Borneo Premium Family Holiday

Selamat datang! Welcome to Borneo. Your adventure begins in the coastal town of Sandakan. When you arrive at the airport, you’ll be transferred to your accommodation – a hotel set on the harbour in central Sandakan. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 5 pm tonight, where you’ll meet your local leader and the other families joining you for your trip. After the meeting, get to know your group over a welcome dinner and get excited for the adventure that lies ahead.

Gear up for a day of incredible wildlife encounters for you and the kids. Kick off today’s adventures with a private tour of the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where the centre’s founder, Dr Wong, will teach you all about sun bears, from their personalities to their important role in the jungle. Sun bears are the only tropical bear species and are the smallest bear species in the world. Next, get hands-on and create enrichment toys like puzzle feeders or scent-based toys – the kids will love seeing the toys they make being given to the sun bears as they watch on from the observation platforms. Have lunch at a nearby restaurant, then continue to the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, nestled in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. Watch the young orangutans in the nursery as they learn how to climb in a specially made jungle gym. Later today, you’ll have some free time to keep exploring or simply relax at the hotel – maybe gather the kids for a dip in the pool to cool off.

Enjoy some free time in Sandakan this morning to explore the nearby markets or take one last dip in the hotel's infinity pool before heading to the jetty to take a boat transfer to your Kinabatangan River resort. Sitting on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, the resort offers access to local wildlife. Wooden boardwalks cut through the jungle and connect spacious and bright chalets which serve up great views of the surrounding mangrove forests. This afternoon, take a river cruise, where your leader will help you spot some of the local wildlife. Keep lookout for crocodiles, macaques, wild orangutan, proboscis monkeys, hornbills and kingfishers. If you’re lucky, you might get a rare sighting of the Bornean pygmy elephants that wander the river’s banks. Enjoy dinner at the resort before heading back out for a night-time wildlife walk. Geared up with a headlamp, you’ll set out in search of interesting insects or other animals that pop up after dark.

Take an early morning cruise through the fog as the sun rises, enjoying light refreshments on board while you search for birds and wildlife. Keep an eye out for long tail macaques and pig tail macaques, then return to the resort for breakfast and search the property with your leader for some insects, plants and birds. Enjoy some time to relax before setting off for another river adventure in the afternoon, exploring small tributaries by boat. Later, head out for a night-time cruise and look out for nocturnal animals – you might even see a wide-eyed slow loris hanging from a tree! Have dinner back at the resort - the perfect chance for a debrief with the kids on everyone’s favourite animal sightings of the day.

After breakfast, you’ll travel to Kundasang by private vehicle. Be sure to have some good books, podcasts or games queued up for everyone for the drive. Kundasang is a small town nestled beneath Mt Kinabalu – the highest peak in South East Asia, sitting at 4095 m (13,435 ft). Have your cameras charged and ready to go for when you arrive – on a clear day, you can see incredible views of Mt Kinabalu, making for the perfect family photo op. Settle into your accommodation for the night, have dinner and take in more views of Mt Kinabalu from your doorstep.

This morning, you’ll travel to a nearby village to visit DumoWongi – a women-led social enterprise training local women to grow herbs and edible flowers through organic farming. Be welcomed with a drink made from lemongrass, pandan and mint, then join a guided walk through the herb and edible flower garden. Next, learn how the women upcycle fabric offcuts and use leaves, flowers and natural pigments to eco-print their handicrafts, then you and the kids can have a go yourselves! Make your own bookmark, scarf or coaster to take home as a souvenir. You’ll also get to decorate your own chocolate treats with edible flowers from the garden. Sit down to a lunch made using seasonal herbs and flowers and learn how herbs are traditionally used in Sabahan cuisine. Later, continue to the coastal city of Kota Kinabalu. If you arrive on a Friday or Saturday evening, you might like to explore the Gaya Street Night Market to try some tasty local snacks.

Spend a free morning either relaxing, going for a swim in the pool or heading out for a stroll around Kota Kinabalu. Then, head to the jetty to board a boat to Gaya Island. When you arrive, check into your Feature Stay accommodation for the next two nights – Gayana Marine Resort. Your comfortable overwater villa gives you excellent vistas over the island’s blue-green shores and luscious rainforest. Later today, give back to the incredible ecosystems surrounding you by taking part in a marine conservation program. You’ll learn about coral restoration through a hands-on activity where you can plant your own coral fragment, helping to restore damaged coral beds. The rest of the day is free for you to spend as you wish – maybe enjoy the views of the bay from your balcony or cool off in the resort’s infinity pool.

Today is a free day for you and your family to enjoy picturesque Gaya Island however you like. Ask your leader about the on-site water activities on offer or maybe opt to go snorkelling in the colourful reefs of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Or, if you and the kids are eager to learn more about marine conservation, you could sign up to the Marine Ecology Research Centre’s ‘Marine Biologist For a Day’ program – during this full-day program, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the science and everyday tasks involved in marine rehabilitation. This evening, join the other families for a farewell dinner and celebrate the memories you’ve made!

There are no further activities planned today and your adventure comes to an end after breakfast. A complimentary departure transfer is available to take you back to the mainland, departing Gaya Island at 11 am and arriving at the airport at around 12 pm. If you’d prefer to depart at an earlier or later time, a private transfer can be arranged for an additional fee. If you’d like to extend your stay in Borneo – and it’s highly recommended you do – just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.