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, it is a place of epic proportions. Whereas 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 essentially 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 may have simply spent a month right here) to journey Sabah and are so excited to share the very best of Malaysian Borneo. Learn this weblog as we trek with orangutans, scuba dive the legendary Sipadan, river safari like David Attenborough, and hone in on the very best issues to do in Sabah, Malaysia.
Shout-out to Allianz Journey for supporting our content material and defending us on this journey…journey insurance coverage is a should for any journey to Borneo!
Sabah Journey Itinerary
Route & Timing:
Sepilok (1 day) > Sukau & Kinabatangan River (2 days) > Sipadan Scuba Diving Journey (3 Days if a diver; skip if not) > Danum Valley Conservation Space (2 days) > Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (2 Days) > Kinabalu Park (2 Days) > Transit Days (add 2 days buffer general)
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 presents 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 all the way down to the underside of this submit you possibly can see all of the logistical particulars.
Sepilok, Northeast Sabah
Simply exterior of the large metropolis of Sandakan, the Sepilok space is value staying the evening for this academic trifecta: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Middle + Bornean Solar 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. On this large rainforest reserve, 60-80 orangutans dwell independently within the wilderness and roughly 25 orphaned orangutans are cared for within the nurseries till they will hopefully be launched. The perfect 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 succeed in the feeding platform. 4 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 while 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 enormous 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 all know 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 Solar Bear Conservation Centre
Simply throughout the best way from the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is the primary sanctuary for the world’s smallest bear. Being completely lovely has brought about numerous issues for the solar bear, and an alarming quantity of individuals have been retaining them in captivity! Malaysian biologist and now CNN Hero, Wong Siew Te, needed to place an finish to this follow by way of the Bornean Solar 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 identify 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 comfortable to know this rehab middle exists and assume it’s value stopping in for the prospect to see a bear in a tree consuming from a beehive like Winnie the Pooh!
Rainforest Discovery Centre
Subsequent on our crash course in Borneo biodiversity…The Rainforest Discovery Centre! Stroll their spectacular skywalk, 80 ft above the forest ground, whilst you learn academic 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 “Vital Birding Space” and residential to the Borneo Fowl Competition. Many individuals additionally come right here at evening for the prospect to see the Malayan Colugo. This proficient lemur can glide distances over 400 ft in a single leap!
Kinabatangan River & Wildlife Sanctuary
The second longest river in Malaysia, Kinabatangan is residence to the Borneo Huge 5: pygmy elephant, orangutan, proboscis monkey, rhinoceros hornbill, and estuarine crocodile…plus 325 chook species! Exploring by riverboat with a keen-eyed information is one of the best ways to wildlife watch, which is why we went with Borneo Eco Excursions and stayed at their fabulous Sukau Rainforest Lodge.
Sukau Rainforest Lodge, Borneo Malaysia
A Nationwide Geographic Distinctive 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. Within 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 grow to be the government-protected Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. Between the luxurious lodging and the world’s unprecedented biodiversity, the lodge has attracted visitors from Judi Dench to Sir David Attenborough, who made this his base for a Borneo wildlife particular. Solely accessible by boat, this stilted retreat hovers over the river and extends into the rainforest by raised boardwalks. We stayed in considered one of their 20 not too long ago added villas and liked the stylish design and use of native decor. A sarong was hanging in our room with a observe encouraging visitors to put on this conventional skirt to dinner…and low and behold everybody obtained 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 evening to maximise sightings. We by no means missed the prospect 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 wonderful 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 aspect 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! Right here, nearly all of the inhabitants is Bajau Laut, a nomadic seaborne individuals dwelling in sprawling stilted villages and small wood houseboats. Their group extends throughout the waters between the Philippines and Indonesia, and has for 1000’s of years, but few “sea nomads” like them are left on this planet. We went to the bustling Semporna fish market and the scene was like Miami Vice meets Mad Max! Colourful wood pace boats have been bobbing and weaving to get into port and the seaside was filled with distributors and consumers 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. Whereas we felt secure, we’d simply advocate having your wits about you to understand this distinctive look into one other world. Additionally, if you’re not a scuba diver, chances are you’ll wish to swap the Semporna area for one more indigenous cultural expertise.
Scuba Diving Larger Sipadan
The Coral Triangle is essentially the most biodiverse marine area on this planet, 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 clothing store like no different…a decommissioned oil rig turned eco-friendly dive resort hovering over the reef! Seaventures’ outdated cargo deck has been become a dive middle and restaurant, worker housing into suites, helipad right into a sweeping rooftop patio, and the freight elevator right into a enjoyable solution to attain the ocean. Our days have been stuffed with three scuba classes (plus as many as we’d like on the home reef straight under 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 various terrain supplied each form 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 mild shimmer over the coral backyard and silhouette the bumphead parrotfish, I assumed to myself, “Getting scuba licensed was probably the greatest issues we’ve ever executed.” 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 faculties 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 in addition a motive to cease the chatter and hearken to the rhythms of nature and our innermost ideas. Within the deep blue, there may be nowhere to be however current.
Do you’ve gotten the facility of scuba? Try our Instagram gallery above and take into account beginning your PADI journey or upping your certification (wreck-diving, coral conservation, dive grasp)…a lot extra of the world awaits!
Try www.HoneyTrek.com/PADI (*use the low cost code HONEYTREK15 to get 15% off)
Lahad Datu: The Pleasant Transit Hub
Extra rainforest exploration was in our future, however catching our early morning trip into the depths of Danum Valley Conservation Space 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 evening to expertise an actual Bornean city exterior of the eco-lodge bubble. For $16 we stayed on the completely good Maya Lodge with a seaview and a brief stroll to the center of city. We went to the Ramadan evening market, lined with 50+ stalls, promoting nasi lemak (the nationwide dish), fried noodles, and delish durian muffins. We ate at a number of stalls and couldn’t appear to rack up a invoice larger than $1.50 at any stand. The perfect half 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 Space
Danum Valley is the most important tract of lowland virgin rainforest left in Malaysia. This isn’t by likelihood. When the logging spree was headed this fashion within the late Nineteen 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. As we speak, this 438-square-kilometer conservation space protects 340 chook species, 124 mammal species, and numerous old-growth bushes. To attenuate disturbance whereas sharing its wonders, the Sabah Basis presents vacationers entry by way of the Danum Valley Discipline Centre and one fabulous eco-resort…Borneo Rainforest Lodge.
Borneo Rainforest Lodge
Verify-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 Space. We reached the lodge and have been greeted with cool, lemongrass-scented towels and ushered into their attractive eating space with views of the Danum River for a wonderful lunch.
Borneo Rainforest Lodge is constructed to prime requirements of sustainability. With a raised boardwalk connecting the rooms, they’ve stored the wildlife corridors open and labored across the current bushes. Rooms are a lot luxurious whereas taking eco-conscious measures, like cross-ventilation home windows, solar-heated showers, microorganism wastewater remedy, and conservation measures at each flip….even used cooking oil will get upcycled into soaps!
Orangutan Monitoring
Heading into the rainforest with our indigenous Desun Sepan information, we have been simply meters from the lodge after 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 bushes, so we may safely (and unobtrusively) observe them from under, simply observe their actions with the rustling of the leaves, and have intimate encounters with these endangered nice apes.
Danum Valley Climbing & Adventures
Climbing alongside the Danum River and the Coffin Cliff Path for two.5 km, historical bushes towered over us. A steep climb introduced us to the limestone cliffs, the place the nooks within the rock turned a pagan burial floor for the indigenous Orang Sungai individuals. An ironwood coffin, relationship 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 manner down we hit a number of waterfalls, the towering Serpent Falls and the Jacuzzi Swimming pools, the place we took a refreshing dip! (Tip: In the event you stick your ft within the water lengthy sufficient, the little “nibble fish” will gladly provide you with a pedicure.)
Extra Borneo Rainforest Lodge actions embrace the cover suspension bridges, evening safaris (by foot and EV buggy), river tubing, and spa therapies. No matter we have been as much as, unbelievable wildlife sightings have been a relentless, from endemic red-leaf monkeys, colugos, Bornean Tarsiers, Harlequin flying frogs, and naturally, orangutans!
Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
Throughout 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 presents a slew of recreation alternatives. The mile-long Manukan Island is the hub of the state park with a very good marine museum, lovely restaurant, water sports activities program, and sandy seashores. To be sincere, the park is kind 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 seek out the serenity of this stunning place.
Manukan Island Resort
We primarily based our marine park adventures at Manukan Island Resort. Whereas not the fanciest resort within the archipelago, we liked 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 evening, we had unique on-sand eating room with a sheer teepee and candlelit path framing a desk for 2. Whereas 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 just a little tacky to us, however hey, don’t knock until you strive it…parasailing turned out to be an ultra-fun and scenic solution 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 attractive rock formations and good snorkeling.
Mount Kinabalu
Whereas we didn’t get the prospect to do the two-day trek to the highest of this 13,000-foot mountain and UNESCO World Heritage Web site, we needed to place Kinabalu Park in your radar…as a result of it sounds epic and it’s good to plan forward. Simply 86 kilometers from the Sabah capital, this craggy tectonic plateau, lined in 3,000 species of vegetation, seems like one thing out of Lord of the Rings! Treks needs 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 panoramic 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 Earlier than You Go
Borneo is really a bucket-list journey, so to ensure it goes as easily as attainable, listed here are just a few tricks to put together in your Sabah travels.
Finest 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. Humorous sufficient, we got here through the month of Ramadan (verify the ever-changing lunar calendar) pondering that was a draw back, however it turned out to be an enormous profit…with numerous lodge and bus availability and vigorous evening markets to interrupt the quick with locals every evening.
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 normally may be very reasonably priced and Malaysia is without doubt one of the most economical within the area. $1 USD = 4.7 Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). While you purchase domestically in Sabah, lunch will value 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 larger costs.
Journey Insurance coverage for Borneo: Between the complexity of transit, prices of all-inclusive excursions, and security considerations of exploring distant areas, journey insurance coverage is a should. We extremely advocate Allianz. We use their AllTrips Premier Plan to get protection (all the things from baggage delays to medical evacuation) at any time when and wherever we go all year long. In addition they supply complete single-trip plans if you wish to deal with Borneo.
Language: Malay is the nationwide language, with English extensively 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.
Meals in Sabah: The meals is fabulous, particularly if you happen to like just a little spice! Count on 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 very best tropical fruit! With populations of ethnic Indians and Chinese language throughout Malaysia, their fabulous cuisines are extensively obtainable. Vegetarian and vegan meals is fairly simply obtainable upon request and there are all the time numerous veggie sides to select from, together with unbeattable recent tempeh!
Transportation: Touring japanese Sabah is definitely achieved by overland transit. Most distant ecolodges embrace transportation to and from transit hubs and airports. Between cities, an area bus is an efficient possibility, starting from air-conditioned coaches to on-demand minivans (we did each, booked the identical day with out a drawback, and loved the native colour!). Sabah can be very related by aircraft, with airports in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, and Tawau (closest to Semporna). We all the time attempt to restrict flights for environmental causes, however would say it’s finest to fly to Kota Kinabalu, per the lengthy distance and poor street circumstances to cross the state. Malaysia Airways presents essentially the most intensive choices.
Packing for Borneo: Between very robust equatorial solar, rainforest crawlies, and the conservative nature of Muslim populations, overlaying up is the best way to go. Pack light-weight long-sleeve shirts and lengthy pants, wicking t-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, excessive trekking socks, sturdy sneakers, a set of seaside apparel, and a sporty raincoat (no heat layers mandatory; except you trek Mount Kinabalu.) Throw in a small pair of high quality binoculars to reinforce 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 vogue and a useful accent.
We hope you loved our Sabah journey information and are stoked to discover Borneo! Tell us what piques your curiosity, and when you’ve got any questions within the feedback under. For extra inspiration and behind the scenes from our journey, see our Borneo Instagram Tales and take a look at SabahTourism.com for native information.
Thanks to Allianz Journey Insurance coverage for sponsoring our Sabah journey weblog and believing within the significance of eco-tourism.
