Top Things to Do in Borneo, Malaysia

Borneo, where East Malaysia lies, is the third largest island on Earth and the only island in the world divided by three countries, situated southeast of the Malay Peninsula and surrounded by the South China Sea and Java Sea. Covered by jungles, the tropical island nurtured not only a unique wildlife ecology but also a diversified indigenous culture. Take a deep breath, and let's dive deep into the charming Malaysian Borneo, where mountains and oceans meet, and find what you can do on this fantastic island.

Best Things for Nature Adventure

Mount Kinabalu Climbing

Mount Kinabalu (Gunung Kinabalu), with a height of 4,095 m, is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. The mountain is Malaysia's first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO.

For locals, it's a sacred mountain and the "revered place of the dead," named after a god, Aki Nabalu, who takes care of the mountain. For tourists, it's recognized as one of the most conquerable peaks in the world. As you climb, the mountain's unique flora and fauna accompany you and change at different altitudes. There are approximately 5,000 to 6,000 different plant species in Kinabalu. No clue what that means? It is more than all of Europe! When walking on the granite peaks and breathing the chill air, your whole body will be fully recharged, not to mention the unforgettable sunrise at Low's Peak. Meet it when the first sunlight touches the granite peaks!

Mount Kinabalu

Danum Valley Jungle Trekking

Have you ever imagined getting your mind lost in the tropical jungles for a short while? Just standing in the middle of the forest, thinking of nothing, while the gibbons and red leaf monkeys are swinging on the trees above your head, hornbills are singing around. These are what you may encounter when joining a trekking trip to the Danum Valley Jungle, a 130-million-year-old ecosystem.

Compared to other areas with such density and diversity of flora and fauna, wildlife spotting in DVCA provides you with a visual feast day and night. As the sunlight passes through the leaves, you may find Bornean orangutans and lizards perching on branches. At night, having a night safari in the misty jungles is infusive since nocturnal animals like spectral tarsiers, slow loris, and many frogs are active only in the dark.

Red Leaf Monkey in Danum Valley

Mount Mulu Adventure

How big is the largest cave passage in the world? Come and check the Deer Cave in the Gunung Mulu National Park in Borneo.

The caves in Mulu are must-visits and beyond your imagination. Since it's hard to put into words how spectacular the sight of thousands of bats flying out of the Deer Cave is, how chill and tranquil it'll be when floating on a boat to Clearwater Cave, only the sound of water dripping from the attractive stalactites and stalagmites could be heard, and how chill you'll feel when fresh breeze touching your face at narrow passages in Wind Cave.

Outside the caves, trekking in Mulu allows you to find all kinds of tropical wildlife along the way. You'll see lowland dipterocarp rainforest, moss forest, orchids, rhododendrons, and pitcher plants orderly when approaching the tooth-like rocks pinnacles. Sounds thrilling? Pack your backpack!

Discover Niah Caves

How long did it take primitive humankind to get out of their caves? Well, it's hard to say. But in the caves of Niah National Park in Borneo. You can see relics of prehistoric man and imagine how they spent their days and lived their lives in the caves 40,000 years ago.

It has the oldest modern human (Homo Sapiens) remains in Southeast Asia, a skull of an adult female found in 1958 by Tom Harrison, the curator of the Sarawak Museum.

The Great Cave, the first opening cave, is one of the largest of its kind in the world. In the Great Cave, you may hear the squeaking sound of millions of bats and swiftlets. Stepping down, you'll find Moon Cave (Gan Kira) and Painted Cave. Some red hematite was painted on the cave to portray some spread-eagled human figures. If you're interested in prehistoric history or want to experience the mysterious cave, don't miss Niah Cave.

Top Things to Enjoy the Wildlife

Kinabatangan River Safari

Tired of the turbulence of truck safari? How about jumping onto a cruise and beginning a safari on the Kinabatangan River? As the longest river in Sabah, Kinabatangan flows across various habitats, like dipterocarp forest, lowland forest, and mangroves, which means you may find pretty animals on trees, on the river shores, in the sky, and even under your boat, like proboscis monkeys, macaque monkeys, Bornean pygmy elephants, slow loris, crocodiles, Irrawaddy dolphins, hornbills and many more that waiting for you to be the first witness!

Macaque Monkeys While Cruise in Borneo

Orangutans Visiting

Where is the best place to see orangutans in a relatively close distance? Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in northern Borneo is probably one of the top choices. Sixty to eighty orangutans now live in Sepilok Centre. The center provides medical care and facilities for orphaned and confiscated orangutans and integrates rehabilitation and public education, where local people and tourists can see them on the walkways and get a thorough understanding of how logging or forest clearance affects the lives of these smart but vulnerable orangutans.

Borneo Orangutans

Turtle Island (Satang) Sightseeing

As you may know, the turtle is an endangered species because it has to lay eggs on suitable land with necessary feeding grounds, and conflicts appear when humankind seeks more from nature. That's one of the reasons to establish Talang Satang National Park, to protect green and hawksbill turtles. On Satang Island, conservation takes priority over tourism, but tourists can still enjoy the emerald crystal sea and snorkel above the coral reefs near Satang, the stunning turtle island.

Encounter with Proboscis Monkey

Want to meet the Borneon big-nosed comedian? Come to Bako National Park, the smallest national park in Southeast Asia but with almost all varieties of Borneon vegetation. In the national park, it's not only very easy to find proboscis monkeys but also their neighbors like long-tailed macaque monkeys, silvered leaf monkeys, flying lemurs, and monitor lizards.

Proboscis Monkey

Brilliant Things to Unwind the Beach & Sea

Unwind in Kota Kinabalu

As the capital of Sabah state, Kota Kinabalu provides you with all kinds of unwind options. Wake up in the seashore, start your day in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, try some local clothing in Imago Shopping Mall, grab a drink on the Tanjung Aru Beach as the sun paints the sky orange, and take a coconut at the night market. Forget about the city, just drowning in the Southeast Asian sweet soft wind.

Sipadan Island Diving

Sipadan, located in the Celebes Sea near eastern Sabah, is the only oceanic island in Malaysia and one of the top diving sites on earth. Twelve diving points surround Sipadan, providing divers with a visual feast from colorful corals and manta to the crowded number of green and hawksbill turtles. It's not uncommon to view over 20 turtles during each dive. Head above the water, you can bring home not only memories with aquatic friends but also a PADI certificate if you pass the test!

Hike to Bohey Dulang

Bohey Dulang, the second largest island in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park archipelago, is bird lovers and trekkers' paradise. The sea around the island consists of many colorful coral reefs that form a unique lagoon, where the sea gushes into the crater of the remnants of an ancient volcano, providing a picturesque view for divers and snorkelers. It's not uncommon to see a variety of birds in Bohey Dulang, like pied hornbills, partridges, owls, doves, babblers, metallic pigeons, ground-living scrub fowls, and many more, a true paradise for bird lovers.

Mantanani Islands

Mantanani Islands are a group of three islands located northeast of Borneo, namely Pulau Mantanani Besar, Pulau Mantanani Kechil, and Pulau Lungisan. They're long-hidden gems for humans but regular resting places for migratory birds. Under the crystal sea are 3 Japanese dive wreck remnants from WWII, where certified, experienced divers can have a close look.

Memorable Things to Touch the Culture

Kuching City Sightseeing

There's no better city for first-time visitors to discover and experience the dynamic Borneon multiculture than Kuching. Wandering along the Sarawak River, relaxing in the café in the city center, exploring the gastronomic secrets on ancient streets of this first-class food destination, sneaking into the world's first Cat Museum like a kitty, cooling off in the Sarawak Museum, you'll love these.

Staying at a Longhouse

Culture exists in everyday life. In Borneon Longhouse, the culture can be touched. Longhouse is an existing and living heritage of Borneo, a kind of traditional wooden structure built on stilts. Inside the longhouse, you'll notice Iban people have close family connections and provide each other intimacy and a sense of protection by sitting together huddled. You'll be welcomed by having introductions to the tribe's traditions. Living inside is unique and means being local. You'll have meals by sitting on the floor, be greeted by a rotation of Iban people, drink together, and get a free alarm by roosters at around 4 a.m.

Longhouse

Mari Mari Cultural Village

In the Mari Mari Cultural Village, you are a part of this cultural museum! You'll immerse and become part of the indigenous culture, where 5 tribes in the same village perform their duties, Dusun and Rungus farmers, Murut warriors, and Bajau cowboys… and you will delve into the mosaic of these cultures by having meals cooked with bamboo utensils, experiencing knitting and crafting at Rungus house, seeing how tree barks become crafts at Lundayeh tribe, and start the most primitive fire!

Explore markets in Kota Kinabalu

There is no more vivid way to experience local culture than to wander around the local markets, while Kota Kinabalu provides you with a variety of options: Chinese style Gaya Street Sunday Market, handicraft hub Filipino Market, gourmet's choice Api-Api Night Food Market, fruit lovers' paradise Segama night market. You can exchange goods, food, and perhaps gossip here.

Plan Your Borneo Tour

There are so many things to do in Borneo that you may have already found your way around, so talk to our travel experts to make the best Malaysia tour plan just for you!