Culinary and Awakening Journey in Borneo 2026
A path of awakening to reconnect with yourself and the world
Foraging, Cooking, and Plant Connection Journey in Borneo (Malaysia)
March 23 – April 2, 2026
The smiles of the foragers invite you to take a closer look at traditional plants… The market stalls overwhelm your senses… The chef’s skilled hands, cooking forest plants, mesmerize you… The plants are calling, and the Earth is gently urging you to respond.
So we invite you on this journey — to meet the plants, the culinary traditions, and the spiritual energies of Borneo.
We are Lucie Benoit, ethnobotanist, wild plant forager, and researcher working between Malaysia and France, and Nathalie Frossard, creator of Phytoki and Plante et Planète, who discovered Malaysia 15 years ago during a study on Chengal wood for her association and has stayed connected ever since…
Together during this journey, we will
Alchemize our connection to plants through cooking
Affirm our embodied and spiritual presence on this Earth
Activate our living memories
In the Sarawak region, on the island of Borneo in Malaysia, we will experience this and much more, between tropical rainforest and mangrove:
Sleep in a longhouse (traditional home), participate in cooking workshops with a local chef to inspire your own cooking once you return, meditate with local plants, pepper, and many others, discover the customs and cultural diversity of Borneo, and even meet orangutans: this journey will be transformative in many ways.
This is not a trip you’ll find with typical agencies, even specialized ones. Ceremonies and sharing moments will shape and enrich our discoveries.
Why Malaysia?
Malaysia is a multiethnic country, shaped over time by the travels of Muslim, Chinese, Indian, and European explorers. About thirty indigenous groups still live there today, between city and forest.
This incredible cultural diversity, combined with the extraordinary variety of flora and fauna, has created the conditions for a culinary, artistic, and spiritual creativity that matches the power and beauty of the country.
After 15 years of exploring the peninsula and the state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, we invite you to discover this extraordinary diversity, sharing with you our experience and local ethnobotanical, culinary, and spiritual knowledge.
The detailed program will be available soon. Nathalie and I are actively preparing this unique experience, and we will soon offer you a presentation of this adventure!
An introductory webinar titled “The Pepper of Borneo – An Initiatory Journey” will be held online on August 24th at 6 PM CET.
Lucie Benoit and Nathalie Frossard, your guides throughout this journey
Practical information
Dates: March 23 to April 2 on-site. Flights are not included, so you are welcome to extend your trip! We can assist you for booking your tickets.
Arrival and Departure: Our meeting point will be Kuching Airport, Malaysia.
Itinerary: The route, through mangroves, sea, forest, and city, will be revealed soon.
Price: €2850 (excluding airfare and additional insurance).
A deposit of €855 (30% of the price) is required to reserve your spot. The balance must be paid before February 1, 2026. Payments will be made to the account of the association Plante et Planète.
The price includes:
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Minibus with driver for road transfers
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Nights in hotels (double or twin rooms)
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Nights in traditional housing (in longhouses, rooms may accommodate multiple people)
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Three meals per day
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Entry fees and local guides in parks
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Transfers to and from the airport
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Boat crossings
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All activities mentioned in the program
The price does not include:
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Drinks
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Travel insurance
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Single room supplement, subject to availability
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Personal expenses
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International flights to Kuching
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Transport to/from your home to/from the departure airport or train station
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Costs linked to force majeure beyond the control of local providers or Plante et Planète (e.g., adverse weather, geopolitical issues)
Visa: Malaysian visa is free and issued upon arrival at the airport.
Accommodation: Lodging will vary throughout the stay: hotels, lodges, longhouses… Rooms will be shared.
Meals: We will enjoy local dishes. Options will be available for special diets (vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free).
Prerequisites: None! Everyone is welcome, regardless of prior experience with plants.
Preparation: We will offer regular Zoom meetings to prepare for the trip.
Group Size: Minimum 8 participants. The group will be limited to 15 people to ensure the best experience.
My connections with Malaysia and Borneo
I was fortunate to begin visiting Malaysia in my teenage years. I started my exploration in Kuala Lumpur, a colorful and multisensory capital. Then I ventured into the primary forests of the peninsula, searching for majestic big trees and the traditional uses of plants.
Over the course of my stays, I discovered the various cultural groups that make up Malaysia, their history, culinary and spiritual traditions.
I then had the chance to work there, between restaurant gardens in the capital and the villages of the indigenous Orang Asli peoples. I work alongside chefs to revive the use of traditional Malaysian plants, known as Ulam. I also participate in local ethnobotanical surveys and regularly share all this knowledge with the general public.
My love for plants and the peoples who use them has also taken me to other continents: I have worked and lived with the BaYaka in Congo, traditional healers in Togo, neglected villages in Russia, and many other populations who have taught me so much about the relationship between humans and plants.
Now it is my turn to pass all this on to you and to take you to the places, plants, and people who have taught me so much about the visible and invisible worlds.
