Luxury Travel to Sandakan made for you

Wildlife mecca, gateway to Kinabatangan river & Lankayan island

Sandakan is best known as being home to the Sepilok Nature Rehabilitation Centre, where they care for rescued or orphaned orangutans as well as sun bears, gibbons, Sumatran rhinos and elephants in need of treatment. This is a good place to see these creatures before embarking on a trip into the rainforest in hope of spotting them in the wild.

From this provincial city take a safari up the Kinabatangan River. This is Malaysia’s second longest river where, despite the palm logging in the area, this spectacular wilderness is home to wealth of wildlife including proboscis monkeys, macaques, pygmy elephants, lizards, crocodiles, and birdlife including kingfishers and hornbills.

From Sandakan you can also make the journey to Borneo‘s Lankayan Island; a paradise, palm fringed island in the Sulu Sea. Home to sea turtles often spotted in its waters, vibrant underwater creatures and coral formations can be spotted a few fin kicks from the beach.

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Remarkable stays, handpicked by our experts

Luxury accommodation in Sandakan

There are many incredible places to stay in Sandakan. Here are some of our favourites, handpicked by our travel designers:

Sandakan

Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort

Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort is tucked away in the wilderness of Lower Kinabatangan, surrounding the pristine freshwater swamps and mangrove forest. An internationally important ecosystem that supports some 100 plant, 200 bird and 50 mammal species, it is a rich place ripe for exploring. Reached by an hour-long boat from Sandakan, the resort has four rooms in a Longhouse Cabin and ten more private chalets for those after a bit more luxury, all connected to the restaurant by wooden walkways. The eco credentials here are strong with power predominantly solar generated and water collected and sand filtered from the river and rain. Venture out onto the forest’s rivers and channels on boat cruises in search of proboscis monkey, orangutan, elephant, hornbills and more. There’s some fantastic bird watching to be had and a network of jungle trails start from the resort for night and morning walks.

Sandakan

Abai Jungle Lodge

Found on Borneo’s Kinabatangan River, Abai is one of the newest lodges in this area teeming with exotic wildlife such as orang-utans, langur monkeys, otters and birds. It boasts a brilliant location for spotting these animals thanks mostly to its remote position made only accessible via boat. Its isolated locale means the eighteen wooden chalets are simply decorated but are clean and comfortable with en-suite facilities including hot showers and a ceiling fan. The main area of the lodge connects to the surrounding rainforest by long wooden platforms, leading you onto a fascinating boardwalk trail and five observation towers. Abai’s small bar and an open-air restaurant serve up decent local food including the Kinabatangan River’s famously big prawns.

Sandakan

Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge

Approximately two hours from Sandakan is the rustic Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge. Reachable by vehicle or boat, this lovely lodge sits in a glorious location and its simple rooms are all connected by wooden walkways, while outside an expansive open sun deck offers a spot to enjoy the scenic river views. Discover the wide assortment of creatures and take advantage of the jungle trail located behind the lodge keeping an eye out for Orang-utans, Red Leaf monkeys and heaps of wild birds. Meanwhile out in the river, Crocodiles and Otters are regular sights too.

Sandakan

Sepilok Nature Lodge

Nestled among the lake’s rich jungle fringes of orchids and trees, Sepilok Nature Resort offers a peaceful and comfortable place to explore the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve and Rehabilitation Centre. All sixty of the comfortable chalets come with air conditioning, traditional interiors and private verandas that give you good views. The Reserve which is home to the last wild Orang-utans of Northern Borneo, is just a mere walk away from the resort. Immersed into this pristine wilderness enjoy days, nights, delicious meals and downtime to the chorus of creatures that surround you. Take advantage of the river trips, trekking and birding excursions that are all on offer.

Sandakan

MY Nature Resort

Located in one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world, MY Nature Resort is just 2km from the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre and the Sun Bear Conservation Centre. Completed in February 2016, the resort features 12 wooden chalets that face the jungle. Helping to preserve the natural environment is of the upmost important, and solar panels are used to heat all the water. Behind the resort is a boardwalk that runs along the Sepilock Protected Forest Reserve and during the day there is plenty on your doorstep to explore. At night, enjoy the natural soundtrack from the forest’s inhabitants and the feeling of being surrounded by one of the world’s most wonderful environments.

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We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.

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Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.

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Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.

Trip Inspiration

Get inspired with our Borneo example trips and then get in touch to plan your own adventure

14 Day trip

Borneo Wildlife Explorer and Langkawi Beaches

An in-depth adventure to see Borneo’s unique wildlife, natural wonders, culture and endangered creatures before a deluxe beach finale on Langkawi Island

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$0 pp

12 Day trip

Borneo Family Adventure

Explore Borneo’s wild rainforests, spotting orangutans along canopy walks and other extraordinary species.

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$0 pp

11 Day trip

The Rainforests, Wildlife and Islands of Borneo

Explore Borneo’s natural wonders during this two-week trip that takes you to ancient rainforests and thriving coral reefs\r\n

From

$0 pp

Ready to plan your adventure?

Whatever you want from your Sandakan adventure, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.

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Where to go in Borneo

Batang Ai National Park

Sitting close to the border of Indonesia, the national park of Batang Ai is tucked deep into the Borneo jungle. The area was flooded in the 1980s to create a reservoir, and you can still see treetops sticking out of the water.

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Danum Valley

This primary lowland forest is a sparkling, undisturbed representative of Borneo‘s prolific and unique flora and fauna has been recognised worldwide for its outstanding biodiversity.

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Kota Kinabalu

A clean and bustling city with a pretty waterfront from which to enjoy the sunset, Kota Kinabalu has much to offer visitors, although most use the city simply as an entry point to Borneo, spending their time exploring the surrounding countryside instead.

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Kuching

Borneo’s prettiest and most historic city, Kuching is the ideal place to start an island adventure with plenty to explore within the city and in the surrounding countryside.

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Meet your Asia team

Concierge

Travel Designer

Travel Designer

Travel Designer

Concierge

Concierge

Concierge

Travel Designer

Travel Designer

Travel Designer

Travel Designer

Travel Designer

Borneo travel guides

Our Guide to Wildlife in Borneo

When is the Best Time to Visit Borneo?

Coming Nose-to-Nose with the Proboscis Monkeys of Borneo

Conquering Southeast Asia’s Highest Peak: Mount Kinabalu, Borneo

10 of Southeast Asia's Most Spectacular National Parks

Asia Bucket List: Top 15 things to do in Asia

Plan your trip to Sandakan

Whatever you want from your adventure in Sandakan, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.

Start Planning

“Superb!‌”

My son and I took the Borneo trip. This was on my "bucket list" and my son came to record the adventure for my grandchildren. David, Carol and Rahma put together a trip that far exceeded any expectations I had. Everything was planned and coordinated to a T. Our flight to the starting point was delayed due to a tropical…

Published 24th September 2025 on Trustpilot

Ann Gilchrist

“We had the most wonderful experience in…‌”

We had the most wonderful experience in the jungle of Sabah (Borneo). The build up of the trip was perfect and well thought through. We learnt a lot thanks to our nice and experienced guide. Jacada was really proactive in their communication.

Published 11th August 2025 on Trustpilot

Hilde

“The Most Perfect Trip EVER!!!‌”

Can’t say enough great things about my recent trip to Borneo booked through Jacada. My travel designer Rachel Rose was top notch. So enthusiastic, flexible and understood my needs immediately. Travel concierge Jessica took the reins after the trip was officially booked and miraculously managed every tiny detail - it was unbelievable how many great details she managed for us…

Published 02nd July 2025 on Trustpilot

Lisa Brenneman

“Excellent customized planning for our…‌”

Excellent customized planning for our trip and travel arrangements made everything easy and hassle-free. We felt very well taken care of and appreciated the wonderful service and great recommendations.

Published 02nd October 2024 on Trustpilot

Sara

“The details are what matter & where Jacada excels‌”

The details are what always matter, and it’s the details where Jacada’s people excel - they were available throughout the trip to make sure even the little things click and our questions about logistics answered. It’s why we keep coming back and, each time we wonder if we should try to arrange things on our own, we realize they’re worth…

Published 26th June 2024 on Trustpilot

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We craft trips deeply personal, delightfully surprising and entirely one of a kind. Every Jacada journey begins in conversation with a travel designer, a specialist in their destination of expertise. Behind each journey is a wealth of insight, gathered over years of on-the-ground exploration.

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