The Ultimate 1-Week Northern Borneo Itinerary: Perfected by the Sloths

The Sloth’s (or maybe the Orangutans for this…) are proud to present the absolutely perfect, tried and tested 1‑week itinerary for Northern Borneo. We firmly believe that there is no better itinerary out there for you adventure seekers.

In this Official Sloths with Latitude Travel Guide, we outline the step-by-step, 7‑day journey through Malaysia and Brunei that we undertook in August 2024, whilst also discussing all the tips and tricks we learned during our incredible adventure.

Welcome to our step‑by‑step guide to the most eye‑opening week of your life.

Why Borneo

Borneo is one of the last true wildernesses on Earth. Its vast rainforests, winding rivers, and extraordinary wildlife—including orangutans, pygmy elephants, and proboscis monkeys—make it a must-visit destination for adventurous travellers. Lets be honest: trekking through the jungle at night, cruising down crocodile‑filled rivers, or watching orangutans swing through the trees feels is pretty damn awesome…

But this truly incredible biodiversity is disappearing. And fast. Due to deforestation, mining, and palm oil plantations, Borneo has lost over half of its rainforest in just a few decades. If current trends continue, many of its beautiful species could vanish with a decade.

If you’re in your 20s or younger (like us!), it’s possible your children will never get to experience Borneo as it is today. That’s why visiting responsibily and supporting local conservation efforts is more important than ever.

💡Sloth Tip: Please please avoid products with palm oil!!

What to Know Before Travelling to Borneo

Borneo is an incredible destination—but it’s not your average holiday. It’s hot, humid, wild, and remote in parts. That’s what makes it so special, but also why it’s good to be prepared.

Vaccinations & Health
Vaccines for Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and Tetanus are usually recommended. Some people recommend malaria tablets, although we did not take these… but do bring strong mosquito repellent!!
Weather
Clue is in the name ‘Rainforest’… come prepared! (Lightweight, quick‑dry clothes and a rain jacket are the best)
Cash Is King
Many rural areas (including the major attractions in Sepilok) and tours will only accept cash – ATMs are available in cities like Bandar, Kota Kinabalu and at airports.
Respect the Culture
Borneo is home to diverse communities, including Muslim‑majority areas – especially Brunei. Please dress modestly and respect local customs.

The Sloth‑Approved 7‑Day Itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Miri, Malaysian Sarawak
Day 2: Brunei’s Main Sights
Day 3: Sloth’s Scuba or Jungle Alternative
Day 4: Bus to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Day 5: Sepilok’s Wildlife Wonders
Days 6: Kinabatangan River Safari
Day 7: Kinabatangan River Safari
Day 8: Jungle Hike & Departure

Suggested Sloth Itinerary Day 1: Fly to Miri, Malaysian Sarawak

The first day of this adventure has one main goal: to be in a place to reach Brunei Darussalam.

Sure, you could fly directly to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s capital, but I wholeheartedly recommend the route we took… (it is also cheaper, and comes with a convenient tour of the main sights…).

With that in mind, here is what we suggest you do:

✈️ Fly into Miri, Sarawak (MYY) – We flew from Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines for just $40 / £30! (Air Asia also fly this route for cheap!)
🚖 After arrival, grab a Bolt taxi to your accommodation in Miri (around $5 / £4).

Accommodation in Miri

Miri is a small city with limited hotel options—but we loved the Room Hotel. For just $15 a night, we got a clean, comfy room—don’t be put off by the 4.1-star Google rating. Genuinely great (and I care about this stuff!).

If you’re arriving early enough, get dinner at Kebaya Story, rated 4.8 stars and just around the corner.

Then… get an early night. Tomorrow’s a long day – And we are heading to Brunei!

Sloth Suggested Itinerary - Day 2: Brunei's Main Sights

Now, since Covid, there are no buses running between Miri and Brunei’s capital city, Bandar Seri Bagawan. Thus, we needed to get creative.

An Affordable Private Tour Across the Border

Whilst searching online, I found a company known as FindMe Logistics, ran by the amazing Pauline. For just $40/£30 per person (we travelled as a pair), she picked us up in Miri, Malaysia and drove us into Brunei.

But there’s more… included for the fee (which for a private 3 hour taxi was already pretty good!), she took us to all of Brunei’s main attractions along the way to our homestay. Unreal value.

What We Saw On the Way:

1) 1 Billionth Barrel Monument – an interesting little monument dedicated, of course, to Brunei’s 1 Billionth Barrel of Oil.

2) Jerudong Park (where Michael Jackson once performed) and one of the world’s only 7 Star hotels – The Empire Hotel. This was a lovely little surprise, and the staff let us wander the grounds freely.

3) Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque – The main public Mosque in the country today. Please remember to dress appropriately here (they will, however, provide you with robes to wear).

4) Istana Nurul Iman (The Sultan’s Palace) – Unsurprisingly, the world’s biggest house (2000 bedrooms and 200 bathrooms!) cannot be visited, but this was a great opportunity for some photos in front of the gates. We even saw the Princess of Brunei leave in a rather nice Jag!

5) Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque – In my opinion, this is the most beautiful mosque on earth. Spend some time enjoying the tranquility and don’t miss the photo frame outside.

6) Kampong Ayer Boat Tour – For the next stop, Pauline took us to the pier for a boat tour of the world’s largest floating city – Kampong Ayer. We (or Pauline) negotiated with a local water taxi, and for about $10 he took all of us on a 30-minute ride up the river and past Istana Nurul Iman (the house!), and through Kampong Ayer. This was awesome, and we loved seeing the floating fire station, mosque, and schools!

7) Lunch by the Brunei River – Finally, we went for some food at a local restaurant by the river. Here we ate Brunei’s national dish – a starchy substance known as Ambuyat. This was, erm, not quite like eating Argentinian steak, but together with dried fish, it made for an interesting meal. Deffo worth experiencing!

Where to Stay in Brunei

As we were diving the next day, Pauline kindly dropped us off at our lovely little homestay – Poni Homestay.

Accommodation in Brunei isn’t exactly plentiful, especially for those on a budget. Poni Homestay, however, was perfectly located for scuba, and was very affordable, costing just $30/£25 a night for a private room, with breakfast.

For those less concerned about their wallets, however, you could of course stay in the Empire Hotel ($200/night). For those wanting to be closer to the central sights, the Radisson Hotel ($120/night) also comes recommended.

💡Sloth Scoop: For those wanting a really unique stay, we hear good things about Kunyit 7 Lodge – located in Kampong Ayer! Make sure to book ahead earlier though!

Suggesed Sloth Itinerary - Day 3: Sloth's go Scuba

Don’t get me wrong, the sights from the previous day are wonderful. But the best thing you can do in Brunei is, so long as you have the qualifications, is Scuba Dive the AWESOME WW2 wrecks off the coast.

We (dove?? dived?? dunno) went diving with an awesome company called Oceanic Quest. They are the ONLY 5 star PADI centre in Brunei (this is why we avoided Poni Divers).

Diving Brunei’s Wrecks:

For about $140 you will get three amazing dives – picture huge Navy vessels with bullet casings etc… Here are the dives we did:

1. Australian Wreck (Dutch SS De Klerk)

Don’t let the name fool you — the Australian Wreck is actually a Dutch passenger cargo ship, the SS De Klerk, built in 1909. Scuttled by the Dutch during World War II to prevent capture, it was salvaged and repurposed by the Japanese, only to sink again in 1944 after hitting a Japanese mine. Over 300 people lost their lives when the ship sank…

2. American Wreck (USS Salute)

The American Wreck is the USS Salute, a World War II U.S. Navy minesweeper that sank in 1945 after striking a mine. The blast tore the ship in two, and its remains now sit upright on the seabed off Brunei’s coast.

3. Dolphin 88 Wreck

The Dolphin 88 is Brunei’s most recent shipwreck, a Malaysian cargo barge that sank during a storm in 2013. Unlike the war-era wrecks, this one is peaceful — and perfect for less experienced divers.

This is pretty advanced diving – the weather was cloudy, there are oil rigs next to you, and there is low visibility…. but holy schmoly, was this fun.

Use the rest of the day to relax – either head back into the city, or why not check out the local beaches and sunset viewpoints? Just watch out for the crocs!

💡Sloth Scoop: Yes, I am aware that we stayed at an accomodation owned by the diving school i do not recommend. Just keep it hush hush that you are diving with Oceanic!

(Substitute) Suggested Sloth Itinerary Day 3: Jungle

Not a diver? No worries. Brunei has some of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world.

Brunei’s Top Nature Spots:

Ulu Temburong National Park – 50,000 hectares of untouched jungle, this park is renowned globally for its exceptional biodiversity, and also preserves the heritage of Borneo’s indigenous longhouse communities, whose traditional ways of life are deeply rooted in the surrounding environment.
Damuan Recreational Park – Peaceful walkways lined with neatly kept shrubs and sculptures, offering beautiful views of Istana Nurul Iman.
Tasek Lama Park – A calming waterfall and elevated vantage points over Kampong Ayer.
Bukit Shahbandar Recreational Park – 70 hectares of rolling hills and diverse forest trails, making it one of the most accessible rainforests in the country for outdoor enthusiasts.

To visit these places, please message Pauline from FindMe Logistics or check www.bruneitourism.com.

Prefer Culture?

Check out the:

Royal Regalia Museum – Gold, gifts, and possessions from the Sultan’s life.
Kampong Ayer Cultural & Tourism Gallery – Learn more about the “Venice of the East”.

Suggested Sloth Itinerary - Day 4: Bus to Kota Kinabalu

As part of our Borneo journey, we left Brunei after 2 nights. Our destination was Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Sabah. Now, of course you could fly there…. but we say take the bus (for around $35/£28, from here).

Why? Its quite simple – you will get 8 passport stamps!

It is admittedly quite a long bus, but the geography of the region makes it an interesting journey…

Stamp 1: Exit Brunei

Stamp 2: Enter Malaysian Sarawak

Stamp 3: Exit Malaysian Sarawak

Stamp 4: Re-enter (!) Brunei

Stamp 5: Exit Brunei

Stamp 6: Re-entering Malaysian Sarawak

Stamp 7: Exit Malaysian Sarawak

Stamp 8: Entering Malaysian Sabah

What an adventure! You may not agree, but I think that is quite good fun (for a bus journey!)

💡Sloth Suggestion: The bus will stop for a lunch break in a random village in Sawarak named Lawas – make sure you eat at ‘Everyday Chicken and Rice’ – they serve, surprise surprise, Chicken and Rice… and it was delish!

Kota Kinabalu

After about 8 hours, you will arrive in the wonderful city of Kota Kinabalu – I celebrated my birthday here (and yes, also on the bus), and we had a lovely evening.

But before you go exploring, head to your accommodation. Here is what we suggest:

Budget Option: Faloe Hostel ($9/£6.50 a night)

A new and highly-rated hostel in a central location. Ideal for budget travelers – this is where we stayed! And it was perfect (only wish the beds had curtains though)

Mid-range Option: The LUMA Hotel ($70/£55 a night)

This looks like a great value luxury hotel with a great location!

High-end Option: Shangri La Tanjung Aru (120 GBP/night)

We haven’t stayed here yet, but the Telegraph rates it as the best hotel in Kota Kinabalu. We’ll take their word for it!

Kota Kinabalu Evening Guide:

Since it was my birthday on this evening, we of course wanted to celebrate – but beers in Malaysia are expensive compared to the rest of SEA.

So what did we do instead of a bar-crawl? A food-crawl, of course!

In particular, I recommend Kedai Makan – for their Roti Cobra (crispy, fluffy flatbread folded around spicy curry)

Afterwards, I actually suggest going for a massage – we went to Sunset Kinabalu Massage. This was great – we paid about $15 dollars each for a 1 hour full body massage.

Sloth Suggested Itinerary - Day 5: Animals

Start your day early (another reason to avoid that bar crawl) by flying from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan, a quick and affordable domestic route.

Flights with AirAsia typically cost around $40 (including baggage) and take under an hour — so it’s a great way to maximise your time.

Where to Stay in Sepilok, Borneo

Upon arrival in Sandakan, book a Bolt to Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort — our top pick for all budgets.

Why do we recommend this for everyone? Simply, they have rooms for every budget, and every guest gets access to the beautiful jungle swimming pool, and the All-you-can-eat breakfast buffet!

Dorm room: ~$20 per person per night — we had the whole room to ourselves

Private chalets: ~$120 per night — perfect for couples, families, or nature lovers

Once ready, we suggest you go and explore the three main attractions in Sepliok…

Top 3 Things to Do in Sepilok:

1. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

Entry: 30 MYR ($8 USD)

This sanctuary is home to the Bornean Orangutan, an endangered species found only in Borneo. You can watch these guys up close as they feast, climb and and swing freely in the semi-wild habitat.

This is a must-visit experience in Borneo and one of the best places in the world to see orangutans in a natural environment.

2. Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Entry: 50 MYR (~$12 USD)

Right next to the Orangutan centre is the Sun Bear Conservation Centre, home to the world’s smallest bear. These elusive animals are rarely seen in the wild, making this sanctuary an amazing experience.

3. Rainforest Discovery Centre

Entry: 30 MYR (~$7 USD)

Explore one of Borneo’s best canopy walkways, stretching 600m above the forest floor. It offers a bird’s-eye view of the jungle, with chances to spot hornbills, macaques, and other wildlife.

Dinner Recommendation: White Horse Bistro

After a full day of wildlife exploration, head to White Horse Bistro in Sandakan for a great dinner – (we also came here for lunch)

Sloth Suggested Itinerary - Day 6: Kinabatagan Day 1

Today kicks off one of the highlights of your Borneo adventure – a 3-day, 2-night Kinabatangan River Safari.

Start the day early with breakfast before heading to the 10:00 AM orangutan feeding session at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

If you missed it the day before, go now!

Kinabatangan River 3D2N Wildlife Tour Details

Tour cost: 615 MYR (~$150 USD), paid in cash
Tour guide: Mr Aji — a local wildlife expert famously used by David Attenborough (such a legend, with a real understanding of the jungle). For his contact details, follow the link here.
Pick-up: After the feeding, you’ll be picked up by Jerry, Mr Aji’s son
Journey: 2-hour drive with a stop for lunch en route
Accommodation: Mr Aji’s homestay/house!

Once settled in, you’ll head straight out on a 3-hour boat safari along the Kinabatangan River. This is your best chance to spot Borneo’s “Big 5”:

Wild orangutans
Proboscis monkeys
Pygmy elephants
Estuarine crocodiles
Rhinoceros hornbills

The wildlife sightings here are truly spectacular – but the impact of deforestation is painfully visible.

Evening Activities

After dinner at a local restaurant (included in the tour cost), you willl do something awesome – a guided night hike through the jungle with Jerry, where you may spot nocturnal animals, insects, and maybe even elephants…

Sloth Suggested Itinerary Day 7: Kinabatagan Day 2

Begin Day 7 with an early 6:00 AM boat safari along the Kinabatangan River. This 3-hour morning ride offers the best chance to spot wildlife while the jungle wakes up. Keep your eyes peeled for the big 5!

After the morning safari, return to Mr Aji’s for breakfast and a few hours to relax 🙂

Following lunch, head out again for another boat ride. Each trip offers different sightings, so make sure you are always on the lookout (although Mr Aji is incredible at this).

After dinner, take part in a night boat safari – this is when we saw crocodiles…!

Sloth Suggested Itinerary Day 8: Kinabatagan Day 3 & Goodbyes

Start your last morning in Borneo with an early breakfast before heading out on a guided road hike through the jungle. This is a great opportunity to spot any wildlife you may have missed and to take in the peaceful sounds of the rainforest one last time.

After the hike, Jerry will drive you back to Sandakan. From there, catch your flight to either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, depending on your onward travel plans.

Want more in Borneo? Do this!

If you’re extending your trip in Borneo, consider heading south for world-class scuba diving. Sipadan, located off the southeast coast, is frequently rated as one of the best dive sites in the world. Expect incredible visibility, sea turtles, barracuda tornadoes, reef sharks, and vibrant coral walls.

Or, why not go and explore the unknown Indonesian side of Borneo?