Sukau Menanggul Homestay — Hotel in Borneo

Horrible ! Nothing was good in this 2D3N trip.

To begin with, the Communication was everything but not easy. As asked for 2 more cruises and 4 hikes in the jungle on top of the normal program. He Said ok no Problem. We were really looking forward for all this.

The Transfer was organised from Wendy. His Cousin drove us. We Spent 10 Hours in his minivan. This was hell! So hot and the AC did not work properly! We drove so much around, took other people in and out the whole day.

As we came to the menanggul Family, the Snack was already served, there was nothing left for us (we should have taken the lunch there, we ate nothing the whole Day because of the 10h drive!) they gave us nothing to eat, even after we nicely asked. Wendy Said there is a Orang outan in the Garden, Nobody saw anything, Even with multiple good binoculars.

The cruises werd ok, but it rained half the time. Wendy Said There are animals, have the name of the animals, but for all more precise questions he did Not have answers. We did See elefants, there were A LOT of other boat there. Because of that it was really loud.

The meals were decent, Not delicious, but eatable. When you are hungry you eat Everything haha. And we were hungry all the time ! The Food was Not nearly enough for everybody ! We were 6 people. Both of us 2 could have easely eaten. All the Food served 6 people. There was definitely a Problem there. After asking, we had nothing more. The tea was always empty too, such as the sugar. We had to ask all 30 minutes for new water because with 6 people in this borneo Heat, the water was gone really fast.

The House: I Fell twice between the thin wooden floor! I was scarry not to break anything at all time. So no relaxing for me.

There was no AC, just a poorly Fan that had a wire Problem because it did not work well, only if we put the cable over the doornob in one and only exact position.

The bathroom was just a bucket of BROWN water to wash yourself.

The Internet was there ! So cool ! But not enough to take calls.

ALL the hikes and cruises we booked on top could NOT ne done ! Wendy had not even everyday another excuse Why not ! At First We believed him, but After the 4th Time not anymore. He was just Lasy !! We spoke with other tourists at the elefant encounter, and they did everything we wanted to do. So all reason Wendy gave us were bullshit, because if 3 different groups from different Lodges could do these activities, so could we have done but no, Wendy just didnt want to. We went all the way there and did almost nothing.

Between the cruises, we could not even Play with the Kids as they could not come outside to us. I believe the family was afraid of me. They kept staring at me. It was SO UNCOMFORTABLE !

at the end, Wendy gave us a receipt with a lot more to pay as what we discussed previously. We did almost no Cruise, no hike at all, not even ate enough. And he wanted us to pay so much surcharges?! Because we saw elefants ! Thats a joke! He wanted us to pay for 2 cruises instead of 1 just because we saw these elefant and were 20 (!) minutes longer out. We waited apromatively 1 Hour in this Cruise Because there was to much people !

Please to not go to the menanggul homestay. Go to a bigger lodge with AC and enough Food for everybody. This will Save you...

Stayed for 1 night with my family of 5 in 2 bedrooms. No other guests when we were there.

Rooms: basic with clean bedding, towel, standing fan and a dressing table, windows with mosquito netting. Both rooms were just at the front entrance of the wooden building that we shared with the family. Floors and walls are made from wooden planks/boards so unlike cemented/tiled floors, normal to feel vibration when others walk around nearby and not soundproof.

Shower/toilet: Had to walk further in to get to the one shower cubicle and one toilet cubicle that are shared with the family. Water is pumped from the river, so expect that it is brownish probably due to the mud/soil. Shower is using a scoop from a large basin of water, no heater/shower head. Toilet is a toilet bowl with flush. Toilet paper is provided, and a small bin to throw.

Living/common area: a patio/balcony with self-service beverage counter (hot water, coffee, tea bags, sugar, mugs), dining table and sofa.

The family used the side entrance and separated their rooms/sleeping area from the guests. As with typical locals, they would politely smile/greet when our paths cross but are quiet, would answer our queries but wouldn’t initiate conversations. My kid loved their white pet cat. There are also 2 chickens, one of which might crow at times.

Cruises: board boat from their small jetty (narrowest part above water to cross is about 50cm wide with no handrails). The small motor boat (no shelter overhead) can accommodate total of about 9 passengers in 3 rows, with cushioned seats. The guide is very experienced in driving the boat safely and carefully, minimal water that splashes to passengers. He was excellent at spotting wildlife as he drove the boat, able to provide the species common name in English and answered our questions. Life vests provided, no kid sizes though.

Animals we saw along the river include: proboscis/ silver leaf monkeys, pig-tailed/ long-tailed macaques, gibbon, orang utan building nest, white crowned/ rhino/ oriental pied hornbills, crocodiles, a group of about 15-20 pygmy elephants, Wallace’s hawk eagle, dollar birds.

Our 2D1N trip overview: 2pm Picked up from Lepit Jetty just across the river. 4-6pm Afternoon river cruise. Travelled 30km to and fro, towards north east. 7pm Dinner consisting of rice, 3 dishes (prawns, cabbage and cauliflower, omelette), watermelon. Next day 6-9am Morning cruise. We chose to top-up to see the elephants (guide offered on check-in due to the longer distance). Travelled nearly 45km to and fro, towards south east. 9am Breakfast consisting of sliced bread (toaster and spreads provided), fried vermicelli, sunny side up eggs, sausages, watermelon. We checked out after breakfast due to our subsequent plans. Payment in cash on check out. Boat ride back to Lepit jetty.

Suggestions to pack: mosquito repellent, drinking water, snacks, body wipes if not keen to shower with river water, poncho/hat to use during the cruise

Overall, we are amazed by the wildlife we’ve seen. Room/shower/toilet might not be the most comfortable but good enough at this pricing and is only for one night. Also, to appreciate/observe the kampung/village lifestyle, away...

We are so glad we found Sukau Menanggul Homestay. Incredibly kind family, delicious food, and expert guides. The family truly welcomes you to their home and treats you with kindness and care.

Rooms were clean and comfortable. There is electricity 24 hours, and each room has a fan. Coffee and tea are available all day, and meals are hearty, delicious, and varied. We were asked upon arrival if we have any dietary restrictions, and while we don’t, we heard from another family staying there they they were able to prepare vegan meals.

The bathroom area is divided into a shower room (bucket shower with river water) and a toilet (western style flush with toilet paper provided). Towels are provided, but bring your own toiletries.

And of course the tours! You are able to decide which tours you’d like to do. They offer morning, afternoon, evening, and sometimes jungle treks. Each boat tour lasts at least two hours and no wildlife sighting feels rushed. Wan and Herman have eyes like hawks and are very skilled at spotting wildlife. The most people we ever had in the boat was 6 - we saw some of the bigger lodges that has 20+ folks in the boat. Wan and Herman take the time to make sure you have a good view of the wildlife, and will point them out to you to make sure you see them. If anyone in the boat spotted anything, they’d slow down or circle back to see what it was. You could really feel that they cared and wanted you to have a positive experience. When animals would come into the homestay property, they would always make sure we saw them (saw silver leaf monkeys and hornbills in the yard). We saw the Borneo Big 5 and more!

I can’t overstate how pleasant the whole family is, and how grateful we are to have had this experience. If you’re interested in meeting kind people, having intimate boat tours that aren’t rushed with caring guides, and experiencing the local lifestyle, this is the...