How to Find Hotels in Borneo

Cast aside your thoughts of headhunters and explore the world's third largest island, Borneo, which spans Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei in Southeast Asia. Home to the world's oldest rainforest, Borneo offers travelers unspoiled coasts, lush jungle, and magnificent mountains.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer with Internet access for making reservations

Get to Know Borneo

1. Pick an area to visit. Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia, Brunei, and Kalimantan in Indonesia make up the island of Borneo.

2. Pack for hot and humid conditions year round. Only a light sweater may be needed at night.

3. Convert your money into the Malaysian Ringgit, Indonesian Rupiah, or Bruneian Dollar depending on the region you visit.

Find Your Way Around Borneo

4. Save money by hiring a driver to shuttle your party around.

5. Ride the rails linking Kota Kinabalu to Tenom on a historic train consisting of five colonial-styled coaches.

Find a Range of Accommodations

6. To book accommodations, contact Sabah Tourism Board (Malaysian Borneo) at 011 ([phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources below).
   

7. See an unspoiled coast by staying in Sabah or Sarawak, both home to some of the finest beaches in Southeast Asia.

8. Discover the wildlife while staying at a true ecotourist hotel. Accommodations in and near the rainforest provide safe access to monkeys, rhinoceros, orangutans and birds.

9. Spend the nights on stilts along the coast. Divers will find a range of lodging within walking distance from the reefs.

10. Sleep in a long house to experience an authentic taste of Borneo indigenous culture.

11. Stay in 5-star accommodations for about $50 a night in most areas.

Be Familiar with Local Information

12. Support eco-friendly lodging, as Borneo offers the last chance to conserve undeveloped rainforest.

13. Head into the heart of the Borneo rainforest to see animals and plant life found nowhere else in the world. Organized tours are the best way to spend nights in the rainforest.

14. Dress appropriately if you visit a mosque or other religious site. Wear closed shoes, long trousers and shirts with sleeves.

Tips & Warnings

• Due to Islamic customs, women should dress modestly in public.
• HIV is on the rise in Sabah and travelers should take precautions.
• Terrorist attacks in Malaysian Borneo have prompted travel warnings for the northern part of the island.