General travel tips

Capital of Borneo:
Brunei - Bandar Seri Begawan. Kalimantan - Banjarmasin (South), Palangka Raya (Central), Pontianak (West), Samarinda (East). Sabah and Sarawak - Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), Kuching (Sarawak)

Electricity:
The voltage in Borneo is 240v 50Hz AC and the outlet is a UK style three-pin (type G) rectangular pronged plug.

Food & drink
Three world-class dishes; Malay, Chinese and Indian.

North Indian dishes are subtly spiced using more meat and served with a range of bread. South Indian dishes use fiery spices, emphasise vegetables and are served with rice. The most popular North Indian food is tandoori, which is served with delicious naan bread or roti (chapatti).

The Kadazan – the largest ethnic group in Sabah tend to use mango in their Sabahan food, which can be on the sour side.

Malay food is rich and creamy due to the use of coconut milk. Malay curries are flavoursome with the use of herbs and spices including chilli, ginger, turmeric, coriander, lemongrass, cloves, cumin, and cinnamon. The best Malay food is usually found at stalls in hawker centres.

The Chinese cuisine in Borneo consists mainly of seafood, chicken, rice, and noodles. Regional dishes like Hainanese chicken rice and dim sum are mouth-watering.

Soft drinks, mineral water, and freshly squeezed juices are widely available. Malaysian brewed Guinness and Tiger beers are very popular. One of the most interesting cultural refinements of the Indian Muslim community is the Mamak man, who is framed for the Tarik (pulled tea), which is thrown across the distance of about a metre, from one cup to another, with no spillages.

Tap water is unsafe to drink – also be wary of ice in drinks and unpeeled fruit and vegetables. We strongly advise you NOT to drink tap water in Borneo unless it is boiled. However, tap water is safe for cleaning teeth and personal hygiene. In our efforts to reduce waste in Borneo, we highly recommend that you bring your water bottle to refill along the way.
Avoid eating bushmeat such as monkeys or bats as these are often carriers of diseases – as well as often being inadvisable for environmental reasons.

Health
Several vaccinations are advised before travelling to Borneo; consult your GP or travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure to ensure you have time to complete all the series of injections.
Malaria is also present, so you will need to bring anti-malarial medication. Wearing long sleeves and trousers is also advised, as well as an insect repellent. This also protects against dengue fever. Remember, malaria can develop up to a year after exposure, so keep an eye on any symptoms.

Citronella is the favoured repellent for many travellers. However, this should be avoided as it attracts hornets – giant wasps with an extraordinarily painful sting.
Leeches are present in the lowland jungles. These are more unpleasant than dangerous, but you can buy “leech socks” which are effective at stopping them and keep your trousers tucked into your socks or boots.

Borneo is incredibly hot and humid, so keep well hydrated always.

Bring a basic first-aid kit and medication for sickness and diarrhoea if planning to trek or cycle in remote regions.
If you need to be hospitalised, travel to the mainland may be necessary, so be sure you have comprehensive travel insurance which covers medical evacuation, along with any other activities you may be doing, such as high-altitude hikes, windsurfing or diving.

Forest fires in Central Kalimantan cause serious air pollution which is getting more dangerous each year; 2015's fires have been described as a "crime against humanity". Travellers with respiratory problems should exercise precautions, and all travellers are advised to check with their holiday company on the severity of the smog in the region they are travelling to - especially if visiting Kalimantan, although pollution also spreads into Sabah and Sarawak. You should ask if face masks are available when in the worst affected areas.

Language
Bahasa Malaysia is the national and official language, but English is widely spoken.

Money:
The currency is the Malaysian ringgit (RM). Most outlets take major credit cards and ATMs are widely available. The Ringgit (RM) is equivalent to 100 sens (cents). Coins are issued in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 sen and RM1. Notes come in RM1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100.
Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards are widely accepted in shopping malls, hotels, resorts and when eating out in modern restaurants. Retail outlets often have an RM20 – RM50 minimum charge for paying with a credit card and levy a 2-3% fee for using a credit card.
However, ALWAYS be ready with Cash as some stores, restaurants or establishments DO NOT accept credit cards as a mode of payment.

The population of Borneo: Brunei - 389,000, Kalimantan - 12 million, Sabah and Sarawak - 5 million

Safety
Borneo, in general, is a safe destination with relatively low crime rates. You should exercise the usual precautions – not walking alone at night, not leaving valuables such as cameras and smartphones on display, using registered taxis, etc.

In recent years there have been a few kidnappings of tourists and locals around the east coast of Sabah. Thanks to its proximity to the Philippines, this area is at a higher risk of this kind of activity. Travel to this area is largely trouble-free but stay up to date with government travel advice on the FCO website to be sure. If you are travelling independently in this region – and particularly from the airport at Lahad Datu to your accommodation, you should be sure you are using transport organised by reputable companies. Traffic accidents are common. 

Social and Etiquette
Take off your shoes before entering a house. Ask for permission when you take photographs of local people.
Malaysia is a conservative, Muslim country, and you should dress modestly, particularly in rural areas, to avoid causing offence. Respect the sensitivities of local people. 
Appreciate and protect cultural heritage. Avoid touching rock or cave art, carvings, and monuments.
Respect differences in culture. It is important to recognize that while different, other thought patterns and ideas of time are equally valid as your own.
Take time to listen to people who are willing to share. Ask them questions and learn about their culture.

Souvenirs
Coconut oil, arts and crafts, paintings, textiles, clothing, authentic Malaysian batik, and hand-carved sculptures.

Time:
Malaysia is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Meantime (GMT) and does not observe Daylight Saving.

Tourism Tax (TTx)

Effective 1st September 2017, foreign tourists will be charged a flat rate of RM10 per room per night for all Tourism Tax (TTx) registered hotel classifications in Malaysia. The Tourism Tax Bill was passed in April 2017.

Toilets
You’ll find a lot of squat-style toilets in Borneo, particularly in public bathrooms. Western-style seated toilets are the norm in hotels and guesthouses. You may be expected to flush using water from a plastic bucket. Toilet paper is often unavailable in public toilets, so keep a stash handy. In urban areas, you can usually discard used toilet paper into the bowl without causing clogging, but if there is a wastepaper basket – as there often is in rural toilets – it’s meant to be used.