Borneo Itinerary - Two Weeks in Malaysian Borneo!
Borneo offers incredible adventure through tropical rainforests, mountainous landscapes and deep down into a magical underwater world.
Sabah, located in Northeast Borneo, is a Malaysian state and one of the most popular areas of Borneo for wildlife lovers and adventurers to visit. There is so much to so in this incredible region, however due to Sabah being less developed and less populated than the Malaysian peninsular, places are more remote and therefore require careful planning to get to. So we have put together a two week Borneo itinerary based on our experiences there, which will help you plan your Borneo trip!
Getting to Borneo
The most common flight path to Borneo is from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city. The flight takes approximately 2.5 hours. Land in Sandakan where you will start your two week Borneo itinerary. Alternatively, you can do this trip in reverse and end in Sandakan.
Kinabatangan River - 3 days/2 nights
Organise a pick up from Sandakan airport and begin your Kinabatangan river tour straight away. You can book a tour with transport included easily through many travel companies online. Or you can choose to book directly with the lodges (see the tour we booked here!)
The tour runs over 3 days and 2 nights and includes accommodation, food and all jungle activities. We followed a guided walk through the rainforest and took boat rides up and down the river to search for endemic wildlife. Our tour even offered optional night walks for those brave enough to face the night crawlies!
Your aim is to spot Borneo’s ‘Big Five’… orangutans, pygmy elephants, crocodiles, proboscis monkeys and hornbills. We saw four out of five! Will you get luckier than us and see the elephants?
Sepilok - 3 days/2 nights
Once you have finished your Kinabatangan River Tour you can request for the transport to drop you off in Sepilok. Here you can visit three animal sanctuaries and the Rainforest Discovery Centre. Find out more about the sanctuaries here!
Sepilok is only small and accommodation and restaurant options are limited. You can also opt to stay in the nearby town of Sandakan and make the 40 minute journey to Sepilok each day. Just keep in mind that this will cause you to have higher travel costs. We stayed nearby in the Sepilok Jungle Resort and although we didn’t think much to our room, we appreciated being within walking distance to many of the sanctuaries as it allowed us to get a head start on the crowds each day!
Sandakan - 2 days/1 night
Continue your two week Borneo itinerary by popping over to Sandakan for a night and discover what this small town has to offer. Check out what you can get up to here! If you have an extra day or two to spare, we recommend staying overnight at Turtle Island (Selingan Island). Here you can watch baby turtles as they hatch and take to the ocean for the first time. It may be a pricey experience but it is truly breathtaking!
Sandakan Backpackers Hostel
Providing bed and breakfast accommodation, this hostel makes for a perfect cheap stay in Sandakan.
This hostel is close to restaurants and offers a great sea view. Its walls are adorned with writing and art drawn on by travelling passing through, creating a great atmosphere. They strive to provide the best budget accommodation in the city. It comes highly recommended by us!
Kota Kinabalu - 4 days/3 nights
Next you will travel to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s capital city. For quick travel catch a flight, or you can choose to take a seven hour bus which drives along beautiful mountainous routes. You can get up to so much in KK – to help you out we have listed an abundance of activities here. For the adventurers out there, we highly recommend Scuba Diving or climbing Mount Kinabalu. For people wanting a more laid back trip, book onto an island hopping tour and enjoy relaxing beach days interspersed with swimming and snorkelling.
Homy Seafront Hostel
Located in the heat of Kota Kinabalu, this hostel offers modern accommodation with comfortable amenities such as free breakfast and a beautiful sea view.
The property offers a range of rooms including mixed dorms, female only dorms and private rooms. It also offers a range of beds options to accommodate for both solo and couple travellers.
The Tip of Borneo - 2 days/1 night
For the last adventure of your two week Borneo itinerary, we recommend you travel North to Kudat and discover the Tip of Borneo. You can choose to hire a car, moped, catch a bus or organise a taxi. Once there, check out the many beaches in the area and go to Secret Place Cafe for a great sunset.
When looking for places to stay, consider staying out of Kudat town for a more rural and remote experience. Check out Tampat Do Aman Jungle Camp for a communal atmosphere and to be surrounded by nature. (The company also offers a pick-up service for an extra charge!) After discovering the Tip of Borneo, travel back down to Kota Kinabalu as you come to the end of your two week Borneo itinerary.
Leaving Borneo
As this two week Borneo itinerary finishes in Sabah’s capital city, you will easily be able to catch a flight back to Kuala Lumpur, where we recommend staying for a few nights before continuing your onward journey. If you complete this itinerary in reverse, you can choose to fly out of Sandakan or travel back to Kota Kinabalu and catch a flight there.
If you have more time…
If you have a few more days to spare in Sabah, check out some other great activities listed below!
Dive in Sipadan | For scuba diving lovers, Sipadan has some incredible diving sites. The prices here are more expensive than in Kota Kinabalu but it is well worth it for the underwater sights!
Danum Valley | If you are a trekking enthusiast and really want to get deep into the jungle, travel to Danum Valley. Check out the many tours you can book onto here!
Gomantong Caves | Near Sandakan you can explore this labyrinth of cave system which is home to bats, swiftlets and other creepy crawlies!
Kundasang War Memorial | If you are interested in the history of Sabah, make sure to stop by this war memorial, which commemorates British and Australian prisoners of war who tragically died during World War II.
Kuching | To explore a different part of Malaysian Borneo, venture out of Sabah and visit Kuching, which is the capital city of Sarawak (the other Malaysian state that occupies Borneo)
Finally…
We hope you enjoy discovering Borneo! If you are continuing your journey west through the Malaysian Peninsular then see what to expect in the country, where we also list other popular places to visit in Malaysia.
