Worth the Deep Journey
A large island in southeast Asia, Borneo features beautiful peaks and rich rainforests that offer dynamic experiences to travelers. The island itself is part of three different countries. Much of Borneo belongs to Indonesia, while the north side is mostly part of Malaysia. Inset in the northern coast is the nation of Brunei, about the size of Delaware. Areas in the interior of Borneo can be hard to navigate as the network of rivers diminishes, making such places retain their natural beauty.

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The Borneo Adventure trip to the Nanga Sumpa Iban Longhouse earned recognition on the 2009 ISLANDS Blue List for its focus on community-based tourism. Contributing editor Megan Padilla visited the longhouse, one of the traditional Iban communities, and immersed herself in this fascinating culture. Read the full story.

Fly from Los Angeles (LAX) or Newark (EWR) to Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines. From there, fly to Kuching, the capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo. malaysiaairlines.com

Stay in a guest lodge adjacent to a traditional Iban longhouse with Borneo Adventure's three-day/two-night Ulu Ai Longhouse trip in Sarawak. Or arrange a custom jungle trek and experience a real adventure, borneoadventure.com. For a little luxury after any river, longhouse or jungle excursion, stay at Sarawak's Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort. hilton.com

Eat at the famous hawker stalls. Try apam balik (a Malay sweet pancake with crushed peanuts) and laksa (a spicy noodle soup that can be served with shrimp and eggs). But beware of the hot sauce.

Learn more about Borneo at borneotourism.com.