Here is our travel itinerary for Borneo, we think this is great for around 10 days to 2 weeks travel. As the third largest island in the world navigating your way around Borneo can be difficult. This blog can hopefully help you decide the best bits to see and do.
While backpacking through the Malaysian side of Borneo we visited two of the main states Sabah and Sarawak. We spent 10 days in Borneo however if your plans allow it you could squeeze a few extra days to allow more chill time and flexibility and could add extra stops. At the bottom we have added some extra “could do’s” if you have more time!
Day 1: Arrival!
After a three hour flight we landed into Sandakan airport (Sabah). From reading other blogs prior to arriving I thought there would be a place to pick up a local sim so we could order a Grab (this is like the SouthEast Asia version of Uber). After arriving we realised there wasn’t so we had to get a local taxi. This cost us 30 MYR which was definitely more than a Grab would have been but nonetheless it got us to where we needed to be and in comparison to English taxi’s it was a bargain! You could also ask a local to order you one as you receive points when ordering regularly so I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.
As I heard there is not much to see in the City, we stayed just outside Sandakan in Sepilok. 25 minutes of bliss air conditioned taxi ride later we arrived at Sepilok Jungle Resort.
Our room was basic but had hot water and air conditioning so we couldn’t ask for much more! The grounds however are beautiful and we spent a lot of time walking the bridge from the room to the restaurant looking out for wildlife. We saw Water Monitor and lots of colourful fish and birds, not forgetting all the Geckos.
The accommodation included breakfast and had an on-site restaurant which served lunch and dinner. Our food was ok, it was basic but kept us from going hungry! We did however go for lunch at The Lake Bistro which is the restaurant in the resort at the end of the road and it was lovely, more expensive but good food and a lovely location.
Added bonus- our resort had a pool!
Day 2: The Sepilok Orangutang Rehabilitation centre
On day 2 we visited the Orangutans! We stayed down the road from the centre so it was a very easy 5 minute walk. The centre has two opening times 9am-12pm and 2-4pm. The feeding times are at 10am and 3pm. Tickets cost 30RM each for the day meaning you can go to both feeding times if you want to.
It was a beautiful walk through the jungle along a raised wooden walkway. The outdoor nursery is at the end where the young Orangutang who are still going through rehabilitation are kept. It was fun to watch them play on the ropes however it did feel kind of like a zoo in terms of the glass observatory room. It was much more fun to see the Orangutang on the feeding platform where they are free to come and go as they please. On the walk back to the feeding platform the long-tailed Maquaces were flying through the trees above, racing to get dibs on their favourite fruit!
Sadly we only saw 1 Orangutang for a very short amount of time at the feeding platform. Although it was very cool it did feel a little underwhelming but these are wild animals and are free to come and go! We did meet some people from our resort who went again in the afternoon. They saw 2 at the feeding area and then the big male walking along the pathway behind them! They said the afternoons were a lot less busy and you are likely to see more. Our top tip is to go in the afternoon if you can!
The Sun-Bear Enclosure is just opposite the Orangutang Centre and is around double the price. However not only was jet lag getting us I had also read it was a bit underwhelming so we gave that a miss. We heard mixed reviews from the people we met. Some reiterated what I had read online and others said it was quite good! So I guess you have to be the deciders!
Day 3-5: Kinabatang river cruise
Then we went on a 2N 3D trip to the Kinabatang river where we stayed in wooden huts. The lodge is just outside the village of Bilit.
We booked through an agency called River Junkie who we definitely recommended! They had consistent good communication via email and made the whole trip run smoothly. We got picked up in Sepilok and went on a very bumpy drive to the lodge. (People prone to car sickness beware!)
There are lots of tours which offer similar things. This is what our package included: breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. Three jungle walks, one in the day and two night walks, and four boat rides along the river.
While cruising along the river we got to see lots of wild animals such as Orangutang, Probiscous Monkey, Crocodiles and lots of different birds. On our jungle walk we saw snakes, Civet cat, more birds and lots of spiders and bugs! We didn’t get to see the elephants unfortunately but we did see their tracks which was still very cool!
In our free time we went exploring in the village where we met some local children that had just finished school. We felt like real travellers as they all wanted to say hello and giggled when we waved back! We also planted a local tree which hopefully will grow and Orangutang can swing from one day!
At the resort we loved that they have a big open dining room with long tables which meant you sat next to other people from all over the world. We also loved that you can rent wellies, binoculars and torches if you want to!
Go check out our blog post on the whole Kinabatgan river cruise!
On day 5 we had our last morning cruise and breakfast before getting dropped off at the airport. We flew to Kota Kinabalu and then had a connecting flight to Kuching.
Day 6: Bakko National Park
So the plan for day 6 was to go to Bakko National park. Unfortunately we both ended up getting a cold and after a long travel day we couldn’t face going very far. However it is something we would have loved to do so would recommend it!
We stayed in the Jazz suites above Viva City which is the largest mega mall in Kuching. It took at least half the day to explore as it has 4 floors!
The Airbnb was great and it was a 10/15 minute grab ride into the centre or Kuching. There were lots of places to eat and explore within walking distance! It had basic cooking facilities which meant we could save some money on eating out, by then we missed cooking for ourselves anyway! We had cereal for breakfast each morning and even cooked noodles at home one night.
Day 7: Explore Kuching
After taking a grab to the waterfront we wandered along the river to the S shaped bridge, S for Sarawak. Kuching means cat, so along with the cat museum there are cat statues and also real cats all over the city!
In the evening from 5pm you should head up to Top Spot. It’s a rooftop seafood market that has around 8 different stalls of fresh seafood. You pick what fish you want, how you like it cooked and with what veg, they put it all on one plate and take it away to be cooked. It’s a cool vibrant atmosphere with great food.
Later on we headed down to the waterfront, only a short walk away, to watch the light show. It happens twice every night 8:30-8:45 and 9:30-9:45, then an extra show Friday to Sunday at 10:30-10:45.
Day 8:Semmongoh Orangutang National park
After our not so eventful time in Sepilok we decided to try again. They have a similar lay out opening in the morning and again in the afternoon from 2pm-4pm with feeding time of 3pm. Learning from our mistakes, we went to the afternoon time slot.
We took a buggy into the jungle and then had a briefing while the people who work there tried to call the Orangutang over. We went to the main deck and saw a big long-haired male tucking into the sugar cane on the feeding platform.
Already feeling lucky enough we then saw a pregnant mother and her 4 year-old on a lower feeding platform. They were so close it felt very surreal!
Day 9: Damai beach
Today we had a well needed beach day. We had been to the jungle and the city and were ready for some sea! A white sand beach lined with jungle was a great spot to spend the day swimming in the warm sea. We ate at the beach side restaurant which served good food and had even better views.
Sarawak Cultural Village is right across the road from Damai beach so it’s a perfect opportunity to visit. Here you can learn about all the indigenous groups within Malaysia. They have lots of live demonstrations of dances, crafts and lots more!
Day 10: A travel day
Day 10 for us was a travel day. We had an early flight to catch so didn’t plan too much. However if you have the day you can add extra activities such as visit the cat museum and the Mosque. Get a boat ride along Kuching waterfront and go shopping at the main bazzar.
Extras!
So we think this is the best travel itinerary to Borneo and you definitely feel like you’ve seen and done a lot!
However if I had extra time I would add some of these trips/stops in!
Kota Kinabolu- now we had a layover here but didn’t leave the airport, if I was to add another destination this is where it would be! A great place to explore the coastal islands as well as take a hike up the biggest mountain in Borneo!
Day trip to Satang Turtle Island National Park- You could do day trips or stay overnight but either way looks like a beautiful place to visit the turtle conservation area and also snorkel in the crystal clear sea!
