Borneo guide
Borneo has enticed travellers, biologists, anthropologists and photographers for decades. Our Borneo travel guide takes you to the world's third largest island.
Borneo luxury travel guide
You could argue that just being in Borneo is a luxury. The sheer wealth of natural wonders here is a never-forgotten treat. In Sabah, mighty Mount Kinabalu tempts hikers to its summit, while cruises along the Kinabatangan River drift past remarkable flora and fauna, much of it unique to Borneo. Sarawak, meanwhile, boasts 30 national parks that protect some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. Meet Borneo’s celebrated orangutans, too, and spend a night in a traditional longhouse, a thrilling way to learn about the indigenous Iban people.
Exotic plants, orangutans and former headhunting tribes, combined with eco lodges and blissful beach resorts – luxury travel is all about the mix in Borneo.![]()
Tourism is on the rise in both Sabah and Sarawak, but these are not easy places to travel around independently and it’s worth spending the time, and money, to get a trip here right. A luxury holiday will do the heavy lifting for you, securing the best experiences and accommodation, with an eye on responsibility, too. Then all you have to do is enjoy it.
Find out more in our Borneo luxury travel guide.
Find out more in our Borneo luxury travel guide.
Best time to visit Borneo
Borneo's tropical climate means heat, humidity and showers year-round – so take it slow and pack an umbrella!![]()
Borneo hovers between 27°C and 32°C for 12 months of the year, with exhaustingly high humidity. If you’re here to hike and spot wildlife, be aware that you’ll be doing so in a near-sauna with very little breeze – although Mount Kinabalu’s chilly summit provides some respite. April to September are the driest months, generally considered the best time to visit Borneo, although ‘dry’ is a relative term – showers happen any time, keeping the jungle lush and verdant. Thankfully, the island is sheltered from the worst of Southeast Asia’s weather, so no need to worry about cyclones.
Sepilok Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
23
29
443
FEB
23
30
278
MAR
24
31
188
APR
24
32
120
MAY
24
32
154
JUN
23
32
190
JUL
23
32
184
AUG
23
32
241
SEP
23
32
231
OCT
23
32
230
NOV
23
31
300
DEC
23
30
435
Our Borneo luxury Holidays
Borneo orangutan holiday
Trekking, wildlife and beach adventure holiday to Borneo
From
£3650
14 days
inc UK flights
Borneo tailor made holidays, wildlife & beaches
A luxury tour of the best wildlife & beaches of Sabah
From
£2965
15 days
ex flights
Luxury beach holiday in Borneo & Orangutans
Relaxation in one of nature's most picturesque settings
From
£2750
13 days
inc UK flights
Honeymoon in Borneo
Luxury Borneo Honeymoon, best of wildlife & luxury resorts
From
£2785
13 days
ex flights
Borneo wildlife holiday, Sarawak
A light trekking and jungle adventure holiday in Sarawak
From
£2895
14 days
inc UK flights
Borneo holiday, Highlights of Borneo
The highlights of Sabah, from Orangutans to Mt Kinabalu
From
£2469
12 days
ex flights
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Borneo luxury or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
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Why choose a luxury holiday to Borneo?
The key benefit to a luxury Borneo tailor made holiday is the flexibility. Extend your stay at the beach, delve deeper into the jungle, join a trek off the beaten track or enjoy a stopover en route, in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. This is your holiday, and your hard earned cash, so you get to decide what you consider to be a luxury!
The expertly devised itineraries that luxury trips to Borneo offer help you get the most from your time here. This is really invaluable, because Borneo tends to be a once-in-a-lifetime destination, whatever your budget. You can’t fly direct to Sabah or Sarawak, so it takes time and money just to get here. Once you’ve arrived, it’s important to see and do everything that interests you, but at a pace that suits, too. Luxury itineraries take care of all this, booking beautiful accommodation in often remote locations, providing brilliantly informed guides who can help you understand the country’s wildlife and wonders, and organising domestic flights so you won’t waste time reaching the best bits. Result? A rich, varied taste of this wonderful island in just 12 days or so.
The expertly devised itineraries that luxury trips to Borneo offer help you get the most from your time here. This is really invaluable, because Borneo tends to be a once-in-a-lifetime destination, whatever your budget. You can’t fly direct to Sabah or Sarawak, so it takes time and money just to get here. Once you’ve arrived, it’s important to see and do everything that interests you, but at a pace that suits, too. Luxury itineraries take care of all this, booking beautiful accommodation in often remote locations, providing brilliantly informed guides who can help you understand the country’s wildlife and wonders, and organising domestic flights so you won’t waste time reaching the best bits. Result? A rich, varied taste of this wonderful island in just 12 days or so.
Responsible tourism
Unlike in mainland Southeast Asia, where tourism has expanded at a fast and often insensitive pace, tourism in Borneo is largely being developed thoughtfully and sustainably. Sabah and Sarawak are now well equipped for visitors, with wildlife reserves, world-class dive sites and mountain treks. Most luxury itineraries explore the wonderful wildlife of Borneo, and entrance fees to national parks and visits to rehabilitation centres such as Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary provide money to help endangered wildlife and protect against deforestation. Some holidays go further, taking part in a tree planting scheme, for instance, to help with reforestation.
Accommodation
Luxury holidays give you access to some of the most beautiful accommodation in Borneo. Island resorts with spas and infinity pools beckon, as do remote jungle lodges, perched on stilts and accessed by river boat. Splashing out on top end accommodation also feels so much more worthwhile after you’ve tramped through a jungle, dodging the leeches, or scaled a mountain.Some accommodation has great eco credentials, too: harvesting rainwater, using solar power, recycling as much waste as possible and employing staff and guides from local villages. It may also donate a portion of its tourist income to conservation charities and local initiatives in the area. Some hotels are even locally built and run, so with this range of accommodation possibilities, it’s worth quizzing your holiday provider about the hotels and lodges used, as paying more does not necessarily guarantee a more environmentally friendly approach.
A true luxury experience in Borneo isn’t elitist, though. A stay with an Iban tribe in their traditional longhouse doesn’t rate as a four-star luxury experience, but it features in luxury trips because it’s a treat in terms of cultural enlightenment. In addition, each visit contributes financially to the medical and educational needs of the Iban.
More about Borneo luxury
Borneo is the third largest island in the world, but a luxury trip will incorporate internal flights, so you can hop between Sabah and Sarawak, jungle and coast, within a single trip.
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