Destination Guide

Borneo

The world's third-largest island — orangutans in primary rainforest, the world's largest cave chamber, Mount Kinabalu, longhouse cultures and the Kinabatangan River.

Best months
Mar – Oct
Climate now
Tropical equatorial
Currency
MYR · BND · IDR
Languages
Malay · EN tourist
Visa (SA)
Not required (Malaysia)
Flight time
16h (1 stop)
Time zone
MYT (+6h)

Why visit Borneo

Why Borneo is one of the world’s great wildlife destinations.

Orangutans in the wild

Sepilok rehabilitation centre is the icon, but a few days on the Kinabatangan River gives you genuinely wild encounters. Pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys too.

Mount Kinabalu

4,095m — Malaysia’s highest peak. A non-technical two-day climb to the summit for sunrise. Crowded but unforgettable.

Gunung Mulu’s caves

The world’s largest cave chamber (Sarawak Chamber — 600m × 415m). UNESCO. Bat exodus at dusk is otherworldly.

Longhouse cultures

Iban and Bidayuh communities still live in 30–60-family longhouses along the rivers. Cultural visits done with respect and proper introductions.

Sipadan diving

One of the world’s top dive sites. Walls drop 600m. Barracuda tornadoes, turtles, sharks. Permits strictly limited.

Pristine rainforest

Borneo’s forests are 130 million years old — older than the Amazon. The biodiversity per hectare is staggering.

When to go

The dry months make rainforest trekking far easier.

Jan
wet
Feb
wet
Mar
drying
Apr
prime
May
prime
Jun
prime
Jul
prime
Aug
prime
Sep
prime
Oct
clearing
Nov
wet starts
Dec
wet
Prime — ideal for all activities
Good — shoulder season, fewer crowds
Do not recommend — weather or seasonal limits
Prime · Mar – Oct

Dry season. Forest trails passable, rivers less swollen, wildlife concentrated near water. Mt Kinabalu climbs reliable.

Good · Oct – early Nov

Shoulder. Some rain. Fewer guests, photographic conditions excellent.

Do not recommend · Nov – Feb

Wet season. Rivers in flood, trails muddy, some lodges close. Diving visibility drops.

What Borneo is known for

The signature experiences this country is famous for.

O
Orangutans

Sepilok rehab, Kinabatangan wild encounters, Danum Valley primary forest.

K
Mt Kinabalu

4,095m. Two-day climb for summit sunrise.

M
Gunung Mulu

World’s largest cave chamber. UNESCO. Bat exodus at dusk.

R
Kinabatangan River

Boat safaris — pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, hornbills.

S
Sipadan

World-class diving. Walls, sharks, turtles. Permits limited.

L
Longhouses

Iban and Bidayuh communities — 30–60 families under one roof.

D
Danum Valley

Untouched primary rainforest. Borneo Rainforest Lodge is iconic.

B
Bako

Easy national park near Kuching. Proboscis monkeys on weekend day trips.

How to travel Borneo

One way to handle Borneo.

Bespoke

Custom Borneo

Sabah for orangutans and Mt Kinabalu, Sarawak for caves and longhouses, Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) for deeper jungle. We design around your interests.

Design my trip →

Did you know?

A few things about Borneo most visitors don’t expect.

01
Borneo is split between three countries.

Malaysian Sabah and Sarawak (north), Indonesian Kalimantan (south, 73% of the island), and tiny oil-rich Brunei (north coast). Most travellers stick to Sabah/Sarawak.

02
The rainforest is 130 million years old.

It pre-dates the Amazon. About 80% has now been logged or replaced with palm oil — making the remaining primary forest precious and protected.

03
Orangutans share 97% of our DNA.

The word means ‘person of the forest’ in Malay. They build a new nest in the canopy every night. Females mother for 8 years — the longest of any mammal except us.

Photo gallery

Borneo through our travellers’ lenses.

Imagining your own Borneo?

Where the forest is older than the dinosaurs would have been.

Orangutan tracking, rainforest immersion, the Mulu caves — tell us what calls you and we'll build the trip around it.

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