Exotic beaches, mystic mountains and wild rain forests teeming with strange and unusual wildlife – the Borneo Dream. Here is everything you should know about the amazing island of Borneo.
1. It’s Not a Country
Borneo is a large island, but doesn’t belong to any single country. Borneo is the sovereign territory of three countries. The archipelago nations of Malaysia and Indonesia claim a part of the island along with the tiny sultanate of Brunei. Indonesia controls the largest section of Borneo, a region called Kalimantan. Brunei sits between the Malaysian states of Sarawak on the West and Sabah on the East.
2. Borneo Ranks Third Largest Island in the World
Borneo is three times the size of the UK, a little larger than Madagascar, and just smaller than New Guinea and Greenland.
3. Borneo Is Home to the World’s Oldest Rainforest
The rainforest in Borneo has been flourishing for over 130 million years, that’s almost twice as old as the Amazon Rainforest.
4. One of Two Places Where Orangutans Live in the Wild
5. Over 100 of the Animals are Endemic to Borneo
There are over 100 species of animal that can only be found in Borneo, this means they are endemic to this island. Some of these animals include the Proboscis Monkey, Bornean Rhinos and Bornean Clouded Leopards. Biologists working in the region are discovering many new species there every day so there is always something new and amazing in the animal kingdom. If you are interested in a trip to witness the marvels of the animal kingdom in Borneo, click here.
6. It Is Home to Some of the Wold’s Biggest Caves
The caves in Borneo are amazing to behold and the Sarawak Chamber in Gunung Mulu National Park is the largest subterranean chamber and is the largest on the planet. It is so spacious that 40 Boeing 747s could be placed neatly inside. Then there is the iconic Deer Cave with a silhouette that resembles Abraham Lincoln. It is another immense cavern passage.
7. Borneo Has the Highest Peak in Southeast Asia
Mt. Kinabalu rises 3,438ft (4,096 metres) above sea level, making it the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia.
8. There Are Roughly 170 Ethnic Languages in Borneo
There is an extensive variety of ethnicities and cultures and traditions in Borneo. The largest section of the population is the Dayak people who inhabit the hills and rivers. As a visitor to the local area, you will be invited to stay in a traditional long house and receive a firsthand sample of the traditional way of life in this place.
9. Borneo is the Place to Find the World’s Most Accessible Off-the-beaten-track Experiences
The cities of Kuching, in Sarawak, and Kinabalu, in Sabah are the gateways to the rest of the world with non-stop flights to Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore and Hong Kong. This means you will be able to move quickly from a bustling modern metropolis to a mangrove in the middle of nowhere with relative ease.
10. Borneo Is Home to the World’s Biggest Flower
There is a flower of prodigious proportions that flourishes in the rainforests of Borneo. The Rafflesia is a parasitic plant that emits a putrid smell like a rotting carcass, earning it the name “corpse flower”. The smell aids pollination by attracting insects.