Published: Ulu Temburong Photos in Travel+Leisure Magazine May 2012

Once in a while, an opportunity comes along to have a number of nature or landscape photos picked by the editorial team of an esteemed international travel magazine. My latest addition to the published portfolio is Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia May 2012 edition where four of my Ulu Temburong photos are featured in the article: Brunei’s Backyard. Having given up trying to locate a copy of this magazine at Singapore Changi Airport and Brunei newsstands, I decided it’s so much easier just purchasing a copy online! You’ll have to guess which ones are mine and which are provided by Brunei Tourism.

“Emerging into an ocean estuary with mountains in the distance,
I think: I would fly to Brunei just to take this boat ride”

Aerial Photography: An Eye Over The Temburong Rainforest

Click on image to read this article (1MB JPEG) © Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia Edition

“Vegetation hugs the river, giant ferns letting in patches of smoky light.
It feels almost cinematic.“

An Asian Geographic Honourable Mention: Rare Photo of a Pygmy Squirrel at Ulu Temburong

Click on image to read this article (1MB JPEG) © Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia Edition

AN AUSTRALIAN IN THE BRUNEIAN OUTBACK

Continuing from Festive Flavours is an article by Chris Cummins in which three of my Temburong rainforest are featured. I am very fortunate to have seen our Temburong on two separate photography assignments, one from an Air Force chopper including this view of Brunei LNG plant and another on foot and by boat exploring much of the rainforest as the preface declares, “The exclave of Temburong, home to most of Brunei’s virgin rainforest, could very well be Brunei’s answer to the outback. Chris Cummins takes us on a candid journey deep into the jungle revealing the quirks of this eco-treasure trove.” Grab your copy of Jan–Feb 2011 biG magazine and read Chris insight of the Temburong rainforest that was featured in Singapore Airlines SilverKris magazine: Brunei 5 Must Dos.

A resort in the mist | An Eye Over Temburong | Asian Geographic Honourable Mention

For many, the rainforest is the highlight, and rightly so. Still, one can’t help but be thrilled by soaring upriver for nearly an hour against a strong current weaving between rocks in the driving rain. The roar of the river is constant, as is the rain (pretty much expected, being in the rainforest) … I was almost lulled into the sense of being an early explorer, pushing into the land of the headhunters when reality arrived in the form of another canoe full of photo snapping tourists — not taking pictures of the forest, but of us, another load of grinning tourists deep in darkest Borneo. — Chris Cummins

Some of the most breathtaking landscapes can only be appreciated up high in the pre-dawn hours.

An amazing view of the Ulu Ulu Resort operated by Sunshine Tours, one that inspired the title of my post 'A Resort in the Mist.' You have to have spent a night or two here to get close and personal with the rainforest and its surroundings to complete your visit to the Temburong National Park

A Caucasian visitor typically accompanied by a boatman crosses a suspension bridge on his way to the boat. Boatmen are typically local to the rainforest and make perfect guides.

ASIAN GEOGRAPHIC HONOURABLE MENTION

This morning after returning home from my usual Saturday morning routine, I randomly picked up a copy of magazine from my stash of Asian Geographic magazine collection only to discover that I had received an Honourable Mention from the 2008 ASIA WITHOUT BORDERS Photo Competition. Casually flipping the complimentary copy of PHOTO ANNUAL 2008 that came bundled with PHOTO ANNUAL 2009 No. 69 Issue 8/2009 I was going down the list of winners in the Honourable Mentions | Wild Places on page 120 and noticed my full name in print—suddenly this Saturday isn’t so usual any more!

Pygmy Squirrel — The Honourable Mention entry.

I normally don’t like surprises but to be surprised like this on another wet and unproductive day, I don’t mind! Say hello to this cute tiny little Pygmy Squirrel which I photographed while on assignment at the Temburong Ulu Ulu Resort (check out the gallery for other pictures of small ephemeral creatures).

The Pygmy Squirrel is really very tiny and so happened I had the 70-200mm f/2.8 on my full frame 5D and it was darting about the resort when I first caught sight of it. Standing very still and quite unbelievably, it came towards me and was  just inches from my feet—a definitive get it or lose it moment—quite nerve wrecking!

Previously published photos in ASIAN GEOGRAPHIC magazine include  Brunei Hari Raya Aidilfitri Celebrations

Complimentary copies of Asian Geographic mags for my collection