The biggest mistake one could do while visiting the Sepilok lowland tropical forest would be watching the orang-utans. Watching only the orang-utans, that is: because this formidable stretch of wilderness - wisely preserved just a few miles from the modern bustle of Sandakan - offers an unequalled opportunity to observe in comfort the utterly complex mechanisms of nature at work in the tropics.

After having admired for as long as needed the delicate grace of the big red-haired apes, their extraordinary prowess in tree-climbing and upside-down vine-dangling, and after having been dutifully moved to the depth of their heart by their soulful gaze (no other primate looks at you like an orang-utan does), the visitors should stay a little longer in the forest, to take a leisurely stroll along the well marked trail in the company of a biologist and guide from the Rehabilitation Center.

It is then - and only then - that one will be able to hear the hypnotic, cycada-like song of the tree frogs, the booming, cackling call of the great hornbill, the soft rustle in the dead leaves on the forest floor at the passing of a bronze skink.

Only then the metallic shine of spider eyes will be apparent, only then the dead brown little branch will start walking with the hesitant steps of the stick insect, and it is only then that the bright green leaf buds on a low shrub will suddenly take the coiled shape of the pit viper waiting in ambush. A little patience will repay the visitor with extraordinary gifts.

 

And after having experienced the tropical forest in its full complexity even the orang-utans will appear in a new, full, more complex dimension, encomprising their role in the ecology of the forest and their extremely difficult situation at the present time, when their survival in the wild is severely endangered by logging, mining and general habitat encroachment by human beings. Theirs is a complex problem, and one which touches us all: the preservation not of single species but of full habitats is rapidly becoming one of the most important concerns of the new century.

So, to take the time needed to fully appreciate the ancient rythms of the forest, the best thing one could do is staying at least a few days at the Sepilok Nature Resort, a most beautiful compound bordering on the protected area (it is actually not uncommon to have orang-utans or pythons wandering around among the chalets) and perfectly integrated with the surrounding forest.

Set in a spectacularly landscaped private area of manicured lawns and rolling hills, the fully airconditioned (and very comfortable) twin bed chalets feature beautiful lake or jungle view verandahs and private bathrooms with hot water; the surrounding garden - which would take half a day to explore - offers an amazing array of tropical plants and grasses and a collection of more than one hundred and fifty different Asian orchid species.

The Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Center (where young captive or abandoned orang-utans are being helped by a highly trained and motivated staff to readjust to a life in the wild, and where a Sumatran rhino breeding program is in progress) and the actual Sepilok Forest Reserve are just a few minutes’ walk away, and the Resort staff are happy to organize birding, trekking and river trips to the neighbouring areas (including the fauna-rich Sukau area along the Kinabatangan river).

Before venturing further away, however, one should first take advantage of the comforts offered by the Sepilok Nature Resort and fully explore the natural wonders of the Sepilok Forest Reserve, which has enough to offer to keep one busy for months: here insects, amphibians, reptiles and birds abound, the trails are very well marked and the local guides are friendly, reliable and extremely knowledgeable. Sepilok can be easily visited while travelling to or from the dive destination of Pulau Lankayan.