Borneo is one of those places you feel like you already know before you ever arrive—thanks to endless Animal Planet clips, National Geographic documentaries, and iconic images of orangutans swinging through the jungle. But actually visiting Borneo, especially the Malaysian state of Sabah, is a very different experience than watching it on a screen.

As 1 of just 2 impossibly remote places left in the world where you can see a wild orangutan (the other being Borneo’s neighboring island, Sumatra) Borneo is a bucket list destination. It’s Earth’s oldest tropical rainforest–twice as old as the Amazon rainforest–and is a nature lover’s dream. Aside from orangutans, I was over the moon at the idea of seeing a Borneo elephant (also called the pygmy elephant), which is a mini elephant species. You read that right-tiny elephants! 🐘🥹

Interestingly, Borneo is also the only island in the world divided politically by 3 countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. But as uniquely biodiverse and thoroughly filmed as Borneo is, visiting Borneo in the Malaysian state of Sabah isn’t without its challenges. In this guide, I’ll give spill the details on what a jungle river safari in Borneo is actually like: how much it costs, when to go, what wildlife you can realistically see, and whether it’s truly worth the effort.

If you’re considering Borneo and want honest, first-hand insight before committing to the trip, you’re in the right place.

BEST Borneo travel guide & itinerary

The best Borneo itinerary for you depends on what exactly you want to do and see, where in Borneo you want to go, how long you have, and your budget! But the most common wildlife-centric Borneo travel itinerary usually involves one or a combination of the following:

• Tabin Wildlife Reserve
• Kinabatangan River
• Danum Valley

In this Borneo travel guide, we’re going to focus on the Kinabatangan River safaris, where you have the best chance of seeing both pygmy elephants and orangutans!

How to get to Borneo

Most people get to Malaysian Borneo by flying through the Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur airports to the Sandakan airport. There aren’t a ton of flights into Sandakan, so I actually slept 2 nights in the airport in Kota Kinabalu on my way to and from Sandakan. 

After a flight into Sandakan, if your destination is the Kinabatangan River, you’ll overland 2-3 hours after the flight. 

What’s the best time to visit Borneo?

The BEST Borneo travel guide couldn’t be complete without this information, because seasonality is a big factor in your Borneo itinerary. The best months to visit Borneo are during high season, from May to September, when days are dry and warm. The wet months in Borneo are between November and February, which also means mosquitos are worse, weather is more humid, and conditions are generally less ideal for wildlife viewing (many animals hunker down and hide during the rain)!

Read this FULL GUIDE on the best time to visit Borneo for weather, comfort, and wildlife (and maybe more importantly, when you DON’T want to go!

What are the Borneo Big 5? How likely are you to see all of them?

The Borneo Big 5 are the 5 most iconic species you can spot in Borneo. They are:

• Bornean Orangutan
• Proboscis monkey
• Pygmy elephant
• Rhinoceros hornbill
• Estuarine crocodile

For full details on the wildlife in Borneo (including how likely you are to actually see orangutans and elephants, and some major surprises like how to see clouded leopards and sea turtles) head over to What wildlife can you see on a river safari in Borneo, Malaysia?

How many days do you need in Borneo?

For short trips (3-7 days)

• Focus on one area: For a short trip, focus on one area, like Sabah (Kota Kinabalu, Sepilok, Kinabatangan River) so you don’t waste time traveling and can immerse yourself where you’re at. 
• Itinerary: Go on a short 2-3 day river safari in the Kinabatangan River area, then visit the wildlife sanctuaries and WWII history in Sepilok for 1-2 days near the airport.

For longertrips (1-2 weeks)

• Go beyond the jungle: A 1-2 week trip leaves enough time for you to go on a river safari, and enjoy extra activities beyond Sepliok and the Kinabatangan River.
• Itinerary: Sepilok (1-2 days), Kinabatangan River (3-4 days), and a few days exploring Turtle Island, Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, and other snorkeling, island hopping, or scuba diving hot spots in the Coral Triangle. Read on for information about the best tours and day trips for ocean activities in Borneo!

How much does a trip to Borneo cost? What’s the best Borneo all-inclusive package?

I booked a 4 day, 3 night all-inclusive experience with River Junkie, and it was phenomenal!

In total, I paid $419 for the entire experience staying in a fantastic, air conditioned dorm at an eco lodge on the river. For a little more, you can stay in a private chalet, but your girl is on a budget. This was all inclusive for 4 days and 3 nights, and was also high season pricing.

Check out my full breakdown of costs, extras, the all-inclusive lodging and safari package I took here! This is an incredible trip to do on a budget.

Is Borneo safe to visit? 

Safety is personal and subjective, but if you want to visit a jungle, there are challenges that you need to fully embrace: long, difficult travel days to get somewhere so remote, massive jungle leeches, giant saltwater crocs, mosquitoes and their diseases (particularly dengue fever and malaria). These are the risks you accept if you’re traveling somewhere like Borneo! 

What some people may not expect is the threat of tourist kidnappings for ransom, territorial invasions by Filippino pirates, and human trafficking and terrorist activity. Depending on where you’re planning on going during your trip to Borneo, it’s sensible to keep the following in mind: 

• Kidnapping risk exists where the southern edge of the Philippines meets coastal areas of Sabah, particularly the islands close to the Sulu Archipelago or in the Sulu Sea.
• The stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra has been known for piracy and kidnapping. 
• Lahad Datu on Borneo still has reports of speed boats armed with machine guns, so stick to the land if traveling in a small group or alone. Lahad is flooded with tourist resorts, which makes it a target. 

During my trip to Sabah, I was picked up from the Sandakan Airport by my safari crew and overlanded to the riverside lodge in the Lower Kinabatangan Conservation Area, which is remote and isolated, and therefore felt super safe even as a female solo traveler. 

I didn’t have time to venture to other parts of Borneo, so didn’t personally experience any of the dicey areas listed above. As with any travel, my best recommendation is just to exercise common sense and be aware of your surroundings, and not to let a fantastical media headline scare you away from traveling to a place without doing your research.  

Wondering if Borneo is worth visiting? Here’s my comprehensive breakdown of the pros and cons for a Borneo river safari!

Is visiting Borneo worth it?

For me, 100% yes! A Kinabatangan River safari can be an incredible budget-friendly wildlife experience, especially when you consider how expensive many wildlife safaris around the world have become. That said, this kind of trip isn’t for everyone. Check out my full review of whether a river safari in Borneo is actually worth it for my super detailed, honest take. But at a high level, a river safari in Borneo makes the most sense for you if:

• You love remote, nature-first experiences and early mornings
• You’re comfortable spending hours on open boats in heat, sun, rain, humidity, mosquitos, and tropical conditions
• You’re happy unplugging

It may not be worth it if you:

• Prefer polished luxury over raw, immersive nature
• Are traveling with young kids (many eco-lodges and operators have age requirements, so always check)
• Would be frustrated or unprepared for rain, heat, or changing weather
• Need consistent Wi-Fi or entertainment outside of wildlife activities

Things to add to your Borneo itinerary other than a river safari

For orangutan and nature lovers in Borneo (1 day)

These 3 spots can be visited on the same day and are close to the Sandakan airport!

• Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, where you can learn about orangutan conservation efforts and see the care that goes into raising orphaned orangutans
• Visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC)
• Spend time at the Rainforest Discovery Centre

I recommend doing this awesome 1-day tour that is literally a 4-in-1 (and includes lunch!). You’ll visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre! The tour is timed with animal feedings and other interesting things, and includes airport pickup and dropoff.

For snorkelers and beach lovers in Borneo (1 day) 

• Take this full day guided snorkeling tour (on a catamaran!) to enjoy gorgeous tropical beaches on the islands off Kota Kinabalu! You’ll go snorkeling at, which is part of the Coral Triangle and has some of the greatest biodiversity of any water in the world. It includes lunch and equipment and honestly, you can’t beat that price.
• Turtle Island Borneo, where endangered hawksbill and green sea turtles have a nesting site! From a respectful distance, you can observe the turtles laying eggs, the tagging of mother turtles for conservation, and the releasing baby turtles to the sea.

For scuba divers in Borneo (1-3 days)

If you’re looking for the best scuba diving in Borneo, DON’T miss Sipadan Island- one of the top dive sites in the entire world! The Sipadan Marine Park is a short boat ride from Sabah and is famous for abundant and diverse marine life (especially shark lovers, like me!), and its swirling tornadoes of barracuda– you read that right. Barracuda. Tornadoes.

While you won’t be able to actually stay on Pulau Sipadan, you can stay close by on Mabul Island! It has budget longhouses and homestays, or luxurious beach resorts like the Sipadan-Mabul Resort (the overwater bungalows are GORGEOUS and a fraction of the cost of those in Fiji or the Maldives!). You can even stay on a one-of-a-kind oil rig turned dive resort!

I hope this Borneo travel guide was helpful! If you have any questions after reading this Borneo travel guide, let me know in the comments. And if you’re looking for something other than this Borneo itinerary, go here for my Asia travel guides and bucket list experiences!