Jungles of Borneo

Into the Borneo Rainforest

Borneo is the world’s third-largest island, divided between Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, and its interior rainforest is one of the oldest on the planet - estimates put it at around 140 million years. That age shows in the sheer density and strangeness of the life here: pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, sun bears, eight species of hornbill, and the critically endangered Bornean orangutan, now confined mostly to Sabah and Sarawak.

Where to go

The Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah is the standout for serious wildlife. It covers 440 square kilometres of primary lowland dipterocarp forest, almost entirely without tourist infrastructure - the Danum Valley Field Centre limits visitors, which keeps the experience genuinely wild. Two nights here is the minimum worth doing; three is better. Expect to pay around RM 700-900 per night at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, which includes guided night walks and morning river cruises.

The Kinabatangan River is more accessible and frankly more productive for wildlife sightings. The river corridor is narrow enough that animals must cross it, so you see proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques, crocodiles, and sometimes elephants from boat without leaving the water. The small town of Sukau is the base; a two-night riverboat package costs roughly RM 400-600 per person with meals.

Bako National Park near Kuching in Sarawak is only 37km from the city but feels remote - reached by a 20-minute boat ride that sometimes turns back due to choppy seas. Proboscis monkeys are guaranteed at dusk near the park headquarters, and the sea stacks and mangroves are impressive. Day trips are fine; staying overnight in the park chalets (book months ahead for peak season) gives you the forest to yourself at dawn.

What to eat

In Kota Kinabalu, head to the Filipino Market Night Stalls near Sinsuran for grilled seafood by weight - pick your fish, pay around RM 35-60 per kilo, and eat at plastic tables with cold Milo. The laksa at Kedai Makanan Ya Sabah on Gaya Street is the go-to morning bowl: spicy coconut broth with rice vermicelli and a hard-boiled egg, under RM 10. In Kuching, the Choon Hui Café does proper Sarawak laksa - this version is thinner and more sour than the KK style, with a shrimp paste base.

Where to stay

Beyond the Borneo Rainforest Lodge in Danum Valley, budget travellers do well at Sukau Greenview B&B on the Kinabatangan (around RM 150/night, meals included). In Kota Kinabalu itself, the Le Meridien sits on the waterfront and has decent city views, but the real advantage is proximity to the ferry to Gaya Island if you want to add a marine day. Backpackers are well served at Lucy’s Homestay near the Jesselton Point ferry terminal, which has run for 25 years and knows the jungle itinerary logistics cold.

Practical tips

Book Danum Valley three to six months out if you want the lodge rather than the field centre’s basic rooms. Malaria prophylaxis is generally not recommended for most tourist routes, but confirm with a travel clinic. Leeches are present in the forest after rain - long socks worn over trousers work better than repellent. The best time for orangutan sightings is March to May and September to November, when the fruit crop is lower and they come down from the canopy.

The Kinabatangan wildlife corridor is shrinking because of palm oil plantations pressing in from both sides. Book with operators who fund corridor restoration - a handful in Sukau donate a portion of fees to the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. It costs the same; the difference matters.