What to Do in Borneo? The Experiences That Are Truly Worth the Trip
Borneo immediately brings to mind jungle and orangutans. But reducing the island to that image would mean missing much of what makes it special.
Across the same island, you move between Malaysian Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei and Indonesian Kalimantan. Mountains, rivers, monumental caves, coral reefs, mosques and primary rainforest create completely different experiences.
After several months traveling across the island, some places stood out more than others. These are the experiences we would prioritize on a trip to Borneo, without turning the itinerary into a checklist.
And since some of these experiences account for a significant part of the overall cost, also read How Much Should You Budget for a Trip to Borneo?.
1. Cruise the Kinabatangan River in Search of Wildlife
If you are coming to Borneo for wildlife, the Kinabatangan River is one of the most rewarding experiences.
From a lodge on the riverbank, boat trips head out at sunrise, during the day and around dusk. Proboscis monkeys, macaques, crocodiles, tropical birds and sometimes pygmy elephants appear along the banks. With some luck, orangutans can also be spotted in the vegetation.
We preferred this experience to wildlife centers because the encounters feel far less orchestrated. In Sepilok, orangutans remain iconic, but the feeding platforms attract large numbers of visitors. On the Kinabatangan, the waiting and uncertainty are part of the experience.
2. Climb Mount Kinabalu for Sunrise
Mount Kinabalu is one of Sabah’s major physical challenges.
The climb takes place over two days, with a first ascent to Laban Rata followed by a middle-of-the-night wake-up to reach Low’s Peak before sunrise. The fatigue is real, but watching the first light appear over the mountains completely transforms the effort.
Access is limited and needs to be planned well in advance. Our guide recommends booking several months before your trip.
This is not an activity we would automatically add to every itinerary. But if you enjoy hiking and are looking for a memorable physical challenge, it deserves a place.
3. Explore the Lagoons Around Semporna
On the eastern side of Sabah, Semporna is mainly a gateway to the sea.
Bohey Dulang offers one of the region’s most recognizable views, with a steep trail overlooking an ancient crater now filled with turquoise water. Nearby, Sibuan, Mantabuan, Mataking, Pom-Pom and Mabul offer snorkeling, reefs and beaches.
For divers, Sipadan remains in a category of its own. Turtles, sharks and huge schools of fish make it an exceptional underwater experience, but places are limited and should be booked in advance.
Semporna itself is not the most attractive part of the trip. What lies offshore is what really makes the detour worthwhile.
4. Hike in Bako National Park
About an hour from Kuching, Bako National Park packs an impressive amount into a relatively small area.
Mangroves, rainforest, beaches, cliffs and hiking trails follow one another, with good chances of spotting macaques, silvered langurs and proboscis monkeys.
It is also particularly easy to fit into an itinerary: unlike many places in Borneo, it does not require several days of complicated logistics.
For us, Bako is one of the best experiences if you want to discover Sarawak’s natural side without committing to a full expedition.
5. Discover the Caves and Pinnacles of Mulu
Gunung Mulu National Park is one of those places that can justify a trip to Sarawak on its own.
Lang’s Cave and Deer Cave are already impressive for their sheer scale. At dusk, millions of bats may stream out of the caves in long dark spirals above the forest.
The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its biodiversity and, above all, its vast karst system, caves and limestone formations.
To go further, Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave come before the trek to Camp 5 and the climb to the Pinnacles. The trek is short in distance but extremely steep, with ropes, roots and exposed rock.
The Gunung Mulu National Park – UNESCO page gives more context on its geological and natural importance.
6. Take a Proper Break in Brunei
Brunei is sometimes treated as little more than a stop between two Malaysian regions. We think it deserves more than that.
Bandar Seri Begawan offers a radical contrast with the rest of the island: quiet roads, monumental mosques and a much slower pace.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, standing beside its lagoon, is probably the capital’s most iconic sight. Kampong Ayer then offers a different perspective from the water, followed by Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque and Gadong Night Market.
We would especially add Ulu Temburong, where boats, canopy walkways and primary rainforest bring nature back to the center of the experience.
Brunei may not be the most spectacular stop in Borneo, but it is one of the places that brings the most contrast to the journey.
7. Sleep on a Klotok on the Sekonyer River
In Kalimantan, the Sekonyer River offered probably the most immersive experience of our trip.
For several days, the klotok becomes your home. You eat on board, sleep under a mosquito net and move slowly between jungle-covered riverbanks.
Orangutans are the obvious draw, but the experience goes far beyond them. Proboscis monkeys, hornbills, slow lorises, insects and sometimes fireflies accompany the journey.
It was one of the few moments when we genuinely felt that we were no longer simply visiting the forest, but living at its pace.
8. Finish Among the Waters of Derawan
After so much jungle, Derawan brings one final change of scenery.
Turtles swim around the jetties, Sangalaki attracts manta rays, Kakaban is home to its famous jellyfish lake and Maratua stretches out in lagoons filled with almost unreal shades of blue.
Getting there takes time and several transfers, so it is not a destination we would add to a short trip.
But on a one-month itinerary, it works perfectly as the final chapter after Pangkalan Bun and the Sekonyer River.
To build this progression without adding unnecessary transfers, read Which Borneo Itinerary Should You Choose Based on the Length of Your Trip?.
Which Experiences Should You Choose for Your Trip?
It ultimately depends on how much time you have and what matters most to you.
For a short trip, we would prioritize Kinabalu, Kinabatangan and Semporna in Sabah.
With more time, Bako and Mulu reveal a very different side of Borneo before the cultural break in Brunei.
Finally, Sekonyer and Derawan really make sense when you have around a month and can add Kalimantan without sacrificing the rest of the trip.
Our view: Borneo is less about collecting must-sees than making the right selection. Kinabatangan, Kinabalu, Mulu, Sekonyer and Derawan sometimes require time and detours, but those are precisely the experiences that give the journey its depth.
Planning Your Trip?
Our TAMAP Borneo Guide brings together our 10, 20 and 30-day itineraries, the actual routes we traveled, prices we observed, activities, the best areas to stay and the experiences we deliberately chose to include or leave out.