Borneo

No matter how well travelled you are, you won’t have been anywhere quite like Malay Borneo. The region is famous for its orang-utans, and the fantastic fauna in this rainforest paradise will undoubtedly knock your leech-socks off - but a holiday to Malay Borneo takes you way beyond wildlife. The island’s landscape could’ve been tailor-made for light adventure, and coastal Borneo offers beaches that daydreams are made of.

On a classic trip to Borneo, you'll head to the heart of Danum Valley Conservation Area and along the Kinabatangan River for a glimpse of Pongo pygmaeus - better known as the orang-utan, and the star attraction of any Borneo holiday. The excitement doesn't stop at orange primates, however - Sabah’s interior is home to a wealth of wildlife stars, from pygmy elephants and gibbons to kingfishers and hornbills, and everything in between! In Borneo we get you conscientiously close to some of the world's most thrilling wildlife in its natural habitat. And if you'd like to try something that few of Borneo's visitors get to experience, we can also give you the rare chance to travel along the jungle waterways to stay with tribes whose families have thrived here since prehistory, and to witness cutting-edge conservation first hand.

Eco-tourism offers a welcome alternative to less sustainable industries, and there's still enormous biodiversity to experience here, despite the infamous habitat loss. There aren’t a huge number of eco-lodges to experience it from, however, so the key advice we give to anyone who wants to visit Borneo is ‘book early!’, because rainforest lodges don't grow on trees, especially during wildlife-viewing season, so when they're full they're - well, full.

Borneo's coast is just as enticing as its jungle interior, with idyllic sandy beaches and gorgeous tropical resorts that sit right in the Sea Turtle Corridor conservation zone - depending when and where you visit, you’ll get carefully supervised opportunities to see turtles hatching or laying eggs on protected beaches. There are beaches for humans, too, their warm sand ocean-washed and perfect for lazy days after your rainforest adventure. If you’re planning a honeymoon, Borneo might well be on your shortlist - thanks to this blend of beach luxury and world-class wildlife, it's hard to see it being far from the top.

Our Destination Specialists have travelled extensively in Borneo and across Asia, researching the best hotels, sights and activities - read more in our Borneo travel guides. You can also visit our ‘weather and when to go’ pages for the best time to visit Borneo based on weather and climate, or get in touch with one of our Borneo specialists to discuss your travel plans.