Permai Rainforest Resort is an eco-resort set in pristine Borneo rainforest located on the shores of the South China Sea, and at the foot of mystical Mount Santubong. Carefully designed to minimise impact on the natural environment, it offers a unique rainforest experience. The resort is only 25 km or 30 minutes drive north of Kuching, the capital of Sarawak.
We stayed in treehouse number 8 and it was great! Clean, bright, spacious, tastefully decorated & actually quite luxurious inside. Nicely mosquito-proof with comfortable double bed plus two extra mattresses. Useful fridge and very nice bathroom with hot shower. Thoughtful kitchenette (with coffee, bring your own tea bags), mini-fridge, and updated bathroom, just imagine taking shower at 25 feet above the ground! I loved sitting out on the balcony listening to the sounds of the waves on the rocks below, watch the sunset and the nature's noises of the jungle.
The aircon worked fine, but most of the time we just used the overhead fan and opened the doors with the screens drawn. A truly "Magical by Nature" place to stay, especially the tree houses are so delightful, you may never want to leave! Book your treehouse now!
Touring Kayak DBL: RM40/hour
Touring Kayak SGL: RM30/hour
Snorkeling Set: RM25/hour
Frisbee: RM10/hour
Personal Floating Device: RM5/hour
Volleyball with net: RM15/hour
Kayak Expedition: RM60/day
Night Kayaking: RM60/two hours
Parasol: RM30/half day
From our treehouse it was a short walk past the jungle pool to beach number 2. The sands were white, the water tropical with yellow and zebra colored tropical fish and bright teal and purple rock crabs, and cute little mudskippers all around. We were the only ones on the beach for most of our time there. Though the sea water was warm, the forest pool was a clean crisp way to rinse & cool off before returning to the room.
One afternoon we took the loop trail through the jungle (about 2 hours). I think it was just right for us...moderate exercise, some ascents but not too tough. A fun rope bridge to cross a stream at one point. A waterfall at the midway point with cute little treefrogs about. We saw some wildlife, though mostly we heard them. Another night we hired a boat to go on the resort's offered evening Mangrove/crocodile watching/firefly outing which we enjoyed quite a lot...saw lots of proboscis monkeys, a few crocs and after dark the trees were sparkling with fireflies. It was fun to get out on the boat, but a thunderstorm was brewing so the captain let us off at Santubong village for safety(the sea was growing choppy), and the resort sent out a van to ferry us back.
The resort offers many tours and activities that are fairly priced discount on the Sarawak Cultural Village entrance & shoping, which is a 10 minute walk from Permai’s main gate. If you are staying a few days, Bako National Park is easily accessible from Permai and they also offer great river cruises to see Irrawaddy dolphins.
We liked the Rainforest Cafe. I would definitely recommend the local menu items over the western dishes, especially the freshly made juice drinks, delicious. Breakfast is included with choice of items off the menu including both Western or local food. In the evening the special Sarawak Laksa at first seemed pricey (18 RM...about $6), it was really yummy and came with a HUGE lobster sized rock prawn. Also their fruit smoothies were made on the spot and were delicious!
We enjoyed the beautiful beach and tide pools. The resort also has a rustic swimming pool that makes use of a fresh water steam that fills the two concrete pools nd then overflows into the sea. There are trails to explore on the complex with wildlife if you are up earlier enough in the morning. In the evening after a long day exploring and swimming the treehouse was a wonderful, relaxing spot to come home to. Very restful.
The aircon worked fine, but most of the time we just used the overhead fan and opened the doors with the screens drawn. A truly "Magical by Nature" place to stay, especially the tree houses are so delightful, you may never want to leave! Book your treehouse now!
Here’s list renting for activities:
Kayak Double: RM20/hour Kayak Single: RM15/hour Touring Kayak DBL: RM40/hour
Touring Kayak SGL: RM30/hour
Snorkeling Set: RM25/hour
Frisbee: RM10/hour
Personal Floating Device: RM5/hour
Volleyball with net: RM15/hour
Kayak Expedition: RM60/day
Night Kayaking: RM60/two hours
Parasol: RM30/half day