When we went:
June 2022
Itinerary:
Day 1: Fly from Singapore to KK, KK to Sandakan (stay overnight Sandakan)
Day 2: Orangutan rescue center, travel by boat to Sukau Rainforest Lodge
Day 3: River cruising on the Kinabatangan River (SRL)
Day 4: River cruising Kinabatangan River (SRL
Day 5: Leave River Lodge and travel to Lahad Datu, Borneo Rainforest Lodge
Day 6: Explore around BRL
Day 7: Morning at BRL, Transfer out. (overnight in Lahad Datu)
Day 8: Fly to KK. Enjoy time at the beach
Day 9-10 Stay at beach and don’t get too many fly bites
Where we stayed:
Sandakan: Sepilok Forest Edge Resort
Kinabatangan: Sukau Rainforest Lodge
Danum Valley: Borneo Rainforest Lodge
Lahad Datau: Bike and Tours Bed and Breakfast
Kota Kinabalu: Shangri La Rasa Ria
How did we end up in Borneo with our two small kids? The short answer is that flights were super cheap from Singapore. Once I started doing more research I was super intrigued, especially since Borneo is a bit off the beaten track for most tourists.
Borneo is an island that is part Malaysia, part Indonesia, (and a tiny part Brunei) and home to amazing rainforests and animals. In order to see the best the island has to offer, you’ll need to commit some time to getting there. I knew we would want to spend time on the Kinabatangan River, as the boat safaris are an amazing way to see orangutans, monkeys and even elephants in the wild. We started our trip in Sandakan, home to the orangutan rehabilitation center and gateway to the Kinabatangan. We stayed at Sepilok Forest Edge Resort which had a variety of room types and decent restaurant and small pool. The rest of our lodging would be fairly pricey on this trip, so we wanted to save a little here. It was great for our first night in Borneo – we had a refreshing dip in the pool, delicious dinner and magical walk back to our cabin with a stunning sunset and pitstop to search for the frogs we could hear everywhere.
We were picked up early the next day to go to the Orangutan Rehabilitation Center next door. This is a must do when visiting Borneo with kids. It was a great introduction for us to learn about these amazing animals and what the center is doing to get them back out into the wild. We watched an introductory video about the Orangutans then walked with our guide on the boardwalks through the complex looking for Orangutans. There are specific feeding times for Orangutans at the centre, which means you should be there then as they gather around the feeding platforms. When we went the feeding times were 10am and 3pm. There is also a nursery where baby orangutans learn to play before getting released to the forest – too cute!
Next we were off to start the river portion of our journey in Borneo. We rode a boat about 2 hours from Sandakan to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. We found this mode of transport relaxing compared to being in a car, with lots to see including our first orangutans in the wild. Pulling up to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge felt magical. It rains almost every day here and we loved how the dock and pathways were misty after the recent rain. Sukau Rainforest Lodge is upscale, and feels like grown up camp. The rooms are all freestanding and a lovely walk through the forest. The dining area is on the river, and 3 meals a day are included in the stay. We enjoyed the food here and the boat rides even more. Each day we would go out in the boat looking for animals. We brought lifejackets with us, which I would recommend for littles under 7 when traveling with kids to Borneo. They fit them well and were in better shape than the jackets on the boat. While boating we saw orangutans, crocodiles, proboscis monkeys, macaques, hornbills, and even pygmy elephants! This was such a great part of our trip and I think the kids especially loved being on the water and the river allows you to see the animals so well!
After three nights at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge, we transferred by boat to a van that brought us on a two hour drive through palm plantations to Lahad Datu. Once in Lahad Datu we went to the office for Borneo Rainforest Lodge, the only place to stay in Danum Valley, deep in the rainforest. It was another 2.5 hour drive on a bumpy gravel road in a 4WD to the gorgeous Borneo Rainforest Lodge. The rainforest here in the Danum Valley is 148 million years old, making it one of the oldest in the world, and highly protected. Lunch was ready and waiting for us and as we dined, an orangutan strolled past us along the river. So casual! Our room was lovely, and even came with an outdoor bathtub. After getting settled in, we stopped by the gift shop to buy our leech socks and “Adidas Kampong” shoes, which we would need for trekking around the forest. The shop had leech socks for adults and children, and we were glad we’d brought the kids their own rubber boots, as it is very muddy and these also offer some additional protection against the leeches, which are everywhere.
Each guest at the lodge is assigned a guide, who organizes hikes and helps you understand the rainforest. We especially enjoyed the night activities, when more creatures were out and about. The canopy walk is another must-do while staying with kids in Danum Valley.
After leaving the Borneo Rainforest Lodge we were back in Lahad Datu, and decided to spend the night before flying back to Kota Kinabalu. We stayed at a local guesthouse called Bike and Tours Bed and Breakfast. The rooms were simple and our kids loved the little pool they had out back. The real star here though was the food. We could see why locals flock here on Sunday nights for their famous dinner. Highly recommend.
We flew back to Kota Kinabalu with a group who were off to Mecca on their Umrah, which was quite the experience. We wanted to spend a few days on the beach so we opted for the family-friendly Shangri La Rasa Ria. This hotel is technically on the beach, but the water is very far from the hotel over sand infested with biting sand flies. We opted to stay at the pool most of the time and our kids loved the water slides. There is a kids club and extensive playground but the property in general feels tired and too big. Perhaps we were spoiled on the first part of our trip but we did not love our stay here.
Going to Borneo with kids is an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend this family adventure if you’re looking for something a bit off the beaten path in southeast asia.