A botanical and culinary journey
The trip in March 2026 was wonderful.
Bookings for March 2027 are now open.
Places are limited to 8 participants.
Contact me to chat and book your spot!
I’d like to let you hear the mesmerising and soothing sounds of the jungle…
Let you feel the power of an age-old act of foraging…
Let you smell the myriad scents of the market…
Let you see the marvellous colours of the canopy.
I’d like you to feel the power of tropical vegetation...
The power of the soil on which hundreds of thousands of living species thrive.
I’d like you to experience the culinary and artisanal creativity of the Iban and Bidayuh communities of Borneo....
That is why I am organising this trip to Malaysia – so that you can experience the transformative power of Borneo for yourselves. After more than 15 years travelling the length and breadth of Malaysia for my ethnobotanical research, I am finally opening up a tour to the general public! The 2026 tour treated us to culinary and botanical wonders.
The 2027 journey is set to be just as exciting!
I have selected for you artisans, chefs and specialists who are doing an extraordinary job of preserving and showcasing the beauty and flavours of Malaysia.
"This trip has allowed me to discover / rediscover my joy. It makes me feel freer and happier.”
2026 participant
"It was lovely to let the two of you take care of me during those 10 days and to focus solely on my inner self.”
2026 participant
"All those new tastes and flavours – I really enjoyed them!”
2026 participant
Immersion and an introduction to nature and cultures
We will journey together for 10 days, guided by the flavours, scents, beauty and knowledge of the state of Sarawak.
We will set out to meet the people, plants and animals of this incredible region.
In Borneo, we are not just coming to experience a forest. We are coming to meet those who live alongside it, and to learn, together, how to observe plants.
This is an immersive journey, where we’ll find ourselves at times in the mangroves, where mangrove trees and nypa palms ebb and flow with the tides; at other times in the maze of narrow streets in colourful, multicultural towns and villages; and at still other times enveloped in the soothing sounds of the jungle.
We’ll cook and sample traditional recipes with local custodians of this knowledge, who have mastered the art of foraging and making the most of the forest’s ingredients.
We’ll practise ancestral techniques of basket-weaving and plaiting, learning to feel the fibres with our fingertips as we watch an object take shape, born of the bond between people and the forest.
This is an invitation to take part in a conversation between people, plants and worlds that come together.
It is an immersive experience that transports you to flavours, scents, images and knowledge that touch you deeply.
Practical information
Dates: 15 March to 24 March 2027, on-site. Flights are not included, so you are free to extend your trip!
We will recommend a travel partner to book your tickets, but if you have a favourite agency, you are free to use them instead.
Arrival and departure: Our meeting point will be Kuching Airport, Malaysia.
Accommodation: Accommodation will vary throughout the trip: hotels, lodges, longhouses… Rooms will be shared.
Meals: We’ll enjoy locally prepared meals. There will be options for special dietary requirements (vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free).
Prerequisites: None! You are welcome regardless of your experience of traveling or your plant knowledge.
Health: We will ask you to complete a health questionnaire to better understand your circumstances. No psychotropic plants will be ingested during this trip. Botanical tours with information on the uses of plants are not a substitute for medical advice!
Insurance: You are responsible for arranging your own travel insurance. This is sometimes included with your credit card.
Number of places available: The group will consist of between 5 and 8 participants to ensure you get the most out of the experience. We guarantee the trip will go ahead with a minimum of 5 participants.
Price: €2,800 (including VAT)
The visa for Malaysia is free of charge and will be issued on arrival at the airport.
The price includes:
- A minibus with driver for road transfers;
- Hotel accommodation (in double or twin rooms);
- Accommodation in traditional dwellings (in longhouses, rooms may accommodate more people);
- Three meals a day;
- Entrance fees and local guides in the parks;
- Transfers to and from the airport;
- Boat crossings;
- All activities mentioned in the itinerary.
Le prix ne comprend pas :
- Optional activities;
- Drinks;
- Travel insurance;
- Single room supplement, subject to availability;
- Personal expenses;
- International flights to Kuching (Malaysia);
- Transport from your home to or from the airport or departure railway station;
- Costs arising from circumstances beyond the control of local service providers or the organiser (adverse weather conditions, geopolitical issues, etc.)
To help you prepare for the trip, remote meetings via Zoom will be arranged so that we can go through the packing list together and answer any questions you may have… We’ll do everything we can to ensure this trip is an exceptional experience for you!
Programme
Itinerary - subject to change depending on unforeseen circumstances whilst on site.
15 March: Arrival at Kuching Airport. Transfer to the Permai Rainforest Hotel. Relaxation on the beach and in the forest pool. Welcome diner.
Overnight stay at the Permai Rainforest Hotel.
16 March: Hike in Santubong National Park to explore the giant trees. Time to relax by the sea.
Overnight stay at the Permai Rainforest Hotel.
17 March: Visit to the ‘Gula Apong’ Nypa palm sugar craft workshop in the mangrove forest. Meditation and sharing circle (optional). Dinner at a traditional restaurant in Kuching. Overnight stay at the Permai Rainforest Hotel.
18 March: Transfer to the hills. Encounter with orangutans at the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. Lunch en route. Wild foraging and traditional Bidayuh cooking workshop at Saloma's Village Stay.
Traditional dinner.
Overnight stay in the beautiful wooden homestay.
19 March: Departure for the Iban longhouse in the heart of Borneo. Botanical and gourmet exploration of the local market. Transfer by boat along the river. Sharing circle (optional). Evening and dinner with the longhouse residents.
Night at the longhouse, Borneo's iconic communal dwelling.
20 March: Knowledge-sharing with the longhouse residents: culinary and medicinal botanical knowledge, etc. Visit to traditional gardens. Opportunity to try your hand at traditional basket weaving (bamboo, nypa, etc.). Meditation. Evening of traditional music. Overnight stay at the longhouse.
Anyone interested can take part in an ethnobotanical field survey alongside me!
21 March: Ethnobotanical walk. Introduction to jungle cooking techniques, traditional picnic in the forest. Swimming in the great river. Meditation in the forest. Traditional dinner. Overnight stay at the longhouse.
22 March: Breakfast at the longhouse. Transfer by bus and boat to the hotel. Meditation and reflection circle.
Overnight stay at the Permai Rainforest Hotel.
23 March: Traditional cooking workshop in Kuching. Tour of the old town. Local coffee tasting. Dinner in town.
Overnight stay at the Permai Rainforest Hotel.
24 March: Closing ceremony and transfer to the airport.
Option to extend your stay at a discounted rate at the Permai Rainforest Hotel.
The cookery workshops will be vegan or vegetarian. During dinners at restaurants, you are, of course, free to choose your own dishes. Vegan and/or gluten-free options will always be available. We’ll discuss this in advance when you book!
lucie.benoit1 (at) gmail.com
France - Morbihan