Luxury travel guide to Borneo: Parks & Beyond

Nestled in the heart of Southeast Asia, Borneo beckons visitors with its unparalleled biodiversity and breathtaking landscapes. In fact, every corner of this island paradise is simply brimming with life and adventure.

A luxury holiday to Borneo offers the ideal blend of opulence, combined with the experience of immersing in some of the island’s most breathtaking landscapes and a range of options to pamper with personalised service and world-class amenities. Booking with a reputed provider like Experience Travel Group, will ensure you have a well-planned and customised luxe holiday lined up.

Whatever your budget, Borneo is more or less a once-in-a-lifetime destination. There are no direct flights to some of the top tourist places, so it takes time and money to get to either Sabah or Sarawak.

This luxury Borneo guide will take care of all this, from choosing the best accommodation in remote locations to organising internal transport so that you won’t waste time accessing the best places.

Best time to go to Borneo

Temperatures in Borneo are in the range of 27°C to 42°C around the year with extremely high humidity with hardly any breeze, except for places like Mt Kinabalu where some respite can be had on the summit.

The best months to visit Borneo are the dryer months from April to September, with occasional sharp showers and nothing more as the island is sheltered from Southeast Asia’s cyclones.

Ultimate Borneo travel guide

Kuala Lumpur

Your adventure begins at the diverse Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, an ideal base for further exploration into the country. Stay at the fancy Mandarin Oriental Hotel for two nights.

Spend your time here accessing the impressive twin Petronas Towers, wander around the many chic boutiques and shopping outlets and pay a visit to the nearby Batu Caves, and explore the temples and shrines that are found there in plenty.

Sandakan

On arrival at Sandakan Airport take a short stop at a local hotel in order to freshen up for the day of sightseeing ahead.

In mid-morning, take a private speedboat ride along the river, make a stopover at any of the stilted villages and interact with the locals for a unique cultural encounter.

After a brief look around, continue along the river and keep a sharp lookout for any wildlife you may come across. Apart from proboscis monkeys, otters, and kingfishers, there is the Borneo pygmy elephant seen here.

As darkness falls, you will witness a magical display of fireflies against the backdrop of the dense jungle. Enjoy a seafood dinner at a local restaurant that the city is famous for, before heading for your next destination, Sepilok. Overnight at the MY Nature Resort.

Sepilok

The region of Sepilok, known for its abundant wildlife. After a hearty breakfast at the resort, your luxury tour will take you on a private visit to the Orangutan Rehabilitation Center where these rehabilitated majestic apes roam around freely. See them from close quarters as they climb down from the high forest canopy to be fed by the park rangers.

Continue with a visit to the Sun Bear Conservation Center and take a guided tour with the founder, Dr Wong for a private presentation of Sun Bears and a tour around the facility. Once the tour is over, return to the resort for an afternoon of rest and relaxation.

Kinabatangan River

Your home for the next two nights will be by the lush banks of the Kinabatangan River where you will stay at the Abai Jungle Lodge, built entirely in stilts and accessible only by boat.

Although the property is by no means very classy, it is the best in the region and the abundance of wildlife means that you won’t have to go beyond the verandah to spot them

Watch the proboscis monkeys on the treetops along the river banks and pygmy elephants coming to the water, now and then, for a drink. A boat trip along the river, with eagle-eyed guides, will spot a variety of birds for you, before they disappear into the lush forest.

Further down is the Ox-Bow Lake area, which is known for its herd of Asian elephants. Continue on to the fishing village of Kampung Abai where you will be greeted by the local Sungai people and observe their day-to-day life activities

Sabah

You will now head to the mystical Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah and spend a couple of nights at the splendid Borneo Rainforest Lodge, undoubtedly the best property in the entire Borneo.

This is 43,800 hectares of prime rainforest area where you can spot over 275 different species of birds, including eight hornbill species, 110 mammals including pygmy elephants and wild orangutans.

There are a wide number of activities available for a tailored experience during the stay which include rainforest walks, birdwatching, tubing, canopy walks and night safaris in particular in quest of porcupines and other nocturnal animals.

Moreover, the guides at the lodge are some of the best in Borneo and their knowledge and passion for the surrounding environment will only enhance your stay experience here.

Islands and Beaches

On your last few days of your luxury Borneo adventure, take a flight from Kota Kinabalu to the picturesque Gaya island, just off the coast of Sabah, for a four-night stay at the Bunga Raya Island Resort, an absolutely stunning island getaway reached by a short boat ride from the Jesselton Pier.

Stay at the Tree House Villa, which can only be reached by a jungle walkway leading high up towards the treetops for incredible views across the bay and enjoy a cacophony of bird calls at dawn.

The resort has a relaxed atmosphere with marvellous views, best enjoyed with a refreshing fruit punch in a tall glass with loads of ice.

If you feel like shedding some kilos after the trip there are a number of hiking trails and suspended canopy walks high up in the forest to spot the roaming wildlife below and an array of bird species from the top.

Go kayaking or paddle boarding to explore the hidden coves and bays or grab a mask and go snorkeling to explore the diverse underwater life found here. Adrenaline junkies will find some exhilarating zip-lines at the back side of the property.

For the culinary-conscious

Borneo offers incredible food options for food lovers. On your trip, you will savor gourmet cuisine, mostly featuring local delicacies, fresh seafood and international cuisine prepared by some of the best chefs to delight the taste buds

Whether you wish to celebrate a special occasion or are seeking a lavish escape to get away from the hectic city life, Borneo offers an unbeatable experience that indulges all senses.

For more on the latest in luxury travel reads, click here.