Is your dream to get up close and personal with orangutans? Want to see these magnificent animals in their natural environment? Then put a visit to Orangutan Island in Bukit Merah, Malaysia, on your list.
Let’s dive into this ultimate guide to visiting Orangutan Island.
Background
Bukit Merah Orangutan Island in Malaysia started as an animal refuge for endangered Bornean orangutans. It has evolved into a recognised conservation facility that conducts research and educates visitors about orangutans. It’s rare to see orangutans in Malaysia, so this is a treat for any animal lover.
Orangutan Island is a global eco-tourism destination that combines conservation, rehabilitation, research, and education. With humans and orangutans sharing 97% of the same DNA, it’s a fascinating and enlightening experience.
What to expect on your visit
This isn’t your usual animal sanctuary. The orangutans are free to roam the 15 acre island while the humans are inside a giant cage.
The cage is a 200 metre steel fence tunnel in the shape of a semi-circle. It’s a humbling experience and gives you first hand experience from the animal’s perspective.
You get to see the orangutans in their natural habitat, walking and climbing up trees. You can also arrange for a guide to show you around or walk the sanctuary at your own pace.
This experience had been on my bucket list for a while, so I was excited to visit. It exceeded my expectations, in fact it blew them away! It was a fantastic once in a lifetime experience to watch these wonderful animals so closely.
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What to bring?
One thing to know about the orangutans is they love fruit. And I mean really love it!
So, for the best chance to see them up close, come prepared with bags of fruit to get them interested in interacting with you. They particularly like coconut – drinking the milk and eating the coconut flesh. They favour any large fruits that they can crack open, as these are rare treats.
You can also feed the orangutans via a long monster size tube that goes from one of the high balconies down to a sitting platform. If you put smaller fruit like mandarins, apples or oranges into the tube, you will see a lot of orangutans at the other end and be an orangutan friend for life! Well, at least until their next meal!
Best time to visit
The best time to visit is any time the weather is fine. In the dry season, the lake levels drop, which makes travelling by boat across to the island almost impossible. In wet season, make sure you bring a coat or umbrella with you as sudden rain showers happen regularly.
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How to get there
To get to Orangutan Island, you’ll need to travel to Bukit Merah. Bukit Merah is about 162 kilometres (100 miles) south of Penang or 360 kilometres (224 miles) from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Once you reach Bukit Merah, take a boat to Orangutan Island, which takes about 10 minutes.
Cost
The cost to go to Orangutan Island is:
- Adults (12 years old and above) – RM40.00
- Children (4-12 years old) – RM22.00
You can buy tickets at the boat jetty.
Open – 9.45am – 5.00pm Wednesday – Monday. Closed on Tuesdays.
Want to help after your visit?
There are a few ways you can help with orangutan conservation efforts on Orangutan Island.
You can:
- Make a donation
- Adopt an orangutan
To learn more, click here
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Linda is an Amazon author, writer and travel blogger. Her website The Smart Travelista offers travel resources and tips via her blog, books, videos and more.
