Malaysia Small Group Trips

This was a brilliant holiday. Both our tour leaders were excellent, as were the local guides. The mix of culture, wildlife and food kept the tour interesting. The only issues were the poor state of the roads which meant that our journeys were longer and more uncomfortable than expected. One internal flight was delayed so we missed half a day at Mulu, but our guides made the effort to fit everything in and we had a very busy day. Neither of these were something Explore could change. The trip notes need updating regarding a view point that has been closed for three years and we were never going to see an extinct rhino (event though a guide talked about them in the present). Also you can buy leech socks in resort at 1/10th of the cost in the UK (not the same quality). Would recommend this tour to anyone interested in animals, birds and food

The highlights for me were seeing orangutans (including babies!) in the wild, plus the rare pygmy elephants, alongside so much other incredible wildlife. Our local leader and guides were outstanding – not only were they brilliant at spotting animals I never would have seen on my own, but they also shared fascinating insights into Borneo’s wildlife and culture, which really enriched the whole experience. I loved the variety of activities too – from hiking through the rainforest to snorkelling in crystal-clear waters, spotting wildlife on boat trips, exploring charming towns, and relaxing on pristine white beaches. It truly offered a little bit of everything. This trip was magical from start to finish, and the orangutans in particular were such a special sight. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for adventure, wildlife, and unforgettable memories.

The tour incorporating both cultural as well as wild life aspects lived up to and even exceeded our expectations. Viewing of Orangatans, Gibbons, Rhinoceros Hornbills and many other beautiful monkeys and so forth in their natural habitats were highly delightful experiences.

Malaysia is such a rich country with so much to offer from nature to history. The main reason I loved this trip was because it felt like it gave me a full experience of this beautiful country. From seeing Proboscis Monkeys in the wild to the beautiful sites like Georgetown, this trip had it all.

We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. We did see a lot of wildlife, though not as much as expected given the advertising for what we would see (we understand this is nature, but Borneo has definitely suffered from the palm oil plantations, the lack of birdlife was evident). The trip notes need updating - the Malaysian Rhino is extinct. Some improvement suggestions is that the tour group was too big (we had 15) for the types of activities and level of fitness needed. One less night in Kuching and instead have a night in Baku National Park would have been better. The park doesn't open til 8-9am so we missed seeing a lot of wildlife at dawn as by the time we got there it was already hot and sunny. It would have been good to know that we were changing guides half way through the tour. We found out it's because they can't work in the other state of Malaysia, (Sarawak and Sabah need different visas) but it would have been nice to know before the trip. If there was a way we could keep the same guide that would be ideal. At least if the first guide had even experienced the whole trip end to end so he could talk about what the second leg involved would have been beneficial. Other than that, we loved the holiday and the accommodation and meals were all of a high standard.

My overall experience was very good. The trip was well organized and our CEO was resourceful, helpful, and entertaining, I think that the information provided gave a relatively accurate description of the trip and its level of difficulty and comfort and the level of fitness required. Most importantly, I learned a great deal about the peoples, customs and places we visited, things I did not know at all prior to the trip,. Our exposure to apes, monkeys, and elephants was outstanding!