Malaysia is without doubt one of the world’s 17 “megadiverse” international locations, with Borneo being their crown jewel of biodiversity! The world’s third largest island, fringed by a coral reef, lined with a 130-million-year-old rainforest, and teeming with endemic species, this can be a place of epic proportions. While Borneo Malaysia is shared between two different international locations (Indonesia and Brunei), Malaysia’s state of Sabah on the north finish of the island has probably the most protected rainforest, the tallest mountain, wealthy indigenous tradition (38 teams making up 59% of the inhabitants), and stable tourism infrastructure to entry these wilderness wonders…making it the pure selection for a Borneo journey! We gave ourselves 12 days (we might have simply spent a month right here) to journey Sabah and are so excited to share the perfect of Malaysian Borneo. Read this weblog as we trek with orangutans, scuba dive the legendary Sipadan, river safari like David Attenborough, and hone in on the perfect issues to do in Sabah, Malaysia.
Shout-out to Allianz Travel for supporting our content material and defending us on this journey…journey insurance coverage is a should for any journey to Borneo!
Sabah Travel Itinerary
Route & Timing:
Sepilok (1 day) > Sukau & Kinabatangan River (2 days) > Sipadan Scuba Diving Trip (3 Days if a diver; skip if not) > Danum Valley Conservation Area (2 days) > Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (2 Days) > Kinabalu Park (2 Days) > Transit Days (add 2 days buffer total)
This 12-14 day Sabah journey itinerary begins within the northeast at Sepilok and heads in a clockwise course, ending within the capital of Kota Kinabalu on the South China Sea. It affords an thrilling mixture of Borneo rivers, rainforests, islands, mountains, indigenous tradition, and cities. This weblog has all our favourite experiences (even ones we didn’t get to), and if you happen to zip right down to the underside of this submit you possibly can see all of the logistical particulars.
Sepilok, Northeast Sabah
Just outdoors of the massive metropolis of Sandakan, the Sepilok space is value staying the night time for this instructional trifecta: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center + Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre + Rainforest Discovery Centre…all inside strolling distance.
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Since 1964 the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre has been doing unbelievable work rehabilitating orphaned and injured orangutans on their 10,611-acre sanctuary. In this huge rainforest reserve, 60-80 orangutans reside independently within the wilderness and roughly 25 orphaned orangutans are cared for within the nurseries till they will hopefully be launched. The finest time to go to Sepilok is at 10am or 3pm once they put out meals for the orangutans nonetheless in want of help.
We hiked for 10 minutes alongside the forested boardwalk to achieve the feeding platform. Four orangutans have been sitting in a circle, sharing snacks, stretching, and tending to an adorably fidgety child. Orangutans share 97% of our DNA, and it’s so evident if you watch their acquainted mannerisms. Then got here Malim, a 25-year-old flanged male pushing 200 kilos with a 7-foot wingspan, swinging in from the ropes. With big cheeks, pronounced throat pouch, and lengthy crimson hair, he’s the proper specimen of a dominant male and we have been so fortunate to see him!
Tip: We realize it’s tempting to attend to see these nice apes within the true wild, however within the occasion that doesn’t occur, you’ll be soooo glad you got here and supported the rehabilitation middle.
Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
Just throughout the way in which from the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is the primary sanctuary for the world’s smallest bear. Being completely lovely has induced numerous issues for the solar bear, and an alarming quantity of individuals have been preserving them in captivity! Malaysian biologist and now CNN Hero, Wong Siew Te, wished to place an finish to this follow by way of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre’s rescue program, rehabilitation facility, and public teaching programs. We took a tour, studying enjoyable info, like solar bears are half the dimensions of a black bear, have 10-inch-long tongues, and get their title from the golden sun-like patch of hair on their chest. We noticed two bears pacing, nonetheless distressed from their former life in captivity, however we have been completely happy to know this rehab middle exists and assume it’s value stopping in for the possibility to see a bear in a tree consuming from a beehive like Winnie the Pooh!
Rainforest Discovery Centre
Next on our crash course in Borneo biodiversity…The Rainforest Discovery Centre! Walk their spectacular skywalk, 80 toes above the forest ground, whilst you learn instructional indicators concerning the 3,000 tree species of Borneo. Climb the lookout towers and look into the traditional boughs to identify monkeys and all kinds of birds, from the Bornean Bristlehead, Blue-headed Pitta, Cream-eyed Bulbul, and extra on this official “Important Birding Area” and residential to the Borneo Bird Festival. Many folks additionally come right here at night time for the possibility to see the Malayan Colugo. This gifted lemur can glide distances over 400 toes in a single leap!
Kinabatangan River & Wildlife Sanctuary
The second longest river in Malaysia, Kinabatangan is residence to the Borneo Big Five: pygmy elephant, orangutan, proboscis monkey, rhinoceros hornbill, and estuarine crocodile…plus 325 hen species! Exploring by riverboat with a keen-eyed information is the easiest way to wildlife watch, which is why we went with Borneo Eco Tours and stayed at their fabulous Sukau Rainforest Lodge.
Sukau Rainforest Lodge, Borneo Malaysia
A National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World and winner of a slew of awards for his or her sustainability efforts, Sukau Rainforest Lodge has been the river’s ecotourism pioneer since 1995. In the face of widespread logging that swept throughout Borneo within the late twentieth century, Kari Bin Ongong, the lodge founder and member of the Orang Sungai indigenous group, helped plant the seed for what would turn out to be the government-protected Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. Between the luxurious lodging and the realm’s unprecedented biodiversity, the lodge has attracted company from Judi Dench to Sir David Attenborough, who made this his base for a Borneo wildlife particular. Only accessible by boat, this stilted retreat hovers over the river and extends into the rainforest by raised boardwalks. We stayed in one among their 20 not too long ago added villas and cherished the stylish design and use of native decor. A sarong was hanging in our room with a word encouraging company to put on this conventional skirt to dinner…and low and behold everybody bought decked out for a really festive and familial vibe, as we dined on scrumptious Sabahan and worldwide delicacies.
Kinabatangan River Safari
River safari is on the coronary heart of the Sukau expertise, with riverboats leaving earlier than daybreak, after lunch, and once more at night time to maximise sightings. We by no means missed the possibility to wildlife watch and we noticed the endemic rhinoceros hornbill, a 20-foot crocodile, a troop of macaque monkeys, Buffy fish owls, six species of kingfisher, and wacky Borneo specials like proboscis monkeys, with their massive floppy noses! Our information Fahran was glorious and the time spent with fellow wildlife lovers on the water was a pleasure. We extremely advocate a keep at Sukau Rainforest Lodge and hope you get to see the pygmy elephants for us…the group the day earlier than noticed 20 crossing the river!
Semporna & The Celebes Sea
To expertise the marine facet of Sabah’s wildlife, we headed to Semporna and the islands of the Celebes Sea…solely to comprehend this space was simply as culturally fascinating! Here, nearly all of the inhabitants is Bajau Laut, a nomadic seaborne folks residing in sprawling stilted villages and small picket houseboats. Their group extends throughout the waters between the Philippines and Indonesia, and has for hundreds of years, but few “sea nomads” like them are left on the earth. We went to the bustling Semporna fish market and the scene was like Miami Vice meets Mad Max! Colorful picket pace boats have been bobbing and weaving to get into port and the seaside was filled with distributors and patrons haggling for the freshest catch. We don’t even eat fish, however we went into the gauntlet simply to expertise this fascinating chaos.
FYI: Semporna has a historical past of pirates and not-so-long-ago kidnappings. While we felt protected, we’d simply advocate having your wits about you to understand this distinctive look into one other world. Also, if you’re not a scuba diver, chances are you’ll wish to swap the Semporna area for an additional indigenous cultural expertise.
Scuba Diving Greater Sipadan
The Coral Triangle is probably the most biodiverse marine area on the earth, with over 6,000 species of fish and 76% of the planet’s coral species. It’s lined with epic scuba diving locations, however one which persistently tops the lists? Sipadan, Malaysia. To discover the Sipadan Marine Park and its surrounding islands, we discovered a PADI-certified scuba diving clothes shop like no different…a decommissioned oil rig turned eco-friendly dive resort hovering over the reef! Seaventures’ previous cargo deck has been was a dive middle and restaurant, worker housing into suites, helipad right into a sweeping rooftop patio, and the freight elevator right into a enjoyable option to attain the ocean. Our days have been full of three scuba classes (plus as many as we’d like on the home reef immediately beneath the rig), with breaks for bountiful meals, roof deck lounging, and excessive dives off the plank.
Between the two,000-foot-tall oceanic island of Sipadan and the reef of Kapalai, the numerous terrain supplied each type of dive, from high-speed drifts to shipwrecks to otherworldly macro. Bumphead parrotfish, whitetip reef sharks, noticed rays, inexperienced sea turtles, numerous reef fish, and nudibranchs galore graced our 11 dives.
Diving in Sipadan’s slice of the Coral Triangle, watching the morning gentle shimmer over the coral backyard and silhouette the bumphead parrotfish, I believed to myself, “Getting scuba certified was one of the best things we’ve ever done.” We’ve traveled the seven continents, however Earth is 70% ocean, and with out scuba, we’d simply be skimming the floor! Our scuba coaching allowed us to swim alongside colleges of barracuda, go eye to eye with feisty Nemos, watch a Mandarin fish mating dance, and discover inside shipwrecks. With a regulator in our mouth, we not solely have the superpower to breathe underwater, but additionally a motive to cease the chatter and hearken to the rhythms of nature and our innermost ideas. In the deep blue, there may be nowhere to be however current.
Do you might have the ability of scuba? Check out our Instagram gallery above and think about beginning your PADI journey or upping your certification (wreck-diving, coral conservation, dive grasp)…a lot extra of the world awaits!
Check out www.HoneyTrek.com/PADI (*use the low cost code HONEYTREK15 to get 15% off)
Lahad Datu: The Friendly Transit Hub
More rainforest exploration was in our future, however catching our early morning trip into the depths of Danum Valley Conservation Area required an in a single day in Lahad Datu. No vacationers would come to this city besides to transit, however we have been so glad we stayed the night time to expertise an actual Bornean city outdoors of the eco-lodge bubble. For $16 we stayed on the completely good Maya Hotel with a seaview and a brief stroll to the guts of city. We went to the Ramadan night time market, lined with 50+ stalls, promoting nasi lemak (the nationwide dish), fried noodles, and delish durian desserts. We ate at a number of stalls and couldn’t appear to rack up a invoice greater than $1.50 at any stand. The better part was the locals couldn’t have been friendlier. Soooooo many individuals stated hi there, welcome, how are you, or simply smiled ear-to-ear seeing a vacationer of their underappreciated city.
Danum Valley Conservation Area
Danum Valley is the biggest tract of lowland virgin rainforest left in Malaysia. This shouldn’t be by likelihood. When the logging spree was headed this fashion within the late Seventies, World Wildlife Fund labored with the Sabah authorities to show this forest is without doubt one of the most biodiverse on earth, and in pressing want of safety. Today, this 438-square-kilometer conservation space protects 340 hen species, 124 mammal species, and numerous old-growth timber. To decrease disturbance whereas sharing its wonders, the Sabah Foundation affords vacationers entry by way of the Danum Valley Field Centre and one fabulous eco-resort…Borneo Rainforest Lodge.
Borneo Rainforest Lodge
Check-in at Borneo Rainforest Lodge begins at their Lahad Datu workplace with cappuccinos and snacks, earlier than a 4×4 drives you two hours deep into the Danum Valley Conservation Area. We reached the lodge and have been greeted with cool, lemongrass-scented towels and ushered into their beautiful eating space with views of the Danum River for a superb lunch.
Borneo Rainforest Lodge is constructed to high requirements of sustainability. With a raised boardwalk connecting the rooms, they’ve saved the wildlife corridors open and labored across the present timber. Rooms are lots luxurious whereas taking eco-conscious measures, like cross-ventilation home windows, solar-heated showers, microorganism wastewater therapy, and conservation measures at each flip….even used cooking oil will get upcycled into soaps!
Orangutan Tracking
Heading into the rainforest with our indigenous Desun Sepan information, we have been simply meters from the lodge once we had our first orangutan sightings. Watching them transfer from tree to tree, nibble the leaves, construct their nests, and care for his or her younger, we have been in awe of their grace and agility. Orangutans spend 95% of their lives within the timber, so we might safely (and unobtrusively) observe them from beneath, simply observe their actions with the rustling of the leaves, and have intimate encounters with these endangered nice apes.
Danum Valley Hiking & Adventures
Hiking alongside the Danum River and the Coffin Cliff Trail for two.5 km, historical timber towered over us. A steep climb introduced us to the limestone cliffs, the place the nooks within the rock grew to become a pagan burial floor for the indigenous Orang Sungai folks. An ironwood coffin, courting again 250 years has largely survived the weather, together with bone fragments of what’s believed to be village leaders and esteemed warriors. Reaching the very best level within the valley, there have been sweeping views of the plush mountains and snaking river. On our means down we hit a number of waterfalls, the towering Serpent Falls and the Jacuzzi Pools, the place we took a refreshing dip! (Tip: If you stick your toes within the water lengthy sufficient, the little “nibble fish” will gladly offer you a pedicure.)
More Borneo Rainforest Lodge actions embrace the cover suspension bridges, night time safaris (by foot and EV buggy), river tubing, and spa remedies. Whatever we have been as much as, unbelievable wildlife sightings have been a continuing, from endemic red-leaf monkeys, colugos, Bornean Tarsiers, Harlequin flying frogs, and naturally, orangutans!
Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
Across the state of Sabah and simply three miles off the coast of Kota Kinabalu lies Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. This five-island reserve within the South China Sea protects the coral reef and an abundance of wildlife, plus affords a slew of recreation alternatives. The mile-long Manukan Island is the hub of the state park with a superb marine museum, lovely restaurant, water sports activities program, and sandy seashores. To be sincere, the park is sort of busy with Kota Kinabalu day-trippers, however the journey hack is to remain in a single day at one of many island resorts like Gaya Island Resort or Sutera Sanctuary Lodges’ Manukan Island Resort to search out the serenity of this stunning place.
Manukan Island Resort
We primarily based our marine park adventures at Manukan Island Resort. While not the fanciest resort within the archipelago, we cherished our apartment-style bungalow, personal seaside with solar sails and loungers, and the eating experiences have been unforgettable. By day, Arang restaurant has this nice beach-house vibe with colourful decor, chaise lounges, fab meals, and beers flowing. By night time, we had unique on-sand eating room with a sheer teepee and candlelit path framing a desk for 2. While having fun with a three-course plant-based meal, a trio of guitarists got here to serenade us. Ask them to play their conventional Sabahan songs to additional your love of Borneo island life.
Water Adventures at Tunku Abdul Rahman
The Tunku Abdul Rahman is a watersport paradise…scuba diving, snorkeling, banana boats, and island hopping. From the Manukan Island dock you possibly can set you up whichever journey you’d like, and we selected to parasail for the primary time! Not gonna lie, it all the time appeared a little bit tacky to us, however hey, don’t knock until you strive it…parasailing turned out to be an ultra-fun and scenic option to discover the islands! To proceed our park adventures, we ferried over to Mamutik Island. The seaside by the jetty is busy with vacationers, however stroll quarter-hour clockwise across the island and also you’ll discover a secret cove with beautiful rock formations and good snorkeling.
Mount Kinabalu
While we didn’t get the possibility to do the two-day trek to the highest of this 13,000-foot mountain and UNESCO World Heritage Site, we wished to place Kinabalu Park in your radar…as a result of it sounds epic and you want to plan forward. Just 86 kilometers from the Sabah capital, this craggy tectonic plateau, lined in 3,000 species of vegetation, appears like one thing out of Lord of the Rings! Treks ought to be booked 4-6 months prematurely to safe permits and lodging. You’ll mattress down at Panalaban Base Camp, both in one of many bunkhouses or Sutera Sanctuary Lodge’s Laban Rata, then get up at 2am to make it to the summit checkpoint by 5am and end your ascent for a wide ranging dawn over Sabah and the South China Sea. We hope you go for it! That stated, you possibly can nonetheless get a style of Mount Kinabalu with a full-day journey from the capital, exploring trails on the base of the mountain to benefit from the flora, fauna, sizzling springs, and indigenous villages.
Sabah, Malaysia: Know Before You Go
Borneo is actually a bucket-list journey, so to ensure it goes as easily as doable, listed below are just a few tricks to put together on your Sabah travels.
Best time to go to Sabah: March to September is the dry season, making it the perfect time to journey Sabah. FYI, being alongside the equator in a tropical local weather, it’s all the time sizzling and humid. Funny sufficient, we got here throughout the month of Ramadan (verify the ever-changing lunar calendar) pondering that was a draw back, but it surely turned out to be an enormous profit…with numerous lodge and bus availability and energetic night time markets to interrupt the quick with locals every night time.
Do I want a visa for Malaysia? Passport holders from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and most EU international locations don’t want a passport for Malaysia.
Is Malaysia costly? Southeast Asia typically could be very reasonably priced and Malaysia is without doubt one of the most economical within the area. $1 USD = 4.7 Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). When you purchase regionally in Sabah, lunch will price you round $2 USD, a good lodge room $20, and a long-distance bus $10. That stated, all-inclusive eco-lodges. that are generally important for experiencing these distant wilderness areas, and are in fact at a lot greater costs.
Travel Insurance for Borneo: Between the complexity of transit, prices of all-inclusive excursions, and security issues of exploring distant areas, journey insurance coverage is a should. We extremely advocate Allianz. We use their AllTrips Premier Plan to get protection (every little thing from baggage delays to medical evacuation) each time and wherever we go all year long. They additionally provide complete single-trip plans if you wish to concentrate on Borneo.
Language: Malay is the nationwide language, with English broadly spoken. That stated, there are 50 languages throughout Sabah’s 39 indigenous ethnic teams. At a minimal, study the Malay phrases for thanks, “teri-ma ka-see” and scrumptious, “se-dop” to point out your appreciation.
Food in Sabah: The meals is fabulous, particularly if you happen to like a little bit spice! Expect rice-based dishes–from Nasi Lemak‘s coconut rice with sambal chili and peanuts to Sabahan leaf-wrapped ketupats, noodle soups like laksa, and the best tropical fruit! With populations of ethnic Indians and Chinese across Malaysia, their fabulous cuisines are widely available. Vegetarian and vegan food is pretty easily available upon request and there are always lots of veggie sides to choose from, including unbeattable fresh tempeh!
Transportation: Traveling eastern Sabah is easily achieved by overland transit. Most remote ecolodges include transportation to and from transit hubs and airports. Between cities, a local bus is a good option, ranging from air-conditioned coaches to on-demand minivans (we did both, booked the same day without a problem, and enjoyed the local color!). Sabah is also very connected by plane, with airports in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, and Tawau (closest to Semporna). We always try to limit flights for environmental reasons, but would say it’s finest to fly to Kota Kinabalu, per the lengthy distance and poor street situations to cross the state. Malaysia Airlines affords probably the most in depth choices.
Packing for Borneo: Between very robust equatorial solar, rainforest crawlies, and the conservative nature of Muslim populations, overlaying up is the way in which to go. Pack light-weight long-sleeve shirts and lengthy pants, wicking t-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, excessive trekking socks, sturdy footwear, a set of seaside apparel, and a sporty raincoat (no heat layers vital; except you trek Mount Kinabalu.) Throw in a small pair of high quality binoculars to boost your wildlife viewing, with out including a lot bulk to your baggage. See extra of HoneyTrek’s important packing listing and save room in your bag for a batik sarong, the native style and a useful accent.
We hope you loved our Sabah journey information and are stoked to discover Borneo! Let us know what piques your curiosity, and in case you have any questions within the feedback beneath. For extra inspiration and behind the scenes from our journey, see our Borneo Instagram Stories and take a look at SabahTourism.com for native information.
Thank you to Allianz Travel Insurance for sponsoring our Sabah journey weblog and believing within the significance of eco-tourism.