ABOUT Borneo
Borneo is an island of extraordinary contrasts. Ancient rainforest stretches unbroken for miles, while winding rivers lead to quiet coastal villages and the South China Sea. It is a place where the forest still dominates, its rhythms set by the call of gibbons at dawn, the drift of clouds over jungle ridges, and the steady movement of rivers through tangled mangroves.
Travel here is never about speed. Days unfold along forest trails, in boats on slow-moving waterways, or sitting quietly in a lodge as hornbills cross the sky. Encounters can be dramatic — a wild orangutan feeding in the canopy, or pygmy elephants grazing on the riverbank — but just as often it is the smaller details that linger: the sound of rain on leaves, the gleam of butterflies, the sense of a forest that has endured for millions of years.
What ties Borneo together is not a single landscape but the continuity of its wilderness. From misty mountain ridges to coral reefs alive with colour, it is a place that rewards attention and patience, offering moments that are as humbling as they are unforgettable.
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Best Time To Visit Borneo
Borneo can be visited year-round, but the seasons shape the experience.
The dry season from March to October is generally considered the best time to travel, with sunnier days, lower rainfall, and easier conditions for wildlife viewing and forest trekking. River levels are steady, making boat journeys smooth, and visibility for diving and snorkelling is at its clearest.
The wet season from November to February brings heavier showers, especially in the afternoons, and lusher forests alive with colour. While trails can be muddier and some activities disrupted, the rains also draw wildlife closer to the rivers and keep the landscapes at their most vibrant.
Best Time To Visit Borneo
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Our Favourite Camps & Lodges
Kota Kinabalu can be a useful springboard — whether you’re heading for the rainforest interior, the coral-rich waters of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, or returning from more remote parts of Sabah. The Marriott offers a calm, comfortable base on the city’s seafront, with wide views over the South China Sea and easy access to the markets, harbours, and islands just offshore.
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At the edge of one of the region’s last primary rainforests and just a few minutes’ stroll from the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, this lodge offers clarity of place.
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Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort sits beside one of Borneo’s most remarkable wildlife corridors, accessible only by boat from Sandakan. Raised walkways link a cluster of eight spacious chalets set among freshwater swamps and mangrove forest.
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Sukau Rainforest Lodge sits beside the Kinabatangan River amid the rainforest’s thick green chorus. Raised walkways connect simple timber chalets set over the water, offering river views from nearly every doorway. There’s no excess here—just wood and fabric, soft light, and the constant presence of wildlife within reach.
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Deep within Danum Valley, one of Borneo’s most pristine lowland rainforests, Borneo Rainforest Lodge is the only full-service lodge operating inside the reserve. It allows access to over 40,000 hectares of ancient jungle, with modest chalets and modern villas sited along the Danum River.
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The Luma is Kota Kinabalu’s first creative design hotel — an urban refuge with quiet ambition in the heart of north Borneo. Though in the city, it draws its inspiration from Sabah’s forests and culture: local materials, art by regional makers, and an emphasis on connecting you quickly to both urban life and nature just beyond.
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High in the Crocker Range, Tambunan sits in a verdant valley peppered with rice terraces, bamboo forests, and cool mountain air. Tambunan Nature Lodge offers a quiet base in this upland landscape
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High on the slopes of Borneo’s tallest mountain, the lodges of Kinabalu Park offer a rare union of elevation, biodiversity, and accessibility. At around 1,500 metres above sea level, the park holds a remarkable range of vegetation zones—from montane forest to alpine scrub—making it one of the most ecologically layered environments in Southeast Asia.
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ornbill Lodge is tucked into Bilit village on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, placing you squarely in the floodplain forest and waterway heart of Borneo’s wildlife corridor.
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Borneo (FAQs) Need to Know
What vaccinations do I need to visit Borneo?
For the most up to date information about vaccinations, please follow the following link:https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/137/malaysia#Vaccine_Recommendations
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Need some more inspiration? Request a copy of Into The Wild, our comprehensive anthology of safaris and wilderness travel.
A print anthology of safari and wilderness travel with over 220 pages of travel inspiration.