Today we were picked up by our guide at our hotel Four Points by Sheraton in Sandakan. Today’s destination was a river cruise on the Kinabatangan.
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The Gomantong Caves
Our first destination today were the Gomantong Caves,which are located about 30 kilometers south of Sandakan (see Google Maps). The caves are known for the up to 1.5 million bats living there and especially the Salangans, swallow-like birds. Their nests are re-energized and exported to China. Because there the nests are dissolved in a soup and eaten – a real delicacy for Chinese. In Southeast Asia, the trade in swallow nests is a very big business. Many Chinese pay several hundred euros for this delicacy – 1 kilo can cost up to 20,000 euros. Above all, there are plenty of crawling animals in these caves, starting with spiders, spider runners and lots of cockroaches. A place to feel good 😉
A boat trip on the Kinabatangan River
After the visit to the cave we drove on to the Kinabatangan River. There was a small local lunch and then we set off with our guide and a boat guide for a river trip lasting several hours. We have seen different bird species and different monkey species, some also very close to the river.
The jungle elephants on Borneo
But what we actually wanted to see were the jungle elephants. For two hours we drove up and down the river and were almost on our way back, because we just weren’t lucky. And then it happened: on the shore a large herd of elephants came out of the jungle and ran to the river to bathe. It was fascinating to see more and more elephants coming out of the jungle and going towards the river. An insanely beautiful experience that you probably shouldn’t experience often.
Especially the little elephants fought with each other or threw grass on their backs. In the end, 6 elephants were right in front of us in the water and some more on the shore.
When it started to dawn we went back to the shore and to Sandakan. What a great day ♥
Unsere Reiseberichte aus Südostasien (2013)
In diesem Urlaub durch Südostasien sind wir durch 5 verschiedene Länder gereist. Angefangen mit unserem Flug nach Hong Kong (China), dann weiter nach Bangkok (Thailand), zur Millionenmetropole Singapur, dann in den Dschungel zum UNESCO-Welterbe Angkor Wat nach Siem Riep (Kambodscha), weiter nach Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) und zum Schluss auf die Insel Borneo (Malaysia). Ein unglaublich faszinierende Reise mit wahnsinnig vielen Eindrücken und Erlebnissen.
China: Hong Kong - Ein Rundgang durch die Stadt China: Hong Kong - Die Aussicht auf die Stadt vom Victoria Peak China: Hong Kong - Ten Thousand Buddhas Kloster & der Big Buddha
Thailand: Elephant Camp – Baden mit Elefanten im Khwae Noi Fluss Thailand: Der Tigertempel Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua Thailand: Bangkok – Der Königspalast, Wat Pho & Wat Arun Thailand: Ayutthaya – Die Tempel & Ruinen des UNESCO-Weltrerbes Thailand: Ayutthaya – Die Elefanten im Royal Elephant Kraal Village
Singapur: Chinatown, S.E.A. Aquarium & Sentosa Island Singapur: Ein Tagesausflug zum Singapore Zoo Singapur: Das Marina Bay Sands Resort mit dem Infinity Pool
Kambodscha: Siem Reap – Hotel, Old Market & die Schmetterlingsfarm Kambodscha: Siem Reap – Die Tempelanlagen von Angkor Wat
Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur – Die Zwillingstürme der Petronas Towers Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur – Die Batu Caves & das Aquaria KLCC
Malaysia: Borneo – Das Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre Malaysia: Borneo – Das Proboscis Monkey Labuk Bay Sanctuary Malaysia: Borneo – Die Gomantong-Höhlen & Urwaldelefanten Malaysia: Borneo – Tauchen im Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort Malaysia: Borneo – Das Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort