Borneo is the best place to spot wildlife. Borneo and Sumatra are the only places in the world where orangutans still live in the wild. Seeing these magnificent great apes in their natural habitat and observing them is special. Besides the impressive jungle, Borneo also has a beautiful underwater world. If you want to visit the highlights of Borneo, you should soon count on a round trip of at least 2 weeks. If you want to keep the pace a little slower, it is wise to count on at least 3 weeks. Below is the ideal itinerary for a 2 – 3 week round trip in Borneo.
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Ideal travel time for Borneo
Mid-March through mid-October is the dry season in Borneo. Because Borneo consists mainly of jungle and rainforest, occasional rain showers may fall but not as much as in the rainy season. The rainy season runs from mid-October through mid-March. During this time, it is still possible to visit Borneo, but you should expect some more and harsher showers in a day.
Kota Kinabalu
From Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, you will land in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the province of Sabah, which you will explore over the next few weeks using the itinerary. There are many different markets in Kota Kinabalu with street food stalls or clothing. There is also a long promenade where you can get a nice breath of fresh air and take a long walk.
Off the coast of Kota Kinabalu lies the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. This marine park consists of 5 islands that you can visit by ferry. To enter the marine park, you pay 20RM (€4) per person. For the boat you also pay 20RM and each island you want to visit additionally costs around 10RM. On weekends, the Tunku Adbdul Rahman Marine Park is very busy. In fact, it is a very popular spot with the locals.
From Kota Kinabalu, you can book a tour to the literal highlight of Borneo: Mount Kinabalu. This tough two-day hike is on the list of many travelers. Do keep in mind the muscle soreness the days after the hike.
From Kota Kinabalu, you can also do the 4-day jungle tour in Deramakot Forest Reserve. This is THE reason to come to Borneo. With two rangers you will go deep into the jungle to spot elephants, orangutans, macaques, proboscis monkeys, snakes and many more animals. The rangers will teach you all about nature, animals and habitat. Very interesting and a must-do in Borneo.
Sandakan and Sepilok
From Kota Kinabalu, you can take a bus to Sandakan or Sepilok. These towns are close to each other but it is recommended to stay overnight in Sepilok. This is cozier and closer to the orangutan sanctuary you can visit. It is enough to spend one night in Sepilok. If you want to take it easy and have an extra relaxing day, Sepilok Jungle Resort is the place to be. There is a nice pool at this resort and you are in the middle of the forest. A very nice place!
Kinabatangan River
The Kinabatangan River tour organizer will pick you up at Sepilok around 12:00 the next day.
Prepare for several “cruises” down the river and spotting many animals. As with Deramakot, you get a good guide who can tell you a lot about nature and wildlife. The tour to the Kinabatangan River is one of the cheaper tours in Borneo because there are many providers. Curious about our spending nearly 4 weeks? See the overview of our costs in Borneo.
Snorkeling and diving in Semporna
Besides the jungle, Borneo also has a beautiful underwater world. The most beautiful snorkeling and diving spots can be found off the coast of Semporna. Unfortunately, Semporna itself is not a nice town to stay in. If you’re on the water during the day, fortunately, you won’t notice much of this. You can choose to do two or three days of island tours with snorkeling included. Diana from Belong Homestay can take you out in Semporna during the day or at night so you won’t walk around here alone. It is highly recommended to book your stay with her.
Kuching
From Semporna, catch the bus to Tawau. This one takes about an hour and you can book the tickets here in advance.
Tip: also read all the information about transportation in Borneo.
In Tawau, catch a plane to Kuching on Borneo’s southwest coast. From Kuching, you can visit the beautiful Bako National Park. Continue your journey from Kuching to Malaysia or another country in Asia. Need help booking your tour of Borneo? Or would you like to spar about which activities are exactly right for you? Then schedule a travel coach consultation with us!
