LOCAL actress Pam Oei is wild about primates, especially chimpanzees and orang utans.

"I once spotted five to six orang utans roaming free in a nature reserve at Shangri-La's Rasa Ris Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah," says the nature lover. "I had to trek up a hill to see them, and on the way, I saw baby orang utans eating fruits on a small platform."

The actress. who will appear in Little Shop of Horrors with the Dim Sum Dollies at Victoria Theatre from this Thursday till Nov 18, hopes her next trip is to Taman Negara in Pahang.

The 34-year-old is among a growing number of Singaporeans who are opting for nature getaways to Malaysia, according to the tourism bodies in Malaysia and travel agents here.

Sabah, for instance, has seen the number of Singaporean holidaymakers jump from 5,206 in 2003 to 7,646 last year.

For the first six months this year, some 4,373 Singaporeans have visited the state, according to Sabah Tourism. The allure of Sabah lies in its abundantwildlife and nature.

Another popular nature destination is Taman Negara, hailed as Malaysia's premier national park.

Local travel agents, such as Fascinating Holidays, Eureka Travel and Atrium Eco Travel, agree that trips that bring travellers closer to nature are on the rise.

Mr Eric Tan, chief executive officer of Eureka Travel, says: "Today, we have close to 1,000 passengers a year, with the bulk (60 per cent) heading to Taman Negara."

Fascinating Holidays, on the other hand, handled 700 to 800 bookings to Taman Negara this year alone, a 40 per cent hike compared to bookings of 500 in 2003, says its managingdirector David Teo.

Mr Andy Yeo, managing director of Atrium Eco Travel, which specialises in off-the-beaten-track, wildlife and nature-based tours to Sabah and Sarawak, has seen 'a steady growth' in tourist numbers. "Although the numbers are small - 40 to 50 a year - they have grown tremendously from only six to eight a year in 2002," he reveals.

Why are Singaporeans wild about nature and wildlife?

"They like to escape the urban environment and see wildlife in the natural setting," explains Mr Ishak Mochtar, deputy general manager of Pahang Tourism. Pahang Tourism oversees Taman Negara in Pahang and other eco-touristic spots, like the Endau-Rompin State Park, Krau Wildlife Reserves and the new Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary.

For those planning a trip to Taman Negara, Mr Ishak advises:"Do not collect plants or hunt the animals at Taman Negara or deface signs on trees."

Take your pick

Atrium Eco Travel (Tel: 6536-9282)
Try the four-day Kinabatangan Safari package at $849 (adult) and $649 (child), which includes a tour to the famous Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan, a visit up the Kinabatangan River, return airfare from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu on Silkair and two nights' stay at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge.Or opt for the four-day Sarawak Nature Experience at $659 (adult) and $495 (child), which takes you to Bako National Park, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre and Gading National Park.Atrium Eco Travel also offers a three-day package to Kota Kinabalu at $488 per person (twin-sharing), inclusive of accommodation at Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort.

Eureka Travel (Tel: 6469-4766)
Jump on its four-day Pahang Adventure package at $328 per adult (twin-sharing) with coach transfer from Singapore and two nights' stay at the Mutiara Taman Negara Chalets.Or go for the two-day Johor Rainforests and Waterfalls package at $65 per adult (twin-sharing). Pay extra for return coach transfer.

Fascinating Holidays (Tel: 6735-5511)
Check out the five-day Back To Nature package to the Taman Negara Resort, Pahang, at $338 (twin-sharing). Prices include accommodation in an air-conditioned chalet, two-day train transport to Jerantut, boat transfer from Kuala Tembeling to Kuala Tahan and two nights' stay at Mutiara Taman Negara Resort.

FootWorks Media (Tel: 9181-4298)
Motorists can join its one-day self-drive wilderness trip to the Upeh Guling Waterfall at the Endau-Rompin National Park in Johor on Nov 11 (6am to 11pm) at $99 (adult) and $88 (child), inclusive of lunch and dinner.

Universal Travel(Tel: 6535-5577)
The four-day Sandakan Encounter in Sabah at $688 per person (twin-sharing) includes return airfare on AirAsia from Johor Bahru to Sandakan, accommodation at the Sepilok Jungle Resort, a visit to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and a cruise on the Kinabatangan River.

This article was first published on Oct 31, 2006 in The Straits Times.