17 days London to London

You'll dine out on this trip for years - unless the locals dine out on you before! A wonderful adventure with plenty of variety: fishing villages, tropical plants and orchids, turtle watching on Selingan Island, a visit to the famous Orang Utan Centre at Sepilok, a look inside the huge caves of Gomantang and an unforgettable cruise on the Kinabatangan River in search of Proboscis Monkey. Then it is on to Lankayan Island for a stay at the beach with diving or snorkelling. For more information on Lankayan see previous page (61). Then why not extend your stay and head to Sarawak, to visit the Dayak river people, where you'll share a meal and maybe a drink of Tuan (potent rice wine) with them and learn about their communal lives in a traditional 'longhouse'.

You can.....

• See turtles and orang-utans
• Take a jungle river safari
• Meet tribal head-hunters!
• Go snorkelling
• Take a rainforest 'canopy walk'
• Have a bath in a natural spring
• Go inside a 'bat cave'
• Stay in a jungle lodge
• See Proboscis Monkeys

Is it right for your family?

Accommodation is in a mix of hotels and rustic lodges. Although these are comfortable, don't expect Western standards. Included activities are possible for children of almost any age (white-water rafting and a tree canopy walks are both available but optional). There are also dive opportunities for children of qualifying age.

Lankayan

A jewel of an island set in the Sula Sea and only an hour and a half boat ride from Sandakan, Lankayan is much less crowded than the islands around Sipadan. It is a small island unpopulated and covered by thick tropical island vegetation, this peaceful undisturbed little piece of paradise is surrounded by a white sandy beach. Lankayan offers simple accommodation but perfectly appointed seafront location. Lankayan is favoured by those who want to dive in unheralded waters away from the hordes. There is little in the way of organised fun, but that is Lankayan's charm - nature has provided the entertainment - at night watch the dancing fireflies, swooping fruitbats and the added excitement from June to September of the possibility of seeing turtle hatchlings scurrying to the sea. Then during the day there is the amazing diving and snorkelling.