Review Author: Lee Ming

Review Date: 02 sep 2015

Review Body: I must say that it was a truly enjoyable trip to Ban Buan Kukuot Falls in Kampung Sadir. It’s guaranteed that the hike to the waterfall is safe as the trail is already nicely marked by the locals. While hiking, it was another eye-opening experience to explore the God created nature. We were amazed by the abundance of resources found in the woods as many plants that we saw have their own uses and benefits. It’s interesting to know that pitcher plants can actually be used to cook rice just as bamboos for their fragrance and the bark of a certain tree which contains sweetened flavor is boiled in water to make drinks. It’s worth it to see such a spectacular view of the waterfall after the long journey of hiking. The air is so refreshing with splashes of water droplets as the water rushes down from above. It’s fun to observe some little creatures in the water and in search for little prawns hidden between the stones! We enjoyed a superb meal by the waterfall. We were served with various local dishes, some even cooked on the spot using bamboos. Not to mention we also had the opportunity to visit SK St. Bernard in Kampung Sadir, the local resort-style school (sekolah ala resort) and also known as the most beautiful school in Sarawak. The school’s landscape is nicely designed with natural features of their surroundings, which also incorporated Bidayuh’s cultural elements. Things that caught our eyes are the man-made waterfall feature, Bidayuh’s signature bamboo hut and bridge, art sculptures from old bicycles, staircases made of tree trunks and a little museum displaying traditional tools and utensils. So why do we sign up for the tour packages offered by The Backyard Tour Guide? The main reason is we are impressed by the objective behind this non-profit team which hope to lift the local rural youths out of poverty by providing them job opportunities through eco-tourism and in turn leads them to a brighter future. Why not get all the nice experiences that the tours can offer and at the same time support the local rural youths? 😉 **Special thanks to the local guides Lawrence & Nicholas, and also Daniel Wong for making this trip a memorable one. 🙂

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Seow

Review Date: 15 jun 2019

Review Body: Our first time in Kuching. Could not decide on which tour operator out of quite many to choose from or self drive. Decided quite instantly on BACKYARD as the website write up sounds different. It was the social 'back to the local community' concept that caught my attention. Cause was our first time and we had only two full days, we wanted to something with the popular must-go and yet able to catch a glimpse of the natural local heritage or cultural. So so glad we engaged Backyard. Abbie was our guide who first and foremost communicated very promptly and carefully pre-trip. Right at the onset, I had the most positive impression. Really helpful pre-trip service. We also had a good 'buy' of both professional tour guide knowledge and services plus personal insights into the places we went. What was valuable was info about places in-between destinations. Abbie was also rather candid to provide views about what spots in town we could give it a miss so she helped not waste our time when we left her to do some more 'tour walk' on our own. The service and guiding by Abbie was of the good standard despite the not so high pricing, and throughout our needs were taken care of. We could sense she was not just after some commercial benefit. Example, provided head torch for us and chilled drinks when the weather got very hot. It's the small details that made us feel like we were with an old friend not a paid guide. She was also quite flexible to detour for a meal in the local town centre and took a different route for us to catch a local river side village. I think our first trip Kuching would have a just better than so-so if not for this wonderful one day simple tour with Backyard. This is super nice trip!! I will surely ask my friends and family to engage them for a value for money yet no quality compromised, very personalised service!! May I wish Abbie and hubby great success in bringing sustainable livelihood back to the local villages yet keeping the authenticity of their tribes!! Thank you so much Abbie!! We will be back with our 'tribes' :)

Review rating: 5

Review Author: StephenStocks

Review Date: 04 apr 2017

Review Body: Whenever I travel to an unfamiliar destination (such as Sarawak) I prefer to book a private tour, to get an in-depth and personal insight into the destination. I selected Backyard Tours for this reason, and was so glad I did. From the very first interaction, I had the most positive impression. I organised two day-tours just 48 hours before I flew to Kuching with my family. My emails were answered immediately (within just a few minutes) by Abbie, and within a couple of hours everything was organised and confirmed. Really great pre-trip service. Now to the tours themselves. I was travelling with my family (wife and two children aged 8 and 4). The first day we visited the Serikin border market, fairy caves and wind caves. The children loved the cave experience, particularly seeing the thousands of resident bats! We then did a cruise of the Bau lake. The second day was the real highlight. After visiting the Semenggoh Orang Utan reserve first thing in the morning, we travelled to a remote village in the border region. Upon arrival at the village we picked up a local guide and trekked about 30-40 minutes through the jungle to a remote waterfall. Amazing scenery and experience all round. At the waterfall our children loved swimming in the natural pool. It was a real paradise location, completely unspoilt and free of tourists, with lush jungle vegetation and fruit growing in profusion. Whilst we swam, a fantastic local lunch in tribal style was cooked, comprising chicken, catfish, local vegetables and rice, which all of us enjoyed, even our youngest son who has been known to be rather picky! The service and guiding by Abbie and her fiance was of the highest standard, and throughout they took the best care of us. Their vehicle, a Land Cruiser, was perfect for comfortable travel. On this holiday we travelled widely around Malaysia, and I can confidently say that the time spent with Backyard Tours was the undoubted highlight. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Gloria Goh

Review Date: 10 jun 2015

Review Body: We were intrigued when we first read about the Backyard Tour Guide. We enjoy learning about people, culture and places by interacting with local people who knew best about their locality and their customs. We were aware the BTG were new to eco-tourism. We selected the Ban Buan Kukuot Falls Day Trip. We were driven to Kampung Sadir by Daniel and Abbie. Our host, Lawrence, was friendly but shy. He pointed out the various herbal and edible plants as well as bee hives along our track. We noted with deep respect that the villagers walk this steep and sometimes slippery route daily to their farms. Life is tough at Kampung Sadir. We enjoyed the pristine waterfall. The dip in the natural rocky pool was refreshing. Lawrence amazed us with the traditional lunch cooked by him. Rice cooked in bamboo, local chicken dish, fresh fish and home grown vegetables, all from his village. We were drenched walking back to Kampung Sadir in the rain but we are in the equatorial/tropical rainforest after all. Those who enjoy the outdoors and trekking may like this experience. Daniel and Abbie also kindly sought permission for us to witness the Gawai celebrations at Kampung Giam. Our enthusiastic young hostess, Yen, and her family warmly welcomed us into their home for a delicious home-cooked meal. The lemang was the best I have ever tasted! We had the chance to meet some of the friendly villagers before the festivities. We enjoyed the traditional dances performed by the young children, all trained by our versatile Yen, a talented dancer. The adults too danced with skill and enthusiasm. We could see that the community was close-knitted. Thank you, Daniel and Abbie, for making this experience possible. Good luck with BTG. Best wishes to Lawrence and Yen. Should we have the chance to visit Kuching again, we will want to do a home stay with BTG!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lih Khiang B

Review Date: 04 jan 2017

Review Body: Backyard Tour surprised us with a refreshing and magnificent waterfall after a short trekking through forest with the guide from Lawrence, Simon and Dawson. There we got a chance to get wet ourselves and enjoy an alfresco meal of the best grilled fish, chicken soup cooked in bamboo and delicious local vegetable. It stunned our eyes when Lawrence and Simon jumped from the top of the waterfall bravely. Then, we went and visited Annah Rais Long House, Padawan with a very warm welcome from Bidayuh people who offered homemade drink. After the visit, we travelled to Kampung Giam and got a short tour around the village by Phyllis who is Bidayuh. She introduced the plants, bridges, school and people in the village to us. It is very fascinating to see the beauty of flowers and scenery such as mountain. To her, it is very important to preserve and share with others the culture of Bidayuh. So, after getting laksa, BBQ chicken and sausage as dinner, we had an opportunity to see a cultural performance done by some children. We even got involved and knew more about Bidayuh dances. After a good night sleep and rest in Giam Homestay, we prepared ourselves for the adventure to Penot Cave by sampan through Sarawak River with the guide from Poona and Robly. Another jungle trekking brought us to the cave. It was awesome to see the natural cave structure and bats flying all over our heads, even a small river in the cave. Next, we enjoyed local fruit which looks like mango and put ourselves into the cool water of the river. Overall, it is simple but fascinating!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Aryanna Y

Review Date: 14 apr 2017

Review Body: I scheduled 2 days-trip with Backyard Tour with my twin sister after I've reviewed the tours offered. I wanted to explore nearby forest, waterfall and caves. Day 1 trip, we departed at early morning heading to Bau. 1st destination was Serikin Market, where I can buy "batik traditional", handcraff made from sarawakian and souvenirs for my family members at affordable price. Then, we explored Fairy Cave, Bau. After that, we had a boat cruise at Blue Lake. I love the view at Blue Lake. Day 2 trip, we departed at early morning heading to Semenggoh to meet Orang Utan during feeding by the rangers. It was my 1st experience to get closed with Orang Utan. I still can remember how tough they are but still sweet to have the foods among themselves. Then, we departed to Sadir Village. We trekked with local guide about 20-30 minutes to reach at Mabi Waterfall. I still can feel the cold waterfall. Its so refreshed. After that we learned tradional native Bidayuh's cooking, prepared by local guide. I felt glad that Abbie and Lawrence can serve us Halal meals. While waiting for the foods ready, we had the conversations to share about local people surrounding. After done with meals, we departed to Annah Rais Bidayuh Long House. We explored the long house where the people still practice traditional lifestyle. Love to see the people there. I really recommended to join Backyard Tour for those who loves to get closed to nature, green view, waterfalls and traditional village.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: mayakl

Review Date: 11 nov 2016

Review Body: Abbie and Dawson met us at our lodge at 8.30am sharp and whisked off into the interior to an area called Padawan, about 1 1/2hrs out of Kuching town. The trip took us into Bidayuh land and being an agrarian community, we got to learn about the Bidayuh peoples traditional methods of planting and other processes of harvesting etc which was a highlight as it provides a sense of planting with a purpose – to feed the people and to feed the land. It is fantastic to see the local lads Harry, Leslie and Andy taking a keen interest in promoting their way of life to visitors and their interest in maintaining their forested land as it is , rather than turning it into vast plantations. Which provided us an opportunity to trek through secondary rainforests which led us into a cave, saw a variety of pitcher plants, did a bit of birdwatching along the way and then a visit to a wonderfully refreshing clean , crystal clear waterfall where we were treated to a buffet of bidayuh cuisine of chicken cooked in bamboo (on a fire which Andy had swiftly made by the river), salads made from local vegetables, grilled meats and the best tasting tea ever - cooked using water from the fall and bamboo from the forest. Well done Abbie and Dawson for a great introduction to life at Kampung Begu.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Korbinian H

Review Date: 17 sep 2017

Review Body: Backyard Tours provided a great tour, included all kinds of transport, food, accomodation and activities for my buddy and myself (30, m, Germany). I´ll just want to add some comments: - communication and booking was super uncomplicated. - the first homestay in Kidding was great! Very friendly hosts, nice people and great food! Having some beer with the chief was good fun too 😁! - The second place in Lawrence village was not as good as the first one, but still a nice experience. At that point it has to mentioned, it was hard to beat Kidding, a lovely place, with even a private bamboo balcony 😁! - the trips and activities at both location were excellantly choosen. Even the bad weather was not a problem! Walking through the mystic rainforest by heavy rainfall was a cool experience. We saw beautiful water falls and Andreas-fall and me-fall - it was indeed good fun! Overall Abbie, Dawsons, all the local guides and people we met did a great job and we highly recommend your company! You offer something unique in a world of all that standard trips. You cannot find it frequently that you are one of the only tourists around several kilometers! The cultural and natural experience make that trip definetly unforgettable for the two of us.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Sarah Herkess

Review Date: 17 aug 2017

Review Body: Backyard Tours embodies collaboration, responsible tourism, community centred values, empowerment and fun! I highly recommend them for an experience of Sarawak like no other. Backyard Tours provided an outstanding tailored experience for our group of 15 university students. Abbie and Dawson are everything you could wish for when organising and delivering a tour. They are professional, knowledgeable, responsive, fun, flexible and organised. We engaged Backyard Tours to facilitate a 5 day immersive village stay at Kampung Kiding. Backyard Tours organised all transport, food, homestays, local guides, translation, language lessons, and cultural activities in collaboration with villagers. Abbie and Dawson created a program of activities including basket weaving, blowpipe game, cultural dance, rice wrapping, pepper farm visit, soccer match, interviews (as required for our course) as well as facilitating and encouraging informal interaction between students and Villagers.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: sarahkateh88

Review Date: 30 aug 2017

Review Body: Backyard Tours provided an outstanding tailored experience for our group of 15 university students. Abbie and Dawson are everything you could wish for when organising and delivering a tour. They are professional, knowledgeable, responsive, fun, flexible and organised. We engaged Backyard Tours to facilitate a 5 day immersive village stay at Kampung Kiding. Backyard Tours organised all transport, food, homestays, local guides, translation, language lessons, and cultural activities in collaboration with villagers. Abbie and Dawson created a program of activities including basket weaving, blowpipe game, cultural dance, rice wrapping, pepper farm visit, soccer match, interviews (as required for our course) as well as facilitating and encouraging informal interaction between students and Villagers. Backyard Tours embodies collaboration, responsible tourism, community centred values, empowerment and fun! I highly recommend them for an experience of Sarawak like no other.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: RainbirdM

Review Date: 29 sep 2019

Review Body: We recently took part in the Be One With Nature day trip which included a hike through rainforest to a beautiful waterfall, watching our guide Lawrence cook a traditional meal in Bamboo over a camp fire, a swim in the waterfall pool and a hike back via a second waterfall. It was our first day in Borneo having landed the evening before, and it couldn’t have been a better introduction to this beautiful county, it’s rain forest and traditions. The lunch was fantastic, the grilled cat fish delicious and the bamboo cooked chicken and rice all lovely. We saw various rainforest plants of interest, loved the walk, and the swim in the pool was cooling and refreshing. Abbie was very interesting and knowledgeable telling us a lot of interesting information about Borneo and the culture. We started the walk from a remote village, which was interesting to see, and love that each tour provides a donation to local culture. A great day out which we would highly recommend.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: AMAquino

Review Date: 13 nov 2016

Review Body: We chose Backyard Tours as it offered a tour that met our requirements-a preview of authentic village life in just a day and an easy type of tour without much trekking and is not too tiring. We got what we wanted, gained so much insight from the Begu Village and Anna Rais Longhouse tour. What is amazing about Backyard Tours is that this started as one of the project proposals by young students sponsored by an organization and eventually became a small business with a social entrepreneurship framework. Dawson and Abbie were those students. For the Begu Tour they collaborated with farmers to take us around-not the usual type of farmers but young, sporty-looking guys who love social media aside from farming. They cooked us a truly delicious meal on bamboo over fire. Backyard Tours, according to the young owners, continues to develop its tour programs tapping the indigenous groups as Abbie comes from the Bidayuh tribe herself.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Ayql28

Review Date: 16 sep 2016

Review Body: I contacted Backyard Tours 2 days before my trip to Kuching and Dawson was quick to reply to my email. Dawson suggested a day tour to Bau town area, which was about 40 minutes away from Kuching. I had a great time exploring Bau and its surroundings with Dawson and Abbie. Dawson and Abbie were friendly, informative and knowledgeable guides. We went to a local market at Bau to buy food for our lunch. Thereafter, we stopped by Blue Lake before going to Serikin market, which was an interesting weekend market located at the border of Malaysia and Indonesia. For lunch, we had picnic at the waterfall. We ate local snacks, kolo mee and a local fruit (Buah Assam). After lunch, we went to Fairy Cave, which was a beautiful limestone cave. Before the tour ended, Abbie and Dawson took me to a local food stall to try shave ice dessert and local food. It was a fun day and I highly recommend Backyard Tours.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Sam A

Review Date: 08 apr 2017

Review Body: After a long time, finally had my trips with dear one. A fascinating trips to Serikin where you can buy anything from the border between 2 country. And then to Fairy Cave, a beautiful cave with its own myths that I only heard from the old folks. And the infamous Tasik Biru ( Blue Lake ),with legend and history behind it existing.Took a boat around the lake, can see how big is the lake and how blue it water,where it get it name. Really enjoy my one day trips. It definitely a worthy trips to enjoy with friends or family. Releasing my stress over works and get back to nature. #endorphinsrelease

Review rating: 5

Review Author: SyamsiahTan

Review Date: 24 jul 2019

Review Body: Great Hiking Experience. Flying off around 10.00 am and reach the peak at around 12.00pm. After a short walking from peak, arrive Jhanam waterfall & the view is amazing. Recommended for those whose like the adventure activity and exploring the nature. Ketua Kampung and all Backyard Tour team member is friendly and supportive. Nice accommodation. Please use suitable hiking shoes (don't hesitate to ask Abbie). But don't worry, Backyard Team is creative.Definitely will repeat again!! #LeaveNo1Behind #Backyard

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Mel R

Review Date: 03 feb 2026

Review Body: We had a wonderful time and our highlights were the trek up to the waterfall with Abbie, our guide, who was amazing. Very kind, knowledgeable and full of interesting stories about Sarawaks history, culture and people. Our Longhouse home stay family were so welcoming and we were invited to a birthday party within the community. Everyone was so kind and generous, it was such an interesting experience in itself. A trip definitely worth doing, especially if you can get Abbie as your guide!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lydia W

Review Date: 17 aug 2016

Review Body: It was a new experience for my friends and I. Really get what I wished for, an authentic jungle trekking & cooking in the forest! Delicious pansuh, fish & tapioca leaves. Dawson & Abbbie made us feel comfortable throughout the journey. Lawrence & Simon were entertaining & wonderful local guides too! Awesome trip with you guys today ^^. Thank you! The only worry is that the road to the village is prone to landslides. Would recommend to those who are looking for authentic experience!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lee Qi

Review Date: 07 sep 2015

Review Body: It had been an awesome and fun experience for me to hike along the trails to Ban Buan Kukuot Falls located in Kampung Sadir. With the help of the local guides, Nicholas and Lawrence, it's truly an amazing trip for me to get to know more about our nature gifted by God. We had an enjoyable lunch prepared by the local tour guides and with the scenery of the waterfall, it's splendid! Thanks alot for providing such a memorable trip!!!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Vivelise

Review Date: 09 aug 2016

Review Body: This is a truly special experience that I would recommend to anyone who is interested in sustainable, authentic, and ethical tourism. Visiting Kiding village was a real privilege and only made possible through the incredible teamwork of Abbie and Dawson. The community of Kiding welcomed us and opened their homes. The surrounding countryside is breathtaking, and the hikes to the waterfalls are the stuff great memories are made of.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: PeterP

Review Date: 08 mei 2026

Review Body: Our guide Abbie was a fantastic travel companion for the day. Her knowledge of the history, culture and ecosystem of the area added a whole new dimension to our tour. The Bidaiyuh lunch, cooked in bamboo over a makeshift camp fire, complete with tree bark tea and additional veggies sourced on the spot, was the culinary highlight of our entire trip. An unforgettable experience!

Review rating: 5

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Kuching, Karum Homestay, rivierbezoek, longhouse-tour, bamboemuziek.

Itinerary Description: Ochtend: Vertrek om 9.00 uur uit Kuching en inchecken bij Karum Homestay. Bezoek aan de nabijgelegen rivier voordat je teruggaat naar het longhouse voor de lunch. Middag: Longhouse-tour na de lunch, waarbij je het longhouse van voor tot achter verkent, inclusief het historische headhouse. Avond: Culturele avond waarin je kennismakt met bamboemuziek en de instrumenten ervan

Itinerary Day 2

Itinerary Summary: Bezoek aan een longhouse, 6 uur wandelen naar een waterval

Itinerary Description: Ochtend: Vertrek vanaf Karum Homestay bij de Annah Rais Longhouse naar een ander Bidayuh-dorp op een bergtop. Zodra je in het dorp aankomt, maak je je klaar voor een tocht door het tropische regenwoud van Borneo. Je trekt door de akkers van het dorp over een route van ongeveer 3 uur per enkele reis, in totaal zo’n 6 uur. Middag: Zwem bij de Tanju-waterval, Gareg-waterval of Jahnam-waterval (je kiest één waterval) en eet een lunchpakket voordat je terug wandelt naar het dorp. Avond: Breng de rest van de avond ontspannen door met je gastheer of gastvrouw

Itinerary Day 3

Itinerary Summary: Zonsopgang, blaaspijpspel

Itinerary Description: Ochtend: Wandel naar het hoogste uitkijkpunt van het dorp om de zonsopgang mee te maken, en speel een potje darts met een twist – met een blaaspijp. Check uit en vertrek voor 11.00 uur