Located to the south west of the Philippines and north of Indonesia, Malaysian Borneo harbours some of the oldest rainforests in the world, which creates an ideal habitat for a rich variety of creatures, such as elephants, proboscis monkeys and, of course, the orang-utan. However divers are drawn to the island for the exceptional diving, particuarly within the northern state of Sabah, most notably Sipadan Island.

Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is still largely covered by rainforest (approximately 60%), making this a great destination for naturalists and animal lovers alike. Split into three areas namely; Malaysian Borneo, Indonesian Borneo and Brunei. The island is surrounded by five seas and straits including the South China Sea to the north and northwest. Malaysian Borneo is split the two states of Sabah who's state capital is Kota Kinabulu and Sarawak, who's state capital is Kuching.

Among the many tribes which still live in the rainforest, many  still practice ancient traditions which ensure that these people live in harmony with their pristine surroundings.

Borneo enjoys a sunny tropical climate year-round with temperatures generally between 75° and 85°. The rainy season is November to February, but is somewhat unpredictable as tropical showers rarely last for any length of time.

Generally the best time to visit the island is during the dry season which runs from March to October. April to September is typically the best time to see a wide variety of marine life, with Whale Sharks occasionally spotted in specific areas from March to May. Namely around Kota Kinabulu and in the straits between Mabul, Kapalai and Sipadan Island.

Borneo offers some of the best diving in the world, with a diverse range of marine life including; Green Turtles, Manta Rays amd Whale Sharks (which can be occasionally seen between March and May). Popular dive locations include Sipadan Island, Kapalai, Mabul, Miri, Layang-Layang and Lankayan Island.

Kota Kinabalu is generally most peoples port of entry into Borneo. It is easily accessible by Malaysia Airlines from London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, New York, and Los Angeles (with easy add-on flights from all US cities). Generally flights from Europe are via Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Hong Kong.

Harbouring some of the oldest rainforests in the world, Borneo’s sheer, jagged valleys shelter a rich variety of creatures, such as elephants, proboscis monkeys and, of course, orang-utan. We would suggest the following must do activities whilst here:

• Sepilock Orang-utan sanctuary. Here you can see orphaned orang-utans being rehabilited for release.
• Danum Valley nature tours. A great place to see a wide variety of forest animals.
• Kinabatangan River tour. A tour of the river will allow you to see many species of monkey hornbill's, snakes, birds and many species.

The island is definitely long haul, so taking into account the travel time and the size of the island, less than two weeks here will not do the island justice!