Borneo Adventure Travel Holidays: Climb Kinabalu or tour Sabah & Sarawak

travel advisory book now contact us info nights & events brochures e-newsletter home

> >

Borneo Rajang River Cruise

In 2010 with the help of World Expeditions we put together a 4 week trip to Borneo, which included the ascent of Kinabalu, trekking the headhunters trail and shooting rapids in a longboat.

However one of the highlights was the Rejang River Tour. The combination of the superbly opulent teak and brass appointments of the boat together with food and service of the highest quality and the exposure to the real Borneo was really remarkable.

Our ship’s guide, Louis Jap, through daily excursions into the hinterland, introduced us to the history and tribal culture of this part of Borneo. We trekked in the jungle. We visited longhouses, participated in a wonderful village Muslim wedding, where we appeared to blend in seamlessly with the rest of the guests. We transferred to smaller boats to sail small tributaries to see the early morning wildlife. We visited a remote jungle boarding school and medical centre, and had regular evening entertainment from local school children and dancers as we moored up for the night.

The ships crew welcomed us back to the boat after each excursion with hot towels and drinks – and took our footwear to clean before we could soil the deck. When we were cruising we could just relax with our 20 fellow passengers and have all our needs attended to.

This is only a taste of a trip, which certainly exceeded our expectations by a country mile!!

D Gledhill | Corby, UK

request a brochure or view online brochure »

Take an adventure holiday in BORNEO with World Expeditions, one of the world’s leading travel companies.

The island of Borneo is host to three different nations. To the south and forming the bulk of the island is Indonesian Kalimantan, whilst in the north the small country of Brunei is wedged between the two Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Sabah’s Mount Kinabalu at 4093m is the highest peak between the Himalaya and New Guinea. Malaysian Borneo, in particular Sarawak, is covered in dense jungle with large river systems passing through. Land transport can therefore be uncomfortable off the main arteries. A preferred method of travel in Sarawak is by long boat or dug out canoe.

Sabah and Sarawak between them have over 25 different ethnic groups. Both have populationsmade up of Malays (around 20%), Chinese and Dayak. Dayaks are non-muslim Malays and there are said to be more than 200 Dayak tribes in the whole of Borneo. In Sabah, the main ethnic group is the Kadazan (25%) whilst Bajau (formerly Sulu Sea pirates) make up 10% and other smaller groups include Murut (5%), Sulu, Tidong and Orang Sungai (River People). Many of these ethnic groups have converted to Islam or Christianity and moved to the cities and towns. In Sarawak, the largest group is the Iban, formerly headhunters, now principally residing in Long houses along the Rejang and Baram rivers. Another group is the Bidayuh and there are also lots of smaller groups making up around 5% of the population of Sarawak.

Borneo is said to have the best wildlife viewing opportunities in all of Asia. It isn't hard to see why it has this reputation, when you can view such amazing wildlife in their natural habitat as the green and hawk-billed turtles on Turtle Island National Park, as well as the orang utans at Sepilok, the native proboscis monkeys along the Kinabatangan River, plus you have the opportunity to snorkel amongst an impressive underwater world at Lankayan Island’s coral reefs.

view adventures in Borneo »

Featured Adventures

Borneo Adventure

A Borneo adventure! Stay in longhouses, trek rainforest and jungle trails, ascend limestone pinnacles, climb Mt Kinabalu, discover wildlife and learn the culture of local indigenous communities

17 days |

Reviews 1

Borneo Family Adventure

A special family adventure to explore the wildlife and natural wonders of Borneo

10 days |

Mount Kinabalu Climb

Climb Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Borneo

3 days |

Red Ape Trail

An adventurous trek through virgin rainforest with opportunities to spot wild orangutans in their natural habitat, visit remote Iban communities and learn jungle survival skills

5 days |

Untamed Borneo

Dense jungles, wild animals and exotic flora will be your introduction to Borneo on this cycling holiday followed by rivers, mountains, and beaches as we bike across the north of Borneo

11 days |

viewing 1 - 5 of 5 available

« previous | 1 | next »

The Weather in Borneo

The weather is like other tropical regions governed by the monsoons. The wet season lasts from October to March, peaking in December and January, although rain can occur at any time during the year. There is a higher level of rainfall in Sarawak than in Sabah.

Temperatures vary little throughout the year and reach a maximum of 31°C (88°F) and drop to low 20’s°C (68°F) overnight. Inland temperatures can vary particularly in the more mountainous areas where it can fall to freezing on the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

Browse by Activity