This resort really is pure luxury. Its definitely the other end and a completely different experience. The Kinabatangan Wetlands Resorts lies downriver for about 1.5 hours by boat from Sukau. Make the most of this boat ride and keep your eyes peeled to the banks and skyline. Just on our journey to the resort we were able to see an Orangutan crashing though the trees, baby Crocodiles basking in the sun, Macaques and a huge array of birds flying overhead, all while sunbathing on the speed boat ( please pack suncream)!
The welcome is second to none, with the smiling staff waiting for you with cold towels and a refreshing welcome drink. Just these little touches set the place out from the others. The resort is built up on wooden boardwalks, lit up by posts with flowers along the length. To find wifi in the middle of the jungle is always an added bonus to be able to stay a little connected to the outside world.
JR led us to our rooms and we were lost for words, the resort is so beautifully designed, it feels like they have done so much yet managed to keep the surroundings undamaged. Air-conditioning powered by solar panels, King-sized super comfortable beds, complete with towels folded into elephants. This must be the Honeymooners dream! Each Chalet comes with a huge bathroom with showers inside and outside. And a veranda at the back facing into the jungle.
They are in the process of expanding, building 10 more chalets and a swimming pool, I can only imagine it will be built with the same class and style as the existing structures and complete this resort perfectly.
The food is excellent, with a huge variety, vegetarian options, coffee and tea on tap.
The staff are wonderful, welcoming and ready to help you with whatever. Possibly the most exciting thing for us was the laundry service the offer, after a week in the jungle this was much needed and hugely appreciated.
They offer night walks, all on boardwalk so you are able to see a lot with a lot less effort, and tripping. As well as boat trips at 6am, 4pm and 8.30pm. These guides are incredibly talented at spotting wildlife and able to get so close to the action without disturbing anything. They also have a wealth of knowledge and fantastic ability to identify birds/primates/crocodiles. We were able to add these to our list of wildlife spotted: Flat Headed Cat, Slow Loris, Lesser adjutant stork, White bellied woodpecker, Long tail parakeet, Prevouts Squirrel , White collared king fisher, Storm’s stork, Rhinoceros hornbill, Mouse deer, Colugo - Flying lemur, Pitcher plants, Common Iora, Dollar Bird and Rufous backed kingfisher. We also saw many that we had already seen on the trip countess monkeys, orangutan, egrets, kingfishers and crocodiles. If you are lucky you may be able to catch the Pygmy Elephants from the river too.
JR looks after the guests wonderfully and has a very personable approach to each guests stay. They will make sure they do everything they can to make you comfortable. It is quite something to have the manager who also is the resident artist and moonlights as the after dinner entertainment on his guitar!