Discover Malaysian Borneo

Welcome to Borneo! You will be met on arrival at the airport in Kuching and will be transferred to your hotel. Your afternoon exploration of Kuching city includes visits to the Cat Monuments, the oldest Chinese temple, Fort Margherita, the Istana (the former palace of Rajah Brooke), the colonial Court House, and the City Tower for the panoramic view of the city. Other highlights include a visit to the world-renowned Sarawak Museum and a delightful walk along the Kuching Waterfront.

This morning drive to a Bako fishing village (45 min) and continue by speedboat to Bako National Park (30 min). Bako National Park offers a superb opportunity to see wildlife in its natural surroundings. Possible sightings include Proboscis monkeys, monitor lizards, bearded pigs, silver leaf monkeys and more than one hundred species of birds. The bio-zones found here include tropical rainforest, mangrove swamp forest, kerangas (heath forest), cliff and beach vegetations. Special plants found along the trails include the several species of pitcher plants and wild orchids. Along with your guide, you’ll set out for an easy to moderate hike on the Paku Trail. Walking along jungle boardwalks, this is the perfect opportunity to learn about endemic flora and fauna, a topic which your guide will be well-versed on.

After the hike, you’ll enjoy lunch at the park headquarters. Depending how much time is left, you may have time to explore other nearby trails before boarding the boat and making your way back to Kuching for the evening.

This morning, drive to Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Center (30 min). Walkthrough the scenic forest reserve to the feeding platform, where you will enjoy the sight of the orangutans swaying in the trees as they come down for feeding. This is the rare opportunity to be close to orangutans. Continue the drive through the rainforest, pepper, rubber and cocoa plants. Stop at Serian to visit an interesting farmers’ market. Continue to Batang Ai Jetty. Upon arrival, proceed to the resort’s boat to Aiman Batang Ai Resort.

After breakfast, proceed by traditional longboat to the Iban Longhouse. You’ll be welcomed by the natives and taken on a tour of their longhouse. Watch the natives at work making mats, baskets, handicrafts, and mending fish nets. Enjoy the cultural performance before lunch. Have lunch at the longhouse and then transfer back by longboat to Aiman Batang Ai Resort.

After breakfast transfer by boat back to Batang Ai terminal for your return journey to Kuching. Lunch will be provided en-route at a local restaurant. Arrive in Kuching late afternoon and the rest of the day will be at leisure.

This morning you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Mulu. On arrival into Mulu, transfer to the hotel. Once settled, depart for Deer and Lang Caves. The journey by van from the resort to the Park’s Headquarters will be around 5 minutes. Have a quick look at the visitor center before proceeding on the elevated plankwalk through the jungle to arrive at the caves. After visiting the caves, you will await the exit of the bats on the observation platform outside. Return to the resort late in the evening.

After breakfast at the resort, visit the Wind and Clearwater Caves. Your upriver longboat journey will be around 35 minutes. On the way, stop at the Penan settlement to see the interesting handicrafts made by this semi-nomadic tribe. After visiting the King’s Chamber in the Wind Cave, continue walking the plankwalk flanking the limestone cliff to the Clearwater Cave. A picnic lunch is served at the Clearwater rest house. You will have time to relax and swim in the natural pool. Return to the resort in the late afternoon to enjoy your free time.

Depart after breakfast for our flight from Mulu to Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Sabah. On arrival in Kota Kinabalu, you will be transferred to your hotel. The afternoon is spent at your leisure.

Drive 2 hours overland through paddy fields and Dusun villages, over the ridges of the Crocker Range to the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu at 5,000 ft, to arrive at the park headquarters at Kundasang. Along the way, you may make a stop at Pekan Nabalu, famous for its fruit and handicraft market. Once in the park, stop at the Visitor Centre and Mountain Garden; home to some of the 24 species of flowering rhododendrons, 10 species of carnivorous pitcher plants, 1,400 species of orchids, 600 species of ferns, 40 species of oak trees and 300 species of birds. If weather permits, take a guided walk on one of the trails in the cool surroundings to explore the forest.

Next, head toward Poring Hot Spring located 25 miles northeast of the park headquarters, passing by vegetable farms, roadside stalls, and smaller, interior towns of Sabah. Upon arrival, your guide will lead you on a 20-minute hike to reach a canopy walkway located 200 ft above the ground, where you will enjoy a bird’s eye view of the rainforest. After exploring the walkway, have lunch at a local restaurant. Later, you have the option of visiting the butterfly farm or taking a dip in the open-air Japanese-style springs, featuring hot, sulphuric water believed by locals to have curative powers. Return to Kota Kinabalu in the evening.

This morning transfer to the airport for your one hour flight to Sandakan. Proceed overland to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. Trek ten minutes through the rainforest on a wooden plankwalk to witness the feeding of the orangutans at 10:00 am. Then visit the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre to learn about conservation of the world’s smallest bear. After lunch, continue to Sandakan jetty for a two-hour boat journey to Sukau Rainforest Lodge along Sabah’s longest river, Kinabatangan, with the opportunity to view birds and wildlife in virgin mangrove, wetland and rainforest habitats. In the late afternoon, take a two-hour river cruise in search of some of the ten local primate species, including Proboscis monkeys, as they settle down on treetops along the Kinabatangan River.

Wake up to the calls of gibbons and hornbills. Take a 6 am morning river cruise up the Kinabatangan River to view birds and wildlife. Proceed to the Kelenanap ox-bow lake, truly experiencing the wilderness of Borneo. After breakfast, proceed for a tour on the boardwalk behind the lodge. You also have the option of participating in our Kinabatangan Wildlife Corridor Regeneration Programme by planting trees. In the afternoon, proceed for another river cruise to spot more wildlife. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Take an early morning river cruise along the Menanggol River by a silent electric motor in search of wildlife. After lunch, proceed 16m overland journey to the vicinity of Gomantong Cave. Traverse deep into the forest along a trail in search of the ‘man of the jungle’. Return to Sukau Rainforest Lodge for overnight stay.

After breakfast, return to Sandakan by boat. Enjoy lunch in Sandakan before proceeding to the airport for your departure flight to Kota Kinabalu. Upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. This evening, enjoy a night market tour. Visit the night market to bargain for the wide array of local spices, souvenirs, fruits, and vegetables. Enjoy a scrumptious local seafood dinner (or other, if allergic) before returning to the hotel.

Transfer to the airport for your flight out.