If you are looking for a Green Holiday in more ways than just being Irish, then the Sukau Rainforest Lodge on the banks of the Kinabatangan River near Kg Sukau in Sabah is the pinnacle of Eco Tourism…..

Eco Tourism really began to take off in the early 1990s to combat uncontrolled tourist development that can lead to over commercialisation, pollution and disturbance to the wildlife – in fact destroying the very things that attract people in the first place.
Sukau Rainforest Lodge adopts an eco-friendly approach to everything it does.  It sits on stilts to minimise the impact of annual flooding, improve air circulation and to keep away unwelcome creepy-crawlies and animals.  Built from local hardwood species like Belian (Borneo ironwood), Merbau and Selangan Batu, the lodge blends in with the surrounding forest. Many native plants were left intact during construction to provide natural shade and privacy to the guests.  The 20 guestrooms are compact, but the beds are comfy and the sheets are clean. Its airy design allows the lodge to do away with air-conditioning.
Water supply is taken from rainwater and is solar heated to provide hot showers.   Organic waste materials are turned into compost and non-biodegradable solid wastes are separated and sent for recycling in Sandakan. There’s no television and radio at the lodge, but entertainment comes from the twice-daily river cruises, walks along the 500-metre-long boardwalk with knowledgeable resident naturalists or stargazing on the open decks on a clear night. If you’re lucky, you might spot elephant stomping across the built-in ‘passes’ that allow the animals to pass through the property.
Food is the other compensation, with dishes like grilled prawns and fish supplied by local fishermen or chilled beer s at the riverside Melapi restaurant.  More than 80% of the Lodge’s staff are local Orang Sungai people from Kg Sukau. Local woodworkers crafted the wooden boats to ferry visitors and built the boardwalks, decks, benches, chairs and tables.   Four locals have now trained to become guides and their English is improving day by day.
The lodge donates a dollar for every tourist to the fund for conservation in Sabah. There are other lodges in the area but none are true Eco Lodges and none do as much to promote and protect the very things that make this such a desirable tourist destination.