At first the name Borneo was a little confusing for us. Where is this island, what links it with Malaysia, where are Sabah and the town of Lahad Datu? The explanation:
Borneo, the island in the Indonesian archipelago of South-East Asia, is divided between three countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Malaysian part is called Borneo, the Indonesian part Kalimantan. With an area of 751,936 km², it is the third-largest island in the world after Greenland and New Guinea, and 18 times bigger than Switzerland. Sabah in the east and Sarawak in the west are the two Malaysian provinces. Lahad Datu is our starting point and lies in the south-east.

At Lahad Datu airport we land on a runway surrounded by palms and lots of greenery. The passengers walk to the spartan check-in/out building. There's no shuttle bus. Not far from the airfield is the home of our friends Tisha and Simon, who are building their future here. Their company, bikeandtours, has existed for a year and offers accommodation, meals, bike hire and guided tours. Over the next 2 weeks we will get to experience Borneo's wildlife up close. By mountain bike, with a four-wheel-drive support vehicle, Simon will show us Borneo's natural treats.

Already well used to the climate, we cycled to Tumunong Hallu Beach the same day. It was hot and sticky, and alternating sun and rain showers showed us the reality of South-East Asia. On light mountain bikes, we roll quickly along an unpaved road with deep ruts washed out by the rain down to the bay. On the beach of the "Telukan Sea", Tisha surprised us with a packed lunch. We ended the day at a local seafood restaurant over shrimps, squid, deer, fried noodles and steamed rice, talking shop about our trip through Asia and Simon's adventures in Africa.

The newly delivered "Polygon" mountain bikes still need a few adjustments to get them ready. After that, something cultural couldn't be missing. Today we ride on good asphalt to Agop Batu Tulug. "Agop" means cave, "batu" is the Malay word for rock, and "tulug" translates as sleep. It's an archaeological burial site in the Kinabatangan district. 500 to 900 years ago, the steep limestone rock was chosen as a burial place. Some of the 125 carved wooden coffins are still laid out in these caves today and can be visited freely.

Now wildlife is on the tour plan: the project "Species protection in south-eastern Sabah" was launched in 2006 by the BCT (Borneo Conservation Trust). Around the Kinabatangan and Segama rivers, a corridor has been created for wild animals such as orangutans, elephants and rhinos. This reserve covers an area of about 1.3 million hectares, which is 17% of Sabah. The conservation efforts focus on the Kinabatangan, Segama and Kalabakan areas, where we will spend the next few days.

The support vehicle is loaded with equipment, food, spare parts and personal things, so we can reach our night's lodging comfortably. By mountain bike we follow the dirt road through the vastness of the jungle to the Barefoot Lodge in Sukau. The welcome drink on the terrace by the river can't do anything about the oppressive heat and the 90% humidity. Two hours before dusk we board the boat (max. 15 people) for the afternoon safari – hopefully without rain showers.

The Kinabatangan River and its wetlands are one of the richest ecosystems in the world. On the water, we first want to look out for proboscis monkeys. Nothing is promised, but maybe we'll also come across elephants, crocodiles and other wild animals. The boat glides quietly into a side river. It smells of damp rainforest, and the banks are lined with mangroves and rampant thicket. We noticed a long cable stretched across the river between two tall trees. The answer to the question "why" and "what for" came straight away. Acrobatically dancing proboscis monkeys (see the film) moved back and forth on the ropes between the tree trunks. Because monkeys are afraid of water, rope bridges were built to link their territories. The big animals stayed hidden for now.

After dark we board the boat again for the night safari. Everything is pitch black, nothing can be made out. Only the gentle lapping of the water and little points of light in the distance give away the course of the river. The handheld spotlight searches the thicket for nocturnal wildlife. In the dark we make out birds on the branches, monkeys sleeping in the treetops, and now and then a pair of mysterious glowing dots. Sadly, the pachyderms stayed hidden behind the scenes. The ranger: "There was more going on last week."

Only 80 kilometres away is the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, set up in 1964. Here orphaned baby orangutans are rehabilitated and then released back into the wild. In the middle of the lush 4,300-hectare Kabili-Sepilok forest, we can watch the orangutans in their natural habitat. A wooden boardwalk led us to a platform where we could watch the feeding (10:00 and 15:00). The apes are given fruit, vegetables and milk. The animals enjoy the treats and say thank you with acrobatics on the long ropes.

Imbak Canyon Conservation Area
A unique journey to one of the most remote places in Malaysia awaits us. The Imbak Canyon reserve, a still relatively untouched wilderness on this earth, lies 300 kilometres south-east of Kota Kinabalu. The protected area covers a total of 30,000 hectares.

We say goodbye to the orangutans and drive 80 kilometres towards Telupid in the pleasantly air-conditioned support vehicle. The bikes and cool boxes are strapped down on the back of the four-wheel drive. A plastic sheet printed with "AWAS Cyclist ahead" signals "Caution, cyclists ahead". After another 70 kilometres to Imbak town, we leave the asphalt and switch to the dirt road that leads to the Tampoi base camp. The sun is at its highest, and the shade of the jungle forest doesn't reach beyond the edge of the road. It's hot and humid. The track is dusty and full of chunks of rock. The washed-out ruts and ridges, and the "ups and downs", tell us this won't be a weekend outing. After 40 kilometres we reached the gateway to exploring Imbak Canyon. At the Tampoi base camp, ranger Chris welcomes us with the words: you are the first cyclists to have strayed this far. We're happy to hear that, of course.

It's the thrill, that certain something, of moving through completely new surroundings. Cycling in the rainforest, on a road lined left and right by huge trees and impenetrable thicket. The near and far-off calls of birds, monkeys and other creatures show that we haven't gone entirely unnoticed. Drinks are handed to us from the support vehicle, so you get the feeling you haven't reached the end of civilisation.

Entering the "Canyon Conservation Area" requires a permit, which has to be obtained in advance. When it rains, the road can become an impassable mud track, and the simple bridges are in danger of collapsing. An off-road four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential. In the 25 km long gorge, the Imbak River flows through dense forests with 300-year-old trees reaching up to 60 metres high. A "green canyon" where you can also find 1,000-year-old giants. It is home to more than 80 species of mammals, such as the rare Sumatran rhino, the endangered Asian elephant, proboscis monkeys and orangutans, and a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles. In the rich flora of this protected area, more than 1,800 plant species have been identified so far.

At the Tampoi base camp we move into adequately furnished rooms with a private toilet. The light and the ceiling fan stop working at 22:00, because the generator is switched off. For smaller budgets, open-air bunk beds are also available. In the rented camp kitchen, Simon from Bike and Tours cooked a delicious dinner. He had brought the food he needed in the support vehicle.

Sweating, we trek through the rainforest for 2 hours. It's very hot, and the smell of damp, rotting ground goes with us! Along the jungle path we discover termite mounds a metre high and insect nests. White cotton socks pulled up to below the knee protect us from the jumbo tiger leeches. The 1-2 cm long "hungry" leeches look like worms and cling to leaves and branches. They can live off one blood meal for up to 5 years, so they have plenty of time to wait for fresh meat. Unbelievable! With perfect timing and aim, these creatures drop onto our clothes and bare skin.

Halfway! A rumbling sound gives away that we're close to the Imbak River and one of the most important waterfalls in Malaysia. After dry days, crystal-clear water rushes along the rock faces and through the riverbed. Last night's heavy rain has turned the river cloudy brown. But that didn't stop us from jumping into the cooling water, over 20 degrees (!) warm. At the Kangkawat suspension bridge, Simon can show off his cooking skills again. Chinese noodle stew from the petrol stove, with coffee and cake for dessert.

The trip from hell! The heavy rain during the night has softened the road and turned it into a mud track. One look at the road makes us suspect the drive back will be an adventure. Can the four-wheel drive cope with this? Does it have enough ground clearance and power to plough through the mud? We give the driver advice on how best to tackle the obstacles: slowly, fast, 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive, the choice mostly leads to the same fiasco. Slithering and sliding, we scrape past collapsed slopes. Driving over the undermined bridges becomes target practice. A bit of luck was needed to get back to solid asphalt without being forced to spend the night in the jungle. As a reward, we treat ourselves and Simon to a "Happy Meal" at McDonald's. After 11 hours, the 280 kilometres to Lahad Datu are behind us. By now the fine-grained sand has hardened like brick in every crack of the vehicle and is "baked on". Cleaning the car inside, outside and underneath took 3 hours of hard graft.

Palm oil plantation and factory
What the orangutans and proboscis monkeys were for Claudia, a visit to a "palm oil factory" is for Alexandre today. It took several phone calls to get access to an oil palm plantation and its processing. Companies guard the production process like a secret. Through our contact with the Borneo Paradise Eco-Farm Resort in Kunak, we were given a guided tour of a plantation and factory.

By jeep to the plantations
At the site manager's we are given shoes, helmets and safety instructions. This was followed by a detailed explanation of palm oil. The oil palm, up to 30 metres tall, produces bunches weighing 15 to 50 kilograms. 3 years after planting it begins to bear fruit, and at 28 years old it is felled because the yield is too low. A palm carries 3,000 to 6,000 fruits, which are black when unripe and later orange-red when ready for harvest. A long pole with a razor-sharp sickle on the end cuts the fruit bunches from the trunk. A worker showed us how to handle the blade. Alexandre couldn't manage to cut a fruit bunch off the palm. The foreman laughed: "It takes practice and know-how to harvest 200 bunches a day."

The factory
The fruit spoils quickly and has to be processed immediately after harvesting. The fruit bunches, pre-treated with steam, are pressed in the oil mill and the kernels separated, the hard shell cracked and the seeds dried. The orange, carotene-rich flesh of the fruit gives palm oil, and the seed gives palm kernel oil. To Alexandre's pointed questions, the engineer is reserved with his explanations. The processing remains a secret. Every photo first needed the approval of the guide before it could be taken. Still, the few pictures give an impression of the processing, up to the loading of the lorry. We will remember the taste in the air and the layers of sticky oil film on the chequer plates and handrails.

Palm oil, one of the most important raw materials in the world
Malaysia's main exports are electronic products at 33%, palm oil at 8%, followed by petroleum refining at 7%. With their annual production (2012), Malaysia (18 million tonnes) and Indonesia (25 million t) dominate the palm oil market. Most of the world's production is used for food, 71% (margarine, cooking fat), and 21% to make cleaning products and cosmetics. A comparatively small share, 5%, of palm oil is used for energy and to make biofuels (biodiesel), and as fuel in combined heat and power plants. The oil palm is now the most important supplier of vegetable oil.

International criticism
The creation of new oil palm plantations and the way they are farmed face international criticism. Large areas of rainforest are cleared to create more plantations. Oil palms grow especially well in tropical regions, which is exactly where rainforests are. Palm oil cultivation is now the main cause of deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia, and slash-and-burn clearance releases immense amounts of CO2. The heavy use of pesticides and artificial fertiliser poisons the groundwater, the rivers and, indirectly, the local population. On top of that, drinking and service water resources are badly affected by the enormous water consumption of the plantations. The vast oil palm monocultures threaten the habitat of the orangutans and the biodiversity of the rainforests.

The bike tours and treks described can be booked with bikeandtours . Simon and Tisha are happy to give information about what they offer. An individual day tour, or a trek of several days to suit your wishes, is possible.

Biker info for the route