Borneo to be Wild

- Tim Notier

​Borneo is an island that’s existence I was completely unaware of until a few months before riding our motorcycle on its beaches and through its thick jungles. When conjuring images of Southeast Asia, I could only imagine congested, overpopulated, and constricted cities like Jakarta in Indonesia, Bangkok in Thailand, or Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.
 
And if anyone had asked me to draw a rough outline of this region of the world, or worse yet, the individual countries that make up Southeast Asia, the results would have been laughable. Without any guidance, my illustration may as well have been the map at the beginning of a fantasy book that consisted of faraway lands covered with rainforests in one region, erupting volcanoes in another, and sea serpents that lurked in deep oceans that separated different nations.

​Even after arriving in the region, there were mysterious corners that my mind couldn’t piece together. With over 25,000 individual islands, Southeast Asia’s charted lands resembled the aftermath of a vase falling onto the floor and shattering. Big chunks represented Java, Borneo, Papa New Guinea, and Sumatra, while the remaining splinters made up the tiny islands that I will never be able to name more than a few of.
 
But thankfully my failure to pay attention in my 8th grade geography class did not bar me from entering this stunning part of the world. And Borneo is the diamond that is set into the middle of the fragmented crown of the world’s largest archipelago.

​At first impression, the reality of Borneo was not that much different than the fairy tale I had created in my mind. This was an island where Orangutans swung gracefully between the trees and millions of fireflies swarmed in the night, illuminating the bushes and ferns in more flickering yellow lights than the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. There were tribes of the Dayak people who still lived in towering longhouses who played exotic instruments and wore colorful headdresses made from the skulls of hornbills and the tusks of wild boars.
 
Borneo wasn’t plastered with bustling cities the likes of Bangkok or Jakarta, Borneo was still wild, and we were riding into the heart of it with wide smiles that stretched from the South China Sea in the West to the Sulu Sea in the East.

Marisa and I set off on our latest adventure on a rented KTM 250 Adventure. It was a small motorcycle for being 2Up, but we were both able to squeeze between the tank bag in front of me, and the rear duffel bag behind Marisa. With the newest cast of man, woman, and machine, we planned on doing a magnificent loop around the remote Malaysian State of Sabah.
 
It’s often said that it is about the journey, not the destination. And that statement holds true, but an additional factor can enrich or tarnish the most thrilling of adventures. That variable is the people we meet along the way and the communities that we temporarily submerge ourselves into. Thankfully, the individuals of Sabah did not disappoint as we were welcomed into shops, restaurants, and hotels as if we were their favorite customers who were returning for the hundredth time.

​Marisa and I were temporarily adopted into the families of our hosts as we made our way from Kudat, the northernmost tip of Borneo, to Mt. Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in all of Malaysia. Long, twisty, paved roads with stunning views connected the points of interest as we propelled forward via our KTM’s little engine that could.
 
Our route hugged the ocean’s coast as the motorcycle glided across the sands of secluded beaches. Marisa and I couldn’t help but giggle at the excitement of having an entire beach seemingly reserved for just the two of us.

​“Notier, party of two, this way please,” Mother Nature’s soft voice would whisper to us through the branches and leaves of the thick forests. We followed every suggestion we heard and were rewarded with hidden treasures hidden far away from the main Pan-Borneo highway.
 
Marisa and I hiked to remote waterfalls that we swam under as rays of sunlight glistened through the surrounding jungle canopy. From one destination to the next, we floated down scenic roads with views of the ocean, thick jungles, and tall mountains. We shared the remote asphalt roads with few other vehicles but had to avoid monitor lizards who used the tarmac as their own personal sunbeds.
 
After blissful days of riding through unforgettable landscapes, we stayed in oceanside bungalows and dove beneath the surface of the ocean to find a whole other world. Millions of fish lived in metropolis cities where skyrise buildings were made of coral reefs, the Goodyear blimp was replaced by hovering jellyfish, and the diverse population of its citizens coexisted in Utopian harmony.

​Clownfish stuck their orange and white stripped heads out between sea anemones to study us just as curiously as we did them. Starfish sprawled out on the ocean floor as in the same poses as Marisa and me while sunbathing on the white beaches that the tide’s waves broke against. After swimming back to shore Marisa and I traded stories as if we had both just come back from distant planets.
 
We had only traveled halfway across this magnificent island and were already spellbound by the abundance of wildlife, nature, and people’s kindness in every direction we pointed the front tire. Marisa and I were filled with a warm happiness from the towering 4,800’ platform that overlooked Mt. Kinabalu all the way down to 10’ below sea level as we mingled with the fish. Borneo had it all, and we couldn’t wait to find out what was past the next twists in the meandering roads that headed towards the eastern side of the island.

​What greeted us were the people of the forests, translated to Orang Utans in Malay. These wonderful creatures can only be found in the wild on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Marisa and I had missed our opportunity to see the gorillas while in central Africa, but we weren’t going to miss this family reunion with our distant cousins, aunts, and uncles, even if our families haven’t spoken to each other in nearly 14 million years.

​I was surprised when l learned that our great ape ancestors shared approximately 97% of our DNA. I figured the 3% gap could easily be bridged with a decent haircut, some snazzy clothes, and a few hours of listening to Hooked on Phonics. But I realized that 3% variance can take a few million years to catch up to us humans who trade stocks and have mortgages, if that’s for the better or worse is still debatable. Domesticated felines share 90% of our genes, and my cat, Mr. Moto San, wasn’t going to take up day trading or refinance his litterbox any time soon.
 
After an afternoon with the orangutans, we rode our little KTM 250 Adventure through a jungle of palm oil trees to a spectacular section of old growth rainforest. Our bumpy, offroad ride was down a dirt path that must have changed shape, pitch, and width every time it rained. While dodging as many potholes as I could, we finally pulled into a proboscis monkey sanctuary.

​The proboscis monkeys did not have a direct translation from Malay, but all the locals did call them “Dutchman” monkeys due to their large, prominent, Jimmy Durante looking schnozzolas. It was another afternoon filled with laugher as the Dutchman monkeys snorted and grunted at each other as if in a session of British Parliament. The females thankfully did not have the same unattractive feature and had cute little upturned noses and curious eyes as they foraged silently while the males bickered and blathered.
 
Our loop around Borneo had undeniably turned into an adventure straight out of a fantasy book. There were no dragons to slay, no tyrant kings or evil witches to outwit, but there was instead a land of seemingly mythical creatures that we could almost communicate with via facial expressions and hand gestures. The headhunters were long gone and replaced by the friendly and loving people of this incredible island who invited us into their homes for tea at every chance.

​In place of a black stallion, I gallantly rode our small but mighty KTM 250 Adventure through the vibrant landscapes with my very own princess. We made lifelong friends and memories alike, and even though our Southeast Asian adventure wasn’t finished yet, we knew that we would live happily ever after.

Marisa and I would love to share this part of the world with each and every one of you! Either through our YouTube channel, or better yet, in person on one of our new Borneo Tours!
Join us Sat, March 29th - Mon. April 7th, 2025 to explore all of these amazing places alongside us!!
Check out the itinerary, motorcycles, and all FAQ here 👉 Borneo Tours or ask us any questions you may have by filling out the form below!