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Borneo is a destination like no other—teeming with lush rainforests, rare wildlife, and unforgettable adventures. But planning a trip to this incredible island can be tricky, especially with limited accommodation near popular areas like Sepilok and the Kinabatangan River, where top-rated wildlife experiences often book out well in advance.
This 2025 Borneo travel guide is here to help you plan your trip with confidence, covering everything from the best time to visit and must-see destinations. I’ve got all the things you need to know before visiting Borneo, like transport options, safety tips, and how to avoid common travel pitfalls, all based on my experience of visiting in 2024. Whether you’re dreaming of seeing orangutans up close or cruising through jungle waterways, this guide will help you create an unforgettable Borneo journey.
All photos featured on this blog are from my personal travel experiences.
Is Borneo worth visiting?
Borneo is famous for its diverse nature and stunning beauty, including the Borneo Big Five:
- Orangutans
- Pygmy elephants
- Proboscis monkeys
- Crocodiles
- Hornbills, the native bird
Borneo is most famous for its wildlife, and alongside Sumatra, is one of only two places in the world to see wild orangutans. The best way to guarantee you’ll see wildlife is to visit the sanctuaries at Sepilok. The Orangutan Sanctuary is located next door to the Sun Bear Sanctuary, so they are easy to combine as a day trip. If you want to see animals in the wild, your best bet is to take a cruise on the River Kinabatangan.
You might also see orangutans just roaming around, either at your hotel or at one of the sanctuaries. If you do, follow the instructions of any nearby staff members, particularly if it’s a bigger male, or a mother and child. I saw a mother and child while visiting the Sun Bear Conservation Centre, and it’s important to make sure that the mother doesn’t feel threatened. On a different day, while making enrichment activities for the bears, we saw a big male orangutan and had to rapidly gather all of our stuff and run inside – the bear keepers weren’t keen on the clever orangutan getting hold of the power tools we were using!
There’s also an abundance of other nature, including reptiles and insects, as well as stunning scenery, and incredible sunsets in Kota Kinabalu.
If it’s your first time visiting, there’s so much to do that it can feel overwhelming. But Borneo really is a once in a lifetime experience – make sure it’s on your bucket list and don’t wait too long.
Planning your Malaysia trip? Check out my three-week Malaysia itinerary, which covers both Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.
Your 2025 Borneo Travel Guide: The Most Amazing Things To Do In Borneo
Map of the most amazing things to do in Borneo
Use this interactive map to plan your Borneo trip!
Spot Mischievous Orangutans at the Orangutan Sanctuary
Cost: RM30 (about £5/6e/$7)
The Orangutan Sanctuary was founded in 1964 and has thrived ever since. It’s best to time your visit for one of the feeds – there is a morning and afternoon feed. Check their website for the most up to date times. Once you’re inside, there is an outdoor feeding area, and then the nursery area where you can view orangutans from two indoor rooms (one with and one without aircon).
The outdoor feeding station gets crowded during feeding times, so try to arrive a bit early if you want a good spot. Orangutans at Sepilok are not kept in cages or enclosures, and you’re therefore not guaranteed to see them, but they do tend to prioritise food (don’t we all).
See the World’s Smallest Bears at the Sun Bear Conservation Centre
Cost: RM50 (£9/10e/$11.50)
The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre is much newer than the Orangutan Sanctuary, and less well known. Sun bears are the world’s smallest bears, and only found in Borneo. Compared to the Moon Bears I saw in Luang Prabang, they feel absolutely tiny!
The centre was founded in 2016 and continues to grow – not least because while it is illegal to keep sun bears as pets in Borneo, many people still keep the babies as pets because they’re so small and cute. They then turn the bears in when they get too big – most bears in the centre are rescued pets.
You can walk around the elevated walkways to see different bears in their enclosures. There are no set feeding times at the sun bear centre but you are still extremely likely to see the bears, as they like to relax in the sun.
I volunteered for two weeks at the sun bear centre and absolutely loved these cute animals. So little is known about sun bears – there has been very little research on them in the past. The Centre is trying to change this, so make sure you create time on your Borneo trip to go and see this relatively unknown animal and support the work of the centre. You’ll fall in love with them, just like I did.
Explore the Rainforest Discovery Centre
Cost: 30RM (about £5/6e/$7) to enter or 50RM for the night walk
The Rainforest Discovery Centre is a bit of a walk from the two sanctuaries, but easily reachable. It offers a number of different hikes, as well as their skywalk through the rainforest canopy. It’s particularly good if you’re interested in birds, as the walk takes you through the trees, and there is lots of information provided.
The RDC also offers a night walk – this is excellent if you’re keen to see nocturnal animals such as slow loris and flying squirrels. If you choose to do the night walk, you’ll be allocated a guide. You’ll first visit the skywalk to try and spot the flying squirrels as dusk approaches. Your guide will then take you on a walk through the relatively smooth paths in the centre. The guide will help you spot any nocturnal creatures around, working with their colleagues to make sure you get the best chance to see animals. While as is usual with wildlife, nothing is guaranteed, we got to see a cute little tarsier clinging to a tree.
Numbers for the night walk are limited so make sure to book in advance.
Cruise down the Kinabatangan River
A trip to the Kinabatangan River is another must-do in Borneo. You can arrange this from hotels in Sandakan or Sepilok, or book in advance. I used River Junkies and would highly recommend them for professionalism, excellent guides and great facilities.
A trip to the River Kinabatangan gives you the chance to get out of the relatively populous area around Sepilok and out into the real jungle. Most trips are 3 days and 2 nights, with pickup from either Sepilok, Sandakan town centre or Sandakan Airport. This schedule gives you a couple of chances to spot the Borneo Big 5, all of which can be seen along the river if you’re lucky, as well as a lot of macaques.
Read my full guide to my Kinabatangan River Cruise experience!
Climb Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu, a famous hiking spot, is on the other side of the island to Sepilok and Kinabatangan, near Kota Kinabalu. It’s possible to do day trips to the mountain from the city, but also to stay nearer to the mountain itself.
The mountain is over 4000m high, so while it’s not the most challenging walk you’ll ever do at that altitude, you do need to be prepared for altitude sickness. Treks normally take two days. In addition, staying the night before at Kinabalu Park might help you acclimatise.
I’m not a fan of this kind of hiking, so I wanted to direct you to this comprehensive guide or this alternative where you can find out everything you need to know.
Check out the beautiful sunsets and snorkelling opportunities in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinablu, often known as KK, is the main city on Borneo. It’s primarily a starting point for Mount Kinabalu hikes, but it can be worth spending a couple of days there as well on your Borneo holidays. Highlights include some of the world’s best sunsets, a beautiful floating mosque, and the opportunity to snorkel in a nature reserve!
Check out my guide to Kota Kinabalu here!
Visit Sandakan on your way to or from Sepilok
One of the things to know before visiting Borneo is that there is very little to do in Sandakan town, and I would advise only staying there as a jumping off point for Sepilok, Kinabatangan or the airport. It’s not unsafe, and there are a few nice cafes and restaurants, but there’s very little to occupy your time.
If you are spending time in Sandakan, try the following cafes and restaurants:
- #1 Roastery – lovely little cafe where they roast their own beans on site – this is definitely the best coffee in Sandakan.
- Cafe San Da Gen – another lovely cafe that does excellent lunches and is famous for their Pastel de Nata. While the coffee is better at #1 Roastery, this is probably the best cafe in Sandakan for food.
- Ba Lin roof terrace – it was raining (a lot!) when I planned to go here, but it has excellent reviews and offers beautiful views out over the sea.
- English Tea House and Restaurant – Soak up some colonial vibes and have a traditional English afternoon tea. It’s located at the Agnes Keith House, a famous American writer who wrote some of her most famous novels at the house. While this is a famous thing to do in Sandakan, I never made it, so I can’t say if the scones and clotted cream live up to the hype.
GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ADVICE: many of the hostels and hotels in Sandakan offer trips to the nearby islands including Turtle Island. It’s important to know before visiting Borneo that many governments, including the UK and Irish governments, currently advise against travel to these islands due to the threat of piracy. While you can make your own decisions about this threat, you should note that your travel insurance won’t be valid if you choose to this on your Borneo holidays.
Where to stay in Sepilok – the best jungle lodges for visiting the sanctuaries
Sepilok is where you will find the main tourist attractions including the Orangutan Sanctuary, the Sun Bear Conservation Centre and the Rainforest Discovery Centre. It’s 20 minutes from Sandakan Airport and 40 minutes from Sandakan town by Grab or taxi.
Staying in Sepilok ensures you maximise your time in Borneo. Many hotels are walking distance to the sanctuaries or offer regular shuttle buses. However, there aren’t enough hotel rooms to cope with demand. Hotels are sold out most nights – book in advance.
Borneo is extremely hot and humid – choose a room with aircon unless you are on a strict budget.
Popular options include:
Sepilok Forest Edge Resort – this highly rated resort is one of the higher-end hotels in Sepilok, and one of the nearest to the sanctuaries.
Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort – also highly rated, this is slightly further away but still very walkable to the sanctuaries
Sepilok Jungle Resort – This is one of the closest hotels to the two sanctuaries, and has a great pool for chilling out in the afternoon. It also has a popular cafe. However it’s not the most highly rated on Booking.com.
Paganakan Dii – Highly rated on booking.com, this is in the jungle, a long walk away from the sanctuaries. It offers a real jungle experience, and stunning views. The hotel offers a regular shuttle which leaves three times each day, but this can be restrictive. You will also have little choice over where to eat in the evenings as Grab cars won’t come to the hotel. I stayed in their volunteer house, and we often felt very cut off. While the private rooms have air con, I advise avoiding the dorms, as they only have fans and from personal experience, the wooden houses get extremely hot.
Where to stay in Sandakan – before or after a flight
As Sandakan is about a 40 minute drive from the sanctuaries at Sepilok, I only recommend staying in Sandakan before or after a flight, or before your Kinabatangan River Cruise. Sandakan is not a major tourist destination and hotels are limited, so book ahead, especially for the higher-end options.
Hotel recommendations include:
Sandakan Backpackers – a great budget backpackers hostel by the waterfront. Offers breakfast and some kitchen facilities.
Aecotel – I stayed in this budget hotel twice. It felt like being in a time-warp, but had everything I needed including cleanliness and good air con.
Hotel Sandakan – friends of mine stayed here. It’s slightly higher-end than Aecotel, but reviews suggest it’s still quite dated.
Hotel Elopura – this is the main high end hotel in Sandakan, situated on the waterfront. It’s modern and has a cafe, restaurant and roof terrace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Borneo Big Five?
The Borneo Big Five are the most famous and unique animals that you can see on a trip to Borneo. The Borneo Big 5 are:
✔ Orangutans
✔ Pygmy Elephants
✔ Proboscis monkeys
✔ Crocodiles
✔ Hornbills (the national bird of Borneo)
While sightings aren’t guaranteed, your chances of seeing several of the Borneo Big Five—especially orangutans and proboscis monkeys—are high if you plan your trip well.
I saw all of the Borneo Big 5 except Pygmy Elephants on my trip in August 2024.
Is Borneo safe?
One of the most important things to know before visiting Borneo is that Borneo is very safe. As a solo female traveller, I never felt threatened or unsafe while in Borneo. However, you should take the usual precautions, particularly at night. Cities in Borneo (Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu) were not particularly busy at night – you are more likely to be walking alone than in other Malaysian cities like George Town or Kuala Lumpur.
✔ Government advice: Many governments, including the UK and Irish governments, currently advise against travel to certain parts of Borneo. This is primarily the islands off the coast from Sandakan onwards. This includes the famous diving spots around Seporna (time of writing February 2025). Mainland Sandakan is safe, as is Sepilok. While you can make your own decisions about this, note that travelling to these islands against government advice invalidates your travel insurance.
✔ Always check guidance from your government and make sure this is up to date. For British citizens, this can be found on the FCDO website.
What part of Borneo should you visit?
Borneo is a large island in the South China Sea, which is part of three different countries: Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. Before planning your trip to Borneo, you’ll need to decide which parts you want to visit and plan accordingly. You’ll need a separate visa for each country on Borneo—Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei—so plan your travel accordingly. The major tourist sites are in Malaysian Borneo – and the ones I visited were all in the province of Sabah.
I visited Malaysian Borneo in summer 2024, so this guides focuses on the Malaysian part of the island.
When is the best time to visit Borneo and see orangutans?
Best – Dry Season: June to October is considered to be the best time of year to visit Borneo and see wildlife. This is the dry season and fruiting season in June might orangutans come closer to trekking paths
.
Worst – Wet season: You should avoid the wet season between November and February, when heavy downpours will make life miserable.
How many days do you need in Borneo?
How long you spend in Borneo will depend on what your priorities are, and particularly if you are planning to hike Mount Kinabalu as well as visiting the wildlife in Sepilok.
If you plan to just visit Sepilok and cruise on the River Kinabatangan, you could visit in 5 full days.
8 nights in Borneo gives you time to see the sanctuaries in Sepilok, go on a cruise along the Kinabatangan, and have some time in Kota Kinabalu to see the world-famous sunset. This assumes that you fly between Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, rather than taking the bus.
If you are planning to hike Mount Kinabalu, you’ll need to factor in additional time not just for the hike but to acclimatise to the altitude before. You should take expert advice on this from hike providers – I have put some resources in the article.
How to get to Sandakan and Sepilok
The best way to get to the Orangutan and Sun Bear sanctuaries at Sepilok is to fly into Sandakan airport. From Europe, Australia or America, this is likely to include a connection in Kuala Lumpur. There are also short flights from other destinations in Malaysian Borneo, including Kota Kinabalu.
The airport is around 20 minutes from the hotels and sanctuaries at Sepilok, and also about 20 minutes from Sandakan town in the other direction.
You can get Grab (Asia’s version of Uber) from the airport to either of these destinations, as well as traditional taxis. As Sandakan has limited public transport, taxi is your best option to get to and from the airport.
How to travel from Kota Kinablu to Sandakan and Sepilok
The best way to travel from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan or Sepilok is to take a short 40 minute flight. Both Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan airports have good facilities and this will help you make the most of your time in Borneo.
The alternative way to travel from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan is an 8 hour local bus. I haven’t been able to find tickets for this using the most reputable sites (12Go, RedBus and BusTicketOnline) but have found them via EasyBook. As I haven’t used this site, I can’t vouch for whether it’s reputable or not.
River Junkies also run a shuttle from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan which stops off at a number of tourist attractions along the way. This is a good alternative if you have the time, but note that it requires at least two people to run. I wasn’t able to use it as a solo traveller as there were no other bookings on my chosen day.
Borneo is one of Southeast Asia’s most rewarding destinations—home to wild orangutans, lush rainforests, and unforgettable adventures like cruising the Kinabatangan River or hiking Mount Kinabalu. With the right planning and up-to-date travel info, you can make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Whether you’re exploring jungle sanctuaries, volunteering with wildlife, or soaking up sunsets in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo has something for every kind of traveller. Be prepared, stay safe, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
Em is the founder of Em’s Globetrotting Gems, where she shares practical travel tips and personal stories from her global adventures. In 2024, she spent three unforgettable weeks exploring Borneo, visiting places like Sepilok, Sandakan, the Kinabatangan River, and Kota Kinabalu. Her blog is all about helping fellow travellers plan meaningful, hassle-free trips with insight, honesty, and a spirit of discovery.
✅ All photos featured on this blog are from my personal travel experiences. No stock images are used.
Wowee Emily ! Such a helpful and informative blog post that will not doubt help us in our planning for Borneo next year !
Thanks Kelly! So glad it was helpful!
[…] Planning to see organgutans in Borneo instead? Check out my article Borneo Holidays: Everything you need to know about this amazing island. […]
I have been to Kota Kinabalu and spent time island hopping. Would love to visit the sun bears and orangutans in Borneo next time.
Thanks for this in-depth guide! Would you recommend visiting Sarawak at all?
I didn’t get a chance to visit Sarakwak unfortunately – but I did hear good things from others about Kuching.