# General > Member's Lounge > Nature and Conservation >  Camping in a deserted island

## kuching

After so many years, finally I had a chance to go camping during the last weekend. This time with a group of locals & Europeans to an uninhabited island off coast of Borneo.



The island....




Our tents.





Camp fire





Barbeque meat under the stars...






Stars...

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## kuching

Interesting sandstone formation.





On the way....





I only spent 2 hours of sleeping time because whole night was very busy. First, I went into the jungle with a French guy, then BBQ & natural stone grill our food with a bunch of outdoor people until 2am. Then fishing from 2.30am until 4am! Need to go to bed now, will post more picture of that beautiful island.

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## eddy planer

Hi Kuching

You really made us singaporean green with envy with your Tarzan adventures ! How we wish we can join you ...but nevermind you upload more of your adventure pix ,ok!

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## kuching

> Hi Kuching
> 
> You really made us singaporean green with envy with your Tarzan adventures ! How we wish we can join you ...but nevermind you upload more of your adventure pix ,ok!



Thanks.  :Grin:

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## kuching

95&#37; of the shore is covered by rocks. This rocky formation is very interesting...




My friend is building a few chairs & a table using the flat stones found near our camp site. Later I'll show u how to use the stone to cook! 





Interesting rock formation...





Wave is big. Now is the end of monsoon season. Next month the sea will be calm again...

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## kuching

A lone tree.




Unidentified species of tree growing on the rocky shore.





The roots.





When I was entering the jungle alone, I met this French guy from our team. Then, both of us explore the jungle together.





A jungle stream.

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## kuching

Interesting walls.




The dense coastal rainforest.





Beautiful jungle.





Giant woodland spider (_Nephila_ sp.) ~ about 8cm long!





Unidentified species of land snail.

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## kuching

This Nibong palm tree, _Oncosperma tigillarium_ (center) is the most common in this island.




The trunk of this palm is covered by thorns.





What a surprise! I found_ Aerides_  orchid here!




The sandstone cliff & the jungle.

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## kuching

The island is small but once entering into the dense jungle...it doesn't looks small at all. The big tree on the left is covered by a big clump of _Cymbidium_ orchid. It is the most common species of orchid there.







Unidentified species.





Close-up.

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## kuching

Leaves of "fish poison tree" (_Barringtonia asiatica_). The tree & its seeds are containing a type of chemical called saponins which is used by irresponsible people to poison the fish.





The fruits of _Barringtonia asiatica_




The ancient tree from dinosour age, _Cycas rumphii_ or common name is Seashore Cycad. It is one of the most primitive plants on earth!




The seed of _Cycas rumphii_  is poisonous because it contains carcinogen. However it is edible after cooking.

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## kuching

Some shots before darkness fall....

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## kuching

Our main camp site (we got 2 sites):






Some of the group members are busy BBQ our food.





We used the natural flat stone on the beach to grill shrimp & pork (stone grill). The taste is super nice!





Barbeque & stone grill....

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## kuching

Between 2.30am to 4am, we went fishing near the rocky shore.


I caught this Red Mangrove Snapper (_Lutjanus johnii_):







Grouper (_Epinephelus_ sp.)

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## kuching

Some fishes from the nearby brackish river (Borneo main island):

Giant mudskipper (_Periophthalmodon schlosseri_)





Blue-finned mudskipper (_Boleophthalmus boddarti_)






A species of goby.





Halfbeak (_Zenarchopterus_ sp.)




Blue-colored crab. (_Uca_ sp.)





A boat.





Fishing at a tower near a river.








...... TO BE CONTINUED.

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## luenny

Oh geez!! This looks like a very nice adventure. Darn! The fishes look so nice too. It's been so long since I last went fishing.

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## eddy planer

Wow Kuching! being merman some more! wow you indeed very a talent!

thanks for the uploaded awesome pics..

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## kuching

> Oh geez!! This looks like a very nice adventure. Darn! The fishes look so nice too. It's been so long since I last went fishing.



Thanks luenny.

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## kuching

> Wow Kuching! being merman some more! wow you indeed very a talent!
> 
> thanks for the uploaded awesome pics..


Thanks again Eddy. More pix coming up soon... :Grin:

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## juggler

Mike: Life's unfair. I am still stuck in office.  :Sad:

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## kuching

> Mike: Life's unfair. I am still stuck in office.


It's fair cos I don't get high pay job in Borneo....I wish I can get high pay job in S'pore & travel to the jungle of Amazon...

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## kuching

The following day, 5 of my friends decided to walk around the island. At first, we thought it's an easy job to do that since it is a small island.....but later, we realised it's dangerous & tough to jump from one rock to another...& worst, we're forced to climb the cliff before the high tide. It's became an exciting adventure trip....


Good morning Borneo!





We're lucky to have ladies to cook the breakfast for us!





Friends from France.





My tent got leaking & my clothes are wet because it rained the night before....need to dry my clothing in this way:

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## kuching

A young Mangrove tree.





My adventure team.





5 adventurous guys & 1 lady.






I love my team!

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## kuching

Collecting clam....



For the first 1 hour, it is relax & easy to walk on the empty beach at the southern part of the island.....




Taking pictures....





Scenery.

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## kuching

Less than 5 &#37; of the shore is sandy beach. 





At the northern point, the terrain is rough and we have to walk very fast & carefully. The tide is coming in....if we failed to by pass this terrain, we need to climb the cliff....






A cave created by erosion (wave)! We couldn't cross over to other side because the water is too deep. We had to climb the cliff! Our female member, Christine found a path to by pass it but it's not easy to walk! The slope is very slippery & its covered by thick bush. We spent half an hour to crawl, climb & slip down the cliff! It was fun & exciting but it could kill us if we're not lucky.


The cave....





The cave (in Youtube):

YouTube - Cave of a deserted island

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## kuching

The jungle near the shoreline.





The common _Cymbidium finlaysonianum_  (orchid):





The flowers of _Cymbidium finlaysonianum_  (orchid):








Close-up..






_Begonia_  sp.





The flower of _Begonia_  sp.






_Hoya_ sp.

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## kuching

Oyster is available on the rocky shore. It is edible without cook.





The natural walls:








Fallen tree.

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## kuching

The rocky shore:










On our way to the island (Youtube):

YouTube - A deserted island of Borneo




......TO BE CONTINUED.

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## kuching

Some more shots....











Leaving the island....








My next trip is camp at somewhere deep inside the mountain forest of Borneo....next month!


THE END.

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## wasabi8888

Mike

What you do for a living? How come you get the chance to see how these stuff so often?

And your knowledge of the flora and fauna of the places you go is fantastic.. :Well done:

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## luenny

I wish I have a lot of money and don't have to work and then I can travel the world shooting wildlife. :Grin:  :Laughing:  :Grin:

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## kuching

> Mike
> 
> What you do for a living? How come you get the chance to see how these stuff so often?
> 
> And your knowledge of the flora and fauna of the places you go is fantastic..


Weekday- accounts & audit

weekend - explore jungle & river  :Grin:

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## kuching

> I wish I have a lot of money and don't have to work and then I can travel the world shooting wildlife.


Yup, everybody dreams.... :Smile:

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## eddy planer

> Weekday- accounts & audit
> 
> weekend - explore jungle & river


Hmmmm then i better start looking for job in Kuching and i can be Tarzan with you on weekend!

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## kuching

> Hmmmm then i better start looking for job in Kuching and i can be Tarzan with you on weekend!


There is not much job in small city & the pay is one of the lowest in Malaysia.  :Sad:

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## wasabi8888

> Weekday- accounts & audit
> 
> weekend - explore jungle & river


I think you more like, weekday -explore jungle and river
weekend - audit & accounts

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## beetroot

wah... i always hear that people in audit are forever busy (no life) and may even have to work on weekends.... so there are exceptions  :Grin: .

what's the name of the deserted island? it's beautiful! envy envy...

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## kuching

> I think you more like, weekday -explore jungle and river
> weekend - audit & accounts


Ha!ha! You are right! :Grin:

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## kuching

> wah... i always hear that people in audit are forever busy (no life) and may even have to work on weekends.... so there are exceptions .
> 
> what's the name of the deserted island? it's beautiful! envy envy...


My firm is very small firm. Work temporary until June, then I'm free man & need to find new job.

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## eddy planer

> There is not much job in small city & the pay is one of the lowest in Malaysia.


Then I start up a tour guide company specialise in Tarzan expenditure in Kuching, then you be Tarzan guide 7 days a week!  :Wink:

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## kuching

> Then I start up a tour guide company specialise in Tarzan expenditure in Kuching, then you be Tarzan guide 7 days a week!



Ha!ha! I'll be free to be a part time tour guide after June....

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## madmadi

Hey,

Love tropical places. I have done survival camping on deserted island 3 weeks ago in Philippines! Only for 2 weeks but still it was really something. Love to read about this kind of stuff. I have a blog if you would like to look at my trip report

http://www.searchingparadise.blogspot.com

All best,
Martin

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## Ben12

I used to reside in Kuching - loved it there, and the food is just so DELICIOUS! Currently in the Philippines where the food is erm... not so delicious, to be polite about it! Will be checking out your blog for sure. Thanks for sharing your experiences - looks like great fun, except for the very high humidity levels you have to deal with :-)

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