Whether you’re drawn to the calls of wild orangutans echoing through ancient treetops, the idea of drifting silently along remote rivers at dawn, or simply want to relax on a pristine beach after a day of exploration, Borneo offers all of this and more. Here is our guide to the most inspiring places to visit on a luxury holiday to Borneo whilst supporting conservation and local communities.
Why take a luxury safari to Borneo?
Borneo isn’t just a destination – it’s an immersion into some of the most biologically rich habitats left on the planet, a true rarity in the 21st century. Taking a luxury safari here means travelling in comfort while contributing to conservation efforts that genuinely make a difference. From dense rainforests filled with rare and endangered species to river systems teeming with life, Borneo delivers world-class wildlife experiences with the added benefit of supporting protected areas and local communities.
Geographically, Borneo is shared by three countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, and the tiny kingdom of Brunei. The majority of the wildlife-focused experiences we offer take place in Sabah, the northern Malaysian state.
This area is a haven for wildlife sightings and nature encounters, with high-end eco-lodges offering expert-guided treks, canopy walks, and even night safaris. You can follow orangutans on foot, glide past pygmy elephants by boat, or look for clouded leopards on night drives. Many of our guests end their adventures at a luxury beachside resort, an idyllic way to relax and reflect on their journey.
Top 10 places to visit on your luxury Borneo holiday
1. Danum Valley Conservation Area: rare wildlife and diverse rainforest
Deep in the heart of Sabah lies the Danum Valley Conservation Area-a 438 km² expanse of 130-million-year-old primary rainforest, one of the most important and undisturbed ecosystems in Southeast Asia. This region is home to one of the richest concentrations of lowland dipterocarp forest anywhere in the world. As you walk through its cathedral-like groves, you’ll pass trees that soar over 100 metres into the sky!
Danum Valley is legendary for its biodiversity. Orangutans swing through the canopy, gibbons call through the mist, and hornbills soar overhead. Other sightings may include red leaf monkeys, Malay civets, pygmy elephants, and even the peculiar Thomas’s flying squirrel! Night safaris offer a thrilling opportunity to spot clouded leopards, slow loris, colugo, and potentially binturong in the dark.
The place to stay is Borneo Rainforest Lodge, a luxurious eco-lodge located along the Danum River. Explore the forest by day on guided treks and canopy walkways, and at night, venture out with expert guides to see the forest come alive under moonlight. Danum Valley is a paradise for wildlife lovers and one of the top highlights of any Borneo journey.
2. Kinabatangan River Region: safaris and conservation in a diverse river system
The Kinabatangan River region is one of the richest river systems on Earth and one of the best places in Asia to observe wildlife from the water. This unique floodplain ecosystem is home to an incredible concentration of species, and you explore the region by boat, drifting past jungle-covered banks in search of movement in the trees and water. As you glide silently along the river, you may spot pygmy elephants feeding on the banks, proboscis monkeys leaping between trees, and orangutans foraging in the canopy.
Conservation is at the heart of the Kinabatangan experience. Much of the land along the river is community-managed and protected, with ecotourism supporting conservation and reforestation efforts. You can support efforts like hornbill nesting box projects and explore a private forest protected not by government mandate, but by conservation-conscious locals. This untouched forest patch is a haven for elephants foraging and provides a rare chance to engage with nature on foot.
We recommend two lodges here: Sukau Rainforest Lodge and Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort. Both offer stunning riverside accommodations, day and night river cruises, and boardwalk-based jungle walks with expert naturalists. You may glimpse orangutans, exotic birds, civet cats, flying squirrels, and even the pig-tailed macaque here!
3. Kinabalu Highlands: hiking, scenery, and wildlife
For those who love cooler climates, sweeping views, and mountain air, the Kinabalu Highlands offer a completely different side of Borneo. Located at the base of Southeast Asia’s highest peak, Mount Kinabalu, this area is rich in highland ecosystems, rare orchids, and exotic pitcher plants. You can explore the Kinabalu National Park with a naturalist guide or walk among rhododendrons in the botanical gardens. There are also cultural experiences with local Dusun communities.
Stay at the elegant Sutera Nepenthes Villa, where you’ll be ideally placed for guided nature walks, scenic hikes, and early morning birdwatching. The flora here is unlike anywhere else, and the mountain itself holds deep cultural significance for local communities.
4. Sungai Kapur Virgin Jungle Reserve: a pristine jungle paradise
One of the newest and most exciting areas we’re exploring is the Sungai Kapur Virgin Jungle Reserve. Located in Sabah (part of the larger Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands) and covering over 1,250 hectares, this protected area is untouched and alive with rare wildlife. This is where true wilderness thrives, including freshwater swamps, coastal mangroves, and towering dipterocarp trees.
You may encounter sun bears, Irrawaddy dolphins in the nearby waters, helmeted hornbills, gibbons, and the elusive Borneo pygmy elephant. Exploration is by boat and on foot, with a deep sense of wilderness and very few other visitors. Stay at the excellent Utan Rainforest Lodge, an eco-conscious and immersive base that allows you to explore this newly protected paradise.
5. Kota Kinabalu region’s beaches: marine adventures and stunning coastlines
After days of exploring the wild, there’s no better way to unwind than on one of Borneo’s golden beaches. The coast near Kota Kinabalu offers golden sands, calm turquoise waters, and world-class hospitality.
We suggest the Shangri-La Rasa Ria, a beachfront resort where you can snorkel, dive, relax, or enjoy spa treatments surrounded by coastal forest. This is the perfect spot to unwind after your wildlife journey and enjoy a more leisurely pace, with the sound of the waves and the scent of frangipani in the air!
6. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre: support orangutan conservation
Sepilok is the heart of Borneo’s orangutan conservation work and a must-visit for any wildlife lover. The rehabilitation centre allows you to witness these intelligent great apes up close as they feed, play, and learn to survive in the wild again. Just next door is the Sun Bear Conservation Centre – home to the world’s smallest bear, a species sadly facing rapid decline.
Stay at Sepilok Nature Lodge, a charming wooden lodge found among lush vegetation, overlooking a lily pond alive with frogs and kingfishers. The rooms are spacious and airy, and the impressive surrounding gardens feature tall Diperocarpaceae, palms, and fronds that grow fast in Borneo’s humid heat.
You’re within walking distance of the orangutan feeding platforms at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, and the Rainforest Discovery Centre is just a short drive away, with its spectacular 346-metre canopy walkway that floats above the forest – a haven for birdwatchers and tree lovers alike.
7. Deramakot Forest Reserve: specialist wildlife watching in a working forest
For serious wildlife enthusiasts, Deramakot is an absolute gem. This sustainably managed forest reserve covers 55,000 hectares, with a focus on reduced-impact logging and conservation. Though the accommodation is simple (a government-run camp with clean, functional rooms), it is set deep within dense forest, offering an unparalleled wildlife experience.
Sightings here may include orangutans, pygmy elephants, binturongs, flying squirrels, occasionally clouded leopards, and rare birds like the crested serpent eagle and the great Argus pheasant. Visitors are restricted to a few forest tracks, which helps protect the ecosystem while still allowing for extraordinary encounters. Guided night drives here are legendary for their diversity and unpredictability! It’s one of the few places where your patience and persistence may reward you with glimpses of Borneo’s most secretive creatures.
8. Maliau Basin: the lost world of Sabah
Often referred to as the “Lost World of Borneo,” the Maliau Basin is one of Sabah’s most mysterious and captivating wilderness areas. This vast, bowl-shaped rainforest remained untouched by science until the late 20th century. It’s one of those places that feels mythical, and in many ways, it still is.
Reaching Maliau is an adventure in itself. Travelling overland, you will pass through thick forest corridors where gibbons swing through the canopy. Your base here is the Maliau Basin Studies Centre, a comfortable and well-equipped hub at the edge of the reserve. From here, expert-led treks reveal a hidden world of plunging waterfalls, jungle-cloaked ridges, and ancient trails.
Wildlife sightings are nothing short of extraordinary. On night walks and drives, you might encounter leopard cats, binturongs, Malay civets, sambar deer, black flying squirrels, giant red flying squirrels, slow lorises, long-tailed porcupines, and an astonishing variety of insects, including rhinoceros beetles, cicadas, lantern beetles, and swallowtail moths. Morning hikes bring sightings of maroon langurs, Borneo gibbons, and birdlife such as the scarlet-rumped trogon, blue-rumped parrot, dollar bird, dusky broadbill, oriental black hornbill, and the blue-crowned hanging parrot. The basin is also home to the endemic blue-winged leafbird, found nowhere else on Earth.
It’s a place for adventurous souls: trekkers, naturalists, and those who long to visit somewhere truly untouched. If the hikes seem too much, you can even arrive by helicopter for a once-in-a-lifetime aerial view of this extraordinary rainforest amphitheatre.
9. Gaya Island: rainforest calm and coastal encounters
A short boat ride from Kota Kinabalu, Gaya Island offers tropical rainforest, protected coral reefs, and understated luxury. Part of the protected Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and managed by Sabah Parks, this biodiverse island is ideal for a relaxed, more accessible connection to Borneo’s wild beauty.
Gaya Island Resort, tucked along the jungle’s edge, is a convenient base for guided forest walks where you might spot long-tailed macaques, monitor lizards, snakes, and the endemic Borneo angle-headed lizard. There are also regular sightings of Oriental pied hornbills, magpie robins, kingfishers, and the striking blue-throated bee-eater.
Kayaking through mangroves reveals one of Sabah’s most vital ecosystems, while offshore reefs teem with sea cucumbers, clownfish, turtles, and occasionally dolphins or reef sharks. The resort’s marine centre supports ongoing conservation efforts, including green turtle care and reef restoration.
Alternative accommodation includes Bunga Raya Island Resort, on the island’s peninsula, which offers hillside timber villas hidden within dense rainforest – perfect for travellers seeking seclusion with beach access. Meanwhile, Gayana Marine Resort, located on the edge of Malohom Bay, features overwater villas and a coral restoration programme where guests can actively participate in reef planting and marine conservation.
10. Tabin Wildlife Reserve: mud volcanoes and rare wildlife
While Tabin may not be as remote as Danum or as rugged as Deramakot, it offers something different: accessibility. Just a two-hour drive from Lahad Datu, it’s an excellent choice for those seeking rewarding wildlife experiences with a gentler pace.
Tabin Wildlife Reserve is one of Borneo’s largest lowland rainforests, rich in biodiversity with around 2,000 species of trees, as well as herbs, ferns and gingers, plus a wide variety of animals. The warm, humid climate and isolated evolution over millions of years have created a unique and thriving ecosystem.
Visitors can explore several forest trails, including the Otter Loop, Elephant Trail, and Gibbon Trail, and observe wildlife from the hides, including the Argus and Kingfisher hides. A standout attraction is the inactive mud volcano, where animals come to bathe in mineral-rich mud.
The Tabin Wildlife Resort, located on the edge of the park, features simple wooden chalets with river and forest views. You can enjoy guided day and night drives, forest walks, and volcano visits. Wildlife sightings often include rhinoceros hornbills, barred eagle owls, giant red flying squirrels, Malay and palm civets, and the moonrat. Meals at the resort are Malaysian-inspired and satiating after an adventurous day exploring Tabin’s incredible rainforest!
Visit the Sun Bear Conservation Centre when staying at Sepilok.
Explore Tabin’s forest trails and wildlife from a comfortable base at Tabin Wildlife Resort.
Gaya Island Resort is tucked along the jungle’s edge on Gaya Island.
Tabin is one of Borneo’s largest lowland rainforests, with around 2,000 species of trees, herbs, ferns and gingers.
Sukau Rainforest Lodge on the Kinabatangan River offers access to one of the richest river systems on Earth.
Watch proboscis monkeys leaping between trees in Borneo’s rainforests.
Borneo Rainforest Lodge is a luxurious eco-lodge located along the Danum River.
How to plan your bespoke Borneo holiday
Choosing us to design your holiday to Borneo means working with experts who have firsthand experience in Borneo’s wild places, offering exclusive access and tailor-made journeys designed around your interests and comfort.
Some of the places featured in this blog are part of our Signature Wildlife Journey, an 11-night private wildlife adventure through Borneo’s most stunning landscapes.
Best time to take a luxury wildlife safari to Borneo
The ideal period for a luxury wildlife safari in Borneo is during the dry season, typically from March to October, when wildlife is easier to spot, and conditions are more comfortable for trekking and boat trips.
Who is a wildlife safari to Borneo good for?
A wildlife-focused holiday to Borneo is ideal for those who love wildlife and want to see rare species in their natural habitat. It’s also ideal for couples seeking something different – wild, romantic, and meaningful. And for those who want to travel consciously, Borneo offers the chance to support important conservation efforts while experiencing the rainforest in comfort and style.
How to reach Borneo (best air routes)
Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) and Kuching International Airport (KCH) are the main gateways to Malaysian Borneo. These hubs connect easily with major Asian cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta, offering smooth transfers to your wildlife lodges and resorts.
Why Borneo is worth the journey?
Borneo doesn’t give up its treasures easily. It demands respect and patience but rewards you with unmatched wildlife encounters, ancient forests, and the rare chance to witness nature as it once was. By choosing a luxury, eco-conscious approach to travel here, you’re supporting vital conservation efforts, helping protect endangered species, and preserving the pristine wilderness for generations to come.
