2 weeks - Something like Costa Rica, Belize or Borneo but none of these :)

Hi all,

Thanks for the feedback. I guess what I'm hearing is:

• Brazil / Galapagos - will both cost a lot, involve quite a few flights, be pretty rushed but could be excellent from an animals / wildlife perspective

• Borneo - should be able to find a "safer" plan and might be less traveling / less rushed. I had sort of ruled out Borneo but looks like I should think about it again..... any tips to help with this process on the must see places; assume I'm interested;
• wildlife / animals / rainforest
• marine wildlife (whales / sharks / snorkeling)
• nice beaches (quiet is better than party!)
• also although only warnings would prefer to stay away from the parts with trouble at the moment. Got caught up in civil unrest in Thailand before and very annoying!

Thanks!
G

Borneo is fantastic and safe too. Any troubles have calmed down. Check out the LP page on it and you will get all the info you need re what to see/do. Sabah is much moure touristy than Sarawak, but there's no harm doing a week in each.

Hi Mike - I'm going off this latest news from the Malaysian embassy "On 7 March, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib announced that operations against the armed insurgents were ongoing and that an area of eastern Sabah had been declared a ‘Special Security Area’. Additional police and military forces were being deployed to this area.". This was just last week.

Hi gcomeragh, first of all many government travel warnings always err very highly on the side of caution. Whilst I would heed advice and excercise caution by avoiding for example the easternmost islands and dive spots, the rest of Sabah (it is a huge place), say KK and the tourist spots of mount kinabalu etc should be absolutely fine with a reasonable degree of common sense and Sarawak is absolutely fine. It is like saying is it okay to visit Scotland when a terrorist bomb went off in London a few years back (the government warned against travel to London for YEARS after that!) Generally 'operations against armed insurgents' are ALWAYS ongoing.There has been a strong military, especially navy, presence in the area for years. Put it into perspective too. How many cases of kidnaps or troubles have you heard of? How many tourists visit KK every year?

There were warnings of piracy when I was there last, and guess what? Didn't even see a Captain Jack Sparrow!

If you are still worried, then head to the other side of the island. Base yourself in Kuching (a fantastic little city), surrounded by national parks, beautiful beaches in close proximity, jungle trekking, the Orang rehab centre (much much better than the one in Sabah), inland rivers to cruise down and wildlife spot ...

There were warnings of piracy when I was there last

Yes, my DVD collection can attest to that ;-)

Re: Sabah, I posted a comprehensive trip report on here a while back, but it hasn't (yet) been reinstated after the recent Thorn Tree purge. Meanwhile this thread might be of some use:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2155860

mike, to be fair, Captain Jack Sparrow is based out of the Caribbean, not the South China sea.

Actually @ mikehuxley...

As of yesterday three (3) different travel insurance carriers said they will not cover me if I traveled to the Sabah region of Eastern Borneo - the U.S., U.K., Australian, all of the EU and even a few SEA countries including the Malaysia government have issued warnings to their citizens to not travel to the region. Which explains why I can get a R/T from KL to Sandakan for $44 USD (including the taxes)

So although you might feel that Sabah is perfectly fine it isn't at the moment... even the Malaysia government would disagree with you.

Personally I am still going to go to Borneo but I will limit my travel around Kuching and the surrounding areas.

Mike, that's the point... you should be telling people they will be perfectly fine when you don't know that to be a fact. Exercising caution is one thing, but assuring and downplaying what are facts isn't being straight with someone.

Personally I have seen my share of stuff while working in the UN Peacekeeping forces in Central Africa so I could do without the hassle. Anyway, to each their own but I think we both would agree its a shame what's going on over there.

Well you never know Toad, the bloke apparently got around! But I will endeavour to be more geographically accurate with my sarcasm! lol!

Actually @jj_in_la, it is common practice for insurance companies not to pay out for travel in regions with travel advisories against them, despite the fact that those very same travel advisories are often highly overly sensitive and have been criticised by many in the past for being overly cautious.

Read this from the Sabah tourist board.

Kopi'vosian and Greetings from Sabah!

The Sabah Tourism Board wish to assure our visitors and partners worldwide that the tourism industry, hotels, island resorts, river, jungle and mountain lodges and activities throughout Sabah including the east coast, are operating business as usual. The various dive destinations of Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Mataking, Pom Pom, Pandanan, Lankayan and Selingan Turtle Island are open for business. In the past few years Malaysian Government has installed armed security personnel on these islands and further beefed up. The National Security Council (NSC) confirmed there is no prohibition to visit the resort islands. All activities continue as usual.

Since Monday 11th March, Malaysian security forces fully secured the remote coastal village Kampung Tanduo, the ground zero where armed intruders holedup for a month. Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Hamza Taib said the operations with Tanduo and other affected areas had ended. Villagers are allowed to return to their homes, except for Kampung Tanduo which will become a military base. These villages are more than 150km from Lahad Datu town and are NOT in the tourist route.

The State Government and people of Sabah welcome the Prime Minister's announcement of the setting up of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) along the entire east coast of Sabah from Kudat in the north to Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau in the southeast. This is timely to prevent intrusions, illegal entry and smuggling from neighbouring countries. The ESSZONE is for the significant enhancement of the security and safety of the whole Sabah east coast, including the islands.

The USA Homeland security has its complex military efforts of 3,169km US-Mexico border against infiltrations and smuggling. Australian Government has its ADF operations that defends homeland Australia extending up to 200km to the faraway islands to protect its maritime domain from security threats that include illegal arrivals, maritime terrorism etc.

Travelers who wish to travel to Sabah have the option to purchase travel insurance. Please refer to your local/Sabah travel agent.

We welcome the revised and favourable Foreign Travel Advisories. Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar assured the public, visitors and tourists their safety. "I would like to assure tourists that it is safe to travel to Sabah." Ismail said.

So do what you like, I'm not forcing you to travel in one region or another, I'm just saying that Sabah will be perfectly fine. If we all followed those damn travel advisories to the letter we'd never go anywhere! Hell, even London had one against it for years after the last terrorist bombing!

No you got the point completely backward. We SHOULD be telling people they will be fine in light of the oversensitive nature of FCO warnings and the DOZENS of posts daily bleating will i be safe? Noone has a crystal ball, noone can guarantee anything! i may even get run over by a bus outside my home ffs! But that wont stop me going out will it? Ah i love newbies coming on and throwing credentials like that about. One thing experience like that SHOULD have taught you is perspective of the wider picture. As i said im not forcing anyone to go anywhere or not, im just saying common sense should prevail over safety over manafactured fear.