Kuching, Malaysia-Borneo's capital, translates to cat. With every large roundabout there was a statue of a cat. Cat is king here. It's a small peaceful yet trendy city with many shopping centres and western stores. It's no wonder the young Malays are so well dressed.

Walking along the waterfront promenade was picturesque. With a mix of traditional and high rise colonial architecture, it reminded me of Singapore. The water's edge was full of colourful local boats waiting to take passengers across the other side of Sarawak River.

We explored the Chinese quarter. We visited one the temples, Leduh. Standing on the corner of a busy street, this lavish temple glistened in the sun. Further along the narrow streets and narrow buildings I imagined it was like being in China. We aimlessly wandered through the back streets taking in the architecture, small cafes and handicraft stores.

The Indian quarter was unlike India. The shops were lined with Arabic and Malay stores. We found a passageway that took us past a mosque and through a spice store but there was not one Indian restaurant was to be found.

We visited Sarawak Museum which is the oldest museum in Sarawak. There are 2 complexes of this museum; the first complex housed the native arts and crafts and collection of animals and the second housed pre-historical artifacts.

The native arts and crafts and animal collection presented all the types of animals found in Sarawak which included skeletal remains of orang-utans, killer whales and crocodile heads. One display had a newspaper article of a man eating crocodile. They killed the crocodile and found the remains of a watch and dentures from the last victim, which are also on display.

Upstairs was a replica of a long house complete with skulls hanging from the bamboo roof. Outside the long house were weapons and masks used for ceremonies. The masks all looked quite intimidating.

We then visited the pre-historical artifacts. The museum had a wide collection of Chinese ceramics, pottery and furniture dating back to the Qing Dynasty. There were also displays of artifacts excavated at various villages including pottery and jewellery. Further on we learned of the history of Sarawak and their independence from Great Britain. There was even a blood stained Japanese flag from World War 2 on display.

We were lucky to be here while the Kuching Festival was on. It had an array of trade and food stalls as well as rides for the children. We came here on a couple of occasions to sample some food delights. Having to work our way through the crowds, the scent of smoking meats and durian led us to the food stalls. We filled ourselves with Malay pies, satay beef/chicken, cheesy potato balls and fried ice-cream.

The Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre has approx. 30 orang-utans. Since there is a lack of forestry in the area, they are unable to be reintroduced into the jungle. We were hoping to get a glimpse of our ginger haired cousins. Every time the trees rustled, we looked up only to realise they were the sound of falling leaves. When we approached the first feeding platform, there was a mother and baby orang-utan hanging from a tree waiting for feeding time.

When the guide gave them bananas and coconuts, 2 adolescent orang-utans appeared from the trees behind them. But they stayed in the shadows banging their coconuts on the trees to get the water out.

We were then led into the jungle to the second feeding platform. While we were there, 2 mothers, each with new-born babies and 2 adult orang-tans came along for their share of bananas. Although the babies were show stoppers, the 2 adults frolicked with each other down the ropes, trying to get to the bananas before the other.

With their fill of bananas, they all disappeared into the jungle. Then it was time for us to disappear - quietly. These primates look cuddly and friendly but they will attack humans if they feel threatened. One trail was closed due to an attack on a tourist. And at the souvenir desk there were photos showing wounds that the guides have received from their unfortunate encounters with the orang-utans.

Kubah National Park is 22 square kilometres of lush rainforest. The trails are known to be quiet as not many people come here as the only wildlife that habitat the park are birds and insects.

The tarmac road to reach the waterfall start point was the hardest part of the whole trekking experience. It was 30 minutes of steep and windy walking. We were relieved when we finally reached the starting point.

The entire trail was cool and shaded. We came to a large tree with a warning sign: Stingless Bees, do not disturb. They nest deep inside the tree to avoid predators. We crept passed quietly before continuing our trail.

The trail was well laid out with rocky steps, wooden walk ways over unstable terrain and signs every 100 metres so you knew how much further you had to walk. The path was lined with an array of green trees and shrubbery as well as fallen logs and rocks due to landslides. It was a beautiful 45 minute walk to reach the waterfalls.

The waterfall was a 10 metre spray down vertical granite rock. The pool below was crystal clear. We sat by the waterfall admiring the serenity and drank some of the cool water before turning back.

Heading back into town gave us time to evaluate our fitness levels. This was just a warm up to our other National Park trekking. Once we got off at the town centre, our legs were already aching and our walking pace became slow.

Bako National Park is Sarawak's oldest National Park and promises sightings of proboscis monkeys. As soon as we arrived, we noticed people taking photos of a tree. There on a branch was a pit viper snake. They were deadly but fortunately for us, they sleep during the day.

The National Park chalets and cafeteria were close to the beach but surrounded by bushland, cheeky macaque monkeys and placid wild boars. There were signs about not feeding the monkeys and be careful with food around the monkeys as they will steal any food and drink.

We were recommended by an English lady to get a stick. If monkeys get too near, just wave the stick around. Monkeys aren't afraid of humans but they are afraid of sticks.

Pandan Kecil is a 2.6km trail that takes you through the rainforest before arriving at Kecil Beach. We had to climb up into the rainforest before walking through steep terrain. Although the path was shaded, the humidity was relentless. Further on we found ourselves wandering through sandy/muddy paths before reaching the plank walk. Humidity was replaced by the heat of the sun. We walked as quickly as we could until we reached the spectacular viewpoint. On top of eroded rock, we looked down to see the sandy Kecil beach. On each side of the bay were limestone rock formations.

After the plank walk we took a seat under the wooden shelter to cool down. We were joined by a European girl, a Korean man and 4 Malay girls. The Korean man seemed to be the oldest and fittest of us all. He cycled and walked on a regular basis and one of his hobbies was climbing mountains. It put us all to shame.

Once we reached the beach we noticed that the tide was low. There on the muddy sandbanks were blue crabs, orange crabs and walking fish roaming around. It seemed like the ground was moving.

We saw a commotion in the cafeteria. People were moving away from a macaque monkey who was jumping around stealing food. We later learned he had stolen someone's hamburger. When it was our turn for lunch, we guarded our burgers and ate them as quickly as possible.

After lunch we went on the Tg Sapi 700 metre trail. It's a short yet steep trail up the limestone mountain through dense rainforest. It was exhausting climbing up and the viewpoint from the top was of the beach. On the way down from the trail, the only wildlife we saw was a lizard.

At sunset we walked along the beach watching the sun go down behind the mountain across the sea. We shared the beach with monkeys, wild boars and the crabs in search for food as well as beached jellyfish.

We decided to go for the night walk. With torches in hand, we walked quietly along the Ulu Assam trail. Here we saw a pit viper snake, a scorpion, stick insects, a large centipede, a gecko, a baby tarantula, poisonous spiders, giant ants, sleeping swifts, a poisonous rock frog, a kingfisher, flying lemur and a deer mouse. We weren't expecting to see much on the walk so we were impressed with the sightings. But where were the proboscis monkeys?

Turns out we didn't have to walk on any trails to see them. The following morning we found them eating leaves just outside our chalets. A great start to the day.

After breakfast we chose the T Delima 1km walk which was known for monkey sightings. Just before walking into the rainforest, we spotted a proboscis monkey feeding off the leaves. We were on the right track literally.

We retraced some of our steps from the night walk where we found the pit viper again but this time we could see its head. Further along, the trail took us up a slippery path of tree roots before coming back down to the muddy mangroves. The trail ended here. When we turned back we saw a long thin snake slithering into the rocks.

Then we went on the other monkey trail, the Paku 800 metre trail. It was a slow walk up into the rainforest. There were plenty of people on this trail including a group of noisy tourists. There was no hope of seeing monkeys. It was a beautiful walk and we found ourselves at Paku Beach. After sunning ourselves it was time to head back and return to Kuching.

Sibu is a large port town with the largest Chinese community within Malaysia. The town is strewn with run down shops, hotels and local restaurants. In 1928 there was a great fire which burned down a significant number of buildings, predominantly constructed with wood. The town was rebuilt but recently, there has been a spate of fires which is rumoured to be insurance fraud.

We caught a boat from Kuching to Sibu. It was a small yet fast boat. It was full of locals, tourists, birds and one cat. Seating inside was comfortable apart from the blazing cold air conditioning and WWF reruns. Outside you got blown away.

The journey took us into the open waters of the South China Sea before reaching the Renjang River. The Renjang River is the longest river in Malaysia which is the gateway for trading in Borneo including illegal logging and drug smuggling.

We explored this shabby yet characteristic town. After following alleyways filled with market stalls, we met a couple of American missionaries who were spending time spreading the word of Jesus to a country half full of Muslims. We wished them well.

When we reached the river front, we witnessed a commotion. People were scattered, several fire engines and police cars were nearby. Another fire had broken out conveniently at a Money Exchange Office. Coincidence?

We walked along the river front which was naturally full of boats and ferries. The small grassy areas were filled with some dodgy looking locals. Apparently the town is run by the Triads and logging entrepreneurs. We came across the grand Swan statue, the emblem of Sibu. We were more interested in watching our pockets, Sibu was rife with pickpockets.

We found a tour agency and enquired if there were any day trips from Sibu? No. What can we do around Sibu? Nothing. Their only suggestion was to go to Miri which is where we were going anyway. And that sums up Sibu - nothing to see and nothing to do.

We visited the Sibu Heritage Centre and wondered through the Mini Museum. It was a fascinating and well documented museum which gave us an insight into the history of Sibu. The museum also displayed photos, antiques, artifacts and clothing.

Walking through the maze of alleys and streets, we passed the Town Square. It is 32 acres of parkland divided by a main road with an amphitheatre and open spaces for markets and picnics.

We headed towards the traditional villages where homes are built on stilts by the river. We read that locals welcome tourists into their homes for tea. But it seemed we were 3 weeks too late to see the entire village. 60 homes were destroyed by fires. It was heart wrenching to see burnt frames with nothing but ash and wastage on the ground. We continued to walk along passing other homes - it was reassuring to see that some homes were built using bricks and mortar.

Walking down the shanty suburbs of Sibu was humbling. Many locals tending to their homes and gardens acknowledged us. They may live in poorly built houses but they maintain a sense of community and are always generous towards others, even strangers.

Prayers had just finished at the Masjid Al-Qadim. Many locals were leaving the grounds of the golden domed mosque. Everyone either smiled or said hello. Since Friday is a holy day we only passed by the gates. We walked passed security guards who were only too happy to talk to us. Police and security were everywhere around Sibu, we assume with all the fires taking place, they needed to be vigilant.

We visited and climbed Tua Pek Cong Temple and Goddess of Mercy Pagoda. The stairs leading up the 7 storeys was under high security. We borrowed the key to the lock and were instructed to lock it behind us as we went upstairs. With bird's nests nestled on the roof, it was literally a bird's eye view of the town.

Miri is a large town that is the gateway to many trekking opportunities. It has 4 shopping centres, countless stores, markets, restaurants, temples and the famed Canada Hill where Shell first struck oil in Sarawak back in 1910. It's a bustling town with plenty of construction taking place. Many Bruneians have been known to step over the border to buy land.

We familiarised ourselves by walking around town from the main streets to the back alleys. We found the waterfront but it wasn't much of a waterfront. A brown murky river flowed before us, next to the shanti area of Miri. The shanti area was full of haphazard houses with corrugated iron roofs. Nearby, children happily flew kites.

Going by the fishy smell in the air, we soon approached the fish markets. Next door was the Tua Pek Kong Temple so we went inside for a better look. It was similar to the one in Sibu but without the pagoda. People were lighting incense and praying.

We came across the Sikh Temple. There are only 2 Sikh temples in Sarawak and this one is best known for the 100 year old angsana tree. There was no one in sight in or around the temple. It was a grey building with small golden domes on the roof.

Niah National Park is known for the Niah Caves with tunnels, caverns and prehistoric paintings. We caught a local bus to Niah Rest Stop 2 hours away. The bus was the best bus we had ever travelled on. The amount of space we had was incredible. No doubt it was built with locals in mind with bags and boxes packed beneath their feet. I couldn't even reach the foot rest.

When we reached the dusty rest stop in Niah, we had to find a private vehicle to take us to the park entrance. A group of thug looking locals sat outside the corner captivated by WWF on TV. We approached them to negotiate a fare but no one budged on price. I went to the bus ticket station and asked a local lady, "Where do we get a private driver?" She then approached one of the fellows and after a quick word we managed to negotiate a price and jumped into his beat up car.

Niah National Park is a quiet park with few visitors. The New Zealander we met in Miri mentioned that when he was there a couple of days ago, he was the only visitor. It was too quiet for his liking. We expected the same.

The cook at the cafeteria was an excitable local man who looked like he was on acid. Maybe it was a simple case of cabin fever. The only food on the menu was fried rice so while waiting for our meal, a Dutch couple appeared. We invited for them to sit with us and after lunch we headed to the caves together. Safety in numbers.

To get to the caves, it was literally a short boat ride across the crocodile infested river. The National Park Museum was just on the other side so we decided to go inside for a look around. On display were artifacts and bones unearthed from the burial ground just inside the cave. There was one skull dated 40,000 years old.

The cave entrance was then a 3km walk through the jungle. The trail was a wooden plank path so made the walk easy through the tapang trees and creepers. However, the humidity got the better of us. By the time we reached the fork where local ladies sold drinks and trinkets, we needed a rest. Turning left lead to the village. Turning right was to the caves.

We eventually reached the Trader's Cave. It's an extended rock overhang where traders used to conduct business. Supported by bamboo scaffolding, we walked through admiring the limestone walls. Further on, we passed the ancient burial ground where archaeological excavations continue.

Finally we came to the impressive West Mouth of the Grace Cave. Standing at 60 metres high, every sound echoed through the caves. At the entrance were bamboo poles. When its bird nest season, locals climb up and retrieve the swifts bird's nests from high above. Malays believe in Safety First, but clearly not in this case.

The stairs that led us inside the cave were partially lit by the sunlight coming through. We could see bats clicking just above our heads. We decided to venture off the path and onto the guano footing where we could get a closer look at the stalactites. We found many small crevasses where locals painted their own artwork, abstract scribbles and topless ladies.

Walking deeper inside the cave chamber, it became pitch black. Using our torches to walk along the path, the roof seemed to close in on us. Water trickled onto the path and we spent a moment without our torches on, absorbing the eerie darkness.

As we continued further, the area opened up but we were still in darkness. The path became moist and seemed to be the perfect breeding ground for insects. We came across a giant spider crossing our path and another one by the stairs in hiding. We had to pause while it scurried across and disappeared underneath the planks.

We soon arrived at the back of the cave. Here lies the entrance of the painted cave but it's currently closed for maintenance. We had to turn back. We were nervous about walking through the moist area (OK, I was). Not only did we find more giant spiders but also a scorpion ready for the attack. We had never walked so fast through a cave before.

After our cave experience, we decided to walk to the village. We wandered through the mix of traditional long houses and modern looking buildings. People poked through their doorways and windows to look at the tourists. Children played and greeted us and men watched us from the shadows to escape the heat. There was a pop up supermarket underneath the long houses. Locals gathered in the cool shade picking out ripe bananas and bags of rice from the food crates.

We headed to Miri the next day and bumped into the Dutch couple again. We went out for dinner and doing as the locals do, we went to find an infamous karaoke bar. Most of the places were rooms that cost a fortune to hire out. But after much searching we found a karaoke lounge bar. Being the only westerners, we joined the locals belting out badly sung tunes.

Across the road from our hotel was a shopping centre that showcased the Miss Global International Malaysia Preview Talent Show on our last night in Miri. While waiting for the show to start, we watched well known Malays take a seat. Some were make-up artists, fashion icons and one particular fellow was a famous interviewer. He had interviewed many members of the Royal Family as well as international actors. He was like the Malay version of Liberace with gold rings on every finger, gold bangles and a yellow suit with dragon points.

Soon enough, the stunning Miss Global contestants introduced themselves and performed their talent - from singers to dancers to musicians to magicians. Some were wonderful but some were in need of more practice. One of the better performers was the youngest of the group, only 13 years old.

Gunung Mulu National Park is Borneo's prized national park. Having appeared in BBC's Planet Earth, nature enthusiasts come here to trek, cave and seek wildlife - from the placid to the poisonous.

The Canopy Skywalk is 10-30 metres high and being 480 metres long, it is the longest tree-based walkway in the world. We walked alongside the dense rainforest of trees, ferns and vines with views of rivers below and limestone walling the caves. We came across a pit viper snake camouflaged in the trees.

It was important to walk slowly and calmly as some parts of the canopy walk were wobbly; there were only 2 planks of wood, rope and netting standing between you and the forest floor.

After an hour of scaling the walk, we headed back. We came across a group of people watching a stick insect. Not usually fascinating but here in the National Park they grow up to 30cm. We were lucky to see one.

The following day we joined a caving group. The full day included a village visit, 4 caves and the bat stream at sunset.

The village had traditional Batu Bungan Longhouses. We found a small market that sold beaded and bamboo souvenirs. There was also the opportunity to try blow darting. Some tribes poison their darts using sap from a poisonous tree to hunt for food.

We met elder members of the tribe. One was security of the village, we were told that he would dart those visitors causing nuisance. The other tribe member donned traditional clothing and jewellery. Since the traditional clothing was just a loin cloth, he wore more jewellery than clothing.

We boarded a small boat and manoeuvred through the rocks and logs along the river. The views from the river were stunning. Lush rainforest greeted us and we were eager to explore.

We arrived at the Cave of the Wind. When there are winds, they blow through the entire cave like a wind tunnel. But the air was still today. Inside the entrance the limestone walls and guano floors were covered in greenery. Creeper vines crept their way along the walls while the floor was a carpet of moss. We meandered along the path admiring the limestone formations and listening to the bats and swifts flying through.

We then had to climb 200+ steps to get to Clearwater Cave. It is renowned for the clear river that runs through the cave. Inside we found large canyons of limestone formations. One area had an open roof where a beam of sunlight shot through, giving the illusion of an internal waterfall.

We then hopped back into our boat and sped down the river to the National Park boat jetty. After lunch we had a jungle trek to get to more caves. We arrived at Deer Cave.

Deer Cave is the largest cave in the National Park. The main cavern is at least twice the height of St Paul's Cathedral in London. The magnificent entrance alone is overwhelming. The limestone and rocks are covered in greenery and looking inside, it feels like you're walking into another world.

Further in, we came to the Lincoln formation. The rocks the surround the opening is the perfect silhouette side profile of Abraham Lincoln. Inside the tunnels of caves we witnessed a series of formations and colours. Our guide showed us what lies beneath the guano. When disturbed it sends small bugs, beetles and glow warms into a flurry.

We came to the impressive large cavern, its sheer size was overwhelming. We could see an enormous amount of bats perched on the roof. Further ahead was an opening into the lush jungle. This beautiful area was called the Garden of Eden. Another trail could take you there.

As we started walking of the cave, we almost stepped on a chameleon lazing on the path. We spent time admiring this creature. It stood absolutely still trying to camouflage itself with the orange path. But we saw it.

Several steps ahead near the cave entrance we looked up and witnessed the beginning of the bat streams. Just before dusk, 2 million bats come out for feeding. They fly out of the cave in large groups spiralling around to confuse the hungry hawks before flying further afield for food.

Lang Cave is a small low narrow cave. But what it lacks in space, it compensates in regal beauty. With stunning stalactites and stalagmites in columns, curtains and jellyfish formations, it was impressive in its own right.

The next day we were hoping for a leisurely stroll through the jungle so we followed the Paku Waterfall trail. The last half of the trail was on the forest floor so we walked steadily as standing still invited biting insects on our legs and feet. We passed some beetles and millipedes before hearing the sounds of gushing water along the river.

The waterfall was a small trickle down the limestone walls. We were told that people swam in the river underneath the waterfall to cool off. But after being told of a large spider falling from the trees above, we chose to view the waterfall from a safe distance inside the viewing platform.

Our last walk was to the Tree Top Tower. It was only a short walk until we reached the mighty tower which was as high as the tree tops. It was a quick climb up and there we enjoyed the stillness of the jungle, waiting to get a glimpse of birdlife.

After half an hour of searching, no birds came near the tower. We could however hear them in the distance. We did spot plenty of butterflies though.

It was time to get out of the jungle and return to civilisation. We spent a few nights at a resort in Damai (near Kuching) to celebrate my birthday. It was a beautiful place by the beach; our room overlooked the infinite pool. We spent our days relaxing by the pool and eating well.

We formed a special bond with Borneo, the people are welcoming and the jungle is wild and adventurous. For those seeking more than a holiday, Borneo is for you. Next stop, Malaysia…