Borneo Tours

Everybody loves a few travel facts and our Borneo Travel Snapshot gives you a brief idea of what to expect when planning a holiday to Borneo. Read on below as we expand on our travel bites…

Best Time To Travel – Borneo is hot and humid all year round with an average temperature of 30 degrees ~ Phew! You can actually visit Borneo at any time of year. The wet season runs from December to February but we do suggest avoiding travel to Borneo during January, the middle of the wet season. The best time to travel to Borneo would be from late February through to November.

Capital City – The capital of Sabah is Kota Kinabalu. It is a fun, modern city right on the water with quick access to the local islands national park. The city center is about 30 minute drive to the airport.

Currency – The national currency in Borneo is the Malaysian Rinngit. The approximate exchange is $1 = 3 Rinngits. Please make sure you have cash with you while on tour as not all hotels have eftpos – remember you are in the jungle! Our guides can help you source a money exchange or take you to an ATM while on tour in Borneo.

Approximate Travel Time – 14 hours. There are no direct flights to Borneo.  Most airlines fly into Kota Kinabalu via another hub in Asia such as Kuala Lumpur, Brunei or Singapore. The majority of our Borneo tours start in Sandakan, which is easy to access via Kota Kinabalu or direct flight from Kuala Lumpur on Malaysian Airlines.

Religion – 65% of people living in Sabah are muslim. The other main religion practised is Christianity. But don’t worry, even though Borneo is a muslim country, alcohol is still served in all of our hotels and in the bars and restaurants in cities. Travelling to Borneo during Ramadan does not affect any of food or beverage service either as our tours stick to main tourist areas.

Famous Dish – As a Malaysian country, Borneo has many influences for food from all over Asia. One of their most popular dishes is Satay, which consists of sticks of beef cooked with spices and lemongrass and then cooked on the BBQ. They are served with a delicious Satay sauce made of peanuts and coconut cream, which is the star of the dish. But please note, our Borneo tours also cater for all kinds of dietary requirements so just let us know at time of booking!

Visa Required – A 30 day tourist visa is granted free of charge on arrival for residents of Australia. If you would like to stay longer then you will need to obtain a visa. If you are not an Australian citizen please check the requirements.

Fitness Level – We rate our Borneo tours at a moderate fitness level as although there is not much strenuous activity, you will be walking through jungle, over boardwalks and climbing in and out of small boats (for river cruising). The terrain can get muddy and slippery when wet. Our guides are always available to give you a helping hand. We have many people asking if our Borneo holidays are suitable for older people and the answer is yes; as long as you have a decent level of fitness we have had travellers on our tours well into their 90’s.