Best of Borneo

Tour Highlights

Kinabatangan river

Iban Longhouse

Orangutans

Mt Kinabalu

Kinabatangan river

Cruise the Kinabatangan River, spotting wildlife as you go

Iban Longhouse

Experience traditional life in a tribal longhouse

Orangutans

Spot magnificent Orangutans in Semenggoh Nature Reserve

Mt Kinabalu

Stand in the shadow of the majestic Mount Kinabalu

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.

• Iban Longhouse

  Be guests at a traditional Iban longhouse, where the tribespeople will perform a traditional war dance in full regalia and serve a traditionally prepared lunch.

• Semenggoh Nature Reserve

  Visit Borneo's best-known residents at Semenggoh Nature Reserve, a centre for rescued orangutans who, in the process of being rehabilitated, roam freely through the reserve's lush forest.

• Kinabatangan River cruise

  Float down the Kinabatangan River as the sun sets, keeping an eye on the jungle-filled river banks for a chance to spot hornbills, pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys.

Tour Dates & Prices

All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price. If the dates we have available for this tour don't suit your needs, or you are not sure travelling as part of a group is for you, maybe a Private Tour would be more ideal. If your tour departs in less than 30 days, please call our travel experts to book.

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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.

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Additional Price Information

Prices include airline fuel surcharge and taxes. Correct as of 12 August 2020, subject to change.

Depending on airline schedules, you may depart and/or arrive on Day 2. Extra nights' accommodation (pre or post tour) or stopovers may be required at an additional cost.

Customary tipping amount of approximately MYR$250pp (AU$93pp) is paid locally in Borneo.

Based on departures from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth

Departures from other cities and flight upgrades available upon request

Land only (Kuching - Kota Kinabalu) 14 days from $5,500 per person, twin share

Single supplement from $980

Price listed is based on new bookings only

Best of Borneo - Tour Itinerary

DAYS 1-2: FLY TO KUCHING

Fly overnight to the relaxed and charismatic city of 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 traditional Chinese shop houses of Ewe Hai Street and pay a visit to a 'sinseh', a Chinese medicine man. Next you'll be introduced to Sarawa'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.

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 bio-diverse 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.

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. The area you are visiting is where the orangutans are released after their training, to live freely in the nature reserve, so please bear in mind that it is not guaranteed that you will spot a resident. Travel to Sri Aman.

DAY 6: IBAN LONGHOUSE

Today you will discover more about Borneo's native Iban people, renowned for their practise of headhunting. Head out into the wilderness in a traditional Iban longboat and cruise to a longhouse where you will meet an Iban community. Witness a performance of a traditional war dance in full regalia and lunch on Iban cuisine. Return to the hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure.

DAY 7: RETURN TO KUCHING

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

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.

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.

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.

DAY 11: FLY TO SANDAKAN

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Sandakan. Visit the Sandakan Memorial Park, which commemorates British and Australian prisoners of war during World War II. Continue into Sandakan itself and tour the city, passing the William Pryer and Sandakan Liberation monuments. This evening, continue to Sepilok, where you'll stay in a nature resort at the rainforest's edge.

DAY 12: SEPILOK ORANGUTAN 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. Head across 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.

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'll head out for another cruise, searching for wildlife once more. You could spot anything from horn-bills to pygmy elephants!

DAY 14: SANDAKAN 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.

DAYS 15-16: FLY KOTA KINABALU TO AUSTRALIA

Fly to Australia, arriving home the following day.

Useful Information

Visa

Australian passport holders do not require a visa to travel to Malaysia and Borneo. Other passport holders should arrange visas well in advance of departure, if required. 

Communication

While travelling overseas, the Wendy Wu Tours contact number during business hours is +61 2 9224 8888.
 
Emergency Assistance (24-hours) is 0044 1888 288 288.
 
You will find mobile phone coverage to be quite high throughout Asia. We recommend contacting your mobile carrier if you intend to use international roaming during your holiday and ensure you investigate all associated call and data costs before you leave Australia. Some hotels may have Wi-Fi, which usually comes at a cost.

Tipping

Tipping is not commonplace in Australia. In Asia however, it is anticipated that a tip be given to reward good service. With that in mind, we have a tipping system for our group tours. Each passenger ‘tips’ a set amount to the National Escort at the start of the tour or on arrival in each country. They then distribute this as appropriate.
 
Tipping is appreciated for Private and Tailor-Made travel. In your final documents, we include guidelines for tipping when travelling independently. 

Shopping

Shopping is a fun and entertaining component to any travel adventure. In keeping with most people’s interests while on holiday, your tour includes a reasonable number of opportunities to shop for local goods and souvenirs. Included are visits to establishments that provide locally produced goods, unique to your destination. Witness the creation of these products, and see first-hand how their production supports the local economy. As most travellers like to take home souvenirs, we ensure the shops you visit have a reputation for quality, honesty, and authenticity.

Food

We aim to cater to the tastes of the majority of people and so the food is not too spicy or too unusual.
 
Breakfast at your hotel includes local and western dishes. In remote areas, we suggest embracing local specialities. Lunch and dinner consists of shared dishes. Meals generally finish with fruit to clean the palate.
 
Drinks such as beer, soft drinks or bottled water are at your own expense locally.

Accommodation

Wendy Wu Tours inspects all hotels to ensure they meet the high levels of service, which we require for our guests. We pick the right hotel for the specific destination, meaning your accommodation can range from a smart business hotel in one city to a family-run guesthouse in a smaller town. Chosen hotels are also chosen for ease of navigation around tourist sights.