9-Day Itinerary for Borneo

Hi there! We’ll be in Singapore for a few days and have 9 days off from there. We’d love to visit Borneo, obviously not everything since we only have 9 days. Ideally, we’d like to spend the last 2 days near the sea in Sabah. Of course, we know we’ll only be able to see a small part of Borneo, but the logistics seem a bit tricky in such a short time.

There’s so much to do that I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. Any feedback from people who know the area (I imagine not many have been there for such a short trip...) would be great! Thanks!

It all depends on what interests you have. Do you want to visit museums, or get out into nature? If you're short on time, I'd recommend heading to Gunung Mulu and visiting the caves. Just hop on a quick flight from Miri

Thanks for your feedback. I’ve heard great things about those caves. 2 days? But I’m thinking the transfers to get to Mulu with 2 flights might take quite a while. We’d love to mix nature exploration with some relaxation—maybe beaches in northern Sabah? (No museums, though.) It might end up feeling a bit rushed. I’m struggling to figure out how many areas we can realistically cover in 9 days?

Hi again, I’ve been chatting with a friend who lives in KL. The issue is that he’s been to Borneo several times, but always for more than 15 days...

He’s suggesting two options he’s never done in just a few days:

1) 2 nights in Kuching, exploring, including Bako 2) Flight to Mulu with 2 nights there 3) Flight to Kota Kinabalu (KK) with 3 or 4 nights on an island like Gaya or Mantanani, then return via Singapore

Or: Do Kuching Flight to KK with 3 nights on an island Flight to Sepilok for orangutans +/- river, then direct return to KL and fly back to France from KL (which doesn’t bother us).

Option 2 seems a bit complicated to me! (in terms of flights)

Thanks

hi there, yeah I recommend 2 nights in Mulu. The flight is pretty short unless the plane stops in Marudi. Otherwise, if it's a direct flight, it takes less than 30 minutes. You can also take a flight to the Kelabit Highlands and visit the Penan communities

I’m already struggling to fit everything in! Any thoughts on options 1 and 2 mentioned above (option 1 has the downside of skipping Mulu…), while option 2 might be a bit weak (for the teen?). Oh well, we can’t do it all…

Not bad at all... Even cooler!

Hi there, I can't really comment on the other itineraries since I haven't been there. Yes, 9 days might be a bit tight because don't forget that getting from KL to Kuching takes almost a full day—let's say half a day. And keep in mind there aren't many roads on the island.

Hi there,

In 9 days, you can also visit Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

- Kuching and several nearby parks (Bako, Kubah, Semenggoh). The city is nice, but the beaches in that area aren’t great. Then take a flight to KK (about 2 hours, I don’t remember exactly). - KK and the coral islands just off the city for snorkeling and enjoying the beaches. From there, head back to KL or Singapore.

If you have time—but I doubt it—a 45-minute flight from KK to Tawau, then head to Semporna for snorkeling. After that, return to KK and take a flight to KL or Singapore.

Have a great trip!

Yeah, that’s pretty much it. I’d have liked to do: Day 1: Arrive in Kuching in the morning, stroll along the waterfront, historic district Day 2: Bako Day 3: Flight to Mulu, Mulu in the afternoon Day 4: Mulu Day 5: Flight to Kota (either nearby island like Gaya or Mantanani) Day 6: Island Day 7: Island Day 8: Island Day 9: Flight to Singapore or KL

Not sure if it’s doable

Hi there,

Honestly, it seems doable but tiring in terms of transportation.

You’ll need to check if there’s a flight between Kuching and Mulu because there’s a good chance there isn’t, and you might have to go via Miri. That adds time (and some airlines like Air Asia aren’t very reliable).

I think you should spend an extra day in Kuching to see more and one less day on the islands near KK because they’re pretty, but you might get a bit bored after a while (snorkeling is nice, but the sun is brutal, and the glare is strong—I’d recommend wearing a very covering swimsuit). That said, it’s just my personal opinion and depends on your tastes. In Mulu, there are also the Pinnacles to see (a hike if you like that sort of thing).

Also, take into account the hot and very humid climate, which tires people out quickly, not to mention the risk of rain (and then you won’t be able to do much at all).

Safe travels!

Thanks for these valuable tips. I found a Malaysia Airlines flight that takes off at 10:05 AM from Kuching and arrives at 11:40 AM in Mulu, so it seems like it could work for me. I also kind of agree with you about the beach and staying one day less there—maybe adding that day to Kuching for Semenggoh, or even leaving a day earlier to explore KL (though I’ve heard from quite a few friends that aside from the towers, I might not be blown away). The hike in Mulu looks pretty tough, so we’ll probably go for something a bit more low-key

For the hike in Mulu, it still seems pretty tough, so we're gonna do something a bit easier

Just a heads-up, a guide is mandatory to visit the caves and even for hiking in general.