An Unbelievable Sunrise Over Borneo
Our trip to the rainforest in Borneo and the Danum Valley Conservation Area was a fascinating experience. Danum Valley is one of the last remaining virgin rainforests in Asia and was declared a conservation area in 1980. This 60-million-year-old tract of land is home to many plant and animal species found only in Borneo, with more than 275 species of birds and 110 species of mammals, including the Orang Utan.
What I'd like to share with you today is this progressive series of photos highlighting the sunrise from the climate recording tower overlooking the Danum Valley. We arrived there at 5:45AM, after a long drive from the lodge to witness a mist-covered landscape resembling a seascape with myriad islands. In reality, it was a fog-covered landscape obscuring all but the tips of the jungle-covered hills. The beauty lasted for approximately one hour and changed a lot during that time. Please enjoy and there is so much more yet to come!
It's no wonder those creatures are only found in borneo! Look at that sunrise! What animal in thier right mind would want to miss that! Your very lucky Martha!! Thank you!
http://www.meandmartha.net
Dan Viger
Hollis center, Maine
Posted by: Dan Viger | May 27th, 2010 at 1:15 am
The photos look like the creation of the earth!
Posted by: Brenda Knowlton | May 27th, 2010 at 2:01 am
Wow! I never thought Kota Kinabalu is such a beautiful place! Great shots! =)
Posted by: Prentiss | May 27th, 2010 at 3:11 am
No man could ever have created this. And yet. It is there. It works together and all we can do is, be silent and watch the beauty of it all. Tnx for sharing these wonderful photos. Juan.
Posted by: Juan Felix | May 27th, 2010 at 3:34 am
I am glad you had this opportunity especially when it was not included in the itinerary. Thank you for coming to Borneo!!! Next one is Maliau Basin - Sabah's Lost World or Mount Kinabalu hehehe!!!!
Posted by: Tengku Puteri Soraya | May 27th, 2010 at 5:17 am
These are beautiful photos. I have been traveling and unable to catch up with your blog...so I just took the time to read the last seven days on your blog. Your blog is so creative Martha. It really inspires me.
Posted by: E. Teresa Touey | May 27th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Most definitely worth getting up early to see! Truly beautiful! Trish
Posted by: Trish | May 27th, 2010 at 8:37 am
WOW! The fog is so thick, it looks like clouds! I never saw it so thick before.
Posted by: KLBrown | May 27th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Heaven on earth! Glad you came to see this for yourself and then bring the world to Danum.
Posted by: Lucy | May 27th, 2010 at 9:07 am
beautiful pictures, you always get some unusual shots,thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Karlene Wissel | May 27th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Martha you always have the most enthralling journeys to share with us. Time for a Martha Stewart Travel magazine!
The photos are truly beautiful, but I am really curious as to what the jungle smells like on a misty morning. Silly I know, but something I have yet to experience
Thanks again for more inspiration!
Posted by: R. | May 27th, 2010 at 9:43 am
My goodness.... I just woke up to check out Martha'a latest post and this is what i see... the most beautiful images to start my day- You can only imagine the actual sight, smell and sound of such a gorgeous place that morning- Karlene you are right! ... Just beautiful
I am in awe of the pictures; just imagine if i was there- Thank you Martha for sharing your trip with us!
Posted by: Suzann T. | May 27th, 2010 at 11:11 am
WOW! Breathtaking.
Posted by: Sara Monzo | May 27th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Wow! Martha you enjoy that for the rest of us.
Posted by: Heather Ozee | May 27th, 2010 at 11:44 am
This reminds me that I should take a camera to work every day. I start at sunrise on a ridge top, and I have seen too many wasted photo opportunities. This morning would have been a good one, with horizontal, linear wisps of salmon pink, hot pink, lilac, gold, and silver. I could kick myself for not thinking of bringing a camera a month ago, when the full moon set right around sunrise, and it looked like a 100 ft wide glowing ball, 500 feet above the ground.
Posted by: Michele | May 27th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
.
Borneo Sunrise
.
A mirage of beauty disguising the real beauty;
Sea of fog created by a steaming jungle, daily.
Sixty million years of growth, leafy and rooty,
Sun's reflection imposing itself on cloud vapors frailty.
Jungle tipped hills and Sun over the horizon emerging.
Imagine the sounds as this ancient part of Earth, wakens.
A visual extravaganza as the fog continues surging.
Daybreak permeates the fog in the canopy and is shaken.
The large hot, bright and much needed fireball in the sky,
Our Sun inevitably on its path traveled since time began.
Filtered blue light as the jungle chatter increases high,
All appetites will be rewarded, even that of vegan.
.
.
Thankyou Martha for the joy you pass along to us
mere mortals.
Posted by: celia stock | May 27th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
WOW! What a journey... a life time full of memories. No wonder they say early bird get's the worm. Sunrise is a event that is amazing. Thank you for sharing your trip.
Diana
Posted by: DIANA TATEVOSSIAN | May 27th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
How long will this natural beauty last? Thanks for showing us.
Posted by: http://twitter.com/Geotravel | May 27th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I'd love to know what you ate on this early morning adventue before you arrived at the location ( 5:45)for the sunrise. Thanks.
Posted by: http://twitter.com/Geotravel | May 27th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
What wonderful pictures! I'll admit that I have never seen such a sunrise and I have traveled a bit too. Thanks for the pictures. I feel like we are traveling along with you because you are so generous with your time and your wonderful camera. I'll check back in tomorrow. Have a wonderful trip, Martha.
Posted by: Libbygirl | May 27th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Hi Martha,
I live in Malaysia and even I was not aware the beauty of Borneo until I saw yr.photos. Fantastic! You definitely have the touch with the camera. Makes us all want to go there.
Posted by: Veronica Kwang | May 27th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Hi Martha, These photos of the sunrise over Danum Rain Forest area are absolutely stunning! They remind me of foggy mornings here in the south Puget Sound area when the water would be covered by low foggy clouds and yet I could see the top of Maury Island and the Olympic Mountains as the sun rose. The sky would be kind of pinkish and sometimes the fog would cover the whole area for a while. I just love all of the photos you have shared with us! Keep them comming!! Love, Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | May 27th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Amazing. Thank you.
Posted by: Sameera Azad | May 30th, 2010 at 11:32 am
those photos should be made into the next year 2011 calendar of the year...beauty..even as a Malaysian it really mesmerised me.
good photograping Martha!!
Posted by: shariffudin abd latiff | May 31st, 2010 at 4:34 am
Sabah is heaven on earth! Did you visit the diving paradise of Sipadan off the east coast of Sabah and the Agnes Keith House in Sandakan? I have blogged about your visit to Malaysia in http://www.dancesportmalaysia.blogspot.com.
Posted by: Dance Aficionado | June 1st, 2010 at 1:32 am
Serenity at its best
Posted by: Kartini Illias | June 1st, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Dear Martha, Thank you for being so generous and your kind words about your trip. I am from Sabah and now lived in Kuala Lumpur and thrilled to note of your visit but somehow it clashes with our not for profit organization annual convention in neighboring Miri, Sarawak.
However, our past International president and his wife Irene bumped into you at the Kota Kinabalu lounge en-route home and all she mentioned is that she managed to greet you but short of asking you for photograph. What a waste and how ironic we are connected again here! Hope you enjoyed the flight home with our national airline MAS as I am also associated with as being their crew.
We continue to welcome you in your future trip , God Bless!
Posted by: Ritchie | June 1st, 2010 at 9:54 pm
.
SUPERB, SUPREME, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
.
.....notice the lamb's face foregrounding in the sky.....see the peace softly brought to you as you stand on the edge of a landscape meant to take you there.......like a prayer.. ... .. .
.
Posted by: Andrea Spencer | June 2nd, 2010 at 1:09 pm
The next time you come don't forget to visit
Survivor Island too. Tq.
Posted by: desmond koh | June 4th, 2010 at 7:13 am
I just took pictures of the skies during the sunsets in Kuching (Borneo) too lately.. It's been quite enchanting these days.. It's a miracle!
Posted by: Nadia | June 6th, 2010 at 10:41 am
I am in awe of the photos. Please include info about the camera and setting! Are you still using the Canon G11? Please provide more info on DSLR and point and shoot photography! I loved the show that included photos taken and shared by Ann Curry! Please take the lead in fostering learning in the behind the camera insights in your photography! Thanks! Love all of your shows...just can't stop learning!
Posted by: Gwen | September 26th, 2010 at 6:03 pm