Borneo private wildlife adventure

Hidden away in a quiet Kuala Lumpur neighbourhood, Villa Samadhi is a rare escape from the city’s noise. This intimate 21-room boutique hotel blends traditional Malay design with modern comforts—think timber beams, deep tubs, and rooms opening onto a lagoon-style pool. The Luxe Crib features a private plunge pool and rooftop garden. Dining is relaxed, with Malaysian and Western dishes served poolside at Mandi-Mandi. Just minutes from KL’s centre, yet blissfully secluded, Villa Samadhi offers a serene, slow-paced retreat that feels far removed from urban life.

Located a short stroll from the world-famous Orangutan Centre, Sepilok Forest Edge Retreat offers an intimate introduction to the Bornean rainforest. Its standout glamping tents—set on raised decks apart from the main property, with proper beds and en-suite bathrooms—are a meaningful extension of the forest: a way to sleep within it, listen to it, and feel its rhythm without the buffer of concrete or glass. Evenings bring lantern-lit paths and cicada song, while dawn is ushered in by the distant call of gibbons. Delicious meals are served in an open-air restaurant overlooking a lily pond.

Located in a superbly productive wildlife area on Sabah’s lower Kinabatangan River, Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort’s rustic wooden chalets offer eco-conscious design, simple comforts and a way to appreciate the wildlife away from the crowds that flock upriver. Excellently guided private river cruises and jungle walks reveal orangutan, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephant and other rare wildlife. As night falls, the star-studded sky and the river’s gentle flow invite quiet reflection, far removed from the modern world’s rush.

Located in Borneo’s newly created Virgin Jungle Reserve, where the lowland rainforest meets coastal mangroves, Utan Rainforest Lodge offers access to a wide range of Borneo specialties including sun bear, helmeted hornbill and the incredibly rare Irrawaddy river dolphin. Every morning, wake to the sounds of gibbons and hornbills calling before heading out to explore the trails or waterways. The 14 air-conditioned rooms, dotted amongst the rainforest, provide a comfortable base, and there is an excellent restaurant, and a pool for cooling off after your wildlife adventures.

Dwarfed by the sky-scraping dipterocarp rainforest of Borneo’s iconic Danum Valley and accessible only by light aircraft or a rugged drive, Borneo Rainforest Lodge feels a million miles from civilisation. The lodge’s 30 private chalets and villas, with their expansive glass windows, open-air verandas, and the forest sounds ever-present, immerse you directly into nature without sacrificing luxury. By day, explore the canopy walkway and vast network of trails or search for orangutans and rare birds along the river, while guided night safaris offer the thrilling possibility of clouded leopard and slow loris.

A masterclass in tropical modernist style, the Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu in the city’s vibrant waterfront district is by far the smartest address in the Sabah capital. Its 222 rooms and suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies overlooking Signal Hill or the South China Sea. Culinary experiences at ON22 restaurant celebrate Borneo’s natural larder, while the rooftop bar offers craft cocktails with sunset views. With guided local art tours and a focus on sustainable design, the hotel is an elegant base for exploring Kota Kinabalu’s culture and nature.