The 15 Best Wildlife Tours in Borneo, Malaysia

1.Bongawan River Cruise: Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Mangrove

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 437 reviews · 8 hours · from $58Our pick

Spend about eight hours visiting Kota Kinabalu’s Floating Mosque and Cocoa Kingdom before cruising Bongawan’s mangroves. Guides such as Timmy, Eddie, Simon, and Zai share local nature stories while you look for proboscis monkeys, macaques, crocodiles, and birds. Tea, dinner, transport, sunset viewing, and fireflies are included.

“The Bongawan River Cruise was a pleasant mangrove adventure in Sabah, with guides Eddie and Simon enthusiastically sharing insights on proboscis monkeys and fireflies. The Sky Mirror sunset and dinner added enjoyable touches, making it a solid pick for nature enthusiasts.”

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2.Bongawan Wetland: Proboscis Monkey and Fireflies Shared Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 137 reviews · 1 day · from $65

Leave Kota Kinabalu at noon for Bongawan Wetland, where you’ll cruise the river for proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques, birds, lizards, and perhaps crocodiles. After dinner and a sunset stop, return by boat to see fireflies glowing in the mangroves. Guides such as Timmy, Eddie, James, Nick, and DanDan are praised for their care and local knowledge.

“The trip was fantastic value for money and was very interesting. Timmy was great and taught us so much along the way! The pacing of the group was ideal which was nice. I’ve done many tours where you spend too long in one place but this was brilliant. We were lucky to see multiple Proboscis monkeys and the beach sunset and the fireflies were beautiful. Highly recommend”

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3.Sky-Mirror Photographing and Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Watching River-Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 109 reviews · from $81

Leave Kota Kinabalu for Bongawan, where you’ll cruise mangroves for proboscis monkeys and macaques, pose at Superview Beach during sunset, and watch fireflies after dark. Guides such as James, Nick, and Bird are known for helping with beach photos. Pickup, snacks, dinner, and drinks are included, but allow a long afternoon and evening.

“Overall good experience. No message or communication prior to pick up so had to ask reception to call - it turns out they did not have my booking from Viator. They however quickly showed up at the hotel after calling (30 mins late). Good things - Mirror beach was fun, and fireflies were a real highlight. Dinner was a basic buffet but to be expected as in a remote location. Phots the guide took of us on the beach are great Things to improve - very long -Packed mini bus and took 1.5 hours to get there and then a lot of waiting around. The boat ride to see the…”

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4.Borneo Wildlife Tour 3 Days 2 Nights At Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp Kinabatangan

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 100 reviews · from $270

You’ll spend three days and two nights at Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp near Sandakan, reached by road and sometimes boat. Guide Jai, along with the camp team, leads river cruises, forest walks, and night outings. Expect basic rooms, tasty local food, no mobile signal, limited electricity, and real chances to see orangutans, proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, hornbills, civets, and more.

“I could not recommend it more! The best thing you can do when in Borneo. You spend three days in a remote part of the jungle surrounded by wildlife (literally!). There's even an orangutan living right next to the camp, with proboscis monkeys Read more”

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5.Bongawan River Cruise Proboscis Monkey, SkyMirror, Fireflies

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $52Best value

Spend about eight hours from Kota Kinabalu visiting the Floating Mosque and Cocoa Kingdom before a Bongawan River cruise. Guides such as Timmy, Simon, Eddie, and John lead the wildlife search, sunset stop, firefly viewing, and local dinner. Expect a full afternoon and evening, a group of up to 48, and changing wildlife sightings.

“Amazing tour guide Timmy was knowledgeable and funny. Saw more than what was mentioned. Can not fault this tour at all. The locals who helped with the tour were more than accommodating. The dinner served by the local tribe was phenomenal. Could not recommend this tour enough.”

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6.Private Full Day Sepilok Orang Utan, Bornean Sun Bear and Rainforest Discovery Center Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 54 reviews · from $125

You’ll travel by private car or minivan from Sandakan at 8am, with stops at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, and the Rainforest Discovery Centre. English-speaking guides such as Adam or Azies have led some departures. Lunch, admissions, transport, and tax are included.

“A good trip to understand the Rain Forest and spend time with Orangutan and Sun bear in captivity, but free roaming. The guide had knowledge about the park and its habitats. Lunch was fine. It was not a full day trip, but about 5 to 6 hours including lunch.”

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7.Semenggoh Orangutan Centre from Kuching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 53 reviews · from $66

Travel from Kuching to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre with a guide such as Rick or David, then walk through rainforest to a feeding platform used by rehabilitated orangutans. The three-hour visit includes transport, guide service, water, and stated entrance admission. Morning departures suit the 9:00 feeding, but sightings are never guaranteed.

“You can see the orangutans but it feels only semi-wild as they are called in each day. They are also quite far away.”

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8.Proboscis Monkey and Fireflies River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 51 reviews · from $81

Leave Kota Kinabalu at 1:30 pm for Weston, about 100 kilometres south, with a guide such as Terence. After tea and local snacks, cruise the mangroves for proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys, macaques, monitor lizards, and birds. Dinner follows, then fireflies light the river after sunset. Shared transport and hotel pickup are included.

“Terence unser Reiseleiter hat alles gegeben,uns sein Land,die Natur und vieles mehr näher zu bringen.Dankeschön”

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9.Semenggoh Wildlife Centre Tour: Discover Sarawak’s Orangutans

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $70

Travel from Kuching to Semenggoh Wildlife Centre in an air-conditioned vehicle with a driver such as Eng or Wesley. Walk through the center, watch for semi-wild orangutans, and attend a scheduled feeding. Sightings are never guaranteed, especially during fruiting season, but the short three-hour format suits a first visit.

“The guide is very knowledgeable about the centre and the individual orangutans, how they came to be there, the work of the rehab centre. It's not possible to see wild orangutans without a much longer overnight trip that hike into conservatRead more”

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10.Ipoh Heritage & Orang Utan Island Day Tour from Kuala Lumpur

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 32 reviews · from $123

Leave Kuala Lumpur at 6:00 am for Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island, reached by ferry, then continue to Perak Cave Temple and Ipoh’s old town. An English-speaking driver handles the long road journey, while an in-house guide leads the island visit. Expect 10 to 12 hours, selected-hotel pickup, and a busy mix of wildlife and heritage.

“Seeing the traumatized orangutans being well taken care of in their secure enclosed environment. They are free to roam and secure their own turf.”

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11.Kinabatangan River Cruise from Sandakan

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 28 reviews · from $89

Leave Sandakan at noon in a shared, climate-controlled vehicle and head to the Kinabatangan River for an afternoon wildlife cruise. Look for proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, elephants, macaques, birds, and other river life, then return after a local dinner. Pickup is available from Sandakan hotels or the airport, with guides such as Angus and Chris sometimes leading the day.

“An incredible experience, crocodile wines, lizards, narigud monkeys, elephants, macaques, as well as spectacular nature. The guide very friendly and affectionate. I recommend the experience.Auto-translated”

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12.Mangrove Cruise with Fireflies Tour Including Dinner from Sandakan

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 25 reviews · from $64

You’ll be picked up in Sandakan around 4:30 pm by an English-speaking driver-guide and taken to Pangkalan B&B for tea. After village games and a short walk, board a shared mangrove boat for sunset near Pamaguan Island, crab-trap collecting, monkeys, and fireflies. A local buffet dinner follows.

“Cruising down the river in the dark was quite amazing. Not many fireflies out and we did not spend time with the village kids or throw pots so that was a bit disappointing. The food was plentiful and delicious, even the doughnuts at the start! As there was no sunset due to weather the island was superfluous so this should be reconsidered if it rains.”

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13.Orang Utan Island and Perak Tong Cave From Kuala Lumpur

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $138

Travel from Kuala Lumpur to Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island by air-conditioned vehicle and ferry, then visit Perak Tong Cave Temple. Expect a long road day, about 8 to 12 hours, with an English-speaking driver, included admission, and time for wildlife, temple views, and conversation. Lunch, drinks, and temple donations cost extra.

“Driver was prompt and very knowledgeable. Orangutan island was small but was lovely to see the animals so close and interacting with the visitors albeit through the fence. The humans were in a caged walk way and the orangutan were loosRead more”

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14.Wildlife & Wonders: Orang Utan Island + Perak Cave Temple Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $123

Leave Kuala Lumpur at 6:00 am for Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island, reached by ferry across the lake. You’ll see a nursery, research center, and rehabilitation facility, then visit a limestone cave temple with a 40-foot Buddha. Private transport, hotel pickup, and an English-speaking driver are included.

“Long car ride, 3 hours there and 3 hours back. Guide was nice, but not sure if I would do this again.”

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15.Orang Utan Island Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 11 reviews · from $101

Leave Kuala Lumpur at 7 a.m. for Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island, where a ferry carries you to a 2-hectare rehabilitation center. Add cave temples in Ipoh, Taiping Lake Gardens, lunch, and private hotel transfers. The day lasts 8 to 12 hours, with a long drive but plenty of scenery.

“We had the most fabulous day but we're very lucky in that we had a private car to ourselves then it was just us and a family with 2 small children on the orangutan island tour and the children got bored and hot quickly so they ducked out lRead more”

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