Where the wild (Asian) things are

Pygmy elephants in the mist -- a morning cruise along Sabah’s Kinabatangan River may get you glimpses of some remarkable Asian wildlife

Golden langur

1. Manas National Park, India and Bhutan

Manas National Park is home to tiger, wild buffalo, elephant and hundreds of bird species, but the real Asian wildlife highlight is the golden langur monkey. Prior to the 1950s, the golden langur was thought to be extinct. Then naturalist E.P. Gee re-discovered the species in the Bhutanese Himalayas. Manas National Park is a transnational wildlife reserve occupying land in both India and Bhutan at the foothills of the Himalayas.

Ideal time for wildlife viewing: November to February

Where to stay: Bansbari Lodge

Komodo dragon

2. Komodo National Park, Komodo Island, Indonesia

With diverse marine and coral life, the waters surrounding Komodo National Park are excellent for scuba diving. But the creature to see is the one that holds the namesake of the main island -- the Komodo dragon. The world’s largest living lizard lives on the islands of Indonesia. It's primarily found on Komodo Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. The best time to spot Komodo dragons is outside of the mating season between July and August, as pregnant females nest between September and November.

Rainy season: December to March

Where to stay: The Amanwana & Amanikan Komodo Expedition offers a luxury wildlife experience. More down to earth, and affordable, is Bajo Komodo Eco Lodge.

Orangutan

3. Rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra

Alongside other Asian wildlife in the rainforests of Borneo (Malaysia) and Sumatra (Indonesia) resides the highly intelligent and endangered orangutan. The high concentration of more than 12,000 orangutans in relatively compact Borneo makes for easy viewing. The best times to spot the great apes are in the mornings before noon or late afternoon when they're not taking siestas.

Rainy season: October to April

Where to stay: Sukau Rainforest Lodge, where nearby Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest concentration of orangutans in Malaysia.

One-horned rhinoceros

4. Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India

Fewer than 3,000 one-horned rhinoceros survive in the wild. Most live in the grasslands, swamps and forests of India’s Kaziranga National Park. (Others are found in neighboring Nepal and Bhutan.) Poaching and habitat loss have contributed to the Indian rhino’s dwindling population. The rhino’s horn is mistakenly thought to be a natural aphrodisiac, which has made it a target for Asian wildlife poachers. In fact, the rhino horn has the same chemical structure as human hair and nails. 

Where to stay: Diphlu River Lodge. 

A river tour spots pygmy elephants

5. Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Borneo

Pygmy elephants are often spotted moving along the shores of Sabah’s Kinabatangan River. Their habitat is under threat by encroaching plantations, logging activity and hunting. With an average height of 2.5 meters, Borneo’s 1,500 endangered pygmy elephants are smaller than most of their Asian brethren, which in turn are smaller than their African cousins. 

Rainy season: November to April

Where to stay: Sukau Rainforest Lodge offers full Asian wildlife tour and lodging packages.

For more wild animal Asia, check out these CNNGo articles Urban Safari: Tokyo wildlife in the Kanda river and giant snails and dead snakes in Bangkok's 'Green Lung'.

When she’s not working, playing, blogging, tweeting, facebooking or twining (she’s always looking for social enterprises to add to her Goodwill Shopping twine), Winnie works on her book, No Clue Yet, a journey through the realms of philosophy, psychology, cognitive and affective neuroscience, spirituality and whatever inspires her to ponder the question: What does it mean to be human and happy?

Read more about Winnie So