Things to do in Borneo
The most pristine tracts of jungle are unspoiled even by roads – so to really explore, you'll need to get on a boat.![]()
Get on the water
Tours along Sabah’s Kinabatangan River allow you to cruise through a forest filled with monkeys, elephants, hornbills and orangutans – kick back and watch it all float by. In Kalimantan, wooden klotoks – named after the sound they make – provide floating accommodation, with mattresses and mosquito nets on deck, allowing you to get deeper into the national parks.
Our Borneo Vacations
Borneo orangutan vacation
Trekking, wildlife and beach adventure vacation to Borneo
From
US $3560
13 days
ex flights
Borneo tour, Great Apes and Beach escapes
Explore bustling cities, lush jungles and paradise beaches.
From
£1658
9 days
ex flights
Borneo tailor made vacations, wildlife & beaches
A luxury tour of the best wildlife & beaches of Sabah
From
US $3735
14 days
ex flights
Orangutan photography in Borneo
Develop your photography skills in Borneo
From
£2375 to £2565
10 days
ex flights
Sarawak wildlife & beach vacation
Encounter an orangutan & hike through virgin rainforest
From
US $1680 to US $1905
10 days
ex flights
Luxury beach vacation in Borneo & Orangutans
Relaxation in one of nature's most picturesque settings
From
£1915
13 days
inc UK flights
Family vacation in Sabah
Discover the best of Borneo in just under 2 weeks
From
£2155
10 days
ex flights
Borneo tailor made tour on a shoestring
The Best of Borneo: Wildlife, Adventure, Idyllic Beaches
From
US $1695
12 days
ex flights
Borneo wildlife tour
Orangutans, Sumatran rhinos, elephants & bat exodus
From
£5675
15 days
ex flights
Borneo Mount Kinabalu Climb Vacation
Adventure vacation to see wildlife and climb Mt Kinabalu
From
US $2960
13 days
ex flights
Borneo 8 day tour, the wild heart of Borneo
A unique experience in the untouched, beautiful Sarawak.
From
£855
8 days
ex flights
Sarawak family vacation
An action-packed vacation got the whole family to enjoy!
From
£1088
9 days
ex flights
Borneo family tour
A fabulous family vacation including the best of Borneo
From
US $2300 to US $3125
15 days
ex flights
Borneo tour, Sarawak, Sabah & Brunei
Exotic Trans-Borneo Overland from Rainforest to Beach
From
US $1398
13 days
ex flights
Orangutan conservation vacation in Borneo
Meet Iban tribes and encounter orangutans in Borneo
From
£1195
13 days
ex flights
Malaysia and Borneo 15 day tour
Discover the highlights of Malaysia and Borneo
From
£2298
16 days
ex flights
Singapore and Sarawak vacations
A wildlife and Cultural Vacation to Singapore and Sarawak
From
US $2875
14 days
inc UK flights
Borneo wildlife vacation, Sarawak
A light trekking and jungle adventure vacation in Sarawak
From
US $2760
13 days
ex flights
Borneo wildlife vacation
Showcasing the best of Borneo - wildlife, rainforests and tropical beaches
From
US $4899 to US $5049
15 days
ex flights
Borneo vacation, Land below the wind
9-day tour of Malaysia's spectacular Sabah State
From
US $1365 to US $1425
9 days
ex flights
Borneo vacation, Highlights of Borneo
The highlights of Sabah, from Orangutans to Mt Kinabalu
From
US $2295
13 days
ex flights
Wild Borneo vacation, private departure
Highlights of Malaysian Borneo including Deramakot
From
£4340
18 days
inc UK flights
Honeymoon in Borneo
Luxury Borneo Honeymoon, best of wildlife & luxury resorts
From
US $3684
13 days
ex flights
Borneo vacations, tailor made
Rainforests, orangutans, beaches tailor made
From
£3150
13 days
inc UK flights
Borneo family volunteering vacation
Encounter orangutans and meet local tribes in magical Borneo
From
£795
7 days
ex flights
Borneo highlights tour, small group
Spiritual ,wild, colourful and mysterious beautiful Borneo.
From
US $3800 to US $4300
21 days
ex flights
Borneo orangutan conservation volunteering
Care for rescued orangutans in beautiful Borneo
From
£1280
15 days
ex flights
Sarawak and Sabah tour, Orangutans & Ibans
Explore Borneo's unique culture, heritage and wildlife
From
£1744
13 days
ex flights
Orangutan conservation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Work with orangutans & sun bears in stunning East Kalimantan
From
£1295 to £1995
13 days
ex flights
Watch orangutans
When it comes to things to do in Borneo, you can’t come all the way here and not see an orangutan. Rehabilitation centers are dotted around the island - sightings are likely during the daily feeding sessions. Sepilok, Semenggoh and Camp Leakey are the better known centers, but numerous others exist – especially in Kalimantan, which shelters the majority of Borneo’s remaining orangutans, but which receives just a tiny fraction of its visitors.
Nothing compares to witnessing these shaggy primates in the wild, however, so come prepared for forest treks or river cruises in Sabah and Indonesia to glimpse them in their natural habitat. Sightings are rarer, but this only emphasises the precarious position they find themselves in. A good guide will not only allow you to spot a whole menagerie of other wildlife, but also help you understand the forest ecosystem and the importance of protecting this precious, dwindling environment.
Take your wildlife vacation one step further and spend a few days volunteering at a rehabilitation center.![]()
Volunteer
The work is physical and can be tough – especially in the tropical heat – but it is universally rewarding. Daily tasks include cleaning enclosures, constructing climbing frames for orangutans, clearing pathways and building new enclosures. You won’t get to cuddle an orangutan, but you will get to learn an awful lot about them, and know that your trip has contributed to their survival.
Our top Borneo Vacation
Borneo orangutan vacation
Trekking, wildlife and beach adventure vacation to Borneo
From
US $3560
13 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Borneo or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Stay in a longhouse
Nicki Hollamby, from our tailor made vacation specialists Audley Travel, shares her favourite things to do in Borneo: “We visit a small Iban community in Sarawak. Their longhouse has 12 families under one roof. You stop off at the market on the way and get food, then you meet the tribe and the chief. You spend the evening with them, cook with them, sit on the floor in their local area of the longhouse, and the other families come in and share in the food, so it becomes a bit of a free-for-all party. You sleep in the communal area of the longhouse, on a mattress under a mosquito net. You get up the next morning when they get up at 5am with the chickens to go and see how they cook and how they used to hunt.
“Considering it is set up for tourists, it’s really good, and you overcome that awkwardness you feel about entering their home. You have a guide who will translate, and they laugh and joke and you get your hands dirty and cook – I loved it.”
More about Borneo
The best time to visit Borneo is during the drier months of April to September, but as our month by month guide reveals, there are a number of things to take into consideration.
Borneo has enticed travelers, biologists, anthropologists and photographers for decades. Our Borneo travel guide takes you to the world's third largest island.
Borneo is divided between the Malaysian provinces of Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesian Kalimantan and the Kingdom of Brunei. Read our guide on where to go in Borneo.
Sabah is sublime. One of the most bio-diverse regions in Asia, it boasts mountain ranges, rainforests, marine national parks and a vast cultural heritage.
Sarawak is one state among many in Borneo, but it is one where the stories - from orangutan rescue to indigenous tales - just keep coming.
Kalimantan is Indonesian Borneo. The same size as Botswana, it is most famous for its rainforests and resident orangutans. Read more in our Kalimantan guide.
With so many untouched areas of rainforest, mangroves and mountains, there are primates and predators, elephants and birds everywhere. Read more in our Borneo wildlife guide.
Borneo is certainly suited for the more intrepid family - but you don't need to be hardened jungle adventurers to enjoy a family vacation in Borneo.
First time travelers to Borneo might find themselves overwhelmed with options - where to go, what to do and see.
Here's our Borneo travel advice - for fans of turtles, wannabe volunteers and those who want to get that bit further off the beaten track...
There's bad news (immense deforestation) and good (volunteer placements). Read more about responsible tourism in Borneo to find out how to make the most of your vacation.
Find all our Borneo guides in one place, from volunteering to luxury vacations and travel guides on Sabah and Sarawak.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Fish Ho Hong Yun] [Get on the water: Natasha de Vere & Col Ford]
[Watch orangutans: Jorge Franganillo]
[Volunteer: Natasha de Vere & Col Ford]
[Stay in a longhouse: charles taylor]
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