The Hilton International Batang Ai Longhouse Resort, officially opened on March 28, 1995, is a wilderness outpost. To reach the resort, we were driven by van four hours from the city of Kuching, to the dam of the  Sungai Batang,  or Batang River known as the Batang Ai. From that point, we were met by boat, which navigated the large lake, arriving at the resort’s dock thirty minutes later. The resort, consisting of 11 longhouses, is surrounded by jungle and  mountains. There are 100 rooms for guests, a swimming pool, a lodge with reception, restaurant and bar, and a pavilion oriented toward the setting sun. There appeared to be no one here when we arrived, as we found our way up the steep flight of steps. One of the other boat passengers graciously managed Henry’s bag, and Henry carried my backpack to reception. We finally saw life when we were met by two women outside the lodge, one of them holding a big tray with two chilled glasses of juice and cold towels, both welcoming us to the resort. Check-in was normal, and we changed our assigned  room to one with a jungle view. Henry and I enjoyed a lovely lunch on the veranda overlooking the lake, chatted with some English guests, and signed up for the late afternoon jungle trek and canopy walk. We then retired to the pool, where we read and exercised and rested from the drive. The resort was very quiet and peaceful, as we relaxed in the quiet of the afternoon. Our tours and programs, always private and with a guide, allowed us to maintain the serenity of nature which we had sought here. Henry and I had a wonderful experience at Batang Ai, and learned so much about the indigenous people and life in the jungles of Borneo. The tour of the longhouse, the jungle trek and the waterfall cookout were truly some of the highlights of our trip to East Malaysia. 

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. View from the lake: Hilton’s Batang Ai Resort. 2. View of sunset pavilion. 3. View of two of the 11 longhouses on the property. 4. View of the swimming pool. Center, Top:  Batang Ai’s sign at the dock. Center, Bottom: A colorful longboat, used for touring the river. Right Column: 1. View across the lake at sunset. 2. Partial view of the landscaped stairway from the dock to the reception. 3. View from the reception of the sunset view and the lake. 4. The cocktail lounge on the veranda of the main lodge.

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