The precious jungles of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo are the stuff of legend for good reason. Regarded by some scientists as the single most biodiverse place on the planet, one 10-square kilometre chunk of rainforest in Sabah has more flora and fauna than all of Europe and North America combined. Mind blowing.

In looking for a destination for our honeymoon in October last year, my wife Aimee and I settled on Malaysia for two main reasons. One, Kuala Lumpur is where I grew up and Aimee really wanted to see all the childhood locations I keep raving about. And two, Aimee has long had seeing orangutans in the wild on her bucket-list. Well, we got the orangutans, but we also got pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, hornbills, crocodiles, bearded pigs, kingfishers and macaques. Lots of macaques.

If you subscribe to New Zealand’s number travel magazine, Let’s Travel, you can read my article in the latest issue on our adventures deep in the jungles of Sabah in a region known as the Kinabatangan. Situated right on the shores of the Kinabatangan River, we were in the tiny village of Bilit. Those memories of days in our little hut on stilts, surrounded by the trees, mornings and evenings spent cruising the river in search of animals, will always stay with us. Sabah is stunning, but it’s also safe, easy to get to and in Kota Kinabalu on the state’s western coast, has a modern, cosmopolitan city. If seeing wildlife unconstrained by zoo walls is a travel experience you’re itching for, be like my wife and put it on your list. And then set about ticking it off!

Enjoy the photos and click here to link to Let’s Travel for subscription details – both physical and digital. Huge thanks to Tourism Malaysia, Sabah Tourism and the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort for looking after us so well.