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Sukau Rainforest Lodge, Borneo

Submitted by richard on 25 November, 2006 - 17:28.

Rainforests cover just 3% of the planet yet contain half of the world's species, David Attenborough told us in last week's episode of Planet Earth. The natural history blockbuster invites would-be Attenboroughs to view the world "as you've never seen it before", but for a taste of the real rainforest, leeches and all, pack your jungle boots and head to Sabah's Kinabatangan Basin in the heart of Borneo; one of only two places on earth where there are more than 10 species of primates, including the orang-utan and proboscis monkey.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge is a low-impact eco lodge designed in the style of a Malaysian longhouse with 20 rooms on stilts above a silted river backed by the dense jungle. The only access to the lodge is by boat and the rooms are comfortable but basic - the emphasis of the lodge is on getting close to nature rather than pampered luxury, and the wildlife didn't disappoint: I saw a huge array on a guided river safari, including proboscis monkeys and hornbills. There are also four viewing decks and a 1,500ft boardwalk at the lodge.

· Two nights' full-board costs RM1,031pp (about £150), including bus transfer from Sandakan and river safari. 0060 88 438300, sukau.com.

This article, by Richard Hammond, was first published in the Guardian.

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