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Best of Borneo

  • Duration
    16 days
  • Tour Type
    Group Tour
  • Tour Style
    Go Beyond
  • Price From
    £4,590pp
  • Read Reviews
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An island of unchartered jungles and tribal culture, a Borneo holiday exudes adventure! Discover 'headhunter' heritage, see a wealth of wildlife, delve deep into nature and meet the beautiful orangutans of Sabah and Sarawak on this incredible itinerary.

  • Fully Inclusive
    Touring with Guides and entrance fees
  • Included Meals
    Breakfasts: 13 , Lunches: 12 , Dinners: 13
  • Flights
    International flights and current taxes
  • Accommodation
    13 nights in 3+/4 star accommodation
  • Group Tour
    Max Group Size: 18
  • Physical Rating 2Learn More
    X A reasonable level of fitness is required, as you'll be spending time on your feet and doing a bit of walking to cover short distances during your daily sightseeing. There will also be some climbing of steps and climbing on and off of coaches and boats. Download the detailed tour dossier for details of your chosen tour. Learn More
    Walking, some steps and extended time on your feet.
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Tour Highlights

Our Best of Borneo tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine.

Authentic Experiences

Our Best of Borneo Tour has been thoughtfully designed and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.

Tour Itinerary

  • Days 1-2
    Fly to Kuching
    Days 1-2: Fly to Kuching

    Fly overnight to the relaxed and charismatic city of Kuching, Borneo's largest city.

    • Dinner
  • Day 3
    Explore Kuching
    Day 3: Explore Kuching

    Spend the day enjoying the diverse culture of Sarawak with a walking tour, starting at the Chinese History Museum on Kuching's waterfront. Stroll past the old shop houses of Ewe Hai Street and pay visits to traditional businesses, including a 'sinseh', a Chinese medicine man. Next you'll be introduced to Sarawak's delicious food, with a tasting at a local coffee shop. Continue to the Sarawak Museum, before a sampan ride across Kuching's river to visit a Malay village.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 4
    Bako National Park
    Day 4: Bako National Park

    Travel out to Bako before boarding a boat to reach the national park. Explore the park on foot with a guide – one of Borneo's most biodiverse areas, the diversity of flora and fauna here is incredible and easily accessible. Following trails along streams, past caves and across plateaus, keeping an eye out for wild boar, macaques, monitor lizards and, if you're lucky, a proboscis monkey! Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 5
    Semenggoh Nature Reserve
    Day 5: Semenggoh Nature Reserve

    This morning you have the opportunity to meet Borneo's most famous native; the orangutan! Semenggoh is a centre dedicated to the rehabilitation of rescued or orphaned young orangutans – here, they are taught how to survive in the wild. Visit the orangutan release area, where they live freely, in search of these beautiful but elusive creatures. After lunch, drive for approximately 4 hours to Sri Aman, where you will be checked into your hotel on arrival.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 6
    Iban Longhouse
    Day 6: Iban Longhouse

    Today you will discover more about Borneo's native Iban people, renowned for their former practice of headhunting. After breakfast, drive approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to the jetty, where you will board a traditional Iban longboat for a 45-minute river journey to a tribal longhouse. On arrival, enjoy a tour of the longhouse, meeting the tribe's families. Witness a performance of a traditional dance, in full regalia, and lunch on Iban cuisine.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 7
    Return to Kuching
    Day 7: Return to Kuching

    Journey back to Kuching, stopping en route for lunch at a local café.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 8
    Fly to Kota Kinabalu
    Day 8: Fly to Kota Kinabalu

    Transfer to the airport and fly over to Malaysian Borneo's other state, Sabah, and the vibrant city of Kota Kinabalu. On arrival, the rest of the day is at leisure.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 9
    Explore Kota Kinabalu
    Day 9: Explore Kota Kinabalu

    Begin your explorations at the Sabah State Museum where you can learn about the state's diverse cultural and natural heritage, before exploring some of the city's beautiful architecture, including the Blue Mosque and Chinese Temple. Browse the piles of wares at the Handicraft Market and spice bazaar, before strolling through the oldest part of the city. Lunch will be at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure. Tonight, dine on traditional Malay cuisine.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 10
    Kinabalu Park
    Day 10: Kinabalu Park

    Head out of the city to the foot of Mt Kinabalu, Borneo's highest mountain, where you will spend the day exploring Kinabalu Park, Malaysia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Embark on a guided walk along one of the many forest trails to discover some of the unique flora and fauna that calls the area home.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 11
    Sandakan & Sepilok
    Day 11: Sandakan & Sepilok

    Transfer to the airport for your flight to Sandakan. Visit the Sandakan Memorial Park, which commemorates the suffering of British and Australian POWs held here during the WWII Japanese occupation. Continue into Sandakan itself, passing the William Pryer and Sandakan Liberation Monuments before a relaxing lunch at English Tea House. Later stop by the Agnes Keith Museum to learn about colonial life here during the pre-WWII British Administration. Head inland and check in to your hotel in Sepilok - an eco resort at the edge of the rainforest.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 12
    Sepilok and the Sun Bear Centre
    Day 12: Sepilok and the Sun Bear Centre

    Sepilok offers another chance to see orangutans in their natural habitat – like Semenggoh, this is a centre for the rehabilitation of former captive and orphaned orangutans. Around 60 to 80 orangutans live free within the centre's forest, and there may be young orangutans to visit in the nursery. Pop over the road to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre to visit the world's smallest bear and learn about the conservation efforts to protect them. Journey to Bilit and enjoy lunch at your lodge. Later, board a cruise along the Kinabatangan River to spot some of the abundant wildlife.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 13
    Kinabatangan River
    Day 13: Kinabatangan River

    Embark on an early morning cruise to the Oxbow Lake, where you can spot wildlife and soak up the peaceful ambience. Returning to the lodge, the rest of the day is at leisure until the late afternoon, when you will head out for another cruise, searching for wildlife once more. You could spot anything from hornbills to pygmy elephants!

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Day 14
    Return to Kota Kinabalu
    Day 14 Return to Kota Kinabalu

    Return to Sandakan for lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to the airport to fly back to Kota Kinabalu. This evening, dine on local flavours and enjoy a cultural dance performance.

    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Days 15-16
    Fly Kota Kinabalu to UK
    Day 15-16: Fly Kota Kinabalu to UK

    Fly to the UK, arriving home the following day.

    • Breakfast

We draw from a wide range of hotels on our holidays, each one is chosen to suit the tour you are travelling on meaning your accommodation can range from a smart business hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. Here are some examples of the type of hotel you can expect to find on this tour.

  • Nights 4
    Horizon Hotel
    Jalan Pantai, Locked Bag 2084, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
    Horizon Hotel
    Set in the heart of the City of Kota Kinabalu within 10 minutes’ drive from the airport and on the doorstep of the famous Sunday Street Market. Boasting rooms with city and sea views, all featuring plasma TV’s, rain showers, comfortable beds & free high-speed internet.
    • Wi-Fi
    • Restaurant
  • Nights 4
    The Waterfront Hotel, Kuching
    The Waterfront Hotel, Kuching
    Perfectly located for Plaza Merdeka Shopping Center, The Waterfront Kuching is a forward-thinking, art-themed hotel showcasing the work of local Bornean artists. Hotel facilities include an indoor infinity pool, evening lounge bar and in-room Wi-Fi access. Breakfast is served in the hotel's Café Via Mare, with sweeping views of the Sarawak River.
    • Wi-Fi
    • Restaurant
  • Night 1
    Sepilok
    Nestled at the edge of a lush rainforest, Sepilok Nature Resort is popular with nature lovers thanks to its tropical gardens and rich collections of flowers. It offers airy, charming chalets with wood-beamed ceilings, and a lovely open-air restaurant. It is the ideal starting point for your journey into the surrounding rainforest.
    • Wi-Fi
    • Restaurant
  • Nights 2
    Abai Jungle Lodge
    47 km from the river mouth of Kinabatangan River, Abai Kinabatangan District
    Abai Jungle Lodge
    In a quiet, wildlife-packed spot on the Kinabatangan River, the Abai is built entirely on stilts and connected together by boardwalks. This rustic lodge, only accessible by boat, is all about bringing guests closer to nature and has an open air communal restaurant, bird watching towers and a riverside deck. Spacious wooden rooms are simple and comfortable, with a shared veranda, ceiling fan and an en suite bathroom with shower.
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 27°c
  • 105mm
  • Kuching
  • 26°c
  • 684mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 27°c
  • 73mm
  • Kuching
  • 27°c
  • 473mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 27°c
  • 50mm
  • Kuching
  • 27°c
  • 339mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 28°c
  • 114mm
  • Kuching
  • 28°c
  • 273mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 28°c
  • 216mm
  • Kuching
  • 28°c
  • 242mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 28°c
  • 279mm
  • Kuching
  • 28°c
  • 220mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 28°c
  • 263mm
  • Kuching
  • 28°c
  • 186mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 28°c
  • 270mm
  • Kuching
  • 28°c
  • 230mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 28°c
  • 285mm
  • Kuching
  • 27°c
  • 262mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 27°c
  • 346mm
  • Kuching
  • 27°c
  • 339mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 27°c
  • 302mm
  • Kuching
  • 27°c
  • 372mm
City Average Temperate Monthly Rainfall
  • Kota Kinabalu
  • 27°c
  • 242mm
  • Kuching
  • 27°c
  • 498mm
+ -
Best of Borneo map

Places Visited: Kuching (4N) - Sri Aman (2N) - Kota Kinabalu (4N) - Sepilok (1N) - Kinabatangan River (2N)

Download Detailed Itinerary

Tour Dates & Prices

All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price. If your tour departs in less than 30 days, please call our travel experts to book.

Offers
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New Southeast Asia Brochure Launch Offer

Choose from Partner Flies Free or Free and Half Price Single Supplements. Save up to £1,295 per person

If you can find a tour with the same inclusions cheaper, we will match it AND give you a reward. We will also match the price of any Wendy Wu Tour quoted elsewhere and we guarantee the price of your tour will never rise after you've paid.

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Depart UK
Return Date
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Booking Options

Departures for Solo travellers only are available for this tour on selected dates.
In addition to being for solos only these departures feature smaller group sizes, free airport lounge access and complimentary cocktails on arrival.

Depart UK
Return Date
Price
Offer
Booking Options

There are no dedicated Solo departures for this year. You can enjoy any of our tours with no Single Supplement on our Happy to Share option or explore the solo departures in other years.

Depart UK
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Group Tour includes

Additional Price Information

Best of Borneo

What our Customers Say

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