Visit Borneo, the exotic island dense with tropical rain forests and teeming with rare and diverse wildlife. Traveling to Borneo is less complicated than you may think, and we would love to help you get there in style.

Asia Transpacific Journeys offers unrivaled Small Group Trips to Borneo, or can assist you in creating your own Custom Journey. Explore clear waters that host thousand of reef fish as you snorkel in the warm waters of Brunei Bay, hike to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu followed by a soak in the Poring Hot Springs, explore underground caves in the Gunung Mulu National Park, or embark on one of many exhilarating treks through the Borneo jungle.

You can always expect a balmy, tropical climate in equatorial Borneo. However, plan your trip between March and October if you prefer the best weather. Our Travel Specialists are always happy to work with you to make your journey as effortless as possible.

Lastly, be sure you have a valid passport that it is good for 6 months beyond your travel dates. If you need to, apply for a passport or renew yours as soon as possible. Visas are not required for U.S. citizens.

Call Asia Transpacific Journeys and talk with one of our travel experts about the range of exciting options. As always, rest assured that Asia Transpacific Journeys is committed to working only with partners in Borneo that have exhibited the best practices to care for Borneo’s precious wildlife and resources.

A perfumed symphony of life awaits in the lush foliage of Borneo.  From vivid colors to enchanting scents, traveling to Borneo affords you the chance to explore one of the most bio-diverse locations on Earth.

Borneo travel does not have to be complicated, and following some simple strategies makes travel to Borneo easy and accessible. The remote location and mysterious wildlife make southeast Asia a legendary exotic destination, yet upscale eco-resorts make for wonderful creature comforts. With the right preparation, and the help of seasoned Asia travel experts like the professionals at Asia Transpacific Journeys, you can feel confident and excited about your Borneo vacation.

First, do your homework. Get familiar with Borneo and all it has to offer by visiting the Asia Transpacific Journeys website. Note the places you need to see and things you want to do. Borneo wildlife tours are a great way to get up close and personal with orangutans and to experience the wild side of Borneo. Booking with an experienced tour company can enhance your trip and provide you with unique experiences other travel companies just can’t offer. The caves at Mulu are an incredible piece of natural architecture, and travelers can release baby turtles to the sea on Selingan Island. If hiking Borneo is something you dream of, Borneo rainforest tours bring you into the heart of the enigmatic island on foot.

Second, determine the length of your stay, and compare it to your activities list. Decide whether you want to stay busy or keep a more relaxed schedule. The experts at Asia Transpacific Journeys can help you budget appropriate time for activities. Organizing your trip to Borneo with them will mean you’ll experience the Borneo you’ve always imagined.

Lastly, collect all necessary documentation well in advance of departure. Passports, and all immunization records for entry into and out of Borneo must be current. Local travel clinics can advise which shots and medications you need. Travel with copies of your shot records alongside your passport.

Start planning today and soon you’ll be confidently enjoying the wildlife and wonders of Borneo vacations!

A reverence to nature is expressed best during your Japan vacation. What is your inspiration to travel?

At Asia Transpacific Journeys, we are passionate about travel to Asia. This month we are asking our fellow world explorers why they travel to Asia. Here is what people had to share:

• “To learn about other cultures so that I can better understand them as I try to be a better steward of our planet.”
• “To experience the world.”
• “Want to go everywhere, see and experience the world and its people and learn.”
• “Our curiosity and empathy for the diverse and interesting cultures of our fellow human beings across the world. The opportunity for our minds to travel to times gone by and our passion for astonishing discoveries and the stunning aesthetics across the face of the earth.”
• “I have no choice. I was raised this way and only feel like I go “home” when I’m traveling…”
• “For perspective. For understanding.”
• “To step out of one’s everyday life; it makes me come alive! new sights new smells new adventures new challenges. Respecting and involving yourself in the different cultures you encounter. Learning, always learning, studying before you go, delving in depth once you are there. Appreciating the differences and at the same time the alikeness of people around the world.There is so much to see, to feel and to think about. The wonder of it all.”
• “To learn, to grow and to hopefully begin to understand life in the world beyond our own.”
• “I caught the travel bug back in 1990 when I first went to Europe–I loved seeing how others lived (they do things so differently in Germany than we do here in the US), and tried to incorporate new ways into my own life. I’ve continued that in my travels in SE Asia. It has changed the way I look at things, the way I treat people, the way I eat. I am truly a different person today from what I was twenty years ago because travel made me re-evaluate my habits about everything. It’s been quite a gift.”
• “Everyone holds in their mind a model of the world, as they know it. When we are 20, our model is laughably incomplete, compared to the real world, but we think it is complete. By the time we are 50, we have learned how little we really know…and so we begin to travel, to witness new dimensions of the world…which we embrace with a child’s joy of discovery.”
• “Travel has ALWAYS been a major passion and priority in my life. It is totally enriching to experience new cultures, historic sites, fabulous cities, local cuisine. And I so enjoy documenting my travels both through journaling and photography.”
• “People, Places, Things”
• “St. Augustine said it best: The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
• “I travel because I am curious about other countries and people, their customs, their foods, their knowledge, and their passions.”
• “One reason I travel is to selfishly satisfy my curiosity about life outside my limited world and broaden my horizons.”
• “It’s exciting to learn about other cultures and see the vast diversity of this earth. We love the opportunity to meet with people whose lives are different from our own as well as to see the art and natural beauty of other places.”
• “It’s a big world out there. I’m an adventure trekker and distance runner. At age 80 I’m old enough to know better, but I do it anyway. Much to see and learn and do.”
• “To prevent self-annihilation!”
• “It frees my spirit to enjoy every earthly sight, sound, smells and sensations. No other gift allows you to enjoy all the freedom that travel does.”
• “Es una experiencia única e inolvidable, el servicio, el personal abordo insuperable. Sincermente.” Translated as: It’s a one and only unforgettable experience, the service and the personal onboard unsurpassable.
• “Travel is one of the greatest joys of my life – to experience other cultures, getting to know some of the people intimately, and to record these memories in my mind and on my camera. Though people’s cultures vary in many ways, I often witness many likenesses, as well, when interacting with them. My hope is my enthusiasm about my trips, sharing of photos stories, will motivate them to travel to similar destinations and usually it happens!”
• “I travel because I like to experience, the mystery of an unknown place, and living like a local for a few days.”
• “Travel is something to look forward to. It can be exciting, educational and takes away prejudice. It teaches that all people want the same thing: a place to live, enough to eat and good things for our children. It shows us different ways to do similar things. It can teach us what different cultures think are important both now and in the past. It gives us memories when we travel with those we care about. It gives us memories which, like education, thieves cannot take away. If travel logs and pictures are kept, it is a part of a life which keeps forever.”
• “I travel to experience first-hand the wonders of the world–both natural and man-made and the infinite varieties of people in it. It puts me in the proper perspective of being only a small part of an interdependent web of existence.”
• “I love what you say about why people travel. I travel to stay fresh and aware of new perspectives so that I never get lost in just one way of thinking. It enables me to bring new ideas an approaches to everything I do.”
• “I travel with loved ones to create memories. Memories of special times spent together, discovering and experiencing new flavors, new sights and sounds. You never forget those moments!”
• “I truly believe it is a privilege to travel in this life! to explore learn different cultures customs gives everyone a great sense of worldly knowledge acceptance. I gain a better perspective of our planet as well realise everyone must be a bit more thoughtful of each other to benefit. Good manners respect is the priority!”
• “I travel to keep my mind open, my thoughts free, my heart warm, my opinions informed and my spirit young and adventuresome.”
• “We travel because I want to show my children that there is more than one way to live, and just because someone is different – that does not make the US better. In many ways all over the world our similarities are more than our differences. We love our children, our friends families. We laugh, we work, we struggle, we pray we play. If everyone had more stamps on their passports we would have less fear and anger in our world, and more tolerance and acceptance. God created a beautiful world – we plan to see every inch of it.”
• “I travel to learn more about our planet, and to learn about other cultures.”
• “To open my mind to new adventures, beyond the box. To meet new people and learn that they, and their culture, although from other countries, are not so different from Americans, and that their differences are wonderful. To give my camera a chance for new exposure. (Pun intended.)To have something interesting to share with those who do not travel, and to share with those who do.”
• “To learn.”
• “I love to travel because the planet has such a diversity of cultures – each one offering something in its own way. You come to be more aware of how other people live and also the similarities as well as differences to your own country. I have also come to appreciate my own country more. Most of all it is probably the people you meet that make travelling so interesting.” – Anne
• “We travel to enrich our cultural experience.”
• “We travel to make the world a smaller place. As different as people and cultures can be, the more we travel the more we realize that people all over the world have many similarities as well. Plus it’s a whole lot of FUN!!!”
• “To see and experience different cultures, smell the smells, sample the cuisine, shock the senses into becoming alive again.”
• “You don’t get to choose how you are going to die or when or where. You only get to choose how you live — and traveling is one of the best ways I know to really live.”
• “I like to experience other cultures and enjoy people who don’t necessarily look like me.”
• “I have a constant curiosity about other people and other cultures and having living in the Arabian Gulf region for many year has only added to it. At 80 years old I have to take somewhat easier trips than I used to, but still go.”
• ” Travel is a priority for me because I am people oriented. One of my fascinations is how people adapt to different environments and how environments affect people, in other words the interplay of the two. What customs and beliefs are carried down from one generation to the next and on to the next, etc? How does availability of “materials” affect daily behavior? How do ideas get communicated? How are gender roles developed and transmitted, etc., etc., etc.”
• “Travelling keeps me ‘alive in the moment’: open,eager energized.” – RJV
• “My dream.”
• “I want to see as much of this beautiful world as I can. I want to see the people, how they live and learn about their history. Each country is a another wonderful and exciting adventure.”
• “Life long curiosity about the world. We have only one life – it’s a big fascinating world.”
• “It is important to learn and understand other cultures. It is a matter of survival for the world. Meeting other people, understanding their beliefs is important to me. I have traveled around the world and will continue until I die. I have meet people from all walks of life and it is a rewarding experience for me.”
• “To expand my horizon, to learn from others, to keep reminding myself there are many others worlds out there.”
• “To see different culture, different countries…. “
• “I travel to try to better understand the nature of mankind. Also, it’s terribly exciting!”
• “So that I can learn about other people and other cultures. Also to enlighten my soul and learn more about this beautiful world we live in.”
• “I travel to find people with whom I share dreams. I travel to find people who live differently than I. I travel to fill my life and thoughts with wonders.”
• “I travel because of an insatiable curiosity about other people, places, geography, art, and so on.  I come by it sort of naturally because my parents were curious individuals.  I majored in Geography at UCLA (years ago)  and never lost my interest in the world.  Oh,yes, I forgot: food.  That is one of the most interesting parts of travel.” Maureen Banks
• “We Travel for the memories that will be with us years after the trip.”
• “My passion.”
• “We travel to experience other cultures, see historical sites and beautiful destinations.”
• “My greatest joy in life has been the thrill and discovery of travel. As a teenager, I remember an agent asking if we wanted a direct flight from Bonaire to Miami and we all asked to remain on the 4 leg island hopper so we could saver every last minute of our trip in the Carribbean. It was a real joy and every part of it pleasant. A delay meant more time in Aruba! My greatest disapointment has been the decline of air travel, especially the tense psychologically draining atmosphere in airports. What can we do?”
• “To feel more alive and to satisfy my addiction for new food, new friends, new cultures, new adventure.”
• “Travel is the best educational experience in the world. It is the best way to learn about the various peoples of the world and their different cultures. It is also great seeing how different various parts of the world are.”
• “Travel is our passion and priority because with the travel we’ll know and connected to many people, cultural,character and many others, we are very interesting to travel because we have a job for this subject.”
• “Traveling is a gift to give yourself while simultaneously, learning about others and realizing their differences and similarities to oneself. Experiencing places only seen on the covers of books or in the pages of a magazine allows one to feel closer to far away places and to cherish each moment we have on Earth. Travel encourages us to be better people, when we see those in other places who are less fortunate but seem to be just fine with their lives. Travel allows us to enjoy flavors which we have never had on our taste buds! Travel gives us a sense of how small we are, but as a whole, are really all just the same- people who want love, health and happiness for ourselves, families and friends.”
• “Meeting different people and experiencing different cultures. Getting away from my routine and everything familiar esp. the telephones. Curiosity and desire to learn.”
• “To see new and different people, cultures, and architecture. To use this experience to change who I am.”
• “Because I want to experience all the beauty on earth, because people are fascinating, each culture accomplish the same with there own creativity, because it enphasize the feeling that the whole earth is ours.”
• “To discover new places, meet new people and gain a better understanding of different cultures and practices. For self- rejuvenation. And also, to remind me of our common humanity.”
• “We travel because we love life. We are explorers and travel to discover the awesome beauty of our planetary home Earth in all its splendid diversity. We also travel to discover our inner landscapes and challenge our own preconceptions about ways of doing and being by meeting our planetary co-citizens whose manners and ways differ from ours.”
• “It’s adventure, relaxation, to go back to places I’ve been along time ago and to see the changes.”
• “Cultural diversity, worldly experiences, historical sites, gastronomic experience, and perspective.”
• “We want to learn about the world. We want to have a foreign perspective concerning America. We also want to see first hand antiquity, ethnic foods, and cultures. We also want to enjoy the fruits of our life’s labors.”
• “To re-fresh the mind.”
• “Tick Tock, Tick Tock. Why do we explore, live outside the box or color outside the lines? Traveling is transforming, empowering, education and enlightening, not to mention the best medicine. A gift you can give to yourself. Tick Tock, Tick Tock.”
• “St. Augustine said it best: ‘The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.’”
• “I travel because I love to see new places and meet new people. I love the fact that places and people can be so different but in many ways can be the same.”
• “To see the world.”

On Sunsets and Temples, Myanmar (Burma)

Arriving in Mandalay mid-morning it was obvious that a heavy rainstorm had occurred during the night. The air was clean and crisp and there was a vividness about the colors that follow sudden downpours. Our small group of travelers were in good mood after 5 days in Burma (now called Myanmar) and despite frequent thunderstorms were enjoying mixing with the locals in the street markets and observing their reverence as they prostrated themselves before Buddha in the incensed fumed temples. Careful to observe the rituals we had also bought perfume scented flowers from the street sellers and carefully hung them from the alter in the hope of improving our karma while the last of the rainy season storms filled the ricefields and we dodged under cover to continue our sightseeing.

Much to our surprise we were informed that the famous Mandalay road is in fact its river, the Ayerwaddy, which we were due to get a glimpse of when we ascended Mandalay hill for the “glorious sunset”, as promised in our literature. But first we visited the Golden Palace Monastery and the “Largest book in the World” pagoda which consists of 729 marble tablets carved with the Buddhist sacred writings and then broke for lunch. Due to its geographical positioning between two of the world’s great culinary countries, India and China, Burmese food surprises visitors with its subtleness and variety and so far none of our group had succeeded in losing any of the pounds they’d hoped for on leaving home. With the heat back in renewed force we retreated to our rooms to coolly contemplate the chances of seeing a sunset instead of the aerial pyrotechnics witnessed the previous night.At the appointed hour we set off up the hill which appeared to be more of a recreation and jogging park for the thousands of locals out with friends and family then it was a tourist attraction. A beautiful temple sits on the peak of the hill but nearly all foreign arrivals are armed with a camera and intent only on the descending sun which in the tropics is a fast occurring phenomenon. Meanwhile Burmese students, novice monks and middle aged joggers maneuver to trap a tourist on the railings and get the much needed practice to speak English which they see as a way to a better life. Waylaid by a teacher and one of his class I turn at a cheer from a group of Thai tourists and find the sun has disappeared while I was in conversation. Within minutes the groups dissolve away leaving only the patient and the well informed, plus the locals who work on a completely different timescale to us westerners and for whom rushing seems like a sin.

The minutes drift by, the formerly wispy white clouds high in the sky now begin to take on red glow and the river reflects the deepening colors as the land turns to silhouette. It’s well after sunset and almost dark but for the lucky few who made the wait it was a magic moment of silence and timelessness.

On the journey down in the noisy, bouncing local truck-taxi I couldn’t help but reflect on whether someone writing tour itineries knows just when the sunsets will be glorious or if enough garlands of perfumed flowers can arrange things with those higher powers that fix such things. Like a good Asian I’ll keep an open mind, try everything and dismiss nothing. It’s magic.

Asia travel photography contest judged by National Geographic Traveler photographer Bob Krist

Our travelers crossed time zones, date lines, and oceans to experience an Asia tour or South Pacific Asia vacation— where they may have found a fabulous photo opportunity around every corner. We asked previous travelers with Asia Transpacific Journeys to submit photos of their travels with us. We started with 109 beautiful entries, our staff narrowed it down to 20 semi-finalists, and then we asked National Geographic Traveler photographer Bob Krist to select the winners.

He noted that “Great color, story telling, and strong compositions made it very hard for me to pick only three. Obviously, your travelers are exploring their destinations with an appreciative eye and a knack for going beyond the postcard views.”

Here are the winning entries and Bob’s commentary on the photos. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all who participated. These photos truly define a journey beyond the ordinary™.

1st place, boy riding camel at sunset in Pushkar, India (© Annie Katz )

“This is a wonderful moment, and very carefully composed. Notice that the low angle the photographer chose fully silhouettes the camel and rider against the sky. The moment is captured perfectly, and the position of the camel and rider is just right. The setting sun behind this great silhouette just adds that extra sense of ‘moment’ to an already strong photograph.”

2nd place, women on a wall in India (© Susan I. Cohen)

“Another great job of ‘seeing.’ The repeating patterns of the women sitting in a row, plus the great light and color, makes this a very strong graphic and story-telling picture. It’s carefully composed—there are no distracting backgrounds. The photographer has done an excellent job of eliminating all extraneous elements, and distilling the composition to a powerful, simple graphic.”

3rd place, two boys watch a ceremony in Bhutan (© Scott Carroll)

“A wonderful ‘storytelling’ shot. The photographer looked beyond the obvious shot (that of the ceremony, whatever it was) and looked around the “edges” of the event to see how it was affecting the onlookers. Beautiful light, two very different expressions, and subjects who are totally into the moment. A great moment and a careful composition.”

Bollywood, South India

It doesn’t take much to draw a crowd in India, and when a gathering occurs, like a moth to a flame, I too am drawn.  Some of my best moments during my travels in India have come from joining in. What ever has captured their interest, usually captures mine as well. So I found the crowd gathered on the beach at Pondicherry irresistible. I was rewarded by a full Bollywood shoot.  A camera boom with full crew were filming male dancers, dressed in black in the sweltering midday tropical heat.  They were going through a dance routine with full athletic rigor, as only Bollywood can.  The non-dancing star, who they surrounded, was a portly middle aged man with a pouf-do that required constant attention from his stylist.  Music, action, cut.  Music, action, cut.  Time and again they filmed the scene. Time and again they ‘cut’ and shot again to achieve utter perfection in the dance moves.  The crowd grew and before long there were a coterie of vendors making the most of the opportunity – ice cream, snacks, toys for the children-a spontaneous happening that made our day.

Pondicherry, the old French colonial capital, is about 120 miles south of Chennai, India. Learn more about travel in South India.

Travel to South India

Chedambaram Temple at sunset is like no other. Devotees of the Hindu god Shiva scurry barefoot through the gates, children in tow, colorfully clad in their best saris and dhoti. They approach the alter for a sunset glimpse of this most sacred bronze figure of Shiva in his Nataraj phase, doing the cosmic dance of life.  Shiva, the great god of destruction, is also the embodiment of creation and thus must be paid his due to keep the universe in balance.  The object of their devotion, the bronze Nataraj image, circled with a flaming ring, has Shiva’s four arms aloft, each carrying a symbolic item or gesture, his right leg subduing the demon of ignorance and his left lifted high in a graceful, powerful pose, is a familiar Hindu icon.  When understood, the sculpture offers the beholder an illustrated reminder for life – power, grace, compassion, enlightenment – ideal human qualities.   Seen anywhere it evokes emotion, but seen at Chedambaram it carries its full sacred impact. As the smoke from  hundreds of oil lamps illuminate the 2,000 year old exquisitely carved granite pillars, the bare-chested Braham priests, clad in their flowing white dhotis, top-knotted hair cuts and white forehead paint, rush forward toward the image carrying torches of cleansing fire.  Devotees press closer to get a glimpse of the image being purified, as to lay eyes on such a moment is to purify the beholder.  When finished, the priests, spent  and drenched with sweat from the intense heat, move away, leaving the devotees to pray and ponder the spiritual moment.

Chedambaram is one of the five ancient Dravidian temples in South India.  Each one dedicated to one of the five elements, this one is symbolic of the sky.  Located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, about 50 miles south of Pondicherry, the old French colonial capital, it can be easily reached by car.

I recommend that anyone who has an opportunity to travel to India, makes an effort to visit the Temple of the Sky.

Photo by Annie Katz, Asia Transpacific Journeys client | Indian boy rides his camel home after a day of festivities at the Pushkar Camel Festival in Pushkar, India.

We are travelers, we must explore. And we love to capture images of the places we’ve been.

Our clients have some amazing images from their Asia Transpacific Journeys travels, which are on display now.

An India educational tour studies both Hinduism and Buddhism’s affects on India’s culture.

Asia Transpacific Journeys is partnering with Princeton Journeys to offer Princeton University’s alumni an in-depth survey of India’s religious and spiritual traditions. The educational tour to India will be led by renowned Buddhist scholar Stephen F. “Buzzy” Teiser *86, the D.T. Suzuki Professor in Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Princeton University.

The birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, India’s spiritual doctrines are prevalent throughout Asia, and inform its philosophical, architectural, and artistic traditions. Traversing from north to south, this journey is an ambitious exploration of India’s most important religious sites. Furthermore, it will provide Princeton alumni with a sweeping overview of the contrasts, the contradictions, the vastness, the greatness that is India.

Eco-tours to Micronesia support conservation efforts.

“If you spend every day of your life in the ocean, you’re bound to fall in love with her creatures,” says Ron Leidich, a marine biologist and conservationist who leads our World Wildlife Fund snorkeling eco-tours in Micronesia. Micronesia’s waters teem with fish such as whitetip reef sharks, jacks, trevallies, eagle rays, lionfish, gobies, trumpetfish and turtles, mandarinfish, angelfish and rainbow parrotfish.

However, a steady demand for reef fishes to serve as food and to stock aquariums around the globe means that overfishing and illegal fishing tactics with cyanide and dynamite have become lucrative and commonplace strategies. WWF supports an initiative calling for the area of protected coral reefs be increased from 15 percent to 30 percent globally. Palau’s president is among those world leaders committed to the efforts.

When you travel to Micronesia with Asia Transpacific Journeys and the World Wildlife Fund, you are supporting conservation work around the globe. Reserve your space on this eco-tour to Micronesia by calling 800-642-2742. Departs May 14, 2010. Cost: $8,995 per person, based on double occupancy.   Single supplement: $1,750.