Our second full day in Malaysia brought more excursions in Langkawi. Half the group braved some monsoon rains and were rewarded with a stunning 7.5-mile bike ride through rice paddies. The other half decided to get a view from the sky, as they ascended to one of Langkawi’s highest points, via gondola.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 23 Aug 2024
Langkawi, Malaysia, 8/23/2024, National Geographic Orion
- Aboard the National Geographic Orion
- Indonesia & Papua New Guinea
Mike Desiderio, Naturalist/Expedition Diver
Born and raised outside Philadelphia; Mike spent his childhood playing around at his family's gymnastics facility. From camping with his family throughout the US to annual ski trips to Park City Utah, he has always had an affinity for the outdoors. H...
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Journey through Southeast Asia: Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia
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Gunung Leuser National Park, Bukit Lawang, Sumatra
This morning, we began our expeditions to the remote community of Bukit Lawang to visit the Gunung Leuser National Park. We docked at Belawan port where we were greeted with an energetic dance performance. We took a bus to the northern hills, and once we arrived, we enjoyed a traditional Indonesian lunch before making our way into the forest. The walk was challenging at times but well worth it when we saw our first great apes. These orangutans were large and relatively close. In total we saw six individuals including males, females, and youngsters. The rain during our return didn’t dampen any spirits and once back, we enjoyed a swim in the river and another fantastic dinner before retiring in preparation for tomorrow’s adventure.