Borneo Holidays
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Pristine rainforest, wild orang-utans, adventure lodges and white-sand beaches
Borneo is the world’s third largest island, and one of the most exciting safari destinations, conjuring images of vast rainforests, extravagant nature, colourful people and white-sand beaches.
Occupying a large archipelago between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Borneo boasts wild orang-utans, pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys, superb lodges and camps and some of the best diving and snorkelling imaginable. We defy you to find anywhere that offers a more rounded adventure holiday experience.
Our dedicated Borneo specialists know this incredible place like the backs of their hands and can tailor-make a unique journey to help you discover its secrets. Trek through pristine rainforests as primates swing in the trees, walk barefoot on white sands or dive straight from your room into the crystal clear, tropical fish-filled waters.
With its incredible diversity, Borneo offers great experiences for couples, groups, solo travellers or families with children. Here, you will find a combination of experiences, landscapes and activities to satisfy the most intrepid and discerning travellers.
Planning Your Safari in Borneo
Partly Malaysia (Brunei, Sarawak and Sabah - northern Borneo) and partly Indonesia (Kalimantan - southern Borneo), Borneo is nowadays more of a geographical term than a political one. Being the world’s third largest island, cut off from the mainland during the last Ice Age, Borneo is huge and there is a vast amount to see here.
We recommend you don’t try to see the whole island – we focus our itineraries in northern Borneo, where you will find the best wildlife and landscapes. Why not combine the wildlife-rich Kinabatangan River with the luxurious and idyllic Lankayan Island for a beautiful wildlife, rivers and beaches combination. Or mix in Danum Valley for a truly wild rainforest experience.
When it comes to accommodation, there is a huge variety in Borneo and you can mix and match to create some unique experiences. We always try to locate our guests in the closest proximity to the natural wonders of the area, whether it be orang-utans or the tropical oceans.
You can stay in wooden stilted huts right in the ocean on Kapalai Island, relax in sublime luxury in the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort, or nestle into the river’s edge in lodges such as the Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge or Abai Jungle Lodge. For a more rustic and hands-on Borneo experience, stay at Miki’s Survival Camp or even the Rungus Longhouse, an authentic longhouse where you can stay with the locals and participate in their games and dancing.
Designing your own Borneo journey gives you complete flexibility to see what you want to see and stay where you want to stay. If you have no idea what you would prefer, our dedicated experts are on hand to discuss your options and point you in the right direction for that once-in-a-lifetime experience.
We also offer Borneo set departures, which are great for solo travellers, or for those who wish to travel with like-minded people. These depart in September and October, the dry season, and give you a fantastic chance of seeing wild orang-utans and the fruiting trees that provide their sustenance.
Borneo is very reasonably priced, starting at about £2,000 depending on your length of stay and standard of accommodation.
We always try to use local guides so we don’t take jobs away from local people. This also means you get second-to-none knowledge and a real behind-the-scenes glimpse of the true gems of Borneo.
FAQ's
Climate:
Borneo’s equatorial climate is directly affected by the patterns of the various seas that surround it. The wet season (December to March) can often dry up making it the perfect place to travel, with no crowds and outstanding scenery. The dry season (April to November) can similarly pour down with rain at any time, so you can never be 100% certain of what you will get. The temperatures on Mount Kinabalu are the exception to the rule, with much cooler temperatures than the rest of Borneo. At an altitude of 3,500 metres above sea level, understandably the temperature can sometimes drop below freezing and it can often be an area of heavy rainfall. It is possible to travel to Borneo at any time and the best time for you would depend on what you wish to see.
Health Issues:
We recommend you visit your GP about 8 weeks prior to travelling to Borneo to get the latest and most up to date advice. Malaria vaccinations or tablets may be advisable, especially for the adventurous taking part in jungle treks.
Transportation:
We recommend you fly into Kota Kinabalu to begin your Borneo safari. Whilst travelling around the island, there may be delays and we cannot guarantee everything will go like clockwork. Sometimes boatmen will wait a few hours after heavy rain for rivers to subside, or you may have to oblige with the local customs and join in wedding celebrations or respect the taboos following a death in the village. This is all part of the experience and should be embraced; it is a part of why Borneo is such a wonderfully authentic place to travel.
Flights:
The costs of flight tickets fluctuate depending on the season you wish to travel and how far in advance you are booking. Flights are usually not too expensive and you can sometimes find great last minute deals.
Taking Kids
Borneo is a great destination for families with young children. The infrastructure has improved over the last few years and it is now one of our top recommendations for families. The culture and colours are constantly intriguing, there are mysterious steamy jungles and wonderfully relaxing beaches. Of course there is also the wildlife, especially the cute orang-utans, that are sure to sweep young ones off their feet, leaving them with memories that will last a lifetime. Do bear in mind that travel times can vary quite a lot and there can be some long drives. We know some great ways of making this more manageable for you and your young ones, squeezing in even more adventure.
Wildlife
Cut off from the mainland at the end of the last Ice Age, Borneo’s topography is a mix of dramatic mountains (the highest peak being Mt Kinabalu at 4,101 metres), wide slow moving rivers and swamps, all of which have contributed to safeguarding Borneo’s wildlife over the years.
The orang-utans, once found in the jungles from southern China to Java, have a diminishing population and can only be seen in the wild in Borneo and Sumatra. These endearing, solitary creatures can best be seen between the months of May and September, specifically June and August when they can often be seen foraging for fallen fruit on the ground. As well as these adorable primates, there are the loud proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants. Under the water there is a whole other world, with endangered hawksbill turtles, lots of different shark species and countless tropical fish.
The Sepilok Wildlife Sanctuary plays home to orang-utans that are being re-introduced into the wild and is a great place to really get an understanding of these peaceful creatures.
