Malaysia luxury travel: high-end hotels, fine dining & activities

Where to stay on a luxury trip on Borneo, Malaysia

Franziska M. — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 11:59:00 +0000

5 first-class hotels in the Malaysian states of Sarawak & Sabah:

The northern part of Borneo was the destination of a trip of two befriended families with an adult son each. What to do in the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah was the subject of my last post. In this post, you find the reviews of the hotels we stayed at during our tour from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu.

As we booked this vacation with a Swiss tour operator (Tour Asia), the hotels of our trip were fixed, however we made sure that we had first-class resorts. At least we were able to pick out our beach hotel ourselves (Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria), although the choice of luxury resorts on the beach in the area is limited. A good alternative may also be the Gaya Island Resort on a small island near Kota Kinabalu.

Sunset at Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort

Hotel 1: Pullman Hotel, Kuching/Sarawak

Our two nights’ stay at the Pullman Hotel was certainly not the highlight of our trip. The hotel, situated on the hillside overlooking the city of Kuching, is advertised as five-star resort, which is hard to believe. There are modern amenities, but neither is the Pullman well maintained nor kept especially clean. Also the breakfast has to be called subpar, with quite many choices, but of an underwhelming quality. The staff is neither friendly nor well trained. At least, we did not overpay our stay at this hotel as prices are low.

Overall, Pullman is cheaply run, it feels more like a small local business hotel than a luxury hotel suitable for demanding international travelers.

Exterior of Pullman Hotel (photo credit by hotel)

Hotel 2: Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort, now Aiman Batang Ai Resort, Batang Ai/Sarawak

Aiman Batang Ai Resort is a replica of a longhouse. When we stayed there for one night, it was managed by Hilton, now it is a Aiman hotel. It already needed renovation when we were there and it seems that not much has been done in terms of remodeling in the meantime. While the setting on a lake and the ambiance in the isolation of the rainforest are favorable, the rooms are simple and the dining facilities are nothing to write home about.

All in all, a nicely located resort that serves as a springboard for a trip to the Iban people, but in need of a thorough refurbishment.

Setting of Aiman Batang Ai Resort

Hotel 3: Marriot Resort & Spa, Mulu/Sarawak

Our stay at the Marriot was the first and only real highlight in terms of accommodations when touring on Borneo.

This resort offers luxury in the middle of the jungle. It is in near proximity to the Gunung mule National Park and has a comfortable shuttle to it. Rooms are newly renovated in a contemporary style and have all the amenities also for discerning travelers. There is quite a good restaurant and the pool area is nice. Everything is well maintained and the staff is friendly and helpful.

In balance, The Marriot is the spot in Sarawak to experience luxury in the rainforest.

Pool at The Marriot Hotel

Hotel 4: Le Meridien, Kota Kinabalu/Sabah

We experienced a pleasant enough stay at the Meridien, which is favorably located on the waterfront and has all the amenities of a first class hotel. When staying there, the lobby had been renovated, but the rooms not yet. Notwithstanding that, we felt comfortable in our Deluxe Sea View Room. In the meantime, it seems that the refurbishment of all the accommodations has been completed. We did not have dinner at the hotel, only breakfast and found it pretty good. Staff is nice and helpful.

On the whole, Meridien is quite a good choice when looking for an accommodation in the city of Kota Kinabalu.

Lobby at Le Meridian Hotel

Hotel 5: Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa,Tuaran/Sabah

After the tour through the states of Sarawak and Sabah on Borneo, we spent some quiet days on the beach about 45 minutes north of Kota Kinablau at the hotel Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria. While the resort is located in a secluded, idyllic area, we had to note with displeasure that it faces a sandfly problem.

Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort (Ocean Wing on the right side)

Out of the two wings of the hotel, we opted for the more expensive Ocean Wing because it is more upscale and newer. When choosing the other Wing (Garden Wing) you are likely to encounter many families. We had an Ocean Wing Premier Room, which was gorgeous. It is huge (95 sqm), well appointed and contemporarily furnished featuring a private outdoor bathtub, an exclusive breakfast venue with a good selection, a separate, nicely landscaped pool area for Ocean Wing guests only and complimentary pre-dinner drinks & canapés (new feature, we were not treated to this on the occasion of our stay). As far as dining is concerned, there is quite a selection, my favorite venues are the Japanese and the Italian restaurant. In terms of service there is nothing to fault.

Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort from hotel room (Ocean Wing)

In sum, the Ocean Wing at Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria is a good place for relaxation with great rooms and first-class amenities. The beach is beautiful, but unfortunately facing a sandfly problem.

Orangutan at Semenggoh Nature Reserve

Overall picture

When touring the northern part of Borneo as a luxury traveler – which is a thing worthwile doing, and not only for meeting orangutans -, you are in the position to find adequate hotels, although they do not always meet the requirements of demanding travelers.

Out of the hotels we stayed at during our vacation in Sarawak and Sabah following ones are recommended for travelers looking for luxury accommodations:

Marriot Resort & Spa, Mulu/Sarawak: beautiful location, newly renovated, friendly staff
Le Meridian, Kota Kinabalu/Sabah: waterfront setting (but not necessarily idyllic), recently refurbished, good service
Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa, Tuaran/Sabah near Kota Kinabalu: amazingly located on secluded beach (but sandfly problem), newly constructed Ocean Wing, kind and helpful staff

Date of stay: July 2015

The post Where to stay on a luxury trip on Borneo, Malaysia appeared first on Swiss Traveler.

What to do on a 8-day vacation on Borneo, Malaysia

Franziska M. — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 10:36:00 +0000

Touring the Malaysian states of Sarawak & Sabah:

We – two families with an adult son each – had been looking for a destination in Southeast Asia for summertime. This undertaking had been complicated by the fact that the rainy season falls over the summer months. Finally, we settled for North Borneo as there is high season in July. In addition, we are nature lovers and wanted to spend some lazy days on the beach after exploring the sights. The Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah seemed to be the perfect choice for our needs.

We did not do the planning ourselves, but booked a private 8-day tour from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu with a Swiss tour operator (Tour Asia). In this post you find the details of our trip with my comments. My next post will be about the hotels we stayed at during our North Borneo tour.

Myself on a longboat on my way to Iban people

General

Borneo, the third largest island in the world and the largest one in Asia, is shared among three countries: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. The northern third of the island with its states Sarawak and Sabah belongs to Malaysia and is largely covered with rainforest, one of the oldest ones in the world.

While Sarawak with its capital Kuching is known for its historic, cultural and natural attractions, Sabah with its capital Kota Kinabalu is known for its wildlife, national parks and beaches.

Longboats at Gunung Mulu National Park

An 8-day itinerary

Day 1: Kuching

Kuching, the capital of the state of Sarawak, is the gateway for exploring sites such as Semenggoh Wildlife Center, Iban people and Bako National Park. It is a bustling city with a mix of colonial and modern buildings along a river waterfront.

Kuching river waterfront

My opinion: While the city of Kuching has a certain charm, sights really worthwhile seeing are missing.

Kuching city center

Day 2: Batang Ai Lake

Our first stop was at Semenggoh Nature Reserve where young orangutans are trained how to survive in the wilderness. During the feeding sessions there is a good chance of seeing semi-wild orangutans returning for a free meal from time to time.

Orangutan at Semenggoh Nature Reserve

The next destination was Batang Ai Lake, the starting point for a trip to Iban people. These natives from Borneo who used to practice headhunting in former times, still live in longhouses, a special type of accommodation.

My opinion: If you visit Borneo, you absolutely have to see orangutans because they can be found (worldwide) only on Borneo and Sumatra. That is why going to Semenggoh Nature Reserve is a must-see.

Batang Ai Lake

Day 3: Iban people (Lemanak River)

This day was dedicated to a visit to the Iban peopleto get an insight into their culture and customs. A trip with a longboat on the Lemanak River brought us to one of their traditional longhouses.

Arriving with Iban people after longboat trip

My opinion: Visiting a longhouse with Iban living in it is an interesting thing to experience, but I could not help feeling like a voyeur.

Interior of longhouse

Day 4: Bako National Park

After returning to Kuching, a trip to Bako National Park, was scheduled. This park offering diverse natural landscapes is the home to around 150 highly endangered proboscis monkeys with its distinctive nose and other wildlife.

Coastline at Bako National Park

My opinion: This National Park is worthwhile seeing as there are great trails where you can admire the beautiful nature and of course the long-nosed monkeys are a top attraction.

Proboscis (long-nosed) monkey

Day 5 & 6: Gunung Mulu National Park

On both days, we went to Gunung Mulu National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an area of exceptional natural beauty with a high biodiversity and karst features. You find there the largest caves on earth, which are home to millions of bats.

Bats leaving cave at Gunung Mulu National Park

My opinion: There is quite a number of caves to be seen here. My advice is not to visit too many, but to concentrate on 2 or 3 of them. What I like best here is the exit of an enormous colony of bats in a spectacular exodus at Deer Cave, not to be missed!

Interior of a cave at Gunung Mulu National Park

Day 7: Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the state of Sabah, was the endpoint of our Borneo tour. In contrast to Kuching, it is a modern city with no or only little cultural heritage as it was destroyed by fire in the late 1800s and only rebuilt in the mid 1900s.

View of Kota Kinabalu

My opinion: Kota Kinabalu has a rather modern feel, but – as Kuching – misses really important sights.

Night market in Kota Kinabalu

Day 8: Kinabalu Park

The last trip was dedicated to Kinabalu Park, Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is dominated by Mount Kinabalu (4,095 m), one of the highest mountains in South East Asia, and has a variety of flora and fauna ranging over 4 climate zones.

Mount Kinabalu

My opinion: Whereas Mount Kinabalu is impressive to look at from a distance, it is rather difficult to experience unless you want to climb Malaysia’s tallest mountain (no easy thing to do). At Kinabalu Park there are various trekking trails and a Botanical Gardens.

Botanical Gardens at Kinabalu Park

Tour evaluation

The nature highlights of North Borneo are really worth a trip. The place I like best is Bako National Park. Its coastline with steep cliffs, rocky headlands and sandy beaches is amazing. Also flora and fauna have a lot to offer, from 25 types of vegetation from 7 ecosystems to an abundance of wildlife, above all the endemic proboscis monkeys.

Rafflesia, the largest flower on earth (near Kinabalu Park)

Malaysia is one of the richer countries in Southeast Asia and therefore a mix between a modern and a developing nation. Further, the landscape – when not being in a national park – is neither especially scenic nor exotic. Also we found that the local people are a bit reserved when dealing with tourists.

In short: the Malaysian part of Borneo has an abundance of natural attractions, but it is certainly not the most idyllic part in Southeast Asia.

Iban people cooking food in bamboo stems

Date of stay: July 2015

The post What to do on a 8-day vacation on Borneo, Malaysia appeared first on Swiss Traveler.