Borneo
Borneo, in a few days
Kuching, the caves of Mulu, Mount Kinabalu, the orangutans of Sepilok, the Kinabatangan river and the dive sites off Semporna, on the Malaysian side of the third-largest island in the world: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Kuching Days 1-2
- 2 Mulu Days 3-4
- 3 Kota Kinabalu Days 5-7
- 4 Sepilok Days 8-9
- 5 Sukau (Kinabatangan River) Days 10-11
- 6 Semporna Days 12-14
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Kuching
The capital of Sarawak, strung along a loop of river, with a waterfront promenade that runs from the Chinese markets to the buildings of the White Rajahs.
- Bako National Parka full day · from The oldest national park in Sarawak, gazetted in 1957: twenty-seven square kilometres of sandstone peninsula an hour from Kuching.
- The Kuching waterfront
Mulu
A limestone massif in Sarawak, a World Heritage Site since 2000, riddled with hundreds of kilometres of caves.
- The Gunung Mulu cavesa full day · from A limestone massif listed as a World Heritage Site in 2000, pierced by hundreds of kilometres of passages.
Kota Kinabalu
The capital of Sabah, with five protected islands a short boat ride off the centre and Mount Kinabalu, 4,095 metres of granite, inland.
- Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Parka full day · from Five islands fifteen to twenty minutes by boat from the centre of Kota Kinabalu, protected since 1974 over nearly fifty square kilometres.
- Mount Kinabaluseveral days · from Four thousand and ninety-five metres of granite, pushed up some ten million years ago and planed by glaciers: the highest point between the Himalaya and New Guinea.
Sepilok
Protected forest near Sandakan and the first orangutan rehabilitation centre in the world, opened in 1964.
- Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centreabout 2h · from Opened in 1964, the first orangutan rehabilitation centre in the world, set in 43 square kilometres of protected forest near Sandakan.
Sukau (Kinabatangan River)
A brown river through eastern Sabah, lined by a narrow strip of forest squeezed between the oil palm plantations.
- The Kinabatangan Riverabout 2h · from Five hundred and sixty kilometres of brown water across eastern Sabah, edged by a narrow corridor of forest caught between the oil palm plantations.
Semporna
The jumping-off point for Sipadan, the only oceanic island in Malaysia, where 176 dive permits are issued a day and not one more.
- Sipadan Islanda full day · from The only oceanic island in Malaysia, the top of an undersea volcano that rises 600 metres from the ocean floor, at the eastern tip of Sabah.
Worth sorting before you go
Domestic flights, then the road · Kuching to Mulu and Mulu to Kota Kinabalu by plane, then the road east to Sepilok, Sukau and Semporna.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Nasi lemak: rice cooked in coconut milk, with sambal. The national dish.
- Laksa: spicy noodle soup, with curry or with tamarind.
- Char kway teow: flat rice noodles stir-fried over a fierce flame.
- Roti canai: flaky flatbread, dipped in curry.
- Satay, and durian for the brave.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Cover shoulders and legs in mosques.
- Book rides through Grab rather than hailing taxis in the street.
- Drink bottled water, and more of it than you think.
- Use your right hand, and take your shoes off before entering a home.
Words that help
English ↔ Malay
| English | Malay |
|---|---|
| Hello | Selamat pagi / Helo |
| Thank you | Terima kasih |
| Please | Tolong |
| Yes | Ya |
| No | Tidak |
| Excuse me | Maaf |
| Goodbye | Selamat tinggal |
| Do you speak English? | Boleh cakap Bahasa Inggeris? |
| I don't understand | Saya tidak faham |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya? |
| Where are the toilets? | Di mana tandas? |
| The bill, please | Bil, tolong |
| Help! | Tolong! |
| Cheers! | Minum! |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/borneo
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.