The Borneo Longhouse
Terraced housing in the primeval forest!
Typically, Borneo longhouses are up to 100 meters long and house many different families under a single roof. As the families expand, so the house is extended.
Longhouses are typically located close to fast-flowing rivers, and so are built on stilts. An open veranda runs along the whole length of the longhouse, behind which the private living quarters of the individual families are located.
The Borneo Longhouse at Tropical Islands is in the typical Orang Ulu style. The Orang Ulu are a tribe of Indian artists and one of the original peoples of Borneo. Their longhouses are traditionally decorated with carvings and paintings, and their household objects adorned with pearls.
The Borneo Longhouse was built in partnership with the Sarawak Central Tourist Office and is based on a house in the historical village museum in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak in Malaysia.