The Day We Sweated Through The Treetops
We started at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok. The canopy walkways wind through a wall of green, with towers that lift you above the treetops. From up there you hear the forest first, then you start to see it. We spotted a kite circling with a chestnut body. Pretty sure it was a Brahminy kite, which feels like a win when you are balancing a child, a water bottle, and a camera.
Coming down from the towers we wandered one of the trails. It was muddy, it was sweaty, and it was exactly what we wanted from a rainforest and from there we saw the tallest tree!  I mean it’s a tree but it was impressive none the less.
The kids liked the boardwalks, we liked the shade, and everyone enjoyed the feeling that things could appear at any moment if you paused and looked, the sounds of the rainforest are mesmerising, and calming and on occasion slightly unsettling! I guess the ads to the magic of the forest!
Proboscis Monkeys…
From there we grabbed a taxi out to see the proboscis monkeys. We arrived just after a feeding at Platform B had finished. The monkeys are wild, the viewing is organised around feeding times, and the whole thing feels structured. We watched about a dozen up in the trees, mooching and lounging, which was good to see but not exciting. It was also on the pricey side, especially with the driver waiting.
Would we recommend it? Probably not on value for money, unless you know you will hit a feeding time and that is exactly your thing and even then, unless you’re dying to see them, I’d save your cash.
We were glad to tick them off, we just would not go back, and I never recommend it to the die hards!
We had lunch after the monkeys and headed back to our little jungle shack for showers and a lie down. Everyone was wiped from the heat, everyone was content. One of those days that sits nicely in the memory, with the rainforest walkways the bit we will talk about later.
What We’d Do Next Time
Rainforest Discovery Centre: Yes. We would go back. Easy access, proper rainforest feel, brilliant canopy views, and a decent chance of birds and other wildlife.
Proboscis monkeys: Glad we went once. Would not return. Too staged and the cost did not match the thrill for us.
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