KUCHING, THE CAT CITY

A group of skaters poses with us in front of yet another cat statue in Kuching, the "Cat City."

Although we have been to many places in Borneo, we have yet to find one with so many statues, stores, monuments, and T-shirts dedicated to one particular animal. In the city of Kuching, which derives its name from the Malay word for "cat," you can't walk more than a few feet without running into a massive statue or a store selling hundreds of types of trinkets dedicated to felines. They even have a cat museum. 

So we thought that any place as wacky as this deserves a Top 10 list of why you have to love it.

1. Crazy cat statues, everywhere.  Really, everywhere.

2. Marco Polo Guesthouse. Mr. Tan and his wife treated us like family, and we enjoyed every minute of staying with them. And, they told Liz that she speaks English very well.  She was pleased. The place would've only been better if there had been a feline reference in the name. 

3. Beautiful markets in Little India. And the fact that beans are also sold as "Gold Bouillon."

4. Borneo Delight. This restaurant is amazing, and not just because of its coffee and food. More importantly, they let us utilize their restroom on back-to-back days when our lunches (eaten elsewhere) decided to make very quick and unexpected exits. Without going into more detail, we are forever indebted.

5. Close proximity to Bako National Park, Semmengoh Wildlife Reserve, and a few additional places we wish we had time to visit, including the home of the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, which smells like rotting meat. 

6.  Because this is the only place Kip can dork out rock out on a handmade Hornbill guitar.

7. Top Spot Food Court. It's a seafood market on top of a parking lot in downtown Kuching that offers up some of the freshest and strangest fish around. However, on our last visit, Kip found a roach crawling on his lap. Liz laughed, until one crawled up her neck. Still, we'd eat there again.  

8. Good Corner Cafe. Not only does this place feature an incredible chicken rice dish for $1.25, but they also have the cheapest beer in Malaysia. "Happy Hour 24 hours," as the owner says. 

9. Because only the Cat City could make this picture possible. 

10. The amazingly beautiful sunsets on the riverfront.  We are obviously big sunset fans, and Kuching does not disappoint.

HANGING WITH ORANGUTANS

A baby orangutan hangs high above the ground in Semenggoh Nature Reserve.

Ever wanted to see an orangutan in the jungle? If so, Borneo's the place to do it.

Home to more than 90 percent of the world's orangutan population, Borneo is the only spot, other than the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where the ginger-colored apes live in the wild.
Since Kip often acts like a big ape, at least according to his lovely wife, he really wanted to see one, perhaps to look for behavioral similarities, perhaps to learn a few new circus tricks for his ever-growing repertoire. We also felt it would be a fitting tribute to the species itself, since Duchess, the oldest Bornean orangutan in North America, died just the week before in the Phoenix Zoo (from cancer at the age of 52).

From Kuching, we hopped a bus to the Semenggoh Wildlife Center less than an hour south. Since 1975, the Center has taken in orangutans and other animals that have either been orphaned, found injured in the forest, or were previously kept as illegal pets. It's now one of the best places on the planet to get up close and personal with wild orangutans.

Feeding time in Borneo's Semenggoh Nature Reserve. Kip has since tried, quite unsuccessfully, to eat like this.

There are no cages or fences, so wildlife sightings aren't guaranteed. However, regular feeding times provide fairly predictable wildlife viewing opportunities while ensuring the orangutans have the food they need until they're able to fend for themselves in the Semmengoh Nature Reserve, which conveniently surrounds the Center. We got extremely lucky during our visit when a female walked slowly out of the trees carrying her recently-born baby on her back. As Mom ate, the curious baby climbed down and, after a few glances up at his mother to make sure he was OK, started playing like a little kid at his first visit to a playground. 

Fun times.

YES, WE'RE STILL IN BORNEO

"What you lookin' at?"  The "fashion statement" above is not one of us. Promise.

We weren't really planning on coming here, at least not when this trip started three months ago. Now, we can't seem to leave. And no, it's not because we accidentally booked a flight for the wrong month (that hasn't happened...yet).

After the sharks in Sipadan, the pygmy elephants in Kinabatangan, and the jazz in KK, we figured we had hit most of Borneo's highlights. We were so wrong.

The latest natural wonder: the wildlife of Bako National Park. The place is a lazy-man's paradise for those looking to get up close and personal with some truly exotic and wild animals without really trying. Just an hour north by bus and boat outside of Kuching, the island's largest city (a fun, scenic destination on its own), Bako is home to herds of the typically-shy bearded pig, birds galore, numerous pit vipers, two types of flying lemur, and all kinds of monkeys that will stare at you, ignore you, and if you're not careful, steal a fried egg off your breakfast plate while you're watching (ask Liz. That actually happened).

Male proboscis monkey on a hot tin roof.

Silver leaf monkey eating a fresh bud.

During a short walk along the raised boardwalks of the park, you'll likely spot all the aforementioned animals, and even more with the help of one of Bako's knowledgeable guides. There are no cages or feeding times, but an abundance of fruit trees combined with safe habitat and long-ago established conservation areas (est.1957) makes the area around HQ a hub of animal activity.

While the sightseeing is incredible, the lodging  leaves a little to be desired. We slept in a four-bed dorm room that smelled like a group of monkeys had been locked in there for a week. Combine that with the 90 degree weather, and the daytime smell was enough to make you want to turn around and go home. But then you see a group of wild pigs walk by, and some monkeys jump around in the trees, and you forget about the smell (you actually don't, but it sounds nice, right?).

ABOVE: A baby bearded pig gives Liz's hand a curious sniff.


LEFT: Liz poses with a posse of bearded pigs just off the porch.

We liked the place so much, we stayed three nights to allow time to hike some of the many miles of well-maintained trails that venture up rocky slopes, over sandy plateaus and down to beaches as empty as they are stunning.

The pristine beach that rewards hikers after a two-hour trek from Bako HQ.

Enjoying the views and the water before heading back up the trail. 

This is a real sign at Bako National Park. 

This one is, too. 

         

PHOTOS ABOVE: giant black scorpion; snake eating a lizard;
Borneo pit viper; and a red dragonfly.

The sun sets over Bako National Park in western Borneo.