From the depths of the ocean to the heights of terrific mountains, from excellent virgin rainforests to thriving capitals, Sabah, Borneo is filled with the pledge of romance and adventure.
Borneo. It’s a place I never thought I’d ever get to explore. To me it’s always sounded so remote, so wild and exotic, and so mysterious. I felt sure it would remain in the ‘to visit’ column of my travel list forever.
But the deep jungles and towering peaks of the Malaysian state of Sabah at the northern end of Borneo are within surprisingly easy reach – especially travelling from Australia or Southeast Asia.
And once here, there’s so much to do you’ll be thinking of when you can come back again before you’ve even left. For starters, here’s our crash course in Sabah, Borneo.
Sabah, Borneo – what to do, where to go and how to see it all
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu – or KK as the locals call it – is a busy little city, but that ‘island time’ influence, its waterfront location and the city’s (much) smaller population make KK a fun intro to Sabah’s lifestyle.
Where to stay
Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu
Le Meridien KK’s newly refurbed look makes this perfectly located international hotel a terrific spot to stay in the state’s capital. facing west over the sea, sunsets from your room – or even better – the rooftop pool bar are amazing.
Service is flawless and the rooms are spacious and comfortable. and the buffet breakfast is substantial and delicious.
Where to eat
Gathering, 88 Market Place, Kepayan
About as local as it comes, this place is best for getting a sense of the real KK. buy tom yum, dumplings and a plate of tuaran mee – a very moreish local dish of roast pork, noodles and egg you won’t find anywhere else.
Wiya Coffee Restaurant, block F, lot 4, Segama Complex
A trans-generational eating institution, this place has been around forever. buy Hainanese chicken rice (like everyone else in there!) and take pleasure in the novelty pyramid shape of the rice.
Latest Recipe, Le Meridien KK
Even if you’re not staying here, the food is worth pertaining to Le Meridien KK. most current Recipe’s taste of discovery menu changes all the time, but features some appealing dishes – some fantastic (the mackerel dishes here are awesome) and some strange; ambuyat – you gloopy weirdness, I’m checking out you!
Favola, Le Meridien KK
For a special meal, Favola Italian restaurant will leave you feeling very well looked after. eating Italian food in Malaysia might seem weird, but ever considering that our fantastic Spanish meal in Bangkok, we’ve opened our minds to extraneous meals!
Waterfront markets
Right opposite the Le Meridien hotel is a network of food and grocery markets selling the freshest fish, fruit and vegetables that the kitchens of food stalls additionally down cook up.
Follow your nose for the food roasting on coals and flaming grills for a true taste of Sabah’s hawker food.
The Waterfront bars and restaurants
Quite touristy but lots of fun and terrific views out over the sea, get hold of a table at one of the bars at the Waterfront (we stopped at the Cock & Bull), buy your drinks and take pleasure in the view.
For food either buy from the bar or – as we did – go to one of the local satay vendors nearby and get some delicious food on a stick! Our top tip: get in early before the karaoke gets going… unless you love karaoke of course!
What to do
Gaya Island
The greatest of 5 islands off the coast of KK, Gaya has nature trails into the rainforest, stunning beaches and a couple of glamorous resorts to take pleasure in too. See below for a lot more details on Gaya.
Mari Mari cultural Village
At first, this place seems horribly touristy, but it’s actually really well done. The cultural village is a ‘living display’ of 5 of the most famous tribes of Sabah.
The village is a collection of huts each built in the fashion of each tribe and locals act out scenarios and behaviours in keeping with each tribe. lots of of them are from the tribe they represent.
You’re shown lots of of the different cultural nuances and traditions of each tribe and their houses, you try food and drink made by original methods, and you see things like the jumping challenge, a marriage ceremony and the headhunter tribes. You also get to shoot a blowpipe, and see standard dances and tattoos.
It’s entirely staffed by young people who are from Sabah and have direct lineage to the tribes they represent. Our guide really approved, which made us realise how crucial this kind of thing is to educate about indigenous cultures around the world. It’s something we wish lots of other countries would do – Australia included.
Sabah foundation – batik, beading and handicraft centre
Just on the other side of the bay from KK town centre looms the Tun Mustapha Tower – or the Battery as locals call it. Here, the Sabah foundation has a programme working with local youths from tribes in Sabah.
They are creating all kinds of art that you can get in the shop above the studio. once the students have completed their initial 6-month intensive training and an ‘incubation’ period to continue their mastery. They’re then given service training for accounting and marketing so they can set up their own small businesses.
One of the most interesting crafts taught is batik painting. This standard Sabah art form uses hot wax, ink and water to create extraordinary patterns on fabric. You can check out the studio and meet the students, and even try your hand at batik painting.
Be alerted though, it’s not as easy as it looks.
Here’s an post by the local paper on the project.
Mangrove and Wetlands research Centre
Once the ailing KK Bird Sanctuary, the government has turned this area over to the Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society. They have made this mangrove ideal in the middle of Kota Kinabalu city into a preservation area for research and conservation.
For about AU$5 (or AU$1.50 if you’re Malaysian), you can explore the 1.5km of boardwalks and paths over these crucial swamplands. There’s also a bird hide overlooking a lake, which is known to be a prime spot for birders.
Gaya Island
The little western archipelago of the Tunku Abdul Rahman national Park is 10 minutes off the coast of Kota Kinabalu. At the head of these 5 islands is Pulau Gaya – literally indicating ‘Big Island’ in Malay.
Where to stay
Gaya Island Resort
There are a few little resorts to choose from here, but the stunning Gaya Island Resort, with its 120-odd villas, stunning pool and grounds, has the most to offer.
What to do and where to eat
Gaya Island resort has a private beach with its own bar and loungers round the point. You can either get the tender to take you round or you can hike through the jungle to the beach. We took the boat!
The resort uses a lunch picnic service too, which you can have in a number of different places – this beach is one of them and is a stunning spot for a romantic afternoon.
This beach houses its own marine centre. This centre, run by marine biologist Scott Mayback, is focused on rescuing and rehabilitating injured and sick turtles.
The resort also has a stunning day spa complex tucked away in the trees. The massage we were treated to here was transcendental! At one point I couldn’t work out if I was listening to the background music or the jungle birds overhead. then I knew I didn’t actually care because this massage was so good!
But a lot of impressively, Gaya Island resort also has its own citizen naturalist and conservationist, Justin Juhun.
Justin has worked here for over 10 years, and has built and developed hiking trails up into the chunk of rainforest covering a lot of of the island. The conservation centre he has built here is fascinating too describing lots of of the plant and animal species that live here. We were also lucky enough to meet the rescued collared scops owl Justin was rehabilitating.
The guided hikes through the rainforest showcase Justin’s hard work creating the tracks and also the abundance of life here. He is a substantial asset to the resort and the island’s ecosystem.
Diving and snorkelling are good all year round but at their best in may and June, though there is significant damage to the reefs from local fishermen using dynamite.
For food, there are a few different restaurants here that are part of the resort. However, it’s crucial to remember that this is a small island and everything you eat needs to be brought in from Borneo or further.
Gaya Island resort is best if you are short of time and want to explore all elements of Borneo; it has rainforest, low-level mountains, wonderful beaches and some very inquisitive locals like the long-tailed macaques and the citizen bearded pig Bacchus.
Lahad Datu – Danum Valley
If there’s one place you have to go to while you’re in Borneo, it’s Danum Valley. even locals we spoke with were wowed and envious of us going here. Danum Valley in Sabah’s northeast is a small area of the 1 million hectares of virgin rainforest that the government has protected against deforestation.
It’s also the only part of this substantial area of jungle that visitors are allowed in. and why come here? This is one of the last genuinely wild habitats of the extraordinary orang-utan – Asia’s largest primate.
How to get here
The only way to Danum Valley – unless you’re a jungle research biologist or an orang-utan – is with Borneo Nature excursions and Borneo Rainforest Lodge. If you fly into Lahad Datu – the nearest airport – your guide from Borneo Nature excursions will meet you and take you on to the office for registration.
Then it’s a 2-hour drive on unsealed roads through secondary jungle before you get to the true primary forest of the valley. then it’s another 30 minutes or a lot more of fording rivers and crossing log-and-dirt bridges before you come to the lodge.
Where to stay
Borneo RainforestLodge
The only accommodation for 150km in any direction, Borneo Rainforest Lodge is the easiest decision you’ll have to make. thankfully these people haven’t rested on their laurels or taken advantage of their special location: this is a really charming place to stay.
The main building where you meet for treks, eat, debrief and kick back is a substantial lofted ceiling of a structure. Its wooden floors and pillared walls and balconies blend beautifully with the surrounding jungle. From the verandas on the first floor, you can see all round from the Danum River that loops round the complex to the deep greens of the jungle ideal up to the escarpment high above you.
From the main building there are lofted walkways leading to all the rooms to minimise impact on the forest floor. It’s not uncommon to see deer, boar, civets and even the endemic pigmy elephants wandering around underneath the walkways.
And the trees even close to the lodge hold the pledge of over 300 species of birds, several types of monkey and of course the much sought-after orang-utans.
The rooms here come in 3 types; standard, deluxe and the villas. We stayed in a conventional room, which is as the name suggests, though with plenty of space. There are no bells or whistles in these rooms.
However, we were also upgraded to one of the brand new villas, which are beautifully designed. Our room boasted a substantial split-level bedroom and lounge area, a spacious shower room with a large bath and separate outdoor shower.
But on the balcony, which had the most comfortable loungers on it, there is also your own private plunge pool! We couldn’t resist a dip while we looked out over the river and into the dark green recesses of the mysterious jungle beyond. If you’re coming all this way, the extra cost of these villas is absolutely worth it.
Where to eat
Again, the Borneo Rainforest Lodge hasn’t taken advantage of its position and supplies surprisingly exceptional food in buffet style for all three meals. There is also a made-to-order station you’ll find delicacies like wood-fired roast chicken and slow-roast pork, satay and carvery style beef and fish.
We also had an fantastic lunch on the river one afternoon, with our own chef and waiter. It’s at extra cost, but for a special occasion, this is the most stunning thing to do and exceptionally memorable.
What to do
Jungle hikes are the buy of the day and depending on your fitness level, length of stay and personal interests, your guide will show you as much of this virgin rainforest as possible.
The treetop walk, which goes up as high as 30 metres above the ground gives you a special perspective from the canopy while a gentle afternoon of tubing – floating down the Danum River in a tire – lets you see the forest at a very different level.
Visit a standard tribal burial site of a tribe that used to live in the area and explore the forest at night, which is the best time to see wildlife at its a lot of active.
Semporna and the eastern islands
The busy port town of Semporna is the gateway to Sabah’s tropical island resorts and top diving spots, recognised as some of the world’s best.
There are over 2 dozen islands around Semporna each with its own attributes. We checked out 2 of them – Mataking and Mabul.
Mataking Island
Mataking is the smaller of the two and has 1 self-named resort on it. a lot of of the resort is a lot more geared towards families, groups of pals and people only interested in the diving scene, but the new villas on the other side of the island are a lot more luxurious, private and romantic.
The waters around this island are spectacularly clear and warm, and the snorkelling is superb. We saw turtles and hoards of fish, including the local barracuda Charlie, who lives under one of the piers.
The food here isn’t terrific though and the service will leave you wondering if you’ve said or done something wrong, but if this isn’t crucial to you, and you love karaoke, you’ll take pleasure in everything about Mataking.
Mabul Island
Mab
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