But Wait—There's More
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ORANGUTANS OF BORNEO
Where: Tanjung Puting Biosphere Reserve, Borneo
What's at stake: The chance to see these amazing mammals just hanging out like, well, you know. Some 50,000 orangs call Borneo home, yet the island, which is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, is critically threatened. First loggers and now palm farmers have destroyed the tropical rain forest. The Indonesian government argues that creating jobs for its many poor citizens outweighs the harm. Yet even beyond orangutans, the biodiversity on the world's third largest island is phenomenal: Borneo serves as a refuge for the Asian elephant and Sumatran rhinoceros.
Get thee to: For optimal wildlife viewing, we recommend staying at Rimba Lodge, adjacent to Tanjung Puting Biosphere Reserve, a wildlife park established in 1977. This small lodge offers guided tours for a glimpse of orangs, proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques, and gibbons in their (still) natural habitat.
For more information:
UNESCO Jakarta Office
Rimba Lodge
Tel: 62 532 671 0589
Doubles from $49
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