Introduction
Borneo Adventure specializes in tours, excursions and activities focused on the Malaysian states of Sarawak & Sabah on the island of Borneo. We also offer tours to the Sultanate of Brunei. We are one of Malaysia’s most established inbound tour operators and offer a range of over 100 small group or individual tours of Borneo to choose from.
Borneo Adventure was established to offer a traveller’s alternative to mass tourism. Placing emphasis on the natural environment, culture and history, Borneo Adventure has established a reputation for innovative and informative tours. Since 1987 our team has provided a highly personalized service which puts visitors in touch with the people and the land.
We show sights that most tourists do not get to see and are eager to share our knowledge of the cultures and customs of the more than sixty different ethnic groups living in Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei. Each of our tours has been carefully planned to ensure the best combination of activities and places of interest. We constantly strive to exceed our clients’ expectations and deliver quality tours, services and travel experiences.
Our guides are the key to the whole Borneo travel experience and we are proud to have some of the best in the industry. They have been chosen for their enthusiasm, as well as their knowledge of the local culture, the rainforest and its wildlife. Our staff guides are supplemented by experts (e.g. ecologists, anthropologists, etc.) who assist on specialised study tours requiring in-depth information.
Borneo Adventure believes in integrity of service, the sustainability of tourism products; and providing appropriate returns to our local communities. Our commitment to the principles of conservation and our work with local communities have been acknowledged internationally and well received by our many clients.
Whether it is an upriver trip for two, or an incentive party of two hundred in a traditional longhouse, the vast and cumulative experience of our team will ensure that your adventure in Borneo is unforgettable.
Our Founders
Philip Yong
Co-founder and Managing Director of Borneo Adventure since 1987, Philip Yong has pioneered tourism products in Sarawak and Sabah that build on traditional culture, bringing benefits to local people, and conserving the natural environment.
Educated at St. Thomas School in Sarawak and the University of Toronto Canada, Philip Yong brings to the team his wide knowledge of the Malaysia Tourism industry and his deep passion for Sarawak’s natural and cultural assets. He is acknowledged as a leader of the Malaysian and Sarawak private sector tourism industry, with a strong public conscience.
He has extensive experience and involvement in tourism industry associations and national tourism organizations. Mr Yong has served as a board member of Tourism Malaysia (1995-1997 and 2005-2007) and the Sarawak Tourism Board (1995-2003 and 2016-2018); and is a former Chairman of the Association of Sarawak Inbound Agencies (2006-2009), Malaysia Association of Tour & Travel Agents Sarawak Chapter (2001-2003) and Sarawak Tourist Association (1997-2002). He has also served as the President of the Sarawak Tourism Federation (2003 and 2016-2018), the Honorary Secretary General of the Sarawak Tourism Federation (2011-2013) and the Honorary Secretary of the Association of Sarawak Inbound Agencies (2011).
Robert Basiuk
Robert Basiuk is co-founder and Executive Director of Borneo Adventure. Born in Canada with a background in environmental science, he first came to Sarawak in 1983 to work as a biologist with the National Parks and Wildlife Office. The establishment of Borneo Adventure was also the start of a 30-year collaboration with communities in Batang Ai, Sarawak that has been recognized as a model for community-based tourism.
Robert has worked with the Sarawak Tourism Board (Deputy CEO, 1996-98) and as a Tourism and Environmental Management Specialist providing consultancy services for national park management planning, community tourism development and environmental management planning. Over the past 25+ years, he has worked throughout South-east Asia providing environmental inputs for tourism development plans in China, Timor Leste, Laos, Pakistan, Yunnan, Cambodia and Thailand.
Robert is a trustee of WWF-Malaysia and a keen outdoorsman. His pastimes include mountain biking, trail running, SCUBA diving, skiing and hiking.
Our Team
Borneo Adventure’s success is built on the knowledge and experience of our people. We have hundreds of years of combined experience amongst our 60 local and expatriate staff. Borneo Adventure is an equal opportunity employer and our core team of travel professionals come from the many ethnic groups and tribes of Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia as well as from around the world.
Our staff mirror not just Malaysia’s ethnic diversity but also the region’s international diversity. This diversity provides us with the ability to not only understand and interpret a wide range of client needs but also the ability to deliver innovative and focused travel programmes. Co-founders Philip Yong and Robert Basiuk are still active in over-seeing the work in the company.
Membership & Affiliations
Borneo Adventure has a tour operator licence (No. 1102) issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, the Malaysian government agency tasked with the authority to enforce and implement provisions of The Tourism Industry Act. This act governs & regulates the tourism industry in Malaysia.
Borneo Adventure is a member of the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA No. MA0403) and the Association of Sarawak Inbound Agencies (ASIA No. 002). MATTA’s objective is to promote the interests of the travel and tour industry in Malaysia. MATTA works closely with the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture as well as the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB). ASIA is a component member of the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF). STF is a non-profit, industry association that works closely with the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, the Sarawak Tourism Board and the Sarawak Convention Bureau. Borneo Adventure is also a member of the Malaysian Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA No. TRA/401/02-1).
Awards & Recognition
Over the last 30 years Borneo Adventure has won a number of awards for our tours and the Ulu Ai Project, a community based tourism initiative centred on Nanga Sumpa Iban Lonhgouse in Sarawak.
These include Highly Commended in the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award; Commended in the Conde Nast Traveller Ecotourism Contest; Green Globe Commendation Award from the World Tourism and Travel Council; PATA Gold Award for Cultural Preservation; PATA Green Leaf for Responsible Eco-Tourism; and Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award (Eco-Ventures, Lodges & Homestays).
Recent awards and recognition for our tours include: the Special Award at the 8th Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards in 2019; Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor (2018); Corporate Events of Excellence Award from the Sarawak Convention Bureau (2016); and Best Tour Programme at the Malaysia Tourism Awards (2011).
Media Coverage
Borneo Adventure have been mentioned in a range of online and print media, including the New York Times, CNN, Daily Mail UK, BBC Wildlife Magazine, The Age, Nat Geo Traveller, The Telegraph UK, Action Asia, Web In Travel, The Star Malaysia, The Borneo Post and many more.