Borneo: The Death March Musings

"A trek with the spirits of the fallen that will change your life" - Sam Siegel, Invictus Endeavour

The jungle presses in on all sides, a thick, lush wall of green. The path in front of me winds its way through tree roots, hanging creepers and other hazards waiting to trip or snag the unwary. The air is filled with the sound of insects and, further off in the distance, the hooting of gibbons. A chameleon rests on a tree branch next to the trail, and we plunge onwards, sweating in the hot, humid air.

We are on the Sandakan Death March Trail, following in the footsteps of the forced labour march undertaken by Australian and British Prisoners of War towards the end of World War Two. Our local guides lead the way. They cut back encroaching foliage with machetes and point out local flora used for the purposes of both medicine and food. 

The trail was originally cut by villagers who thought it would only be used by the Japanese army and hence routed it far from habitation and through some of the densest jungle imaginable. It is tough for us in our hiking boots, breathable fabric and sunhats, and feeling refreshed after a lunch of fried chicken and rice and local fruit. It is impossible to imagine how tough it must have been for the malnourished, barefoot, seriously ill men who marched here during the War, a testament to their bravery and resilience.

As well as ploughing through the jungle, the trail leads us through plantations, fruit orchards and along tracks that we share with locals who bounce by on mopeds invariably waving and shouting words of encouragement. Tham, our local guide, is responsible for re-discovering the route taken on the Death March in conjunction with an Australian historian. He is an evangelist for the benefits of tourism to the local community and to keeping the memory of the men who died on the original march alive. In addition to the trekking, we have visited sites related to the march, places where the POWs camped on their trek and memorials to some of those who died along the way. They are intensely moving places, often with an eerie silence hanging over them. As I gaze out over the immense, seemingly unending sea of dense, green canopy, and Tham tells stories of ghosts and spirits, it’s easy to imagine the unknown lurking deep in the impenetrable recesses of the jungle, a thrilling sense of adventure and discovery fills the air.

We know that once we complete the four days on the Death March Trail our adventure won’t be over. After a day of rest and recuperation at the hot springs at Poring, where we soak our weary limbs and enjoy the hot, sulphurous water, we have a fresh challenge ahead of us.

Gunung Trusmadi awaits, the second highest peak in Borneo, but a notoriously tough challenge climbing up through more dense jungle and swooping over and along heavily forested ridges where huge, unique, insect-eating pitcher plants hang across the path and the summit swims in and out of the clouds. The challenges we face on this epic adventure pale into insignificance when compared to the travails of the men in whose footsteps we have walked and the sense of perspective gained from this is a fabulous motivation that has kept the team going through the tricky ascents and river crossings and on to our accommodation at the end of each day.

Borneo is a fantastic place. The landscape is challenging but unique and beautiful. The people are warm, welcoming, and supportive. The food and drink are plentiful and delicious, with incredible fresh fruit and potent rice wine. This trek matches all of this with the dark memories of the past and is a fantastic and humbling experience I would recommend to anyone who really wants a challenge!