Join a Kinabatangan River Cruise in Borneo

Join a Kinabatangan River cruise in Borneo. One of the most popular reasons for visiting Malaysian Borneo is for the wildlife spotting. Proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, elephants, and of course – my favourite orange fluffy primate: the orangutan! And the best way to experience the real Bornean rainforest is to book onto a cruise down the famous Kinabatangan River in the state of Sabah. Expert rangers will guide you down the river and point out a huge variety of amazing wildlife. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Read on for what to expect on a Borneo Kinabatangan River cruise.

Where is the Kinabatangan River?

The Kinabatangan River is located in the state of Sabah, one of two states (Sabah and Sarawak) that make up Malaysian Borneo. Borneo itself is a huge island located in the Malay Peninsula in South East Asia. The island’s territory is shared between Malaysia, Indonesia and the tiny sultanate of Brunei. Borneo is famous for its dense jungle, amazing wildlife and white sand beaches.

What can I see on a Kinabatangan River Cruise?

So many animals and birds! A Kinabatangan River cruise is one of the best ways available to spot Bornean wildlife. You can expect to see a lot of monkeys, including the proboscis monkeys with the big noses. Other common sightings include crocodiles, orangutans and a huge variety of colourful birds. If you’re lucky, you might even see Bornean pygmy elephants – a small type of elephant unique to Borneo. The guides are so good at pointing out animals that I’d never have spotted by myself, including tiny puffball birds and monkeys camouflaged in trees. They also explained the behaviour of the animals and pointed out the alpha males – including “big daddy”, a male proboscis monkey surrounded by a huge group of females.

What to Expect on a Kinabatangan River Cruise?

Most of the river cruises available are for at least 2 days 1 night, and most people opt for 3 days 2 nights. It’s possible to go for even longer if you want. Generally you’d do 1-2 guided boat trips per day along the river, and then also some jungle walks.

There is a decent range of accommodation available, and this will be booked as part of the river cruise. You can choose between private rooms and dorms depending on your budget. Meals are generally included with the accommodation as there is not much else around the area!

How do I get to the Kinabatangan River?

The most common way to get to the Kinabatangan River is to travel to Sandakan, a city in the east of Sabah. Sandakan has its own airport, so you can either fly there directly or via Kota Kinabalu in the north of Sabah. From Sandakan, you can either drive to Sukau (the main wildlife spotting area on the Kinabatangan River) yourself or arrange a transfer with the river cruise company (most popular option). The drive takes about 2 hours. There is plenty of accommodation in Sandakan if you want to stay there for a couple of nights first. Popular attractions near Sandakan include the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre at Sepilok.

How do I book a Kinabatangan River Cruise?

There are a number of tour providers offering Kinabatangan River cruises. You can either book direct (I used Sukau Greenview) or via a 3rd party agent such as Viator.