



I've booked four tours with the excellent Christal Yao of Odynovo: Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and, most recently, Borneo. In every case, I had an amazing experience. Christal has always been thorough and patient in tailoring trips to my interests.
She has an uncanny ability to connect me with terrific guides as well. In Borneo, Phillip, at Mt. Kinabalu National Park, had a deep knowledge of the history of Malaysian Borneo. Basri, my guide in Sepilok and the first portion of the Kinabatangan River, knew so much about the flora and fauna of the island. Not only that, he helped with my photography, making sure I had the ideal vantage points for the best shots. Junior, who picked up the second leg of the Kinabatangan journey, got me close to the elusive pygmy elephants. Jean Soria, one of the resident guides at Borneo Rainforest Lodge in the Danum Valley, had a deep knowledge of the wildlife in the area. We were even lucky enough to see an orangutan. In addition, Jean was personable, funny, and compassionate--a great teacher.
I highly recommend Christal if you book through Odynovo. In fact, I'm already planning a fifth trip to Asia, this time with my son, and I'll be calling on Christal again.