By Salma El-Sakka
BBC One’s adventure travel show Celebrity Race Across the World returns for a fourth series, with four celebrity pairs racing 4,660 miles from Kuching in Malaysian Borneo to Melbourne, Australia, using only local transport and a daily budget of £26.
The Start: Kuching, Malaysian Borneo
The teams set off from Kuching, the capital of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Known as “cat city” for its many feline statues, Kuching features the S-shaped Darul Hana Bridge, the floating Masjid India mosque, and a vibrant waterfront. The city’s diverse ethnic communities influence its cuisine, with dishes such as Sarawak Laksa and Kolo Mee. Kuching also serves as a gateway to Bako National Park, home to proboscis monkeys and unique rock formations.
Checkpoint One: Pangkalan Bun, Indonesian Borneo
The first leg covers 1,000 km to Pangkalan Bun, a city straddling the Arut River with stilted homes and no defined centre. Most visitors use it as a base for Tanjung Puting National Park, one of the world’s best places to see orangutans, including the Camp Leakey research centre and an orangutan care facility. Teams could choose a coastal route via Sematan and Pontianak, which lies on the equator, or an interior route through Dayak communities living in traditional longhouses.
The Finish: Melbourne, Australia
The race concludes in Melbourne, Australia’s cultural capital, known for its laneway street art, coffee scene, galleries such as the National Gallery of Victoria, and major sporting events including the Australian Open and Formula 1 Grand Prix. The city also offers Aboriginal cultural experiences at the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre and the Ian Potter Centre.
Celebrity Race Across the World airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Wednesdays at 8pm.
