Wildlifeof Borneo
Kinabatangan
River safari
Sabah's longest river, and the easiest place in Borneo to see a genuinely wide range of wildlife without a long trek — boat safaris glide along the water's edge through floodplain forest where animals concentrate on the narrow remaining strip of habitat between the river and encroaching oil palm. That concentration effect is what makes it so productive: proboscis monkeys, Bornean elephants, orangutans and estuarine crocodiles are all seen here with a regularity most other sites can't match, even though the surrounding landscape is far more disturbed than places like Danum Valley or Maliau.
Top highlights
- Proboscis Monkey
- Bornean Elephant
- Bornean Orangutan
- Saltwater Crocodile
- Silvered Langur
- Rhinoceros Hornbill
- Storm's Stork
- Wrinkled Hornbill
- Water Monitor
- Southern Pig-tailed Macaque
Where you'll stay / explore
Sukau Greenview
A more affordable Sukau lodge that still takes wildlife seriously, with great guides and the river jetties a short walk away.
Borneo Nature Lodge
A favourite with serious birders and mammalwatchers, thanks to flexible extended cruises from its own jetty.
Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort
One of the most luxurious lodges on the river, deep in the Lower Kinabatangan wetlands and linked by raised walkways.
Osman's Homestay
A family-run Sukau homestay led by veteran guide Osman, where many guests have seen Sunda Clouded Leopard.
Tanjung Bulat Jungle Camp
The only camp on its oxbow lake off the Kinabatangan — you get the whole oxbow to yourselves, with river cruises and night walks.
Accommodation
The Sukau/Bilit stretch of river has lodges at every level, from budget riverside B&Bs like Sukau Greenview Lodge up through mid-range options such as Borneo Nature Lodge to the upmarket, award-winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge.
