An Inside Look Into Borneo's Realities

Sarawak communities open their hearts and homes to visitors

Hospitality among the longhouses of Borneo is inseparable from the culture. So two years ago, when village leaders asked the Borneo Project to pull together groups of interested travelers for homestays, we knew they would be well taken care of. We also believed that periodic visits from outsiders, if done in a culturally sensitive way, could provide local economic opportunities, cross cultural enrichment, and unique people-to-people ties. In March, we offered our first trip to Sarawak’s rainforest interior in collaboration with Global Exchange, a San Francisco-based NGO, through their well-established Reality Tour program. The trip was a great success and a profound learning experience for all involved. From the natural wonders of Mulu and Bako National Parks, to extraordinary Kayan, Penan and Iban longhouses, to the industrial realities of logging and plantation concessions, participants came away with a new and deeper understanding of life and struggles for social justice in Sarawak. To read a first-hand account from one of our intrepid travelers, click here!