Planning a Borneo Adventure? Don’t Pack a Thing Until You Check Out This List of Travel Essentials
Are you thinking about planning a Borneo adventure?
Taking a trip to the adventurous jungle of Borneo requires an extensive packing list. If you’re new to jungle packing, we want to help you put together a list.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to bring to the jungle.
Information on Borneo
The island of Borneo is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Aside from Greenland and New Guinea, Borneo is the world’s third largest island. The Island is divided into three countries, Brunei, East Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Borneo’s has an equatorial climate, which means there’s sunshine year round. The rainy season is from November to January. The northeast experiences monsoon weather during this time of year also.
The dry season typically lasts from May to September. Due to the large size of the island, climate varies throughout the territory.
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Clothing
As with many islands located near the Ecuador, the climate is humid. For all visitors, it’s recommended they wear clothing that is lightweight and breathable made of cotton preferably.
In the humidity of the jungle, you’ll want to wear clothes that are easy to dry because you’ll be sweating. And you’ll also never know when the rain will come down.
Shorts and t-shirts are appropriate during the day, however, trousers can offer more protection against branches, insect bites, and leeches.
Don’t forget to pack swim trunks and a bathing suit.
Footwear
You’ll need a few different types of footwear. Bring hiking and walking appropriate shoes that are resistant to all types of jungle terrains. You also want to bring slip-on rubber shoes to slip on in the mornings and evenings.
As already established, the jungle is extremely humid, so you need to bring moisture absorbent socks. You might also need to bring leech proof socks.
Medical
It’s not easy to predict if you’ll get sick while on your Borneo adventure, but you should bring some basic medical essentials to treat mild conditions.
Pack over the counter painkillers to treat headaches. It’s also a good idea to bring altitude sickness medication and anti-diarrhea tablets.
You’ll also want to protect your skin from the elements. It’s necessary to pack sunblock for those long hiking trails. Also, pack SPF lip balm, and sunscreen to protect your face.
Additional items you’ll be glad you have are wet wipes, hand sanitizer, and insect repellant.
Female travelers should be aware of their tampons and pads. They won’t be able to dispose of them while in the jungle.
If you bring them you’ll have to carry them in Ziploc bags until you leave. An alternative for female travelers could be a menstrual cup.
Equipment
Your Borneo adventure will take you to the jungle, and there are no electrical plugs in the jungle. Since you’ll be taking awesome pictures, you’ll want to bring extra charged batteries for your camera. Bring a multipurpose watch you can use as an alarm and has a light.
Photography Equipment
- DSLR camera (Depends on personal preference)
- Camera Lenses
- Waterproof camera bag
- Additional memory cards
- Backup charger or batteries
- Waterproof camera for snorkeling (if applicable)
- Power adapter
Trekking Equipment
- Whistle (in case if emergency)
- Multi-purpose knife
- Camping cutlery
- Torch
Remember that while trekking you’ll want to travel as light as possible. You can always assess the situation and decide what you can leave behind in the lodging.
Miscellaneous
With any trip, you can’t forget to bring your personal documents. Pack your credit card and don’t forget to inform the company you’ll be traveling to avoid your accounts frozen.
Don’t depend solely on plastic, remember that cash is king wherever you go. Try to bring enough currency for the entire trip and only use the credit card in case of emergencies.
Not only should you bring your original passport, but also bring copies of your passport and leave in your luggage. Having copies will speed up the process should your passport get lost or stolen.
Also, bring copies of your itinerary, flight confirmations, hotel reservations, and any others you think are useful.
You need to always be mindful of the environment, so anything you bring into the jungle should leave the jungle with you. Bring plastic bags to store your trash in your backpack and dispose of it after the trek.
Mount Kinabalu
Climbing Mount Kinabalu is a must for any Borneo adventure. It’s Borneo’s tallest mountain, and it’s located in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Visitors often climb to the top of Low’s Peak which stands 13,435 ft.
As you climb any mountain, you should know the weather is not the same when you begin the journey than it’s at the summit. You will need lightweight breathable clothing to start and transition to warm clothing as you trek the mountain.
If you want to climb Mount Kinabalu bring the following:
- Waterproof windbreaker
- Fleece Jacket
- Cap, beanie, head scar, or balaclava mask
- Waterproof Gloves
- Hiking shoes with good grip (it gets slippery)
- Trekking pole
- Disposable Raincoat
- Head Torch
- Water
- Chocolates, nuts, energy bars, any other high energy food
Dress Code Awareness
Whenever you visit a new place, you should always be aware of the dress code the locals go by. In Borneo, the dress code is fairly conservative, especially for females.
It’s important that female visitors keep their shoulders and knees covered. They should also make sure their tops are long enough to cover their midriff. Showing off cleavage should also be avoided.
For male and females who wish to visit a temple, they should wear long sleeves. And it’s also recommended to cover their hair.
The beaches and forest treks are more relaxed on dress code than the villages, but visitors should be respectful when they’re bathing in rivers. For female travelers, they should bring a sarong with them and avoid bathing in just their underwear.
Are You Borneo Adventure Ready?
Don’t forget to pack light breathable clothing on your trip to Borneo. We hope this list helped you with your packing essentials, and you enjoy your trip.
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