughly as follows:
05/03 Arrive, visit Semenggoh with colleagues in the afternoon
06/03 Birding Kubah NP (lowland dipterocarp forest) + Bako bay late afternoon (shorebirds)
07/03-14/03 Field campaign on lowland rivers (mainly peat swamp forests) and one offshore transect (seabirds)
15/03 Transfer to Sabah, later afternoon visit to Penampang paddy fields
16/03 Rafflesia Forest Reserve in the morning, drive to Poring Hot Springs
17/03 All day at Mt Kinabalu NP
18/03 All day at Mt Kinabalu NP, late afternoon drive back to KK
Any thoughts on this schedule? My main 'worry' is balancing Mt Kinabalu versus the other sites. I can't really find any alternatives to Poring Hot Springs, which looks very touristic (although I'll be there on a weekday out of season), so is it worth spending half a day there? I was also looking at Inobong sub-station in Crocker Range NP (elevation 500 m), the Kota Belud wetlands and even Manukan island (anything else there than the flycatcher and the scrubfowl?).
Heck, is it even worth driving all the way over to Sepilok and flying back to KK?
Thanks for the advice!
Joost