Perhaps you’re the couple who get restless after 40 minutes on your sun-loungers, or you feel uncomfortable in the more conventional luxury resorts. Honeymoons in Borneo offer an unconventional spin on tropical pampered luxury. A combination of discreet, beautiful resorts around the coast, & a jaw-dropping, mega-diverse rainforest interior, Borneo lets you relax in authentic luxury… whenever you’re not scrambling through the jungle, seeking some of the most spectacular wildlife on Earth:

Bay Cat

This reddish brown feline, tinted with black markings & golden brown fur on its underside, lives exclusively on Borneo. The same size as a large domestic cat, the Bay Cat may seem unremarkable from a distance – but once you take in its long tail, small rounded ears, & beautifully feral face, you instinctively understand that you’re witnessing something extraordinary. The rarest & most elusive feline in the world, a living Bay Cat wasn’t photographed until 1998, despite being discovered in 1855.

Pygmy Elephant

The smallest elephant species in the world (males rarely exceed 2.5m in height) resides only in Borneo’s North East. Its small size evolved – scientists theorise – to let the elephant flourish in dense forest habitat. The elephants also have unusually long tails, & the males have perfectly straight tusks, but perhaps their strangest feature is their tameness. Pygmy Elephants show a remarkable tolerance of humans, even in fairly close quarters. You can regularly observe them from boats in the bays of the Lower Kinabatangan River.

Hornbills

You’ve every chance of spotting one or all of the eight Hornbill bird species anywhere along the Kinabatangan River. Wrinkled, Wreathed, Rhinoceros, Black, White-Crowned, Helmeted, Oriental Pied, & Bushy-Crested Hornbills each have unique features & colouring, but – as the name suggests – they all possess a pronounced curved beak. Its evolution led to a distinctive feeding habit; the Hornbill’s tongue didn’t grow with its long bill, so the bird must toss back its head to swallow any food.

Sun Bear

At 4 feet tall, the Sun Bear is the world’s smallest bear. Severely threatened by loss of habitat, capture, enslavement & poaching, this little known bear is primarily nocturnal, spending its nights feasting on plants & animals. In 2008, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre was established in Sabah (Eastern Borneo), giving the creatures a chance to grow their dwindling population of 10,000. The centre has undertaken excellent work since its inception & is your best chance to see the Sun Bears for yourself.

Bornean Rhino

The Sumatran Rhinoceros is the smallest rhino, although, weighing up to 1000kg, it should not be considered a featherweight by any measure. Sadly, its horn highly valued in traditional medicine, the Sumatran Rhino has been pushed onto the critically endangered list by poachers, with some experts estimating as few as 40 animals remaining in the wild. The Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is a good place to seek them – feel immensely privileged if you spot one.

The Orangutan

Exemplifying Borneo’s obscurely beautiful & tragically endangered wildlife, the island’s Orangutan population has suffered greatly, due to the loss of its habitat to palm oil & timber plantations. Thanks to many successful projects that publicised the species’ plight, Orangutans are now fighting extinction, but they’re still threatened. Witness them in conservation projects that protect their habitat & supplement their diet with offerings of fruit & water.

Jonny Good is a writer & martial arts professional who loves scaring himself with shark encounters & travelling with his friends & family.

So you find yourself in London for just 24 hours in-between flights – how are you going to make sure that you get the most out of your time in one of the world’s most exciting cities? Here is our guide to how to cram as much as possible into your time in London before jetting off to your next destination.

Begin the day early with a stroll around Hyde Park, wander past the Serpentine and pay a visit to the Princess Diana Memorial. Stroll down past Hyde Park Corner and through Green Park on to Buckingham Palace.

After taking the obligatory tourist snap with the iconic guards at the Palace continue your walking tour of the cities green spaces with a stroll through St James’s Park and down to Trafalgar Square. Take in Nelson’s Column and battle the other tourists to climb up onto the imposing marble lions that guard the column.

Maybe refresh with a coffee and a snack and then head down Whitehall, past the impressive government buildings to see Downing Street which Prime Minister, David Cameron, calls home. Only a few more metres down the road you will come across the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey – some of the capitals most famous and beautiful buildings.

Just across the river is the London Eye. Yes, it is basically a giant ferris wheel but at 443 foot, each 30-minute ‘flight’ provides you with wonderful, uninterrupted views of the city.

Every visit to London should involve a stroll along the South Bank on the River Thames. It’s a great opportunity for some people watching and there are lots of street performers wowing crowds, book stalls to peruse and places to grab a bite to eat or a drink. Eventually you will stumble upon the imposing disused power station that has been converted into the Tate Modern, one of London’s most popular museums with locals and tourists alike.

When you can drag yourself away from the modern art, continue your walk along the South Bank taking in St Paul’s Cathedral on the other side of the river and on to Borough Market. This farmers market is a foodie heaven and after all your walking, you will deserve to treat yourself. Sample the cheese, bread, pestos and pastries on offer and wash it down with some traditional English cider.

By now, you will no doubt be weary from all the walking so it’s time to hop on a tube to Liverpool Street. From here you can wander through the stalls and trendy shops of Spitalfields Market on to Brick Lane where if you can fit it in, you can enjoy one of the best Indian curries in London. No doubt you will be exhausted but if you can manage it, the area around Brick Lane and Shoreditch High Street provides lots of great options for late night watering holes.

Your 24 hours in London will be tiring but it will also leave you wanting more. Be sure to visit again soon.

There are some resorts that are both friendly to the beginner as well as being challenging for the experienced skier. La Plagne comes to mind as this modern French ski resort has a fine choice for new skiers with over 200 km of wide pistes and a large number of reputable ski schools. It offers many safe ski runs with gentle wide slopes and is known for its excellent tuition for children. Novice skiers have always made for Andorra which has an abundance of nursery slopes and long gentle blue and green runs to the village. With some of the cheapest prices in Europe and fantastic après ski it is s good choice for the beginner.

One of the newer ski resorts that is now being offered by ski holiday specialists is the Bulgarian resort of Boverets, which although it has a restricted number of runs it is ideal for the new skier. The ski school is known to be excellent it has a friendly, informal ambience, skiing in Borovets is a pleasurable experience. The resort is ideal for families and is a great place if a group of new skiers want to learn to ski.

The most important thing for a beginner is to enrol with a ski school when arriving at the ski resort. A ski school is essential for those who have not skied before and there is hardly a person who having taken ski lessons for the week away are not skiing adequately by the end of the week and looking forward to another ski holiday. Your ski holiday specialist will arrange for your lessons and it can be part of a package which will include the lift pass as well.

They allow people from different backgrounds and cultures to explore beautiful and often remote parts of the world in a relaxed manner that almost guarantees the perfect holiday experience. Popular cruise destinations include the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, which both have wonderful weather, wildlife, history and culture.

Cruises enable travellers to visit a number of countries without having to move from one hotel to another, which is one of the things that make them so popular. They are also becoming more affordable every day and this is extremely important, given the current economic climate.

This is one of the very few forms of holiday that allows the customer to have both an on and off shore experience. Modern cruise ships are equipped with the state of the art technology and entertainment that makes for a first class travel experience. The price you pay includes pretty much everything necessary to ensure complete peace of mind. This means you can enjoy your holiday without having to worry about those niggling little extras that you often have to pay for on package holidays.

Cruising offers a unique experience and can appeal to the single traveller, couples or entire families. There is something for everyone and regardless of the destination; it is guaranteed that you will not be disappointed. This is a healthy ad popular industry with a variety of cruise operators offering good value for money packages.

In the Caribbean islands, you can find clear water perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling, with beaches just right for relaxing. Another great place to visit is the Panama Canal, where you can view the imposing jungle and the even more imposing man-made canal.

A tour of the Far North is also one of the famous Royal Caribbean cruises. On these routes you can enjoy the natural beauty of Alaska and Canada for cruises that usually last for a week, taking in glaciers and making stopovers at several natural and historic sites.

Many Royal Caribbean cruises spend long hours in ports of call, so you have the chance to visit many of the world’s cultural and historic sites, such as in Paris, Rome, or Rio. Many cruises combine sailing with land trips lasting several days. Several Royal Caribbean cruises travel to Australia as well as Europe.

Most passengers take Royal Caribbean cruises mainly because of the on-board experience. Cruise ships are full of activities which include theatres and cinemas, shops, casinos, and fitness facilities, plus a choice of bars and restaurants. The high quality of service and amenities is similar to that of a world class hotel.

First time cruisers usually have a variety of concerns when preparing to book their cruise holiday.  Some travellers will fear having a bit of claustrophobia and seasickness during their cruise.  Both are legitimate fears that can be compensated for when you book your cruise.  If you get seasick, choose a cabin on one of the lower floors that is located centrally within the ship.  If you are worried claustrophobia, select an itinerary that spends fewer days at sea and more time in port.

It has long been a tradition among many cruise lines that passengers are required to get dressed up for dinner.  This is a major deterrent for many people who prefer to relax and remain casual during their holiday.  Today more and more cruise lines are offering relaxed standards for dinner.  Make sure to book your cruise aboard one of these ships if you don’t want to be burdened with formal wear on your holiday!

On those long days at sea, many people fear that they will be bored as they travel between ports.  Luckily cruise ships are packed full of activities and there is a high probability that just about anyone can find something fun to do.  This includes everything from climbing a rock wall to enjoying a show in the theatre.

The Great Barrier Reef is located near Queensland, Australia and spans an area that is 344,400 square kilometres.  There is no other reef system in the world that is larger than the Great Barrier Reef.  The reef is a major attraction for tourists although it will not seem overcrowded due to its sheer size.

This majestic destination can be explored during a day trip or you may want to plan your trip on a liveaboard.  The latter option will allow you to spend your nights floating on top of the Great Barrier Reef instead of heading back to shore to a hotel.  Divers prefer this option because they can dive at night and they don’t waste time travelling back and forth.

Along with the hundreds of individual coral reefs that can be explored, many people enjoying looking for the different types of creatures that can be found swimming about.  Marine fish that can be found in this area include angelfish and manta rays.  Several types of mammals can also be found exploring the reef including dolphins and the humpback whale.  Keep your eyes open for sea turtles which also inhabit the Great Barrier Reef.  Although it is possible to see sharks during a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, most are harmless and pose no threat to humans.