It took three years of persuasion before Dato’ Robert Geneid agreed to talk about his Mulu project with Malaysia Tatler and we must say it was well worth the wait It’s been a long journey.

It’s not that I have been avoiding the Tatler team; I had to put things off because I wanted to make sure we were on the right track before we showcase this place.

(Videography: Nicholas Yong)

Now, I feel we are ready,” explains Dato’ Robert Geneid on why he had been postponing our request to have a feature story written about his successful journey in building the Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa and making Mulu a renowned tourist attraction.

Although the strenuous yet exciting photo shoot involved our crew carrying heavy equipment in and out of longboats and up and down a flight of staircases at the Clearwater Cave, a beautiful picture of Dato’ Robert a la Indiana Jones was captured beneath the skylight, as seen on one of our two covers this month.

Hats off to him, the result was nothing short of fantastic. Dato’ Robert complied with every request of ours, from sitting at a self-made bonfire to paddling a longboat out on the river.

At the end, we were completely exhausted from all the carrying, climbing and walking. We celebrated our achievements by having a quick swim in the river and a picnic lunch that the resort had thoughtfully prepared for us.

Click here for exclusive behind the scenes photos of the shoot and to read the feature story of Dato' Robert Geneid. The copy of Malaysia Tatler June 2015 issue is now available on newsstands or click here to purchase the digital version.