Borneo World Challenge 2025
Published on isbi School News dated Tuesday 2nd of September 2025
The Marist Borneo Expedition
On July 2, 2025, a group of students from Years 11 to 13 set off on an unforgettable adventure to Borneo. Read on for Issy’s reflection on their incredible journey…
“Our Marist World Challenge expedition to Borneo was a once in a lifetime, unforgettable journey.
After a couple nights in Kuching and visiting the Sarawak Cultures Museum (one of the biggest museums in Southeast Asia), we began exploring Bako National Park, arriving by boat, where we encountered incredible wildlife including monkeys, flying lemurs, bearded pigs, and even a snake or two! The treks were hard, humid, and sweaty—pushing us out of our comfort zones but giving us stunning views and crazy wildlife encounters, after being chased by a monkey for our food we successfully made it out of the jungle alive with some great stories to tell back home. From spotting proboscis monkeys in the trees to powering through steep trails, Bako set the tone for the adventure ahead. We also discovered that camping in the jungle is a skill some of us almost mastered.
Next, we visited the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, where we had the amazing opportunity to see orangutans in their natural habitat. After being told there was a low chance of seeing even one, we felt that our manifesting had succeeded after seeing 6 in total including 2 large males and some babies- we felt incredibly lucky. Watching them swing through the trees was a reminder of the importance of protecting endangered species.
One of the highlights of our trip was working with the local community in Lobang Batu to support sustainable tourism around the Gua Silabur caves. We learned about village life, helped improve local infrastructure, and got stuck in with tasks that brought the whole team together— with a lot of laughs along the way. Building a concrete path, playing two football games versus the locals, learning how to prepare local food and hiking to the caves created the most memorable few days of the trip.
We also explored the stunning Tanjung Datu National Park, one of Borneo’s most remote and beautiful areas. There, we supported turtle conservation efforts and were lucky enough to release three nests of baby turtles into the ocean—one of which we watched hatch right in front of us. The opportunity to join the night patrol watch for landing mother turtles and the once in a lifetime sleeping arrangements in cabins facing the sea were highlights of the trip.
Beyond all the activities, some of the most memorable moments came from spending time together as a group—whether it was games of spoons by torchlight, singing through long treks or chaotic trips to the launderette. The friendships we built and the memories we made will stay with all of us for life and for the year 13s on the trip in particular, it was the perfect last Marist trip send off, that has certainly prepared us to the extremes for university and future ambitions.”
