A view of the Sukau Rainforest Lodge from Sungai Kinabatangan. © Mei Leong

In the heart of Sabah sits an ecolodge that exemplifies one of the better responsible tourism practices in Malaysia. MEI LEONG takes a break from city life and explores the lodge.

High above us, two Orang Utan are perched on the tree branches, munching happily on figs. A monitor lizard darts off as our boat approaches while an Oriental Darter swooshes across the water.

Through our binoculars, we spot a pair of Black-and-red Broadbills with their crimson and black plumage and turquoise beaks. Hoot, hoot, hoot...the Bornean gibbons cry out in the distance. The mist lifts up slowly, unveiling a theatrical wildlife “stage” as our boat glides across the Menanggul tributary of the Kinabatangan River.

Wild Asia’s Dr Reza Azmi and I are guests at Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL), an award-winning ecolodge perched on the banks of the Kinabatangan River near Kg Sukau in Sabah.

SRL’s founder and managing director, Albert Teo, also owns Borneo Eco Tours (BET), a nature-based tour operator in Kota Kinabalu.

Founded in 1995, the ecolodge has snagged a string of international awards including the prestigious British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 1997 for Pacific Region for its green practices and contribution to the local community.

A stay at SRL was dubbed a "world class adventure travel trip" by National Geographic Adventure magazine (September 2005).

The Kinabatangan Story

Founder and managing director of Sukau Rainforest Lodge, Albert Teo. © Mei Leong

The Sukau Rainforest Lodge exemplifies one of the better responsible tourism practices in Malaysia.

Sabah’s longest river, the 560km long Kinabatangan, has a rich natural heritage that includes rare plants, endangered animals like the proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants and Orang Utan, and an incredible diversity of bird species. Yet, in the span of half a century, the area has been ravaged by logging and illegal land-clearing.

NGOs like World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Malaysia and the state government have conceptualized the "Corridor of Life" (pockets of forest reserves) to allow the wildlife to roam freely. But to date, oil-palm plantations still encroach on some reserves.

Ecotourism burst onto the scene in the early 1990s, bringing hordes of tourists and some economic benefits to the local inhabitants, the Orang Sungai. But uncontrolled tourism led to over development, irresponsible waste management, pollution and disturbance to the wildlife.

During tourist season, the narrow Menanggul tributary is chock-a-block with tourist-laden boats spewing fumes.

Hence, when an operator like SRL adopts an eco-friendly approach to minimise impact, it’s worth checking out.

Doing Their Part

Sukau Rainforest Lodge guests watch as a Borneo Pygmy elephant crosses the wooden walkway near the lodge. © Mei Leong

Guests have the option of taking a two-hour boat ride from Sandakan, the gateway to Kinabatangan area, or trundling 130km overland to reach SRL.

The wooden lodge sits on stilts about five feet (1.5m) above ground to minimise the impact of annual flooding on the Kinabatangan floodplains, to improve air circulation and to keep away unwelcome creepy-crawlies and animals.

Built from local hardwood species like Belian (Borneo ironwood), Merbau and Selangan Batu, the lodge blends in with the surrounding lush forest. Many native plants were left intact during construction to provide natural shade and privacy to the guests.

The 20 guestrooms are nondescript and small but the beds are comfy and the sheets are clean. Its airy design allows the lodge to do away with air-conditioning.

Initially, the lodge relied on solar power and generator for electricity supply. It was only in 2008 that the government power grid was available to the lodge. Also, the solar technology proved to be ineffective and costly to maintain. At night, kerosene oil lamps light up the gardens and corridors while recycled cooking oil lamps lend the restaurant and lounge a cosy, romantic ambience.

Large, black water tanks store the water supply, harvested from rainwater. During dry seasons, water is pumped from the river, treated and used for showers. Two units of solar heating system supply hot water showers. And the lodge doesn’t replace towels and linens unless requested by guests. Copies of the lodge’s green policies are placed in each room to remind guests to conserve energy and water.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge in the lower Kinabatangan area in Sabah. © Mei Leong

Organic waste materials are turned into compost and non-biodegradable solid wastes are separated and sent for recycling in Sandakan. There’s no television and radio at the lodge. But entertainment comes in various forms: the twice-a-day river cruise to witness the antics of the wildlife, a leisurely amble on the 500-metre-long Hornbill boardwalk with knowledgeable resident naturalists or stargazing on the open decks on a clear night. If you’re lucky, you might spot pachyderms stomping across the built-in elephant ‘passes’ (four-metre gaps between the boardwalk) that allow the animals to pass through the property.

One of SRL’s best highlights is its electric engine-equipped boats that hum softly as we cruise on the river tributaries. It minimises noise and air pollution and enhances our wildlife-viewing experience. On the main river, the boats use four-stroke outboard engines instead of two-stroke engines which is more damaging to the environment.

After a lovely evening cruise or nature walk, guests can look forward to chowing down on grilled prawns and fish supplied by local fishermen, and sip chilled beer at the riverside Melapi restaurant.

Benefiting the Locals

More than 80% of SRL’s staff are local Orang Sungai from Kg Sukau. Local woodworkers craft the wooden boats to ferry visitors and built the plankwalks, decks, benches, chairs and tables. The company emphasises on in-house training, mentorship programmes and leadership training.

Founded in 2000, its non-profit Borneo Ecotourism Solutions and Technologies (BEST), formerly the Sukau Ecotourism Research and Development Centre, also runs community and environment projects.

Taking Care of His Staff

Hordes of visitors getting a tad too close to a herd of pygmy elephants. It's easy to spot these elephants because they're running out of forest to roam due to encroachment by oil-palm plantations. © Reza Azmi

Jaini Amad of Sukau village joined Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) as a full-time boatman 12 years ago. From housekeeping, guiding, maintenance and cooking, he rose through the ranks to become the lodge supervisor (assistant manager).

When he started out, Jaini was shy and could barely speak a word of English.

"I didn’t know how to interact with guests and handle their requests or problems," admits Jaini, 33. "But our company constantly trains and motivates us to learn and improve ourselves."

Through training and workshops, Jaini brushed up his language skills, became a certified nature guide and along the way picked up values like responsibility and tolerance.

At SRL, every staff is encouraged to choose self-help books and write a summary of what they have read. On Jaini’s list was the book, Kejayaan dari Dalam & Kuasa Infiniti (Success from Within & the Power of Infinity).

Jaini has also attended workshops in Kuala Lumpur and familiarisation trips to Sipadan Island and Danum Valley (both are Malaysia’s top ecotourism spots)

"Our company doesn’t just provide jobs but also teaches us how to motivate ourselves," smiles Jaini. "In addition, we are one of the highest paid staff in the Sukau area and receive incentives and allowances."

SRL’s eco-friendly practices have seeped into the psyche of its staff.

"We learn to understand the concept of 'eco' and the importance of preserving our natural areas and taking care of the lodge," says Jaini. "We send our wastes to Sandakan for recycling and our staff pick up rubbish from the river. Hopefully, we are leading by example."

"If we clear more land for oil palm plantations or illegal logging, the wildlife will lose their habitat, tourists will stop coming and we will lose our rice bowl," he adds.

"My dream is to eradicate poverty, increase the standard of living and educate the younger generation in our village."

A Natural Progression

Guests having their meal at the riverside Malapi terrace at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. © Mei Leong

Albert Teo started his career in 1977 at his family-owned, Kota Kinabalu-based Hotel Shangri-la.

After 14 years, Teo got bored and started seeking new challenges. At that time, the Economics graduate from London was also travelling extensively to international travel fairs to check out the market trends. He saw countries like South Africa and Central America focusing on ecotourism.

In 1991, he founded an outdoor travel outfit called Borneo Eco Tours to focus on Sabah’s natural riches — its wildlife and forests.

"I saw Kinabatangan’s potential as a place that teems with wildlife," says Teo, 55, whose company is now one of the top players in Borneo’s tourism industry. He wanted his visitors to enjoy their wildlife experience and at the same time tread lightly on the environment. Building an ecolodge in Sukau was a natural progression.

Teo, who hails from Sibu, Sarawak also saw that there were pockets of poverty all over Sabah - especially in the rural areas where there was no electricity, no road and the locals received little help from the government. For generations, Sukau’s community of about 1,000 indigenous Orang Sungai lived off the Kinabatangan river. The locals fish, bathe, drink from the river and use it as a major transportation route.

They were also one of the poorest communities in Sabah.

"But I don’t believe in giving handouts," says Teo. "I thought one way to eradicate poverty is by giving them jobs or opportunities. They will benefit from their natural resources but also protect their natural environment."

Steep Learning Curve

From the beginning, Teo knew he wanted the local community to play a big role in his tourism venture.

"But I didn’t understand how big of a role and how difficult it would be. If I had known, I probably wouldn’t have come in," he smiles. Initially, he thought he would just train the locals and let them run the lodge.

"It wasn’t that simple — we had to bring in managers from Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan to train them. The villagers couldn’t understand what we were trying to do. At one point our managers were threatened with machetes," recalls Teo, also a licensed tour guide, a keen trekker and an ardent photographer who has seven guidebooks on Sabah, Sarawak and Borneo.

Teo faced one snag after another when he tried to lease the land to build the ecolodge. After four years, he was finally offered a piece of land from a Sukau local called Kari Ongong.

"The sale of the land was on two conditions: we had to employ his children and grandchildren at the lodge and give priority to his family for boat charters," says Teo.

"Today, many of the late Kari’s grandchildren and relatives still work at the lodge.”

Initially, the villagers distrusted outsiders based on their past experiences with politicians and NGOs who gave empty promises, Teo adds. Hence, the first five to 10 years were critical for him to build the trust between the villagers and his company.

Sukau folks were given precedence for boat charters, contract works and jobs. Borneo Eco initiated several community projects to benefit a bigger segment of the community. With funds from foreign and local donors, the company installed 50 water tanks for underprivileged families (the villagers relied on rainwater for drinking), ran free medical check-ups and treatments, and planted trees to create wildlife corridors.

SRL sets aside US$1 (RM3.50) while Borneo Eco sets aside RM8 for every guest they welcome at the lodge. Since 1996, the company has spent more than RM140,000 on various environmental and community projects in Sukau

Nurturing Leaders

Teo also believes in cultivating leaders among his staff. He supplies self-help videos and books, sends them for training and sets up mentorship programmes.

"I’m convinced leadership and personal development are the key to success," says Teo, who sets aside an annual budget of RM50,000 for staff development and training.

"I emphasise a lot on the values, skills and contributions the staff give to the company, not how long they’ve been here."

The Ecolodge Approach

When Teo built the lodge 13 years ago, his design concept was as much circumstantial as his philosophy of minimising impact on the environment.

"There was no electricity and water supply," says Teo who co-authored the book Saving Paradise with Carol Patterson. The book narrates the trials and tribulations of building and running SRL in the last decade. "I had to find ways to be self-sufficient."

"The elephant passes (on the boardwalk) was a flash of inspiration," says Teo. "When I saw the elephants passing through our property, it struck me that we also have to think of the wildlife."

Over the years, the lodge is starting to show its wear and tear. On my last visit a couple of months ago, the bathroom looked crummy and the septic tanks emitted a stench.

"I think we’ve expanded the capacity of the septic tanks as business grows," admits Teo. "We plan to do an overhaul and improve the lodge." The lodge also doesn’t monitor its waste, water and energy use.

Since 2000, SRL has planted over 4,000 trees in a project to rehabilitate a degraded riverine reserve near Kg Sukau. It’s crucial to regenerate the fragmented forests to create corridors for the wildlife to roam.

Faced with various problems and a high tree mortality rate, only 211 trees are still thriving today. But with the help and research of volunteers, SRL is currently addressing the problem.

"To me, it’s more than just tree planting, it’s about changing the mindset of the people," says Teo. "My staff takes pride in their effort. The project gives them a sense of ownership and the belief that we’re the steward for the environment and wildlife."

"You have to go through the hardships in life to see results. It may take 12 to 13 years. Success isn’t an overnight thing..." says Teo.