Borneo Highlights and Langkawi beach
Bespoke Holiday Itinerary / Experience Tour

This suggested holiday takes in eight days in Malaysian Borneo staying in simple lodges in jungles and national parks. The Borneo adventure is followed by five days in Langkawi off the west coast of "Peninsular" Malaysia where you'll stay in a lovely boutique-style beach hotel.  An itinerary along these lines is a great way to ensure good beach weather at the certain times of the year as Langkawi has totally opposite seasons to those on the islands off Borneo.  This holiday is also an excellent way to take in the highlights of two contrasting parts of Malaysia. 

Highlights include

Your personalised quotation with Experience Travel Group will include.

• International Flights (which can be omitted from your quotation if you prefer)
• Accommodation as described
• Privately guided tours and transfers 
• Original Experience Travel Group "Signature" experiences 
• Full financial protection (full ABTA and ATOL bonding). 
• Meals as described, 
• 24 hour in-country backup whilst away
• Your own dedicated travel expert in the UK 

For more on our pricing policy read here.  

Day 1 Depart the UK

Depart the UK on an overnight flight to Sandakan in Malaysia (usually via Kuala Lumpur).

Days 2 & 3 Sepilok

On arrival you’ll transfer straight into the Bornean jungle for a two night stay at Sepilok Nature Resort. The Kabili-Sepilok Forest is renowned for its orchids, ancient trees, and of course, its orangutan population and there will be plenty of time for exploration.

During your time here there will be a chance to visit the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, the Sun Bear Conservation Centre and the Rainforest Discovery Centre.

Days 4 & 5 Kinabatangan River

From Sepilok you’ll depart on a two-hour journey to the Kinabatangan River, passing local villages. On arrival, after lunch there will be time to cruise up the river searching for wildlife; the area is known for elephants, hornbills, gibbons and many species of bird.

Enjoy a night-time guided nature walk and the following day there will be an exciting river-boat cruise to take in the scenery of Pitas oxbow lake, looking out for pygmy elephants on the journey upstream.

Days 6 & 7 Mulu National Park

A short flight will take you to Mulu National Park (there is an option to break the journey for a night or two in Kota Kinabalu which can be discussed with your travel expert). The park HQ is really close to the airport so you can check in and get involved in some of the nearby activities straight away, visit the treetop tower for views across the canopy or take a short stroll along the trails.

Prepare to be blown away by the sheer size of the cave chambers in Mulu, they are the largest in the world. During your stay there will be the chance to take a guided walk (around 3km) to Lang Cave where you can explore the splendid stalactites and stalagmites before continuing to Deer Cave. Deer Cave is famous for its bat colony who depart the cave on mass as dusk.  In fact the evening brings the chance to take a guided night-time trek keeping watch for nocturnal animals.

The second day in Mulu will include a longboat ride along the Melinau River to Wind Cave, and a trip to Asia’s longest cave, Clearwater Cave. Here you’ll be transported along its subterranean river by boat.

Days 8-10 Kuching

Another quick hop will bring you to the city of Kuching where your local driver will meet you for the short transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax in your hotel

During your time in Kuching your guide will take you on a city stroll to learn about local history and to try some of the delicious regional food. Highlights of the day include viewing the Mughal-style pink State mosque and taking a sunset cruise along the Sarawak River.

The next day you can opt to explore either Bako National Park or the Kuching Wetlands (alternatively, you could add an extra day here and explore both). Bako is a pristine rainforest just an hour away from the city with wildlife, diverse plant life, waterfalls, beaches and hiking trails. The Kuching Wetlands offers the chance to look for Irrawaddy dolphins in their natural habitat. The wetlands are also home to a variety of birds, fish and crocodile.

Days 11-14 Langkawi

Today you fly from Kuching to Langkawi (either via Penang or Kuala Lumpur where a stop can be added if you wish). With turquoise seas and pristine beaches against a verdant rainforest backdrop, the island of Langkawi is the ideal place for an island escape. Your time here is free to flop on the beach but if you’d prefer more to do then there are rainforest and marine adventures we can arrange. You could even take a day or overnight trip to idyllic Koh Lipe in Thailand (1 hour away by speedboat).

Day 15 Fly Home

Depart Langkawi for your flight back to UK.