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How to take the BEST Kinabatangan River Trip

This 560-kilometer-long river is part of the Sukai-Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and runs through Sabah state in Malaysian Borneo.    It is a simply stunning area to visit and encounter a wide variety of wildlife.  The Kinabatangan River has the highest concentration of wildlife in Borneo.  While most of the travel and wildlife spotting is from the river, most people stay in riverside lodges and spend several days here.   It’s possible also to take wildlife hikes and the wide variety of habitats provides for diverse wildlife spotting.  Taking a Kinabatangan River cruise and tour provides fabulous opportunities to see truly wild animals in their native environment.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN  OUR DISCLAIMER

EASIEST WAY TO VISIT

Is to take a trip from Sandakan. These trips include transport to and from the river. And they include accommodation. Staying overnight on the river is the BEST way to see all the wildlife that the area has to offer. Book early for the best accommodation!

Why You Should Visit the Kinabatangan River

This is the area of Borneo that has the largest concentration of wildlife on Borneo.  It means that this is your best chance of seeing some of Malaysia’s animals in the wild.  It is also possible (and we did) to see some of Malaysia’s rarest animals.  In the Kinabatangan River area, you can spot

• Proboscis monkeys
• Pygmy elephants
• A whole variety of birdlife including the hornbill, kingfisher, and the endangered Storm Stork

Best Tours of the Kinabatangan River

There are a variety of ways to see this area and the wildlife in it. If you only have a half-day or one day, then your best options are to focus on the wildlife rehabilitation centers. They are amazing. and you’ll get to see these stunning creatures in a natural habitat. You won’t, however, get to travel on the Kinabatangan River. You’ll need to stay around for at least 2 days to do that. The best options for visiting are:

Best Half-Day and One-Day Trips of the Kinabatangan Area

• Half-day visit to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehab Centre
• Half-day visit to Sepilok Orangutan Rehab Center + the Sun Bear Conservation Center
• Day Trip from Sandakan to see Orangutan and Probiscis Monkeys
• Full-Day Trip to see Orangutan, Probiscis Monkey & Sun bears from Sandakan

Multi-Day Trips to the Kinabatangan River

If you truly want to see the natural aspects of the Kinabatangan River, then you need to come and stay overnight. In the jungle. But that doesn’t mean that you have to rough it. Far from it. And what you pay here goes a long long way. Many of the accommodation options you can book (see later in this article) are ALL-INCLUSIVE – which means that you get all your food, water and river cruises, night walks, and forest trail walks included. It doesn’t include beer, which you’ll have to pay for in cash. You may, when booking accommodation-focused trips have to pay for a transfer from Sandakan. Here are the best trips you can book that are all-inclusive, and include transport.

Best 2 Day One Night Visit to the Kinabatangan River Area

This one night, 2 day visit to the Kinabatangan area includes one night’s accommodation at the Sepilok Jungle Resort, located in the rainforest. You’ll get to visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Sun Bear Conservation Center. It includes your lunch and breakfast and transfers to and from Sandakan hotels or the Sandakan airport. You can reserve this here. Note that this does not have a Kinabatangan River Cruise included.

Best 3 Day 2 Night Kinabatangan River Cruises included

This 2 night, 3 day Kinabatangan River stay includes 2 nights at the Bilit Adventure Lodge, surrounded by the rainforest. You’ll get to cruise on the river, and see the wildlife in its natural habitat – there are elephants, orangutan, maroon langur (endemic to Borneo), and Bornean gibbon (endemic to Borneo), snakes, crocodiles, civet cats, monitor lizards, macaques, and otters. If you want to stay in the rainforest and cruise on the Kinabatangan river this is a superb option. Reserve your place here.

Do everything on this 4 day, 3-night visit to the Kinabatangan River

If you really want to experience everything that the Kinabatangan River has to offer, then this is the trip for you. You’ll stay for one night at the Sepilok Jungle Resort and visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehab Center, then see the sun bears at the Sun Bear Conservation Center, there’s also a visit to the Rainforest Discovery Center to see red giant flying squirrels and birds. Then you’ll move to the Bilit Adventure Lodge and stay there for two nights. Your visit will include river cruises, night walks, and forest trail walks. It doesn’t get better than this! See availability for this Kinabatangan River trip here!

When to Visit the Kinabatangan River

One of the beauties of the Kinabatangan River is that you can visit it all year round, almost regardless of the weather.   November to March is the rainy season in Borneo and while this means that you’ll be able to go further into the offshoot channels of the river, it also means that at the peak (December to January), it might be pretty tough to get there.

If you’re looking to visit the Kinabatangan River to view birdlife, then taking your trip between April and October will give you the best chance of spotting avian life.

Where is the Kinabatangan River?

The Kinabatangan River is located on the island of Borneo, in the Malaysian state of Sabah.  It runs from the Crocker range of mountains in the southeast of the state to the Sulu Sea to the southeast of the city of Sandakan.

What to Expect on a Kinabatangan River Cruise

Depending on how long you spend in the Kinabatangan River area you can expect to see a wide variety of wildlife here.  Many of the species that you’ll see here you won’t be able to find anywhere else in the world.  The banks of the Kinabatangan River are home monitor lizards, macaques, the Proboscis monkey, orangutans, and crocodiles.  You’ll also find herds of the Borneo pygmy elephants.  These are the smallest elephants in Asia.

If you’re looking for other ethical places to see elephants, then I highly recommend the Mondulkiri Elephant Sanctuary in Cambodia. It is glorious. We took a hike there and you can read about it here.

How long should you spend on the Kinabatangan River?

As your trip to the Kinabatangan area takes around 3 hours to get from Sandakan, you’re going to spend half a day getting there.  We recommend you spend at LEAST 2 nights in the Kinabatangan area.  You’ll often find that adding an extra night doesn’t add a huge cost to your trip.

There is no National Park fee to pay, and depending on the lodge that you select, you may also be able to spot wildlife directly from your lodge, as we did.  However, you’re going to want to take regular trips out onto the river.  Our schedule, which is reviewed at the bottom of this article had us taking 2 river trips a day (morning and early evening), mid-afternoon walks, and evening walks as well.    Unless you have a specific wildlife interest in the area you are unlikely to return to this area, so we recommend that you make the most of it!

There’s a lot that you can see here, depending on how much time you have.

If you like National Parks, then also head to Bako National Park, near Kuching also on Malaysian Borneo, our guide to Bako National Park is here.

Half-Day Trips to the Kinabatangan River Area

Here are the half-day short trips to the Kinabatangan River.

Half-Day Visit to the Kinabatangan River Area to see Orangutan & Sun Bears

This half-day Kinabatangan area trip picks you up either from Sandakan airport or your hotel and takes you to the world’s largest and oldest Oran Utan Rehabilitation Centre. You’ll also get to see the first Sun Bear Conservation Centre in the world. (I wrote about Sun Bears here ) At the end of your visit, your English-speaking driver will return you to either your hotel or the airport. If you only have a very short time here this is a great option to explore this part of the world and see the animals that make it so special. You can book online for immediate confirmation here.

Half-Day Trip to the Sepilok Orangutan Centre

This is a truly magical place to visit. And this half-day trip to Sepilok makes it super easy to get here and back to your hotel. You’ll be collected from your accommodation and taken to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehab center. This is one of the top things to do in Sabah and you’ll get to see how baby orangutans are nurtured back to health, and see how they place, you can even participate in feeding time. Get immediate confirmation of your place, and free cancellation too.

One Day Trips to the Kinabatangan River Area

If all the time you have is one day, then here are two options for a day trip to the Kinabatangan River. Note that these day trips take place from Sandakan. You can be picked up from the airport in Sandakan or your accommodation.

See Orangutans & Proboscis Monkeys in a One day Kinabatangan Trip

This 10-hour day trip to see Orangutans & Proboscis Monkeys picks you up from either your hotel or Sandakan airport and then transports you, with an English-speaking guide to the oldest and the biggest Orang Utan Rehabilitation in the World. You’ll get to see the work done here and get up close with Orangutans, there’s even the chance to get involved at feeding time. See how baby orangutans are rehabilitated and how they play. Then you’ll visit the Rainforest Discovery Centre where you can experience its amazing ecology and biodiversity. Your final stop on this day trip in the Kinabatangan River area is the Labuk Bay Proboscis Sanctuary, situated at the center of the mangrove forest, close to the sea shore. This is the only place to watch the Proboscis Monkey at close range in Borneo. Reserve your place to see Orangutan and Proboscis monkeys here.

See Orangutans, Proboscis Monkeys & Sun Bears in a One day Kinabatangan River Area Trip

In this 9-hour day trip , you’ll get a little less time in each location, but you’ll get to visit the oldest and biggest Orangutan Rehabilitation in The World. During the visit, which happens at feeding time, you’ll see where orphaned baby Orangutans get nursed back to health, and how they learn by playing. Then you’ll go to the Labuk Bay Proboscis Sanctuary, the only place in Borneo where you can view this monkey at close range. Finally, you’ll get to visit the Sun Bear Conservation Centre. Your trip will wrap up with a forest walk through the rainforest before you’ll be transported back to your hotel or the airport. This day trip really packs it in, and if a day is all you have it’s great value for money to see the wildlife of the Kinabatangan River area. Book your place now, this trip is super popular.

Now, this is where it gets interesting. And this is what I recommend. What you’re seeing on the one-day or less tours of the Kinabatangan area are the wildlife rehab centers for sun bears, orangutans, and proboscis monkeys. They are all amazing centers and do fantastic work. But if you want to see the wildlife along the river, wake at dawn and see the rainforest waking up, or take a night hike along forest trails, then you’ll need to stay at least one night. You’re better off staying 2 or 3 nights, as animals don’t perform here. this is the Jungle. And it’s a long way to come.

How to Get to the Kinabatangan River

Virtually all tours and cruises of the Kinabatangan River start from the closest main town, Sandakan, which you’ll find in the eastern part of the state of Sabah on Malaysian Borneo.   Sandakan is around a four-hour drive to the Kinabatangan River area.  This timeframe is, however, rainy season dependent.

If you are traveling from other parts of Malaysia to visit the Kinabatangan River, it’s advisable to spend the night before your trip in the town of Sandakan.   Check accommodation options in Sandakan now

How to Get to the Kinabatangan River from Kuala Lumpur

You’ll be able to easily take a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan Airport, which is located VERY close to the town of Sandakan.  While it is possible to take an early morning flight to Sandakan from KL, we recommend spending the night before your Kinabatangan River cruise in Sandakan to ensure you have time to make the trip to the river.  –  Check Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan flight options now

The alternative cheaper route from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan is to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu and then take a bus from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan.  The bus takes around 6 hours from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan.  The combination of flight and bus is usually cheaper than flying directly to Sandakan, but you’ll spend an entire day getting here.  Check your options here, but we recommend flying directly to Sandakan.

If you’re coming over from Kuala Lumpur, then our guide to Malaysia’s capital city is here.

How to get to the Kinabatangan River from Sandakan

This is the easy bit.  For you, at least.  It takes a minimum of four hours to travel from Sandakan to the Kinabatangan River area.  In the wet season, this can take a lot longer. Much of the route is not paved and becomes heavy, clogging mud very quickly, so you’ll want to ensure that your transport has a great 4WD option and high clearance!  99% of all trips to the Kinabatangan River include transport from your hotel or hostel in Sandakan.

Check these options f or Kinabatangan Tours from Sandakan now!

How to Get to the Kinabatangan River from Kota Kinabalu

The cheapest way to go from Kota Kinabalu to the Kinabatangan River is by bus to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu.  The bus journey is easy, but long – about 6 hours.  You’ll get to travel past the entrance to Mount Kinabalu and see the palm oil plantations that are taking over the landscape of Malaysia.

It’s not possible to book the bus ticket to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu online at this time.    You’ll need to either book with your hostel or hotel, or go to the bus station in Kota Kinabalu and buy the ticket.  Two bus companies run this trip, and so long as you get there about 90 minutes before the bus leaves you should be able to book a ticket.  If you want to book online for your trip to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu, then we recommend a flight.

You can also fly from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan – flights are relatively cheap (not as cheap as the bus though) and the flight takes an hour – check the options for flights to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu here .

If you are traveling to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu to start a Kinabatangan River tour then you’ll need to stay overnight in Sandakan one night > best options here

While you’re in Sandakan, be sure to check out some of the best things to do there, our guide is here.

Where to stay on the Kinabatangan River

For visiting the Kinabatangan River area and seeing wildlife, you have a choice of staying in a lodge on the river – and our two recommendations are below – or you can stay in a homestay in the village of Sukau Bilit.   Note that any transfers for these stays will be an additional cost and you will need to negotiate with your host any river cruises that you wish to take.

For a full Kinabatangan River experience, we recommend staying in a lodge on the river.  And it doesn’t have to completely blow the budget.

The Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort with Private Cottages or Dorms

This place is amazing , it was our luxury stay for 2 nights.    It’s located directly on the banks of the Kinabatangan River.  All the buildings are on wooden stilts above the forest floor and are connected by a series of boardwalks.  All the rooms and the main lodge are constructed of local Borneo Iron Wood, native to Borneo.  All the rooms have balconies, air conditioning, a ceiling fan, and mosquito nets.  Ensuite bathrooms have hot and cold showers.  You can spot wildlife from the resort itself. Reserve a room now! The rates are all-inclusive, which means all your river cruises and food are included.

It is quite simply glorious.   Their packages include transport to and from Sandakan, as well as river cruises and night walks.  This is amazing value for a stunning location.  Take the longer package for the best option of seeing more wildlife.  Check availability and book now.

The Gorgeous Borneo Nature Lodge

All packages include transfers to and from Sandakan town or the airport (transfers take 2-2.5 hours each way).   Each of the lovely wooden chalet-style rooms, located on stilts above the forest floor has mosquito nets, air conditioning, and en suite bathrooms.  All packages also include river cruises and forest walks.  Meals are taken in the common area restaurant and lounge.  There’s also a satellite TV here and you can also fish from the resort.  Check availability and book now.

The Last Frontier Boutique Resort

While the Last Frontier Boutique Resort isn’t set on the Kinabatangan River, it is in quite a stunning location – on the top of a 350-foot high hill overlooking the Kinabatangan Forest Reserve.  The only way to access this resort is by way of 600 steps. Up.  You will be staying in the middle of the jungle, and this location is stunning.  We didn’t stay here as they didn’t have availability when we visited, but we did take a hike here to see the views and the location.  Some rooms have an en suite, and boat cruises and jungle-trekking activities are included in every stay.  Meals are included and there is an on-site bar (beer and wine) for extra costs.  Transfers from Sandakan can be arranged at an extra cost, ask when or before you book.

Book this amazing location for your Kinabatangan Experience now!

Wildlife Spotting on the Kinabatangan River

This is a unique place to spot wildlife.  The Kinabatangan Reserve is home to a huge variety of birds, crocodiles, proboscis monkeys, orangutans, and Asia’s smallest elephants to name but a few species that you can expect to find here.

What wildlife can you expect to see on the Kinabatangan River

The wildlife that you see will depend on the trips that you take – and all of the places to stay that we recommend have included river cruises and jungle walks (day and night).  You are most likely to spot the wildlife in the early morning or later afternoon.

Pygmy Elephants on the Kinabatangan River

The pygmy elephants of Borneo are baby-faced with oversized ears, plump bellies, and tails so long they sometimes drag on the ground as they walk.   They’re genetically different from other Asian elephants and were isolated more than 300,000 years ago from their cousins on mainland Asia and the island of Sumatra.  They’re the smallest elephants in Asia.  Even when they’re fully grown they look like babies.

There are only around 1,500 of these left in the world.

Orangutans on the Kinabatangan River

The Bornean Orangutan is native to Borneo.  They are an endangered species and seeing them in the wild (as well as at the rescue centers in Sepilok, one of the best things to do in Sandakan , and Semenggoh , one of the best things to do near Kuching ) is a stunning experience.  You will most likely see them on a river cruise.

Orangutans are becoming increasingly endangered, as their habitat continues to decrease.  If you take the bus from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu you’ll see the increasing number of palm oil plantations responsible for this.

Proboscis monkeys on the Kinabatangan River

They’re reddish-brown, and this monkey is endemic to Borneo, where they exist alongside the Bornean Orangutan.  They’re the largest monkey species native to Asia – males are generally 66 – 76cm tall, and weigh in at up to 22 kilos.  The males have a large nose  (or Probiscus) – which can be more than 10cm long and both males and females have bulging stomachs – like a potbelly.  They’re also called, a “Dutch” monkey, as the Bornean often thought that they looked like their colonizers, with large noses and bellies.

Crocodiles on the Kinabatangan River

Crocodiles are territorial, so it’s relatively easy for your guide to find crocodiles for you to photograph along the banks of the Kinabatangan River.  The river is home to the most deadly of crocodiles, the saltwater crocodile and you are bound to see at least a few of them.

Snakes on the Kinabatangan River

There are around 160 different types of snakes on Borneo.  Most of the everyday ones are harmless, and most of the time you won’t even see them unless your guide points them out.

Birdlife on the Kinabatangan River

This area is a birders paradise – this is the home of some of Borneo’s most glorious birds, which include the smallest raptor in the world, the White-Fronted Falconet, and the endangered Storm’s Stork as well as Dwarf Kingfishers, Wallace’s Hawk-eagle, the Malaysian Flycatcher, Oriental Darter, the Rhinoceros Hornbill, the Asian Black Hornbill, and the Oriental Pied Hornbill.

The Storm Stork

The Storm Stork is a 90cm long stork with black and white plumage, a red bill, and red legs, it has a world population of fewer than 500 individuals and is officially endangered.

The best time of day to spot wildlife on the Kinabatangan River

You’ll want to ensure that whatever tour you select, it includes trips on the river and hikes at the time of day when it’s best to spot the wildlife that you want to.  The best times to spot wildlife are

0530-0730:  Best time for spotting birds and orangutans

1600-1730:  Best time for spotting proboscis monkeys

1900 +  Best time for crocodiles and nocturnal birds

Kinabatangan River Tour Tips

• Take a head torch/headlamp with both white and red lights – your accommodation may be located away from the central lodge. Red lights are best for nighttime viewing, you won’t scare away the animals or blind them.  A head strap means you’ll keep both hands free.
• We know that it’s exciting seeing wildlife, but be sure to keep quiet. Exclaiming wow loudly or shrieking will only frighten animals away.  Keep your mouth shut and whisper!
• Make a note of the species that you see, when you see them. It’s tough to remember what’s what when you return home with hundreds of photos.
• Don’t get too close. Stay away from animals.  Do NOT feed them.  Getting too close to animals and feeding them endangers them and their future survival.

BEST RECHARGEABLE HEADLAMP

Rechargeable Headlamp

Nitecore is a fabulous brand, and this is a great rechargeable headlamp for all your travels. Charges really quickly and it’s super bright too.

Our Review of our visit to the Kinabatangan River

We left our hotel in Sandakan at 12:30 promptly.  Our Kinabatangan River tour was two nights on the Kinabatangan River along with transfers, four river cruises, two-night walks, and a hike to Oxbow Lake.

You can book a similar trip ahead of time – and get a GREAT price for a Kinabatangan River Adventure

Next up was the Borneo Nature Sukai Bulit Resort. It’s just new promised our host in Sandakan. The photos looked like it was new, and so did the pics posted on Facebook in May of that year. Two and a half hours and 6 other folks (four Germans and two Aussies) later, we’d arrived. It looks exactly like it did on the internet. To say we were all stunned was an understatement.

It is lovely

The lodge itself is located RIGHT on the river, the accommodation is set a little further back.

We have a “private cottage” – which is basically a detached wooden chalet on stilts with a rainfall (hot water) shower, two large twin beds, individual mosquito nets, a fan, and air conditioning. There are even multiple electricity sockets. I think I’m in heaven.

There is crisp white bed linen, warm duvets (which kind of concerns me, it is currently around 30 degrees outside), a very comfortable mattress, a really decent pillow and we have face cloths (!!!) and fluffy white towels. And there’s a reading light too. I bet the Aussies who only booked for one night are frantically trying to rearrange their plans!

Our trip from Sandakan took 2.5 hours and we were welcomed with an icy flannel and drinks (tea, coffee, and water are available for free the whole time we’re here), and then shown to our rooms. The two German guys are in a dorm, which they say is nice. It’s just the two of them at the moment, so they have their choice of all six toilets in there! This truly was a fabulous tour from Sandakan, you can see some of the other top Sandakan tours that I’ve written about here.

High tea of fried bananas, coffee, and tea was at 3:30 pm and we met Aloy our guide. We were joined by 6 others who arrived yesterday for our first river cruise.

The dining room where we’ll take our meals sits right on the edge of the property, right on the river banks, so we can watch the world float by.  We can actually see the Asian pygmy elephants from the restaurant. Without binoculars, although they certainly help.

Just after 1600, we took to the boat. Arthur, our tour guide (up until now) and driver, is our host and Roy is our driver for the next two hours, although we don’t have to go far for our first stop.

There are 14 of us in our boat and we join nine other boats hovering, 50 meters from the elephants and watching them feed.

Later, the elephants are literally 200 meters from our lodge. Our night walk is subsequently canceled, we can’t go on the trail when there are elephants there, but at the moment that’s of no consequence, because we’re here watching them eat, mate, swim, and generally be elephants in the wild.  Now that is more than a little bit cool.

There’s a group of folks who have been at a resort across the river from us for 7 days and today is the first day that they’ve seen elephants, a boat alongside has come from 20 kilometers upriver to see the elephants, so we feel incredibly lucky.

It is a further few minutes before we’ve found a group of Proboscis monkeys.

It’s hard to spot them as the sun is starting to go down behind the trees that they’re in, but we manage a few shots.

Our final sighting is of a bird that’s endangered in Malaysia, the Storm Stork.  We can’t really see anything more than the silhouette against the setting sun, so we head back and at 6:15 pm we’re back at the boat jetty.

“Dinner at 7”, says Joe as we all troop off back to our rooms.  There’s no night walk tonight, as the elephants are too close, so there will be “alternative” entertainment after dinner.

Dinner is buffet style – rice, a chicken dish, plus bitter gourd (which is REALLY bitter), cucumber salad, oysters fried up in oyster sauce with vegetables, long beans, and some form of meat.  It is SO good to have dishes that don’t taste as though they’ve been fried to within an inch of their life. And plain white rice. It’s good food.

After dinner, Joe introduces us to the team – drivers, boat drivers, chef, and the kitchen staff. He explains that Malaysia is made up of 42 different peoples and tribes and explains where the team is from. There will be a short cultural show, he explains, some music and dancing and if we play an instrument we can join in, but we can all join in the dancing.

And we do. There are several traditional Malay dances, which few of us seem able to master, (this is like your worst Dad’s dance at an 80’s disco nightmare EVER) but which aren’t too dissimilar to a barn dance or a line dance and just as we’re all starting to get rather warm, we wrap up with La Bamba and Aloy on guitar with a final traditional Malay song.

We might not have got our night jungle walk, but it’s been a really pleasant evening that we wrap up with a Tiger sighting. This one costs 10 RM for a 330 ml can and is wonderfully, bitterly cold. Then after THE best shower in 15 months on the road (you have to visit this place for the shower alone, actually scratch that, I might not have left by then, I have another 65 days or so left on my visa..and it is going to be hard to leave this bathroom and bedroom) we turned in.

The alarm is set for 05:15, coffee will be ready at 05:30 and we’re going crocodile hunting at 6.

Getting up the next morning, it turns out that the noises we heard in the night were elephants, closer than we’d thought, but not close enough to disturb us in our little cocoon of luxury. ( I doubt anything would have moved me from it).

Two cups of coffee later, we’re all in the boat heading on the hunt for crocodiles as the mist covers part of the river, the boat is mostly silent.

Well, the people in the boat are, the engines whine as we head upriver.

Two hours later and we’ve spotted several crocodiles, who must snooze in the same spot each morning based on Aloy’s unerring ability to motor along at high speed and drift to a halt before he seemingly finds them, and we’re back for breakfast.

There’s time for a quick shower and we’re off on a walk.   We can’t head into the Jungle area, because although the elephants have swum across the river, they could also swim back, so we’re going up “Dutch Hill” with Aloy.

We walk through the village and find ourselves at the bottom of a set of rickety wooden steps.  These are the steps to the “Last Frontier” ( book your place now , this place goes QUICK!)   It turns out that this is Aloy’s Dad’s land and it’s leased to the Last Frontier folks.   It gets rave reviews, but there are a huge number of steps here.  And no other way in.

The view from the top is so-so, but I can’t deny it’s gloriously isolated and it must be wonderful to see the stars and listen to the wildlife here at night.

But we’re staying on the river, and so we headed back, we’d spent a couple of hours just wandering, the only wildlife being the yellow-banded tree snake that we saw just on leaving the property.  Curled up sleeping in a tree above our heads.  (shudder).

After lunch, we head out on another walk into the village – just a few minutes away.

We make it as far as a homestay.  Where we’re sat on the porch to eat Hari Raya delicacies while Aloy chatters away with his mates.  And then it’s more time on the river.

It might sound like this was a non-stop trip, but it definitely was laid back and slow – the lack of Jungle Walks was a little disappointing, but there’s no doubt that the Kinabatangan River is beautiful.  It was busier though on this second day, with more boats, but also more wildlife that we started to get better at spotting.

Another herd of elephants – this time we found them downriver and sat, engine idling for perhaps an hour just watching them feed, drink and bathe.

The only low point of the trip was a boat from the Sukai Greenview Resort (the only folks to reply to us on email) which pulled up to the river bank and sat there, less than 5 meters from the elephants, who were clearly disturbed by the intrusion for the entire time we were watching, while those inside the boat took selfies after selfie and laughed and shrieked at their good fortune.

It’s such a huge privilege to be here and to see these animals in their habitat, but each time we see them and each time we see something like this happen,  I can’t help but wonder on the damage that we’re doing to them.  Is it better to stay away?  How do we police better management? And it just makes me feel so very sad.

Elephants seen we headed downriver, one boat idled near the bank on the other side, then pulled off as we pulled up.  We sat in silence, apart from the clicking of cameras (seriously, they’re all digital, doesn’t anyone know where the sound off button is?), and watched.

This was our old man of the forest in the wild.  The Bornean Orangutan.

We only had a few minutes of his time, but it was absolutely magical.

Returning to the lodge and another canceled Jungle Night Walk (it’s those elephants again) it was an early night for all because we were up again at 0515 for our last trip on the river.

More crocodiles, and birds this time.

Malaysia Travel Tips

• Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation, and more.
• Get online immediately with an eSIM for Malaysia.
• Complete your Malaysia Digital Arrivals Card – this replaces the paper based card as of November 2023.
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Final Words on Visiting the Kinabatangan River

The final word as we left the Kinabatangan and headed back to Sandakan goes to the elephants.  We’re leaving our wonderful rainfall shower, and crisp white linen, and heading back to a hostel, but it truly has been an honor to spend time in this glorious location, I hope it, and the animal habitat don’t get overcome with selfie-stick-waving hordes.

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Sarah Carter

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2 thoughts on “ How to take the BEST Kinabatangan River Trip ”

• 2 comments

Wonderful adventure Sarah! My family learned a lot from yr sharing before we visited Sandakan. The orangutan, Proboscis monkeys and the birds were amazing. Come back to Malaysia and visit other parts of the country again…!

So glad you had a great time, I miss Malaysia, Borneo specifically, it is my favourite place in Malaysia!!

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Kinabatangan River Cruise: A Must-do in Borneo (2024 guide)

By: Author Kris

Posted on Last updated: January 23, 2024

The Kinabatangan River is an area with tropical lowland rainforest vegetation and unique ecosystems.  It’s a popular place to spot wildlife.

Do you have plans to visit this lush green region during your Borneo trip? A Kinabatangan river cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

In this article, we share the best time to visit the Kinabatangan river, how to get there, some excellent all-inclusive Kinabatangan river lodges, and what it is like to spend a day in the jungle.

There is a really good chance that this post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no extra cost to you.

In a Hurry? Here you will find the most important information about making a Kinabatangan River Cruise

• The Kinabatangan River in Borneo can be visited almost all year round.
• The most popular way to get here is to fly to Sandakan. That’s also how we got here.  Most Kinabatangan river lodges include transportation to and from Sandakan airport in their bookings.
• The price of your Kinabatangan river cruise package depends on many elements. We advise taking an all-inclusive package.  You will have nothing to worry about because your tours and your meals will be included. As you are in the jungle there are no other restaurants around.
• We stayed in the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Lodge and loved our stay.

Table of Contents

Best time to visit the Kinabatangan River

The Kinabatangan River in Borneo can be visited almost all year round. March to early September are the driest months.

This is a great time to see wildlife near the Kinabatangan river.

From April to October is a good period for bird lovers as it is the flowering and birding season.

We went in July and we had nice weather with blue skies and we saw a lot of wildlife including orangutans and pygmy elephants.

The wettest months are November to March. This season has its advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantage is that you can enter deeper into the river channels and you will have more chances of spotting wildlife.

The disadvantage is that it will rain a lot and sometimes the river and channels are flooded. Especially during the monsoon season in December and January.

We recommend you to avoid the monsoon season.

How to get to the Kinabatangan River in Borneo?

The most popular way to get here is to fly to Sandakan.  That’s also how we got here.  Most Kinabatangan river lodges include transportation to and from Sandakan airport in their bookings.

If you are not sure if it’s included, you should check this with your lodge.

The journey involved a long drive in a minibus and then just a few more minutes over the Kinabatangan River.

This will be the case for most Kinabatangan river accommodations as most of them are located close to the pier at the main road.

Kinabatangan Riverside Lodges

The price of your Kinabatangan river cruise package  depends on many elements.  The level of comfort of the accommodation will make a difference but there will also be differences in what’s included in your package.

Some Kinabatangan river lodges offer all-inclusive packages (typically including all meals and 2 daily Kinabatangan River Cruises) but some only include your accommodation.

We advise taking  an all-inclusive package.   You will have nothing to worry about because your tours and your meals will be included. As you are in the jungle there are no other restaurants around.

If you are just like us a big nature fan,  opt for a 4 days/3 nights package  so you can enjoy 3 full days in the Malaysian wilderness. You will have more chances to see the orangutans and pygmy elephants. We saw different animals on each river cruise.

There’re many Kinabatangan river tours and accommodations. Remember that you are in the jungle and that these river accommodations may not offer all the amenities that you are used to.

Here we share 3 comfortable Kinabatangan accommodations with air conditioning that offers all-inclusive packages.

Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort

We stayed in the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort, one of the more comfortable Kinabatangan riverside lodges. It’s the only lodge in Kinabatangan rated 2 stars. 

The manager took really good care of us and we were treated with delicious meals after every river safari.  

We comfortably enjoyed the pleasures of the jungle :-).

Check prices and availability here:

Booking.com

Nature Lodge Kinabatangan

The Nature Lodge Kinabatangan offers basic clean rooms with air conditioning.  

Incredibly friendly staff.

The tours are good and the group sizes are considerably smaller than other tours.

Kinabatangan Wildlife Lofe

The Kinabatangan Wildlife Lodge offers spacious rooms with air conditioning.  

They offer a reasonable selection of well-prepared food, Very friendly and helpful staff.

The river safaris are excellent and the guides are good at spotting wildlife.

If you aren’t convinced of these hotels, you will find a lot of other hotels along the Kinabatangan river on booking.com: Booking.com

Jungle days with Kinabatangan river safaris

A typical day in the jungle takes an early start mostly around 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning.

A small snack and some coffee will be waiting to help you wake up before you head to the boats to do a Kinabatangan cruise at sunrise.

2 hours later you will get back to your lodge where you will enjoy breakfast.

After breakfast, you have time to read that good book that you wanted to read for so long.  You could take a nap or if you’re like me you could unwind by just listening to the sounds of nature.

You will be amazed at how quickly it is time for lunch…

Most packages will include all meals and morning- and evening river safaris

After lunch, you have time until 4 PM to do more of the same. At 4 PM it is time for another Kinabatangan river cruise.  Your sunset cruise typically lasts 2 hours and returns to the lodge after dark.

Dinner will be waiting for you when you get back to the lodge.

Most Kinabatangan river accommodations offer all-inclusive packages with all meals (no drinks) and morning and evening cruises included.

You can choose to add some extra excursions to your Borneo river safari packages like a night walk, a night cruise or an excursion to a nearby village.

The forest is alive day and night and a night excursion is particularly interesting if you want to see the nocturnal animals. (think, among other things, of big hairy spiders)

You can also approach birds more easily to take some really good close-up pictures.

We were hoping to see the Pygmy elephants but when we inquired as to their location upon arrival our hopes were quickly scuttled.  The main group of elephants had moved to a location that was too far away, out of reach for our boat safaris.

We had set our hopes for elephants but the orangutans, birds, and snakes we saw on the first day generously made up for failing to see any elephants.

If you love nature this is definitely a place you should go to.

Things only got better from there. You can imagine how excited we were when we encountered some elephants during our evening cruise on the second day.

We became even luckier on the third day when we got to see some elephants swimming. At the end of our 3 days we had spotted orangutans, snakes many proboscis and macaques and lots of birds (kingfishers, raptors, eagles, owls, …)

Some of the lodges include optional tours upon arrival and departure.

We opted to include these tours when we booked our package at the Borneo Nature Lodge and visited the Sepilok orangutan rehabilitation center on our way to the lodge and the Gomatong cave upon departure.

Very often a Borneo orangutan tour is included, a tour where you visit an orangutan rehabilitation center, but other lodges may offer different Kinabatangan river tours.

The Sepilok orangutan rehabilitation center

Since earlier on we visited  the Semenggoh rehabilitation center  we can make a good comparison of both and I think Sepilok beats Semenggoh. 

Not that we didn’t like Semenggoh, as animal lovers I would visit each center if I could, but if you have to choose between the two my first choice would be Sepilok. 

They have a professional and very informational visitor center where you learn a lot about these interesting animals. 

The presentation and the video in the center make your visit somewhat more worthwhile.

The 3 best activities to do in Kuching .

If you only have time for one Borneo orangutan tour our advice would be to visit the  Sepilok orangutan rehabilitation center.

The creepy Gomatong caves on our way back

On our last day, we got to sleep late, actually just a normal hour but if you have to get up at 5 for the morning cruise it’s a treat to sleep until 7 for once.

After breakfast, we headed to the Gomatong cave .

One part of the cave is open to the public and here you can witness the conditions in which twice yearly the edible bird’s nests are harvested.  These swallow nests are a delicacy in China and they pay big money for it.

But not only swallows are living in the cave… A population of bats lives in the cave and their pile of guano has attracted millions of cockroaches and centipedes.

As soon as you stopped walking those little creatures started walking across your feet which means I haven’t taken any pictures and share some pictures taken by other braver visitors (credit in the picture’s caption).

I do respect the guards that live in the cave day and night to protect the bird’s nests

I think I could say our visit was disgusting but interesting at the same time.  We witnessed an ecosystem here as we had never seen one before.

The Gomatong cave is situated in a wildlife protected area and as you make your way along the walkway towards the cave you should keep your eyes open for orangutans. We did see 2 of them.

Other people reported that they had also seen lemurs and colorful kingfishers.

Nature enthusiasts should definitely put a nature lodge stay along the Kinabatangan river on their bucket list. The river safari in Borneo is an unforgettable experience.

You adopt the pace of nature and in just a few days you will leave recharged with some great memories.

Staying in a comfortable lodge in the middle of the jungle has something magical.

We did it in Peru and we repeated it here in Kinabatangan and both times it was one of the best memories of our trip.

Don’t forget your binoculars!

A torch can come in handy to use during your night walk (usually torches are provided).  You might also need it as some hotels don’t have 24/7 electricity.

As soon as the sun sets the mosquitos come out.  Make sure to bring mosquito repellent to avoid becoming a mosquito buffet.

One day seems too short to visit this vast region but if that’s all you have you should have a look at this one-day Kinabatangan excursion .

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Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip [Depart Everyday] Sharing Tour

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Trip Overview

Price & terms.

• Price: USD 90 per person (Min two to go)

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The Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip is an excellent opportunity to discover the wildlife of Sabah, Malaysia. This adventure-packed tour begins with pick-up from City Hotels, Sandakan Hotel, Sabah Hotel, or other accommodations at 10:30 am. For those staying in Sepilok, pick-up is at 12:45 pm. The tour price is RM 430 per pax or USD 90.00 per pax.

After pick-up, the tour will proceed to Sepilok Jungle Resort , where you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch at 1:00 pm. Following lunch, the tour will travel by land to Bilit, the starting point of the Kinabatangan River.

Upon arrival at Bilit, guests will receive a warm welcome and enjoy an afternoon tea with local bites. A short briefing by the nature guide will provide essential information on the wildlife you’ll see during the tour.

At 4:00 pm, the boat cruise along the Kinabatangan River begins. This river is the longest in Sabah, and guests will have the opportunity to spot various wildlife, including proboscis monkeys, birds, and other creatures. This cruise will last for several hours, offering ample time to spot as much wildlife as possible.

The tour will conclude at 8:30 pm when guests will be transferred back to hotels in Sepilok or their respective hotels. Overall, the Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip is an excellent way to discover Sabah’s rich wildlife and immerse yourself in nature.

Contact us at [email protected] or +6012-3679785 (whatapps for immediate reply). To book, we need:

• Name of hotel to pick up:
• Travel Date:
• Nationality:

If you are looking at Full Board Package, you can refer to the 3D2N and 4D3N package below:

• Kinabatangan River Cruise 3D2N
• Kinabatangan River Cruise 4D3N

Day 1: Your hotel - Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip - Your hotel

10.30 am: Pick up from City Hotels, Sandakan Hotel etc.

10.45 am: Pick up from Sabah Hotel.

01:00 pm: Pick up from hotels in Sepilok.

01.30pm: Lunch at Sepilok Jungle Resort.

02.00pm: Drive overland to Bilit, Kinabatangan River.

03.30pm: Upon arrival, enjoy a warm welcome and afternoon tea with local bites. Short briefing by the nature guide.

04.00 pm: Boat cruise to view wildlife including proboscis monkeys, birds, and more at Kinabatangan River, the longest river in Sabah.

08:30pm: Transfer back to Sepilok Jungle Resort or respective hotels.

What is included?

• Tours & Transfers as per itinerary based on join-in basic.
• Entrance fees where applicable
• Boat fees where applicable
• Jungle Guide/local guide

What is not included?

• Tour Insurance
• Kinabatangan River Cruise Day Trip in Sabah, Malaysia.
• Pick-up from various hotels and lunch included.
• Wildlife viewing on the Kinabatangan River.
• Opportunity to spot proboscis monkeys and birds.
• Price at RM 430 per pax or equivalent in USD.

Sandakan, Borneo.

Tour Style:

Private Journey

Sightseeing

Minimum pax:

Minimum two person

Accommodation:

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Kinabatangan River: Everything You Need To Know

Considering visiting the Kinabatangan River? Great choice! This area is fantastic for wildlife spotting and is an easily accessible and good priced Sabah jungle experience.

The Kinabatangan River is the second longest river in Malaysia (and longest in Sabah). It’s 560 kilometres long and starts in Borneo’s interior before making its way to the sea. It’s a chocolate colour and surrounded by rainforest which is home to much wildlife.

This is a great place to spot wildlife although for a sad reason. The forest that lines the river is getting smaller and smaller as palm oil plantations grow. This means that the wildlife is more concentrated making them easier to spot.

It’s easy to explore this area thanks to the lodges that line the river and can take you on cruises and treks to help you appreciate this area.

Of course, when you haven’t been here before, it can be confusing to work out what you need to do, and if it’s even worth your precious vacation time to take a Kinabatangan River trip in the first place.

Below, I walk you through it all with everything you need to know to make the decision to go including how to book your Kinabatangan River Borneo trip. I also share all my experiences from visiting here myself in this Kinabatangan River blog as well as a full video walk through of the experience of visiting the Kinabatangan River.

If you already know you want to go and simply want to book a tour to the Kinabatangan River, you can find my guide to the best Kinabatangan River day trip and longer trip options here.

Planning a trip to Malaysia? Have any questions?  Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now!  It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired!

Why Visit The Kinabatangan River?

Exploring the Kinabatangan River and its banks is a fantastic choice for nature lovers and anyone wanting to experience the diverse wildlife of Sabah.

It is the only place in the region where visitors can observe ten different primates, including the iconic orangutan, Bornean gibbon, macaques, proboscis monkeys and tarsiers. The area is also home to other fascinating creatures, such as monitor lizards, crocodiles, wild boars and Borneo pygmy elephants, providing a remarkable experience for those interested in wildlife observation.

The Kinabatangan River is a haven for birdwatchers, with various Bornean hornbill species, pittas, kingfishers, and many other birds to spot.

Accessing the area is relatively easy as it is only a couple of hours’ drive from Sandakan or Sepilok to the lodges where river cruises along the Kinabatangan begin.

However, planning ahead is necessary as it is not possible to reach here via public transportation. Booking a tour in advance is the best and most feasible way to visit here.

Where Is Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Malaysia?

The Kinabatangan River is south of Sandakan. The lodges are located between the main AH150 highway pictured below and the coast.

Here is a Kinabatangan River map.

Kinabatangan River Wildlife

There are lots of Kinabatangan River animals that you have a chance to spot.

The main ones are:

• Pygmy elephants
• Bornean gibbon
• Long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques
• Proboscis monkeys
• Silver-lead and maroon langurs
• Monitor lizards

Also, keep a look out for birds. You can see all varieties of Borneo’s hornbills, pittas, kingfishers, storm’s stalk, white-fronted falconet, oriental darter and more.

Of course, this isn’t a zoo and nothing is guaranteed. You would be unlucky not to spot at least a few of these animals though.

For the best chance of spotting wildlife, stay as long as you can and do as many cruises as you can especially at different times of the day.

Kinabatangan River Cruises

The main Kinabatangan activity is taking river cruises. This is a must-do activity.

All Kinabatangan River cruise overnight packages include a cruise in the early morning and late afternoon. I recommend you do as many of these as you can. Night cruises are also often available, usually at an extra charge.

Early morning and late afternoon are considered the best times for wildlife spotting, but each time of day or night has a chance of spotting different animals. So I recommend you go on at least one cruise at each time option.

The early morning cruise is best for birds and orangutans, afternoon for proboscis monkeys and evening for crocodiles and nocturnal birds.

On my cruises, I saw a range of monkeys, birds and crocodiles. I especially loved the morning cruise. It was so peaceful and calm.

This is why I don’t recommend a day trip to Kinabatangan River if you can avoid it. Day trips only go on a late afternoon cruise. This is better than not visiting the Kinabatangan River at all though.

Cruises may not only cover the Kinabatangan River, but also its tributaries.

The cruises themselves are on small boats with a guide and driver. There are usually 10-16 people per cruise on small seats with full views of the surrounding area. Cruises last 1 – 2.5 hours.

Trekking At Kinabatangan River

In addition to cruises, you can also go trekking along the Borneo Kinabatangan River. Most lodges offer some time of trekking, with night treks being particularly popular to see insects, frogs, sleeping birds and nocturnal wildlife.

I did a night trek at the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort. This involved trekking through the mud (they supplied rubber boots) and looking out for creatures such as insects, frogs, sleeping birds and nocturnal animals.

If you do a multi-night package, there is usually trekking on the middle day during the daytime as well.

How To Get To Kinabatangan River

As mentioned before, there isn’t public transport to the Kinabatangan River Malaysia lodges. However, package tours or day trip to Kinabatangan River will just about always include transfers from the Sepilok/Sandakan region.

This means it makes the most sense to get to the Sandakan area and then travel from Sandakan to Kinabatangan. You could also get a taxi here or hire a car and drive yourself.

If you are travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Kinabatangan River or from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River, you can first fly to Sandakan and then travel onwards as stated. Flights are usually great value ( check here ). There are also buses from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan here.

Because I wanted to travel on to Lahad Datu after I visited the Kinabatangan River, I arranged a taxi through my lodge. It was pricey though, so if you are looking to save money, you best option is to go back to Sandakan afterwards and travel onwards from there.

Kinabatangan River Accommodation

There are a few lodge choices along the Kinabatangan River. Here are some options.

Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort

This is a beautiful resorted located right by the river with fabulous views. The whole resort is built from local wood on stilts and there are boardwalks between the villas and the main resort area. It helps the resort buildings fade into the surrounding rainforest.

It has a chill-out vibe and is a great place to hang out between activities with comfortable beds for night time.

There a range of room types. All are heavily constructed in wood and have decor hand-crafted by local tradesmen.

Dorm rooms are available for budget travellers with three bunk beds. There are also cottage and deluxe villas with twin beds, fans, desks and clothes racks. There is also a triple room with a queen and a single bed.

I stayed in a deluxe villa here which was just amazing. It had a great balcony looking out over a lake area (pictured above).

All rooms have their own bathrooms, a balcony and air-conditioning.

There is a restaurant and seating area on-site with great views over the river. The meals and staff are great and I had a fantastic time at this resort.

Packages here include early morning and late afternoon cruises, evening night walks, meals and transfers to and from Sandakan.

Click here to see the latest package prices or see my full review here.

Bilit Adventure Lodge

This fabulous riverside lodge offers similar packages to the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort above with morning and afternoon river cruises, transfers, jungle hikes and all meals.

For rooms, you can choose between air-conditioned rooms and cheaper rooms with fan only. All have private bathrooms with the air-conditioned rooms also offering hot showers and tea and coffee making facilities.

There is a restaurant on-site and great views,

Click here to see the latest prices. You can also find their three day/two night package tour here .

Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp 

To really get away from it all, consider the Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp. This is owned and operated by a local tribe with proceeds supporting local community projects.

It’s in a more remote location so you are more likely to have your river cruises free of other boats. They also only allow 12 guests maximum at any one time so you can definitely have a more intimate experience at this place.

Stays are by package tour only. They include all meals as well as morning, afternoon and night cruises giving you a great chance of spotting lots of different wildlife.

Click here to see their latest 2 day/1 night package prices or here for their 3 day/2 night package price.

How To Visit The Kinabatangan River

The best (and easiest) way to visit the Kinabatangan River is with a package tour purchased before visiting.

As mentioned above, this is the best way to get to the area and you’ll want a deal which includes river cruises and accommodation (if you’re starting overnight) anyway.

River lodges are also spread out so it’s not really a place to just show up and then try to find your accommodation.

Luckily for you, it is very easy to book beforehand.

Here are some more details or you can find our full write-up of travel package and day tour options here.

You can day tour to Kinabatangan River but note that these will only include an afternoon boat ride.

Here are your options:

Overnight Trips

Staying by the Kinabatangan River is definitely the way to go if you have the budget and time. This will give you more opportunities to spot wildlife and it’s just a great place to chill and hang out.

How To Book Your Trip To The Kinabatangan River

Work out which lodge you want, how many nights and then you can simply click on the links in the tables above to book your trip to Kinabatangan River. They all include everything you need.

If you book elsewhere, it’s important to ensure that the twice-daily river cruises are included in the price. While night cruises, walks and other activities may require an additional fee, be sure to read the details carefully. After all, the river cruises are the main attraction.

When To Visit The Kinabatangan River

You can visit year round, although note that the area can flood in the rainy season (October to March) which can stop tours if your lodge is affected. Heavy rain can also stop river cruises and trekking.

The upside is that there is more area to explore with more rain as there are more tributaries.

Wildlife spotting is usually best from March to September with bird spotting best April to October (when it’s flowering).

What To Take To The Borneo River Kinabatangan

I recommend you take the following to Kinabatangan River:

• Any cash you need (there are no ATMs)
• Poncho or rain jacket
• Torch or headlamp for night walks
• Hiking shoes
• Mosquito Repellent
• Long shirt and pants
• Long socks (or leech socks)

Kinabatangan River Video Walk Through

To get an even better idea of what you’ll do and what to expect at Kinabatangan River, watch our full video walk through below.

It shows you everything from the journey here to inside a resort to the animals we saw on the cruises.

Final Words

I absolutely loved visiting the Kinabatangan River, and I’m sure you will too. The wildlife spotting is superb and it’s hard to get an easier way to see wildlife in their natural habitat than from sitting in a boat.

The lodges can also be great. I particularly loved staying at the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort.

I hope you have enjoyed this full guide to Kinabatangan River. It’s a fabulous experience that should be on all itineraries to Sabah.

It can seem a little complicated when you first look into visiting here, but all you need to do is book a package tour and you’ll be all set to go.

You can find all the best Kinabatangan river cruise packages and tours here or all our guides to Sabah here .

Related posts:

By Sharon Gourlay

Sharon is a certified Malaysia travel expert and can't get enough of travelling and talking about Malaysia since she first visited 21 years ago. She travels around Malaysia multiple times a year both alone and with her kids. She used to call Penang home and especially loves this food paradise. Sharon also has a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies, a Certificate III in International Travel Sales and has been certified by Tourism Malaysia as a Malaysia Travel Expert. Through this site, she'll help you have the perfect trip to this amazing destination.

KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE IN SABAH BORNEO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE!

WANDERING HOW TO PLAN A KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE WHEN VISITING SABAH BORNEO?

When we visited Borneo for 2 weeks for our honeymoon, we were surprised by how little information there was on what exactly a Kinabatangan river cruise was and how / where to book them, which we found very frustrating.

Now armed with new found knowledge from our personal experience here, we have specifically written the blog post below to explain everything you need to know about planning a Kinabatangan River cruise to save you the same annoyance!

Includes: All cruise booking options, how to get to Kinabatangan River, accommodation options, wildlife to spot (including the iconic Borneo Big 5 ), tips and more!

KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE: AN INTRODUCTION

Located north of Sabah, Borneo is the mighty Kinabatangan River, the second longest river in Malaysia. The enriched river banks and dense canopies are home to the highest concentration of wildlife in one place in Borneo!

The ability to take a cruise down the Kinabatangan River allows visitors to head deep into this epicentre of activity with ease to spot the very best of Borneo’s wildlife.

When we visited Borneo, the majority of wildlife we saw – including orangutans, pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, macaques, dozens of birdlife and saltwater crocodiles – was on a Kinabatangan River cruise!

When we say cruise, we’re not talking a big catamaran. A river cruise on Kinabatangan River is always in a small motor boat, with usually no more than 6 to 8 guests plus guides.

From our own personal experience, we compiled all of the information below to help you easily plan your own epic experience on the Kinabatangan River.

PLANNING A KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE

Before we headed to Borneo, there was very little information about how to plan a Kinabatangan River cruise. We were under the assumption that you had to be part of an organised, all-inclusive tour to be enrolled on a cruise.

So when we arrived, it surprised us to find out that in fact most accommodation dotted along the Kinabatangan River (from the luxury Sukau Rainforest Lodge to the budget lodges) offer their own in-house cruise experiences on the Kinabatangan River.

There really is an option to suit everyones travel preferences and budget. We explain the two options in more depth below:

OPTION 1: ALL-INCLUSIVE HOTEL & CRUISES

The first option is to book your stay at Kinabatangan on an all inclusive basis, which includes all transfers from the airport and onward travel, all food and drinks throughout your stay and – most importantly – all river cruises already reserved and booked.

Many visitors may prefer this for peace of mind that everything is already sorted before you arrive, all you have to do is turn up!

If you do decide this option, we highly recommend using local tour agency Sticky Rice Travel. We personally used them to organise our trip to Kinabatangan and they provided a great, reliable service. Check out all of their Kinabatangan River all-inclusive tour options here .

While this option may be the most expensive, Sticky Rice Travel do give 3 accommodation options to choose from to help cater to different budgets, ranging from ultimate luxury at Sukau Rainforest Lodge (where we stayed) or mid-range premium at Borneo Nature Lodge or Borneo Eco Camp.

OPTION 2: BOOK CRUISES INDEPENDENTLY AT CHOSEN ACCOMMODATION

The second option is perfect for those who don’t mind not going all-inclusive and looking for a more budgeted, independent travel experience.

You can easily find some great budget Kinabatangan River lodges (we recommend Kinabatangan Wildlife Lodge ), which you can easily reserve the best deal yourself on Booking.com.

You can contact them directly before you even arrive to confirm they do provide Kinabatangan River cruises, and even pre-pay / pre-book river cruise time slots for the duration of your stay for added peace of mind.

In 2023, a cruise per person at Kinabatangan Wildlife Lodge is 80 MYR (Approx. £13 GBP / $17 USD).

If you aren’t too fussed about pre-booking, you can always book your cruises when you arrive (though we recommend to pre-book during Borneo’s busier period between May to September).

GETTING TO KINABATANGAN RIVER

As the Kinabatangan River is in a protected and relatively remote location, it’s super handy to know all viable options on how to get there easily. We lay out all of the best options to consider below. You will notice we have broken this down into two simple steps:

• Arrive into Sandakan Airport (SDK)
• Land transfer to Kinabatangan River

ARRIVE INTO SANDAKAN AIRPORT (SDK)

The closest airport to the Kinabatangan River is Sandakan (SDK), a very small local airport on the North coast of Sabah. You can fly into Sandakan from multiple nearby airports:

INTERNALLY FROM BORNEO:

✈️ You can fly direct from Kota Kinabalu (BKI) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) . Kota Kinabalu is Borneo’s main International airport, located on the left-hand side of Borneo. From Kota Kinabalu, there are multiple internal flights to Sandakan every day. The flight duration is 50 minutes.

✈️ You can fly direct from Lahad Datu (LDU) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) . Lahad Datu is a tiny airport located on the right-hand side of Borneo. There is 1 direct internal 35 minute flight available every day. As a side note, Lahad Datu is the closest airport to Borneo Rainforest Lodge in the Danum Valley .

FROM MALAYSIA:

✈️ You can also fly directly from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Sandakan (SDK) airport. There are multiple direct 2 hour 50 minute flights available every day. We personally did this option, and flew with AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur straight to Sandakan.

LAND TRANSFERS FROM SANDAKAN AIRPORT TO KINABATANGAN

From Sandakan airport, it is roughly a 2 hour drive to Kinabatangan River . On reaching the river, some Kinabatangan lodges require an additional 5 minute boat ride to get to their river bank location if they are not accessible by road. An example of this is Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

There are multiple ways you can arrange a land transfer from Sandakan airport to your Kinabatangan River accommodation:

PRIVATE TRANSFER (PRE-ARRANGED TOUR)

If you want zero hassle and all transfers booked before you arrive in Borneo, booking a pre-arranged tour is the best option for you.

From our personal experience, we recommend local tour agency Sticky Rice Travel. Check out their Kinabatangan River all-inclusive tour options here , which include all land transfers, accommodation and food.

This can also be arranged as part of a longer bespoke itinerary throughout Borneo, not just specifically for Kinabatangan. If this is of interest, contact them directly for more information.

PRIVATE TRANSFER (HOTEL PICK-UP)

If you haven’t got a fully pre-arranged tour but you have reserved Kinabatangan accommodation yourself (i.e. on Booking.com ), it is very common practise to pre-arrange a transfer from Sandakan airport directly through your accommodation before you arrive.

This will be an additional cost you will settle directly with your accommodation. The average price for a private vehicle charter from Sandakan airport is around RM300 per way (approx. £56). This is a convenient option as it will ensure you are taken directly to your accommodation, including the boat ride (if required).

USE GRAB (MALAYSIA’S VERSION OF UBER)

Another option is to book a taxi ride using GRAB , Malaysia’s version of Uber which is widely used throughout Borneo. We recommend downloading the app and setting up your account before you arrive for a seamless process.

You can check approximate fares to any destination using their Fare Check service beforehand to see which is the most cost effective option.

This option however only covers the land transfer up to the river. Check with your accommodation whether it requires an additional boat ride from the river. If so, arrange a pick-up point and approximate ETA for them to then collect you.

HIRE A CAR AND SELF-DRIVE

For those wanting full control of their itinerary, another option is to hire a rental car and drive from Sandakan airport to your Kinabatangan River accommodation. For this option, first check that your accommodation is road accessible, and your lodge caters for parking).

It’s worth noting the road leading up to Kinabatangan for the last hour or so is pretty bumpy, so we would only recommend this option to confident drivers.

ACCOMMODATION AT KINABATANGAN RIVER

Dotted along the Kinabatangan River, there are approximately 15 different accommodation options to choose from, with lodges ranging from budget-friendly options to the pricier luxury lodges.

All accommodation along the Kinabatangan River will offer Kinabatangan River cruise options, either included as part of the stay or at an additional cost, which you can easily pre-book with them beforehand or just arrange once you arrive.

We have listed a few popular options to suit different budgets:

LUXURY OPTION: SUKAU RAINFOREST LODGE 💰💰💰

MID RANGE OPTION: BORNEO NATURAL SUKAU BILIT RESORT 💰💰

BUDGET OPTION: KINABATANGAN WILDLIFE LODGE 💰

LUXURY OPTION: SUKAU RAINFOREST LODGE

Sukau Rainforest Lodge is unquestionably the most popular (and most expensive) Kinabatangan River accommodation – and for good reason!

Beautifully integrated into the surrounding landscape, this eco-friendly lodge provides a sense of luxury, the perfect choice for honeymooners in Borneo!

With 40 rooms available ranging from Superior Rooms to Villas , this lodge also provides morning, afternoon and evening river cruises with incredible tour guides, has a riverside restaurant and bar, 2 dip pools with sun loungers and a nature boardwalk.

If you want to be ultra Deluxe and your budget allows, we would recommend staying in a Villa at Sukau Rainforest Lodge! While the Superior Rooms we stayed in were nice, they were smaller than expected and the Villas (from the outside) looked amazing and very big!

We personally recommend this accommodation after our stay here. You can contact them directly via their official website or alternatively, book a stay with them through our recommend local tour company, Sticky Rice Travel.

MID-RANGE OPTION: BORNEO NATURAL SUKAU BILIT RESORT

The Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort is a mid-range Kinabatangan River accommodation with an added sense of grandeur.

All room options are all-inclusive of food, drink and tours – with prices ranging from £75 per night (single dorm) to £227 a night (deluxe room, 2 day 1 night package).

The tours included during your stay here are morning and afternoon river cruises, plus guided walks to point out smaller creatures and fauna around the resort.

Nestled directly on the Kinabatangan River bank, this idyllic location does however mean there is no option to park a hire car, however the resort does offer private airport pick-up from Sandakan. Contact them to arrange in advance.

BUDGET OPTION: KINABATANGAN WILDLIFE LODGE

The Kinabatangan Wildlife Lodge is a very budget-friendly Kinabatangan River accommodation, at approximately £60 per night for a private double room (including breakfast).

Situated just a 5 minute walk away from the Kinabatangan River, the lodge offers two cruise time slot options: Early morning (6am) and afternoon (4pm). You can book these during your stay.

To top it off, Kinabatangan Wildlife Lodge offers private vehicle transfers from Sandakan airport at 300 MYR per way (approximately £50 GBP / $64 USD). This lodge is accessible by road, so an additional boat ride is not required to get to the lodge.

Free private parking is also available on-site, perfect for those arriving by rental car.

KINABATANGAN RIVER WILDLIFE

Of course, it is down to luck and circumstance to what wildlife you will see during your visit to the Kinabatangan River.

Nonetheless, it is worth noting that best times to visit to see wildlife on the Kinabatangan River in Borneo is between May to October. This is when Borneo is at its driest and the trees begin to fruit.

This tempts all manner of creatures, especially Orangutans, down to the lower parts of the tree canopies and increasing your chances of spotting them!

To give a rough idea of what you might be able to expect, the wildlife we saw during our Kinabatangan River cruises in the month of September are:

• Pygmy Elephants
• Estuarine Crocodiles
• Red Leaf Monkeys
• Proboscis Monkey
• Long-Tailed Macaques
• Pig-Tailed Macaques
• Hornbills (Pied / Oriental)
• Storks and countless small, colourful birds.

KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE: “KNOW BEFORE YOU GO” FAQ’S

Where is the kinabatangan river.

The Kinabatangan River is located on the North East of Borneo island, specifically in the state of Sabah. It is the second longest river in Malaysia, and is well known for being one the best places to see wild Orangutans in Borneo!

IS KINABATANGAN RIVER WORTH VISITING?

Yes! The Kinabatangan River is absolutely worth visiting for anyone visiting the Sabah region of Borneo. Kinabatangan River cruises allow for the best chance to see some of Borneo’s most amazing wildlife in the wild, including wild Orangutans, Pygmy elephants, Proboscis monkeys, Saltwater crocodiles and more!

HOW TO VISIT KINABATANGAN RIVER?

To visit to Kinabatangan River, you can either pre-arrange an all-inclusive tour with a local tour agency (we recommend Sticky Rice Travel). Alternatively, you can book your accommodation and cruises independently. Click here to see descriptions of both options in-depth.

HOW TO GET TO KINABATANGAN RIVER FROM SANDAKAN?

To get to Kinabatangan River from Sandakan, there are multiple land transfer options you can choose from that best suits your travel preferences or budget. Click here to see all of the best options available.

HOW LONG SHOULD I STAY AT KINABATANGAN RIVER?

From our own experience, we would suggest 3 days and 2 nights is the perfect amount of time to stay at the Kinabatangan River.

With a Kinabatangan River cruise basically being the main thing to do here, 3 days worth of cruises in the morning, afternoon and potentially at even night will give you plenty of opportunities to spot as much wildlife as possible!

WHAT TIME IS A KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE?

It is worth noting most Kinabatangan accommodation will offer 2 daily cruise slots, typically early morning (6am) and late afternoon into sunset (4pm).

However, some will also offer an additional night-time Kinabatangan river cruise to spot nocturnal animals. If this is something that interests you, be sure to book an accommodation which offers this service.

One such accommodation that does offer night time cruises daily is Sukau Rainforest Lodge , where we stayed. It was possible to book the night cruises last minute on the day.

CONCLUSION: KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE

In conclusion, from our own personal experience we would recommend a Kinabatangan River cruise to anyone visiting the Sabah region of Borneo.

The Kinabatangan River is one of the core protected areas and wild animal sanctuaries left in Borneo, meaning it is one of the best places to see a colossal amount of wildlife.

As mentioned previously, we strongly advise to visit between May to October. This is the best time to visit Kinabatangan and see Borneo wildlife, being the driest season with plenty of fruiting trees that coax Borneos wonderful creatures – especially wild Orangutans – for you to see!

With regard to accommodation, there are plenty of options dotted along the Kinabatangan River to suit all travel preferences and budgets. Likewise, there are multiple easy private transfer options to choose from to get to Kinabatangan River.

We hope you have the most incredible time, and truly wish you the best of luck seeing the ‘Borneo Big 5’ wildlife check list on your river cruises!

This blog post was written by… Jordie Flain! Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com, Travel Itinerary Creator & Wildlife Enthusiast

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Jordie Flain is the owner and author of The Flains Travel, a travel blog with emphasis on ethical wildlife experiences, "seen to be believed" natural beauty and "real magic" phenomena, such as the northern lights. Jordie crafts every itinerary and post to perfection for travellers to follow and get the very most out of their time in a destination.

Kinabatangan river cruise – The best trip in Borneo (amazing experience)

Posted on Last updated: October 27, 2022

Categories Sabah , Visit Malaysia

Our East Sabah trip is not complete without the Kinabatangan River trip.

Kinabatangan is Sabah’s longest river, beginning from the southwest and ending at the Sulu sea east of Sabah. Kinabatangan is 560 kilometers long, the longest in Sabah and Malaysia’s second longest river.

The lower Kinabatangan wildlife reserve has the highest concentration of wildlife in Borneo. The river cruise at the Kinabatangan area is the best way to observe the animals along the riverside.

That is why we have planned to stay at Bilit Adventure Lodge for three days, exploring the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary by joining the river cruises and jungle walks.

Don’t miss the video shot at Kinabatangan River. It is at the end of this article. 👇👇

1. Our trip from Kuala Lumpur to Kinabatangan river

Since there is no international flight to Sandakan, you must fly to either Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur and then take the internal flight to Sandakan if you come from another country.

As Malaysians, we took the internal flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan, which is the most convenient way. We spend a few days visiting the Sandakan town, the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, and Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary before heading to Kinabatangan River.

Bilit and Sukau are two villages located at the lower Kinabatangan river, where you can book lodges to stay during your visit. The road trip from Sandakan Airport to Bilit and Sukau Village is about two hours, depending on the traffic.

This article will share what we have seen during our trip to the Kinabatangan river. You can read our review of Bilit adventure Lodge here .

2. Where did we stay while visiting the Kinabatangan river?

We arrived at Billit Adventure Lodge in the afternoon at about 4:00 pm and immediately prepared to join the evening cruise starting at 5:00 pm.

It is located on the Kinabatangan riverbank, making it super easy to join the river cruise in the morning and late afternoon. According to our guide, we expected to spot different wildlife in the morning and afternoon.

The lodge is quite basic but has all the basic amenities required. Our room was spotless, with an attached bathroom and air conditioning. That was the lodging we looked for as we were here for the wildlife, not aiming to stay at a luxurious resort. The cost is also quite competitive.

Bilit Adventure Lodge is located opposite the river near Kampung Bilit. There is no road or vehicles on this side of the river as it is a virgin jungle. 

If you are looking for more luxurious accommodation, check out Sukau Rainforest Lodge at Sukau village.

3. Additional stuff we brought for the Kinabatangan trip

Here is a list of specific things we carried during our Kinabatangan river trip.

• Binoculars . Since we stayed on our boat during the cruise, binoculars are essential to locate the birds, monkeys, orangutans, and pygmy elephants.
• I also brought my full-frame camera and telephoto 100mm-400mm zoom lens . Full frame camera allowed me to crop in during postproduction, as some animals were just too far from me. I also had a tripod , which is handy for photographing wildlife. 
• As suggested by our guide, I used the insect repellent called Mosi Guard , which is effective for leeches.
• Since we had jungle tracking, our headlamps were helpful during our night trekking tour.
• We purchased our leech socks , but Bilit Adventure Lodge can provide them for the guest for a small fee. 
• I used my regular trekking shoes . My wife purchased the locally made Addidas Kampong in Sandakan, which locals widely use for trekking. It is especially useful when crossing rivers and streams, as it has good grips and is quick to dry.

Note : If you are using your iPhone, I suggest purchasing a telephoto lens dedicated to iPhones. Telephoto Moment lenses are made for iPhone. It can increase the focal length up to four times, greatly useful for wildlife photography.

4. Animals that we spotted during the Kinabatangan river safari

We joined the early morning river cruise and afternoon cruise because different animals will come out at other times of the day.

Although we have seen orangutans and the proboscis monkey at Sepilok, seeing them again in the wild is a different experience. The Kinabatangan river is the natural habitat for various primates, including the proboscis monkey, long and short-tailed macaques, and orangutans.

The cruise offers a relatively easy way to observe wildlife along the riverbanks. The late afternoon Kinabatangan river cruise took about two hours. 

A. Borneon pygmy elephants

These elephants have separated from relatives like Asian elephants since 300,000 years ago. As a result, during the evolution process, they become smaller and endure significant body changes.

They have long tails, large ears, and a straight tusk. They are relatively small, about 8 to 9 feet tall, even when fully grown.

We were lucky to sight a herd of Bornean pygmy elephants at the riverbank. No one can guarantee that we could see the elephants, depending on our luck. The elephants roamed into the inner land the following day, and visitors could only see one elephant the next day!

Hunting, poaching, and reduced genetic diversity due to the small population contributed to the near extinction of Bornean pygmy elephants. As a result, they are considered endangered species. It is only estimated about 1500 remain in the wild of Borneo. 

Although you can spot the pygmy elephants in Borneo at Danum Valley and Tabin Wildlife Reserve, the easiest place to spot these elephants is along the Kinabatangan riverbank.

B. Proboscis monkey

Proboscis monkeys are the largest monkey species in Asia. The male is generally about 70 centimeters tall, and his weight can go up to 20 kilos. They have a large and long noses for males. Female noses are not as large as the males but larger than most monkeys. In addition, both females have bulging stomachs that look like potbellies.

Proboscis monkeys are an endangered species in Borneo. Their predators are large lizards, crocodiles, and some large birds, like eagles.

Their natural habitats are mixed dipterocarp-kerangas, mangroves, and lowland forests near freshwater and rivers.

They were pretty naughty and jumped from one tree to another. One of the proud males nearly fell to the ground. After that, he just sat there quietly. His expression is like saying, ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’

C. Orangutans

Orangutan is also an endangered species in Borneo.

The best way to get closer to orangutans is to visit them at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Orangutan has long arms and short legs. They have reddish brown hair covering their bodies. The male can weigh up to 75 kilos while females can reach about 37 kilos. Fruit is the most crucial component of the diet. 

Orangutans spend most of their time in trees. Our guide helped us to spot a few wild orangutans during our river cruise.

D. Saltwater crocodiles

We saw a few saltwater crocodiles during our cruise, but it was pretty tricky to photograph because they were mostly beneath the water.

Saltwater crocodiles have a reputation as one of the most aggressive crocodiles when they are fully grown. So we were a little bit nervous initially, but our local guide said that as long as they were not disturbed, we were saved from observing them from afar.

E. A variety of birds

We spotted a variety of birds during our cruise. 

It wasn’t easy to find them initially, but our guide with trained eyes spotted them quickly. Otherwise, we could not locate them except the great egret on the riverbank.

Among all the birds we spotted are storm’s stork, oriental pied hornbill, rhinoceros hornbill, falconet, green imperial pigeon, and stork bill kingfisher.

5. Guided jungle walk at the riverine forest

Besides the Kinabatangan River tour, we went for a guided jungle walk after dinner and another during the day.

a. Night walk in the jungle

Since the jungle is located in the wetland, the trail can be pretty muddy.

The lodge has provided boots for us as the regular trekking shoes were not suitable in the swampy area. We also wore leach socks to prevent getting bitten by the leeches.

Walking in the jungle at night was a different kind of experience because it was pitch dark.

We were asked to switch off our headlamps and torch at one point for a minute to let us experience how it feels in total darkness. It was a unique experience for anyone who had never tried that before, as we saw absolutely nothing.

Our guide helped us spot insects, nocturnal animals, and birds while meandering through the muddy bushes. It was such a good experience that we joined the night walk again on the second night.

Our guide also spotted a slow loris that had not been seen for the past three years. Unfortunately, it was too dark, and we did not manage to take a good photograph.

b. Trekking through a swampy area

The following day, our guide brought us to a different area without any clear trail at certain parts. 

This area is swampy, and the boots given to us came in handy. Not many animal animals were found, but walking through the swampy area was quite an experience.

6. What’s next in our itinerary?

Our stay at Kinabatangan river is a new experience. We spotted many animals, insects, and birds we had never seen before. Our next stop was Tabin Wildlife Reserve at Lahad Datu, where we enthusiastically anticipate seeing more rare species and visiting the mud volcano.

6. More information about the Kinabatangan River trip

A. what is the best time to visit the kinabatangan river.

Anyone can visit the Kinabatangan river in Borneo any time of the year. However, it is best to visit during the dry season between March and September. April to October is the best time if you like bird watching because that’s the birding season.

Avoid the monsoon season, especially between December and January, as it will rain a lot, and sometimes the river and the channels are flooded, making it inaccessible.

B. How long should you plan your trip to Kinabatangan river?

Since it takes about 3 hours to travel from Sandakan to Kinabatangan river, I suggest you stay here for at least two nights.

During your stay, you can join the morning and evening cruises, where you will spot different wildlife.

In addition, don’t miss out on the jungle trail walk during the day and at night. There is a high chance you will see some rare nocturnal animals and birds that can only be able to find at night.

Watch our video shot during our stay at Kinabatangan River . 👇👇

If you have read this blog post this far, don’t miss out on the video shot at Kinabatangan River. Click the image below to watch on YouTube (shot in high definition!).

Other places we visited in Sabah, Malaysia

If you like this article, you may also want to read about other articles we wrote during our visit to Sabah, Malaysia.

• (EP1 Sabah) Sandakan food guide: Ten best restaurants in Sandakan
• (EP2 Sabah) Sandakan Heritage Trail & Memorial Park guide- Best places to visit in Sandakan
• (EP3 Sabah) Sepilok Jungle Resort review- Our true experience (with amazing hospitality)
• (EP4 Sabah) Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary- feeding session (amazing photos)

Tuesday 21st of February 2023

Hi, what company did you use for your travel guides for your Sabah trip? Thanks

Monday 6th of March 2023

The tour company is Sepilok Tropical Wildlife Adventure. Here is their website: http://www.stwadventure.com/main.php

Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan

• Tour and Transfers Seat In Coach Basis
• Local Dinner
• 1 Afternoon Cruise at Kinabatangan River
• In House Guide
• Entry/Admission - Kinabatangan River
• Any other things not mentioned in the itinerary.
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll get picked up See departure details
• 1 Kinabatangan River Stop: 3 hours - Admission included Our driver will pick you up at 12:00 pm from Sandakan airport or your Sandakan hotel lobby (town area). Proceed to Kinabatangan River. Cruise along Kinabatangan River. In search for some of the primate's species including the endemic Proboscis Monkey, birds and others wildlife. Transfer back to Sandakan airport or your respective hotel in Sandakan Read more
• You'll return to the starting point

• 341darrene 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Interesting Tour This is an interesting tour. You get to see genuine local village and houses, a cruise through the mangroves where you can see various wildlife including monkeys. After dark you do get to see the fireflies. We did not see many as the moon was full so not as dark as it can get. It was still a good experience. You then have a meal in the village which is reasonable quality, the villagers are very friendly and helpful. Would recommend. Read more Written April 7, 2024
• Guindian 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Worst Booking Experience This company picks up from many hotels in Pantai Cenang but not from Cenang Plaza Beach that is just a mile away from the nearest pickup point. And it is supposed to be a private tour for just two of us. Worst booking experience. Avoid this tour. Read more Written April 3, 2024
• hakk00k 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles I was cheated by 'viator company and their local provider'MAM Holidays Malaysia' On March 21-Thursday(tour day)Your local provider(MAM Holidays Malaysia)stood me up though I waited for 80 minutes(1 hour n 20 minutes) in Wings by Croske Hotel that was designated as a pick-up point.After arriving in Langkawi,I and NADIAS HOTEL FRONT DESK TEAM called many times but no answer and no messages to my phone.Before Langkawi arrival,I sent messages through my phone.Your provider 'viator' and your local provider'MAM Holidays Malaysia'cheated my money and spoiled up my priceless time.How can YOU,YOUR PROVIDER,YOUR LOCAL PROVIDER compensate me? In spite of your terrible cheating,I tried cable car with my own expenses on March 22-Friday.I added my photo cable car receipt.On that day I called credit card com. to get my money back.I will collect all evidences and will hand them to card com.If I can't get my money back,I will report to a Korea Consumer Service Center that has power.FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY EXPERIENCE that I have had since I was born.I need your comments on this terrible cheating!!! Your provider 'viator' and MAM Holidays Malaysia lost trust and belief. Read more Written March 22, 2024
• 986jasonz 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fantastic Experience!!! Muhammad was an excellent guide! He was early to pick us up at our hotel, provided a fantastic tour with a thorough history of Penang and the various sites. I would highly recommend this tour!!! Read more Written March 3, 2024
• 958brendam 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles At your own risk Terrible risk to your health on this trip. You go to lake with health risks. Poor communication on when to get back to the boat. It’s a total trap. Read more Written February 16, 2024
• rosyn2014 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Awesome Ang Chin Boom was our guide for the day and he was very kind and knowledgeable, he was very accommodating and made our trip awesome, we highly recommend him Read more Written February 11, 2024
• Climber34151199075 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour Great experience….so happy we took the time to go on this tour. Staff were friendly and informative….food was delicious too! Read more Written February 7, 2024
• 978kathrynh 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Worst Viator private tour I am unhappy that we have paid £112 for this tour. We have been on several Viator tours but not happy with this. The taxi driver has only broken English and has not told us much about Langkawi only when we ask questions. I would like a part refund Thank you Pick up was 9.00am but he didn’t arrive until 9.10. We chose the morning slot to get here before it was hot. Instead he took us to the eagle which we had seen and a waterfall, the long way round the island. We didn’t get here until 10.30 when it was crowded. He is not a guide. He is a taxi driver. I am happy to pay the cost of the skycab and skybridge. The taxi driver did not listen to us when we told him which tour we had booked. He was an erratic driver as well We have ended up queuing at the hottest time of the day after many coach tours. If we had been brought straight here we could have avoided this. We carefully chose the tour that just took us to this skycab and sky ridge and oriental village which is on the same site anyway. I told him this at the start. He did not listen and he certainly hasn’t given us advice or guided us. It was supposed to be a private tour. We could have just got a taxi here and been quicker. I am not going away so please response. He told us he would see us in three hours. Perhaps you should put this information on your website. This was supposed to be a private tour. We weren’t even given water. We have had that on all our tours. I am not happy and will be putting all my comments on many review websites. It is a poor response from the company The cost for the skycab and sky ridge is about £10 each. We have paid £112 for this tour. We could have used a grab taxi to get here. In total with the tickets and a taxi each way it would have cost a maximum of £40. That is &20 each. We paid £112 in total so what are we paying another £72 for??? Read more Written January 20, 2024
• 411shahnazi 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Georgetown historical tour Our guide-Happy Goh- was truly fabulous, she took us all around Georgetown and we saw all the temples and clan houses and other historic buildings She also gave us many tips and recommendations for places to eat and things to do in Georgetown Read more Written January 5, 2024
• Trip828859 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour The tour was great. So many nice things to see. Our guide Mr Lim was fabulous. He was very interesting and arranged the tour so we did not get the crowds. He was very kind and thoughtful and gave us a good insight into Penang life. Read more Written January 2, 2024
• Explore03205064113 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Penang history through the eyes of a local Our tour guide Ang was our tour guide for the Penang Heritage Walking tour. He showed us Penang through the eyes of a local with great experience about what Penang had to offer from a historical perspective. I would certainly recommend to book Ang for this tour to learn more about beautiful Penang Read more Written December 31, 2023
• 589seemea 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Pleasant informative Tour Mr Lee was very pleasant and informative tour guide. He has lots to share about Penang history n culture. Would recommend him n this tour for family n Georgetown tour. Thanks, Sameen. Read more Written December 25, 2023
• hoyasaxa90 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Avoid. Tour Operator Last Minute Cancellation Avoid. Booked this excursion for a cruise ship stop. Company cancelled at last minute with less than 24 hours to plan something else. Recent reviews indicate something is going on with this company and it’s not good. Read more Written December 25, 2023
• Nick M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent Ang. Knowledgeable guide to this very well kept UNESCO location. From the Chinese clan dynasties to street art Excellent guide, multicultural experience: history, religion, street art. Great explanation of the Chinese clan system and trading houses and jetties, the British influence and legacy, the preservation of buildings and artefacts of heritage value. Well paced, around 11,000 steps over 3 hours. Read more Written December 24, 2023
• Regina L 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Scam! Pls do not book this tour. Driver did not turn up & tour operator uncontactable on the day. Felt that this is a scam! The contact no of local operator provided on the ticket is not valid. Read more Written December 13, 2023

More to explore in Sandakan

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan provided by MAM Holidays Malaysia

• ARCHITECTURE
• ARCHITECTURE GUIDES
• WINTER DESTINATIONS
• THE ISLANDS
• BOOKS ABOUT GREECE
• BOOKS ABOUT CHINA
• 3D PUZZLES OF FAMOUS BUILDINGS

Kinabatangan River Cruise on Your Own

Though we had been in Malaysia before, we had never seen its wildlife. We decided to travel to Sabah , on the island of Borneo , since it’s less touristic than Sarawak. The best way to watch wildlife in Sabah is along the Kinabatangan River cruise. Exactly, this narrow strip of land along the river is home to numerous cute animals. As usual, we wanted to discover Kinabatangan River on our own and avoid any packaged tour. We did, and though it was a bit of an extra effort, it was totally worth it!

Kinabatangan River

At 560 kilometres long, the Kinabatangan River is Sabah’s longest and Malaysia’s second longest. The river begins at the mountains in southwest Sabah and crosses different forests, lakes, swamps and mangroves ending in the sea near the city of Sandakan. We humans have damaged most ecosystems along the river. Yes, our addiction to palm oil has been devastating to the region. However, the few unaltered areas that remain have been grouped into wildlife sanctuaries . Different animals, such as orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, macaque monkeys, gibbons, tarsiers, slow lorises, pygmy elephants, snakes, crocodiles, sharks, dolphins and plenty of birds populate these areas.

How to Avoid Crowds Around the Kinabatangan River

Several web pages and agencies in Kota Kinabalu offer 2 or 3 day Kinabatangan River cruise. It includes so called premier accommodation , transport, food and local excursions. Not our thing. On the one hand, we reckon that the fancier the hotel the bigger the environmental footprint. Likewise, paying extra to be surrounded by people makes no sense. To us, the epitome of luxury in natural spots is privacy and space. Likewise, our hotel has to be comfortable, with the least impact possible and be part of the local community. We were able to get all that we wanted in a place called Sukau, in the middle of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

What is Sukau Like?

Sukau is a tiny village of barely a dozen houses next to the Kinabatangan River. There is a small square with a mosque, a school and a cemetery. Houses, a couple of guesthouses, restaurants and small shops dot both roads (Sukau and Kampung Sukau) leading to the village. People are relaxed and nice and it seems tourism hasn’t altered life in the village. Since few cars pass through the village, the road belongs to monkeys!

How to Get to Sukau

Getting there wasn’t that difficult. Malaysians speak good English and bus schedules are more or less reliable. In Sandakan we took a 2 hour bus to Lahad Datu and got off at a roundabout where the road to Sukau village is. A small van was parked there so we hopped on and in less than an hour we arrived at our destination. The trip is extremely sad and embarrassing. Palm tree plantations occupy 80 percent of all land in Borneo. Yes, the developed world had the brilliant idea of putting palm oil into almost everything, destroying paradise to make a quick buck.

Getting to Sukau by Minibus

There are two ways to go directly from Sandakan to Sukau. The first one is via direct minibus . One leaves every day at 1PM from the minibus lot near Sandakan’s waterfront. The other one is to arrange a direct transfer with a man called Choy . His phone number is 019-536-1889. We advise you to check both options beforehand. Nevertheless, if unsure, take the bus to Lahad Datu and get off at the roundabout at the road to Sukau just as we did. Vans wait there for travelers.

You can also visit Sukau and Kinabatangan River on a day trip .

How to Get to Sandakan

Sandakan is a middle sized city well connected to Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur. Several buses a day connect Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. The ride is pretty long (about 6 hours) and quite monotone, passing through endless palm tree plantations. We arrived by plane from Kota Kinabalu. Take note that Malaysian Airlines and Air Asia operate daily flights to Sandakan from both Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur .

Kinabatangan River Accommodation

As mentioned before, we didn’t want to take any organized Kinabatangan River cruise. Hence, we found decent accommodation in Sukau on our own. Of the dozen small guesthouses that operate around the village, three can be booked online:

Sukau RB Lodge is the closest to the village.

Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast is a bit further away.

Sukau Backpackers B&B is the furthest away.

Where to Stay in Sukau

We chose Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast and it proved to be exactly what we wanted. Located at the edge of Sukau it has a great chill out veranda with Wi-Fi next to the river. They offer daily meals too. Though en-suite rooms are basic, they are spotless and comfortable. Additionally we met several world travelers at the veranda, including our friend Clo, an interesting French lady who regularly visits the area.

How to Organize a Private Kinabatangan River Cruise

Although all guesthouses offer their own excursions we decided to rent a boat with a driver directly. We toured the area both at day and night and were practically alone. In fact, the few boats we saw were big and packed with tourists from the fancy operators. We met one of our drivers at a restaurant north of the village and the other one at a store next to the mosque. Both were very professional and experienced, they took us everywhere and would stop the engine so we could hear the noise of the jungle and not disturb the animals. What a luxury!

When to Visit Kinabatangan River

You can tour the Kinabatangan River throughout the year. Since the months of April to October are generally dry, when flowers and fruits bloom, it is a good time to spot wild animals. From November to March it is monsoon season, so expect plenty of heavy showers especially in the afternoons. Though December and January are the wettest months, it’s a great time to visit. While the whole area is flooded, you can reach oxbow lakes which boast the highest concentration of wildlife.

What Else to Do in Sukau

Another reason why it’s best to avoid the packaged tours is to visit Sukau village. We loved it! Locals lead their everyday lives pretty much ignoring tourists. We had to convince one to take us on a tour! Likewise, you can walk to any of the restaurants that line the river. Food is absolutely tasty : Malaysian rice, noodles, vegetables and meat. From our hotel we would walk along the road to the village watching monkeys and kids play . At nights, we spent hours chatting with other travelers on our veranda. Though there are a couple of caves close to the town, we decided to skip them. Sukau is the perfect place to forget about activities and become one with nature !

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

After a couple of days of complete relaxation in the jungle, we decided to visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre just outside Sandakan. The center takes good care of orangutans in a pretty large area of dense rainforest. There are no words to describe the joy that seeing these lovely creatures up close gave us. Even to this day, remembering the centre brings a smile to our faces! Then we went to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre , which does a similar job keeping several cute sun bears safe. We saw them going up and down trees, sleeping, and just being absolutely adorable.

If you are short of time, you can visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and Kinabatangan River in one day .

Where to Stay in Sepilok

We came all the way to Borneo to do the Kinabatangan River cruise and to see the world famous Borneo Orangutans. Initially, we considered basing ourselves in Sandakan and taking a day tour to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. A much better option is to stay in the  Sepilok Jungle Resort  next to the orangutan sanctuary. Though the resort is a bit dated, it’s still in decent shape. However, what makes this place so special is its outstanding garden. The garden is enormous, full of plants and trees, with a lake in the middle. What’s more, you move around the hotel via several wooden bridges admiring the garden. Our room had a private balcony where we would sit to listen to the monkeys sing. Fantastic!

With 150 000 citizens Sandakan is Sabah’s second largest city. Founded in the 15 th Century during the Bruneian Empire, the city has almost no historical buildings. In fact, Sandakan was completely destroyed during Second World War, but it wasn’t rebuilt due to the high cost. Today it is a modern city with very few landmarks to visit. Nevertheless , there is an interesting Mosque, Sandakan District Mosque, a Buddhist temple, Puu Jih Shih Temple , and an Anglican church, St. Michael’s . We definitively recommend staying at the Four Points by Sheraton , a fancy tower with a pool and fantastic views.

Lessons from Borneo

Both the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre are doing the best they can to rehabilitate animals, so they can go back to nature. Unfortunately most of the orangutans and bears will never be strong enough to leave the centers and even if they were, where will they go back to? Every year more and more land is sold to palm tree plantations and the animals have literally nowhere to go.

So, before buying beauty products, cookies and chocolates check if they contain palm oil and if so, think about the poor animals before buying it. Likewise, whenever you hear any of that ‘first world’ or ‘we, the developed’ nonsense, remember what the rich blatantly do to the planet. We believe it’s pretty embarrassing.

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14 Responses

Oh my god what is this? what’s the name of this animal???? bear ??

happyfrogtravels

Hi Sara, It’s a sun bear. A tropical bear from Southeast Asia.

idjerouidene

Thanks a lot for all the advices! Do you remember how much you paid for your private boat tours on Kinabatangan river?

Not exactly, but it was very cheap. Something like 10 euros for one hour ride. We didn’t even bargain, since we thought it was more than acceptable.

Thanks for some really good recommendations.

We are four people going in the end of September to visit some of the same places of Sabah. We are considering to rent a car, so the tranfers between the places are more convenient. Would you recommend this? Or did it seem difficult to drive by yourself?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Ragnhild. I don’t think that it’s difficult to drive in Malaysia. I personally don’t see the point of doing it, except if you are visiting some faraway places. For Kinabatangan River you need to get there and then hire boats along the river. There is not much to explore in the area by car.

Hi. I would like to hear your advice. We are planning to visit the 3 places you mentioned and plans to stay in Sepilok, is it possible to just go to Sukau a d just hire a boat? Is it easy to find? Thanks. It would greatly help.

Hi Jolina, Thank you for your comment! So you are planning to go to Sukau for a day, right? I would definitely advise on staying there at least one night. You’ll be able to hear and feel the jungle at night. That said, yes, you can go directly to the village and ask the locals to take you on a boat tour. I would ask at a small shop next to the square. I am not sure about the price though. We asked at our accommodation first, and then hired a boat with the driver. It was cheaper than what our accommodation offered, and it was only 2 of us on the boat!!! Please let me know if there is anything else I can help. Cheers, Milos

What kinds of animals did you see on your river boat ride? I am on the hunt to see an orangutan in the wild and was wondering if just taking day cruises from Sukau will provide a good chance to see them.

Hi Simon. We saw plenty of differnet monkeys, but we didn’t see any orangutans. As far as I know there are few left in natural habitat. And they are certainly not in the area of Sukau. If I were you I would contact the Sepilok sanctuary; they might know more.

Thanks for the clear, concise explanation. Exactly what I needed. Just wanted you to know your efforts are appreciated!

Thanks Thomas. That’s nice to hear!

Hello! Thank you so much for all this information. I’m planning a trip to the Borneo this January and this has really helped me plan my trip. If you had the time, I could reallly use some help answering these questions:

I’ve seen there are lodges downstream from Sukau in the lower wetlands (such as Abai Jungle Lodge and Kinabatangan wetlands resort). I’m curious if planning on getting to these places via boat from Sukau is possible/logical.

I also NEED to know if there’s any possibility of accessing Kinabatangan/Sukau via boat from Sandakan. It looks fairly possible to get to Sukau via the rivers mouth (not far from Sandakan). Is this possible?

I would SO appreciate your help with these questions, even though your post has already been so helpful and greatly appreciated!

Hi Joe, Thank you for your comment. Kinabatangan river is an amazing place and I am sure you will enjoy it. Tourism in the area centers around organized trips and packages. That means that there are very limited options of moving around independently. When we visited, there were no boats from Sandakan, and those two lodges you mention didn’t exist. I would advise you to contact them directly and ask if they organize transport and if they offer some boat trips. Trust me, being on a private boat on this beautiful river is an unforgettable experience. And its actually quite affordable! Good luck with your trip and let us know how it went! Best, Milos

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Kinabatangan

River cruise, cruise along the longest river in sabah.

Put on your life jacket and start river cruising along Kinabatangan River in search for wildlife. We will be cruising to one of the tributaries of the Kinabatangan River called Sungai Menanggol for wildlife viewing during Sunset, which is when wild is at its most active behavior. Search for the Proboscis Monkey, the most famous attraction called the“Biggest Nose of Borneo”. A trip down the Kinabatangan River almost certainly guarantees you several sightings of this large yet surprisingly graceful primate, as it flings itself forcefully from tree to tree, or watches you lazily from a comfortable lofty branch. Others animal such as the wild Orang Utan, Snakes, Birds, Long and Pig Tail Macaque, Silver Leaf Monkey and if you are lucky you might see the Wild Borneo Pygmy Elephants.

*This can be arrange at the reception counter.

 *Price is based on 2 person per booking

Depart from Sepilok Forest Edge Resort. The journey will take approximately 2 hours drive and passing through rustic countryside and oil palm plantations. 

Continue your journey to Bilit by the Kinabatangan River. At 1600 hours, river cruise in search of wildlife that is so prevalent in the area – a good chance to see proboscis monkey, orang utan, macaques, pygmy elephants, birds and other wildlife. An early dinner will be served at the lodge. After dinner, return to Sandakan and drop off at Sandakan Airport or at your respective hotel. 

Notes:  We reserves the right to amend, modify, change, vary or add to the tour arrangements. Remarks : Price is subject to low & peak season months

Day 1: Sandakan/Bilit/ Kinabatangan River (Dinner) Afternoon, you will be pick up at your respective hotel and adjourns to Bilit by the Kinabatangan River and then on to Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort. Upon arrival at the resort, you will be greeted by our team and refreshment will be served followed by briefing featuring the overview of the resort routes & safety. Check in to your room ( Cottage Chalet ).

At 1600 hours, river cruise in search of wildlife that is so prevalent in the area – a good chance to see proboscis monkey, orang utan, macaques, pygmy elephants, birds and other wildlife. Return to the resort. Dinner will be served. After dinner and subject to weather conditions, follow our in-house naturalist for a night walk in search of nocturnal mammals though this is an optional activities which is separately charged from this package. Return to and overnight at the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort.

Day 2: Kinabatangan River / Sandakan (Breakfast)

Wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbill. Proceed for an early morning cruise along the Kinabatangan River to observe more wildlife and birdlife. Return to resort for breakfast. Check out and depart for your return journey to Sandakan. Drop off at your respective hotel in Sandakan or at the Sandakan Airport for your onwards flight. 

Day 1: Sandakan / Bilit /Kinabatangan River (Dinner) Afternoon, you will be picked up at your respective hotel or meet at Sandakan Airport and adjourn to Bilit by the Kinabatangan River and then on to Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort. Upon arrival at the resort, you will be greeted by our team and refreshment will be served followed by briefing featuring the overview of the resort routes & safety. Check in to your room ( Cottage Chalet ). At 1600 hours, river cruise in search of wildlife that is so prevalent in the area – a good chance to see proboscis monkey, orang utan, macaques, pygmy elephants, birds and other wildlife. Return to the resort. Dinner will be served. After dinner and subject to weather conditions, follow our in-house naturalist for a night walk in search of nocturnal mammals though this is an optional activities which is separately charged from this package. Return to and overnight at the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort.

Day 2: Bilit / Jungle Trekking-within Resort area / Kinabatangan River (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)

Wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbills. Proceed for an early morning cruise to observe more wildlife and birdlife. Return to resort for breakfast. After breakfast, follow in house Guide for Jungle trekking within resort area. Return to the resort for lunch. Late afternoon, set off for another river adventure and try to spot more wildlife and birds before returning to the resort for dinner. Retire for the night at the Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort.

Day 3: Kinabatangan River / Sandakan (Breakfast)

Rise early for another early morning cruise along the Kinabatangan to observe more wildlife and birdlife. Return to resort for breakfast. Check out and depart for your return journey to Sandakan. Drop off at your respective hotel in Sandakan or at the Sandakan Airport for your onwards flight. (B) 

+6 014 654 2818

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday: 08:00 -17:00 | Saturday: 08:00 -12:30 | Sunday: Close

SDK 3: Gomantong Caves + Kinabatangan Day Trip (L/D)

• Information

This day trip (SDK 3) tour package includes two (2) destinations:

Gomantong Caves

Kinabatangan river.

Enter the incredible Gomantong Caves in search of bats and deadly creepy crawlies!

Located in the heartland of the Gomantong Rainforest Reserve, the Gomantong Caves have been the focus for birds’ nests harvesting for many centuries.

Your exciting cave journey will begin with a wooden walkway at the back of the ticket building which leads into the Gomantong Rainforest Reserve. Embrace the greenery surrounding you!

The main cave is divided into two sections:

• Simud Hitam (The Black Cave)
• Simud Putih (The White Cave)

The names refer to the main type of nests produced by swiftlets in each cave. The caves measure about 30 meters wide and about 100 meters high. As you stroll along the walkway, you you will come across a cave stream.

Psst…. Look closely into the water, and tell us what you see! Fascinating, isn’t?

If you happen to see birds’ nests harvesters at work inside the caves, spend some time to observe their work in action. It is absolutely worth watching, we don’t think you’ll get to see this very often!

In the evenings, more than 2 million bats spiral out to feed. As the bats leave, swiftlets are usually beginning to make their way back into the caves after a day’s foraging. It’s absolutely stunning to watch, but depending on weather and rain, it may be a no show!

Don’t say we didn’t tell you these:

• The caves are full of Guano (Bats’ dungs) and it smells.
• Grounds of the caves can get slippery, so proper walking shoes are highly recommended.
• Photographers, we’re no Pro in this area, but we know that cave photography is no easy task!

This tour package will be followed by another exciting venture, a cruise along the Kinabatangan River!

The Kinabatangan River (Malay: Sungai Kinabatangan; pronounced: Soong-ngy Keen-nah-but-tungan) is the second longest river in Malaysia, with a length of 560 kilometers.

Kinabatangan is known for its remarkable wildlife and fascinating habitats. This wonderful journey of wildlife discovery starts from the waters of Sulu Sea cruising through a magnificent scenery of the mangrove forest. You will be cruising down the river in search of primates especially the endemic proboscis monkeys, birds and other wildlife.

Package Includes:

• Entrance fee where applicable
• Transportation – land
• 1 afternoon cruise
• Meals as stated in itinerary
• Joining basis (SIC)

Package Excludes:

• All airfares & airport taxes
• Camera & video fees where applicable
• Alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages
• Travel insurance
• Tips, portage & items not stated

*No refunds shall be made if the boat cruise cancels due to bad weather conditions.

Destination

Departure time, return time, not included, gomantong caves & kinabatangan day trip(l/d).

• 10:30 Meet & greet from Sandakan airport or hotel lobby within town area.
• 1.5 hours drive to Gomantong Caves
• Lunch at a local restaurant (provided as part of tour package)
• Proceed to Kinabatangan River
• 16:00 Cruise along Kinabatangan River in search for some of the primate species including the endemic Proboscis Monkey, birds and others wildlife.
• Travel back to Sandakan Airport or your respective hotel after Dinner at a local restaurant (provided as part of tour package)
• This tour package is for a minimum of 2 adults
• Private Tour: Additional 30% from the above rates
• Single Traveler: Additional 50% from the above rates
• Child (11 years old and below) 30% off

Recommended things to bring

• Small bag or backpack
• Lightweight clothing or cotton shirts / long sleeves
• Walking shoes
• Rain coat / Poncho
• Insect repellent
• Camera (camera fee excluded)
• Personal toiletries

Other Information

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Middle East

Biden returns to d.c. a day early to a situation room huddle on iran-israel row.

Franco Ordoñez

Deepa Shivaram

President Biden briefly spoke to reporters about Iran in the South Court auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Friday. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

President Biden briefly spoke to reporters about Iran in the South Court auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Friday.

President Biden returned to the White House a day early from his house in Rehoboth Beach, Del., to meet with his national security team as Iran launched attacks on Israel.

Biden had been scheduled to return to Washington on Sunday but instead returned on Saturday afternoon to huddle with his top advisers in the White House Situation Room.

Biden on Friday had said an attack from Iran against Israel could happen sooner rather than later, and warned Tehran against the attack.

Middle East crisis — explained

Iran has launched a drone and missile attack on israel.

"Don't," he said, when asked what his message was to Iran.

"We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel. And Iran will not succeed," Biden said.

Here's who Biden met with in the Situation Room

Israel has been on alert for a possible attack from Iran after an airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, two weeks ago.

How Iran and Israel became archenemies

Iran said the strike killed two of its generals and several other members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force. Iran said Israel was responsible; Israel has neither confirmed nor denied being behind the attack.

Iranian officials accuse Israel of a deadly attack on Iran's consulate in Syria

The White House said Biden was meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown, CIA Director Bill Burns, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, and others. Vice President Harris joined by secure video, the White House said.

Biden has vowed to support Israel

Biden spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a week ago about the threats that Iran had made against Israel.

"As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad. Let me say it again: ironclad," Biden said at a press conference on Wednesday. "We're going to do all we can to protect Israel's security."

San Francisco Giants' Six-Game Florida Road Trip Will Show Team's True Status

After getting a much-needed victory at home before an off day, the San Francisco Giants are starting their road trip that will give an idea about if they can contend or not.

• Author: Brad Wakai

In this story:

The San Francisco Giants had one of the most under-the-radar offseasons after signing some of the biggest names who were available on the market.

Getting Korean phenom Jung Hoo Lee, the reigning NL Cy Young Winner Blake Snell, and one of the best third baseman in the game Matt Chapman, lifted up the profile of their roster to the point where there were expectations for them to compete for a playoff spot.

But things haven't quite gone to plan so far.

They sit with a 5-8 record and needed a strong performance on Wednesday to avoid being swept by the Washington Nationals .

Maybe that's what gets the Giants going after they took a much different approach on the base paths and got another great pitching performance from Jordan Hicks.

But heading into this six-game Florida road trip where they face the Tampa Bay Rays starting Friday and the Miami Marlins after that series is complete, this will truly give an idea about if they can contend or not.

The Rays are always formidable, but they don't quite have that magical aura around them like they've had in years past. They currently sit at 7-6 with offensive numbers around the middle of the league and pitching numbers much worse than their previous iterations.

Tampa Bay is gettable, and if the Giants are going to truly compete in a loaded National League, they need to show that they can win these types of games.

Following those three contests, they'll head south to take on the Marlins who have the worst record in the MLB entering Friday's action.

San Francisco needs to dominate this series, certainly winning it, but with the aim of sweeping.

Good teams beat the bad teams and are also able to compete with other good teams.

That's what the Giants have on this road trip as they get set to face the Rays in a matchup that is winnable before hitting Miami where they should leave victorious.

Latest Giants News

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Tim Cook has arrived in Vietnam for a two-day trip, as Apple boosts ties with its key manufacturing hub

• The Apple CEO has arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam to meet with Apple suppliers and content creators.
• The company has also announced plans to increase spending on suppliers in the country.
• Vietnamese manufacturing has been important for Apple as it moves away from dependence on China.

Tim Cook has arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, to start a two-day trip to one of Apple's top manufacturing hubs.

During his visit, he's set to meet with content creators, app developers, and students to learn about how they use Apple products, according to local media.

Apple also plans to boost its ties with local suppliers during the trip as well as help fund clean water projects and education opportunities, local newspaper VietnamNet wrote.

In a post on X , the Apple CEO shared a photo of himself drinking egg coffee with two Vietnamese musicians. In another post, he shared his visit to a workshop where creators were using Apple products to create and share their artwork.

Apple also announced plans to increase spending on suppliers in Vietnam.

Since 2019, the company has spent nearly 400 trillion Vietnamese dong ($16 billion) through its supply chains in Vietnam and has more than doubled its annual spending in the country over the same period, the company said in a statement on its Vietnamese website.

The statement added that Apple supports the jobs of 200,000 people in Vietnam through direct employment, via suppliers, and as app developers.

In 2020, major Apple supplier Foxconn moved its iPad and MacBook assembly to Vietnam from China at the request of Apple as it attempted to minimize the impacts of US-China trade tensions.

A couple of years later, Foxconn faced issues with Chinese smartphone makers trying to poach their talent in Vietnam , attracting them with higher salaries.

Apple has faced a recent blow as iPhone shipments fell nearly 10% in the first quarter of 2024, as global smartphone shipments increased.

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Microsoft Start.

Scholz warns Iran as attacks on Israel overshadow China trip

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Reporting by Andreas Rinke in Chongqing and Sarah Marsh in Berlin; Editing by Antoni Slodkowski and Miral Fahmy, William Maclean

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Thomson Reuters

Chief correspondent covering political and general news in Germany with experience in Argentina and in Cuba leading Reuters’ broader Caribbean coverage.

China indicated for the first time on Monday that a man executed for spying in 2016 had sold secrets to the United States.

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Canada slaps more sanctions on Belarus, citing human rights violations

Canada is imposing another round of sanctions against Belarus officials over continuing human rights violations after a 2020 presidential election that the opposition denounced as fraudulent, Ottawa said on Monday.

She's from Green Bay. He's from the United Kingdom. On their wedding day, they went head over heels at Kwik Trip.

GREEN BAY - When James McKenzie-Brown came to Wisconsin from the United Kingdom, he didn’t just fall head over heels for Pati Holschbach.

He fell in love with  Kwik Trip , too.

It was Holschbach first, mind you, and the popular Wisconsin-based convenience store chain second. That’s important to note in a love story that spans 3,903 miles, two and half years and countless Big Buddy fountain drinks.

When it came to their wedding day on March 29, it just seemed right that it was all three of them — a nurse from Green Bay, an armed police officer from London and Kwik Trip store No. 827 on Lombardi Avenue — together in their photos.

Love, Wisconsin style.

To appreciate the sweetness of the photo shoot, at a gas station on the happiest day of their lives, you have to first get to know the couple.

“To tell people our story of how we began, if anybody else would tell me this story, it would sound kind of, I would say, crazy,” Holschbach said.

The two met on Tinder. She was living in Milwaukee at the time and had the distance for potential matches on the dating app set to within 80 miles. He was in Twickenham, just outside London, and had his set to 10 miles. There were 3,903 miles and a whole big pond between them. Their profiles should never have crossed paths but somehow they did.

Love works in mysterious ways.

Within 24 hours, they were talking. Eighteen days later, on Dec. 8, 2021, he flew to Wisconsin to see her. From the moment they said hello to one another, it felt different.

“We both just knew,” Holschbach said.

They felt incredibly comfortable around each other and discovered they had similar senses of humor. They had both chosen the careers they did, because they wanted to help people. They both enjoyed going to estate sales and looking for antiques.

“But one of the things that really attracted me to him and him to me was we both absolutely love animals, like we’re obsessed with dogs and cats,” she said. “We’re the kind of people where anytime we see a dog, we have to point it out, like it’s our first time seeing a dog.”

It was Holschbach’s elderly 15-year-old rescue pitbull, Minnie, who sealed the deal. An excellent judge of character but leery of men due to her past, the first thing she did when McKenzie-Brown came to visit was climb right into his lap and snuggle in.

“She wouldn’t even climb in my lap and I was her mom,” Holschbach said. “Then I just instantly knew. ‘Yep, this is the one.’”

They were engaged on April 13, 2022 — four months and five days after they met.

Big Buddy drinks are their go-to, but you can't beat the fried chicken

Before they could marry, they had to secure a K-1 visa , which allows a U.S. citizen to bring a fiancé or fiancée to the country for the purpose of marriage and becoming a lawful permanent resident. It was a process that stretched across nearly two years and required many back-and-forth trips.

That’s where Kwik Trip enters the story.

McKenzie-Brown found himself “enthralled with all that is Midwest culture” whenever he came to visit. Potluck staples — can’t-miss fare like walking tacos, scotcheroos, Snickers salad and especially beer dip — fascinated him. Being from the U.K., where people love nothing more than to talk about the weather, he also appreciated Wisconsin’s four seasons, sometimes all in the same week, as a goldmine of conversation.

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Holschbach grew up in Green Bay and graduated from Green Bay East High School in 1996. She was well acquainted with the joys of Kwik Trip and its status as a Wisconsin institution. She knew her future husband had to experience it for himself.

“He was like, ‘You want to take me to a gas station?’” she said. “I’m like, ‘Yes! But you just wait, you just wait.’”

He was immediately smitten. He loved it all, from the feeling that he had just walked into a little city all onto itself to the signature “see ya next time” from the clerk on his way out the door.

During the couple’s many trips back and forth to the airport or on the drive up to Green Bay to see Holschbach’s parents, Kwik Trips became a part of their lives. Their go-to is the Big Buddy fountain soda, but the Glazers doughnuts, Cinnabon cinnamon roll-flavored cappuccinos and the cheesy chicken casserole are also among their favorites.

“And you can’t beat their fried chicken,” Holschbach said. “Their fried chicken is really good.”

After the ceremony at the Brown County Courthouse, it was off to Kwik Trip on Lombardi Avenue

One of the conditions of being issued a K-1 visa is that once the fiancé comes to the United States, the couple has just 90 days to get married. That makes planning a large, elaborate wedding nearly impossible, so Holschbach and McKenzie-Brown opted for a small, intimate ceremony with family and a few friends.

There were two things they knew they wanted to be part of the day.

One was a hand-tied bridal bouquet of five dozen white carnations from Petal Pusher Floral Boutique in the Broadway District. Holschbach had worked for owner Nichole Campbell years ago and adored that same bouquet Petal Pusher had created for a wedding expo. She never forgot it.

The other was to have photos taken at Kwik Trip by Erika Krause Photography . Holschbach has known her for 14 years, ever since she was the labor and delivery nurse assigned to the birth of her second child at Aurora BayCare and then again for her third child. Krause was excited to do her first bride-and-groom-at-Kwik Trip photo session.

More: 'See ya next time': How a neighborhood grocery store grew into today's Kwik Trip phenomenon

After the couple exchanged vows in a civil ceremony at the Brown County Courthouse, they headed to a Kwik Trip, where the employee in charge told them not only was it OK to shoot photos inside the store but that it happens all the time.

“They were just the nicest bunch of people,” Holschbach said.

They even gave them a complimentary doughnut as a prop. There are shots of the happy couple with intertwined arms with Big Buddy cups, sharing a smooch in one of the aisles and standing by a cooler door that reads “Cold Beer Enter Here.”

Two of their favorites portraits were taken outside, with Holschbach’s bouquet and McKenzie-Brown’s mini Union Jack flag outshone only by the smiles on their faces.

You might be wondering if there was a Kwik Trip-themed wedding dinner with fancy three-tiered plates of Glazers, platters of fried chicken and barbecue pork rib sandwiches and baskets of reasonably priced bananas. There was not. They did their dining at Italian restaurant Angelina in downtown Green Bay.

Years from now, when they look back at the photographs taken at store No. 827, what might they think?

“I’m sure we’ll probably say, ‘Oh my God, we really had our pictures taken at a gas station.' But that’s just part of our personality,” Holschbach said. “We’ll just more so, I think, remember it for how much fun it was and just how happy everyone was and how supportive they were. It was a great day. It was a very joyous day ... and that’s conveyed in the pictures.”

The couple, who just moved to Kimberly, already know how they’ll celebrate their anniversary each year: a fountain drink at Kwik Trip and dinner at Angelina.

Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or k [email protected] . Follow her on X @KendraMeinert .