DERAMAKOT FOREST RESERVE

This reserve is on the tourist itinerary of wildlife enthusiasts thanks to agencies such as Adventure Alternative Borneo or Borneo Adventure. It's a 4-5 hour drive from Sandakan, first on a tarmac road, then by 4x4 on a gravel road and finally a dirt track. Accommodation is in the huts provided for visiting Forest Department officials. Comfort is simple, but rooms and sanitary facilities are very clean. A restaurant provides food and meals are normally included in the package. You should allow at least 2 nights on site, as transit times are particularly long. You will then be entitled to 3 safaris on the reserve's trails.

Safari. You'll explore the area from the back of a converted pick-up truck. It's not possible to leave the forest tracks, which reduces your chances of spotting wildlife. However, Deramakot is considered one of Sabah's best wildlife spots. If you're very lucky, you may spot a clouded leopard. Occasionally, travelers spot a herd of Bornean elephants, which are numerous in this forest, despite the industrial exploitation. Your chances of seeing orangutans, wild cats and civets, red leaf monkeys, macaques and wild boar are also very high. The forest is a birdwatcher's paradise, with the possibility of spotting 7 species of hornbill.