Review Author: Martijn Jansink

Review Date: 19 Apr 2026

Review Body: Perfect. Resorts are really clean and nice. Good aircos. The first resort even had a swimming pool. Only thing i what would be nice is to give a time line when and what youre going to do. Then you can combine it with your flight back so you dont have to wait hours before your flight departs.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Agnes

Review Date: 24 Apr 2026

Review Body: This trip was really cool! I wish we booked an additional day.. our children (6 and 12 years old) also really enjoyed this. Both accomodations where nice and clean. The food was amazing. The tours where impressive. Absolutely recommend this trip!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Jayde

Review Date: 21 Sep 2026

Review Body: Everything about this experience was amazing. The facilities, the staff, the tours! I went with my 10year old son and we couldn’t wipe the smile off our faces the whole time. If we ever get the chance to return; we would 100% book the same trip.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Peter Clarkson

Review Date: 01 Jul 2026

Review Body: Thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Great communication for pick ups etc with Dee. Got to see all we came for and more. Levi was a great guide too.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Tje Sam Mok

Review Date: 19 Apr 2026

Review Body: Loved the boat trip. Saw a lot of things (monkeys, crocodiles and birds). Only downside is that you don’t get a timetable before you arrive at the resort.

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Steven

Review Date: 19 Jun 2026

Review Body: To be honest, overall we are dissapointed. First of all the schedule was unclear and nowhere to be found. Not a big deal but it would have been nice to know what we were up for. For a 3 day and 2 night trip to the jungle, we were picked up the first day at 08:30am and finished by 02:00pm after visiting 3 sanctuaries only a short walking distance from the eventual hotel. Day 2 we were picked up at 12:45pm for a 2 hour ride finally going into the true jungle. After arriving we went on an hour boat trip, and that was is for the day. Of course we had dinner, but for the experience we came for, that was already it. Day 3 started at 06:00am to go on another hour boat trip on the river, only to be picked up again at 08:00am the be brought back to your next destination. When it comes to the communication beforehand, the arranged bus transfers, the accommodation, the food and the people running the trip, everything was great. But for a 3day 2night trip to the jungle, it lacked a lot of jungle and raw experiences. In my opinion not necessarily worth the money we paid. Nevertheless, seeing the elephants and all the wildlife around the river for the 2 hours we were on there, was truely unforgettable.

Review rating: 3

Review Author: TO NGUYEN BAO TRINH

Review Date: 10 Sep 2020

Review Body: This was the cheapest deal we could find among tour agents during rMCO for 2 people. And this is the only tour agent that provides Sandakan airport pickup (or maybe there are some but we couldn't find). And everything was VERY worth the money. The wooden room is very big in the middle of jungle, food is cooked which can be suitable flavor for everyone and delicious. The 1st day there was only 3 people on the river cruise so I felt like it was a private tour for us and we could talk more to the tour guide, which is very knowledgeable. We couldn't see elephants although we were informed that there was a group of them heading to downstream. So we could see monkeys, hornbills, crocodiles, white boars, eagles...Don't expect to see lions or some dangerous animals as you are not real explorer :))) It is more toward about your experience and escape from hectic life. The activities are repeated everyday so it may get less interesting sometimes. But if you have times I think 3D2N is good option because 2D1N if the weather is not good then you are not lucky. Our 2nd day was raining and we couldn't see many animals on the river cruise. At the end we gave our tour guide some tips as our thanks for him. Resort staffs are also very nice and warmly welcome us. In general, I highly recommend you to book this tour and enjoy the experience, you will not regret spending the money.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Annika D, Sydney, Australia

Review Date: 24 Nov 2018

Review Body: We ended up doing a 4D3N tour, booked via River-Junkie. It was the perfect amount of time to spend there and my partner and I loved it. The wildlife was spectacular, we saw orang-utans, elephants, proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys, hornbills, kingfisher, crocodiles and lots of other wildlife. As Kinabatangan has small sanctuaries along the river, surrounded by palm plantations, the wildlife has few placed to go to which is why it's fairly easy to spot wildlife, very sad for the animals but great spotting. The staff is superb! Specially DD and Mr captain Israh, thanks so much for everything! You made our stay very special. They can't get enough credit for their work. Food is good, always several options/plenty of it and free flow or tea/coffee. The dorms are very clean and has air-con, very comfy beds. You'll sleep well. The only down side was the night walks, or the lack of them, 2 out of 3 were cancelled due to elephants too close to the lodge, which is fair enough but they seemed to struggle to find a replacement activity. A few of us ended up doing a night cruise instead but had to pay a whooping 80RM per person to do so. Loved our stay there though and can highly recommend and would love to go there again!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Qasim

Review Date: 09 Mar 2026

Review Body: Stayed for 3 d/2n in shared room. Had a great time! Pros: good amount of river rides with committed guides; saw orangutans, crocodiles, Proboscus monkeys, and many others; each multiple times. Rooms are nice, good food options, friendly staff, and pick up/drop off is a big plus for a pretty long (2 hr) ride. Some past reviews said boat rides can be repetitive which worried me, but it was an advantage to have multiple attempts to see animals, and even if you see the same ones, you see them in a different context. To be desired: jungle walks aren’t great, but the place is more set up for the river. The jungle walk ads-on is essentially just a short walk around the lodging rather than a real trek. Hopefully they can develop that a little bit over time if the space allows for it. Note: don’t expect to see animals super close (sometimes you will though! We saw a croc pretty up close), but that’s to be expected (otherwise you’d just go to a zoo). Seeing animals in their natural habitat, even if far away, was much more enjoyable than seeing them up close in the sanctuaries Lastly, staff was great. Eg I had some dietary needs that they both remembered and handled very easily without making it feel like an annoyance.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Mebby12, Liverpool, United Kingdom

Review Date: 12 Jul 2019

Review Body: I visited in July with 2 other friends (23years old) and it was fantastic start to finish. Pick up in sepilok was prompt and well organised. The lodge itself was brilliant, clean room and comfy beds (6 bed dorm 6 girls we knew). Good communal space - beware of monkeys/bats but gives good jungle experience. The staff we so lovely and couldnt do enough for you day and night. They served the buffet and planned the jungle walks and river cruises. Spoke good english and were full of knowledge and information on the local wildlife. They really went above and beyond to help us see crocodiles, orangutans, slow loris etc and we couldnt be happier! One member of staff ‘Ryan’ took us to his village and helped us plant trees in the forrest - this was great to see the village life on the river. The food was buffet and there was plenty of it. Overall great experience, loads to do and great value for money. Also time to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet and drink tea in the calming environment. We were lucky with what we saw but this was just a bonus to the already fantastic trip (3day 2 night). Thank you to all the staff and hope to come back again so Alex can remain Limbo champion (of the guests)

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Globetrotter0488 Singapore, Singapore

Review Date: 25 Jan 2019

Review Body: We went with no expectations given the remote location and the accomodation standards in the region and we were blown away. Rooms are minimal and has all you need, funny to read people complain no tv or wifi..the reason to go to such places is disconnect and reconnect with nature and your surroindings. Wake up to the sounds of birds and wild animals to enjoy the cool fresh air in the jungle. The guides were amazing, knowleadgeable and entertaining. Staff went above and beyond to cater to everyone and make it fun. Games,laughter and exploration of the wild was the perfect getaway from the city. Don't expect gourmet meals but do expect a trip of a lifetime. We were lucky to spot several animals including orangutans building nests in the wild. I have to add a BIG thank you to all the staff as my husband managed to forget 1x bag in the restaurant and we were too far out in our journey to return. They managed to find someone to send it to KK the same day! They could have easily not bothered. You are all stars and we hope to see you again!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Shreyan Saha

Review Date: 01 Jan 2026

Review Body: Really good experience as a first timer. Granted that it's recommended to take the 3d2n package I personally didn't feel rushed at all in the 2d1n package. The boat trips were pretty long and usually they are willing to extend the trip durations slightly so that you get a better chance for sightings of the big 5 - which btw if you go at a good time of the year is not outside the realm of possibility. If I do have to give some suggestions: Definitely increase the number of local items at the buffets and reduce continental items like baked beans, just a personal opinion. Other than that they take a 10 myr deposit for the room key. Make sure to get it back ! Other than that, the experience was pretty flawless, although for night, I'd recommend the night walk instead of the night cruise... slightly better chances for more nocturnal creatures imo and better chances to get closer to them. P.S. I definitely will be coming back here again in the future!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: juniieejune Hamburg, Germany

Review Date: 13 May 2019

Review Body: It's about 2.5hrs from Sandakan Airport but if you take the tour package, transportation is arranged. Upon arrival we were greeted by friendly staff. We were brief on resort orientation and brought to our room. Loved the mosquito netting provided for each bed. Lovely sound of nature and insects. What a peaceful feeling when your bed has the forest view, priceless. Kinabatangan river cruise activities were well arranged and punctual. Enjoyed our late afternoon and early morning cruise. Saw: proboscis monkeys, macaque monkeys, crocodiles, blue head kingfisher bird, hornbill and water monitor lizard. The night walk was fun too, we saw gigantic butterfly. Food provided for each meal (breakfast, tea time, dinner) were delicious. After dinner, there's short cultural activities between the guests and staff, before the night jungle walk. Loved our experience and feel the warm hospitality from the staff. Highly recommended!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Norman & Amelia

Review Date: 11 Jul 2025

Review Body: Everything was very well organised and run with military precision where all the river cruises and meal times/tea times were concerned. The staff couldn’t have been more helpful and accomodating. The river guides are all excellent,very knowledgeable and will work hard to seek out wildlife for you to see,though of course nothing is guaranteed. We were very lucky to have been paired with Rian/Ryan and were even more lucky with his keen eye to see nearly all of the Borneo Big 5 on our first trip. He also had a wildlife photographer on his boat who would whatsapp you all his pics for free 😊👍🏻 Not sure if that’s a regular thing though 🤷🏼‍♂️ Our only other tip,but it’s something we always do when travelling,is to take your own preferred drinks and snacks. The staff here will help with storage and refrigeration of anything take. The accommodation is clean and a towel and some individual toiletries are provided per guest.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Cheryl & Family

Review Date: 24 Aug 2025

Review Body: Really lovely resort. Very much in the Jungle but everything was of a much much better quality than we were expecting. Great staff, lovely food and really excellent river cruises. Our Guide spotted lots of animals and gave us plenty of time to watch them. We saw baby Proboscis Monkey’s swinging in the trees (my highlight) and my Son got his wish of seeing a Crocodile…. we saw 4! Along with Long and Pig Tailed Macaques, Silver Leaf Langurs, Hornbills an Eagle and lots of other Birds. We booked a 2D1N stay in a dorm room as that’s all that was left available to book. My children had never stayed in a shared dorm room before and I was nervous about it but I needn’t have been. They absolutely loved it! The communication from the Seek Sophie Team was also excellent. Very reassuring for someone new to this kind of adventure. All in all a magical experience. I fully recommend!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: DHJ_1, Chester

Review Date: 21 Apr 2019

Review Body: My husband and I booked the 3D2N package through River Junkies, and we were pleasantly surprised. We had a warm welcome from staff with tea and snacks when we arrived, and were shown to our dorm which was one of the nicest dorms we’ve ever stayed in! The big wooden beds were comfy, and the AC and fan were great when it got too hot. The showers and toilets were clean and we never had to wait to use them. The river cruises and nature walks were good but more commentary about the river and the animals that lived there would have been nice. We were so lucky to see an orangutan with her baby, plus lots of macaques, Proboscis monkeys, birds and four crocodiles. We got lucky again on the night walk and saw a pit viper and a slow loris which was amazing. Food was plentiful and tasty, and on the whole we really enjoyed our time here.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lisa

Review Date: 31 Mar 2026

Review Body: We booked the 3-day/2-night tour and would highly recommend it to anyone! It’s definitely the best value package deal for a river safari. We stayed in a dorm; the beds are super comfortable and everything is top-notch. The bathrooms and communal areas at the resort are great! The food was good and the tours were brilliant. Our guide Kai, in particular, was fantastic! Thanks to him, we were able to see all the Big Five, as he relied on his experience and stayed longer at some spots than other boats – his patience paid off every time! He shared a lot of knowledge with us and explained everything brilliantly. You could tell that nature and the animals are truly close to his heart and that he does it all out of passion! We would recommend staying for at least two nights to increase your chances of seeing all of the Big Five.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Snehil

Review Date: 06 Jul 2026

Review Body: I had great experience with the 3d2n tour at Kinabatangan river. I also feel this is good enough time to explore the area and see the relevant species. You can take 4d one as well as that increases chances for wild Orangutans as we couldn't see any in our tour. The guides, the staff back at resort and the resort itself is very clean, hygienic and served tasty food all through out the tour. I stayed in dorm and it was very good and comfortable and clean. They reserved lower bunk on my request as well. The night walk and night safari was good but i found little pricey basis the animals we saw compared to the night safari at RDC. But its an experience so do try. The borneon chocolate ice-cream was amazing . also staff is very accommodating of the veg food and you can ask and they will provide the same

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Tan Puay Gaik

Review Date: 25 Aug 2020

Review Body: Everything was fantastic where Fred told me not to worry that a designated person will be picking me up at Sepilok. On the dot, a van with Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort stenciled on the side, drove up the entrance area and I was greeted by Abang Ramlee and it was the start of my wonderful weekend of seeing elephants, monkeys, birds, oolala! There weren't many people at the resort itself, myself party of one, a group of 4 friendly youths and a big group of a family. The place is clean and spacious, rooms are clean, bed is comfortable, a/c and hot shower and clean towels are provided. My boatman was Aloy who made sure we were in safe hands. He was shared his knowledge about the forest and the river around us. I had a great stay and definitely would return again! And yes, they speak good English!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Sam

Review Date: 15 Aug 2025

Review Body: Absolutely loved this trip! Well organised, staff were all helpful and location was beautiful. I just wished we'd booked longer! Food was great and we saw lots of wildlife along the river, the room was clean and too my surprise, had a great shower. Communication prior was also spot on, we arranged to be picked up at the sepilok orangutan centre as we wanted to visit it that morning before the trip and nothing was too much trouble. The only slight negative for us was the optional night walk which we booked while we were on the trip. It was a little unorganised and too many people in the group which meant the people at the back saw very little by the time the other (not so quiet) guests in the group had scared everything off. But aside from that we would 100% book again.

Review rating: 5

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Sepilok Orang Utan and Sun Bear visits, then relax at Borneo Rainforest Resort

Itinerary Description: - Morning: Depart from your hotel in Sandakan or meet at Sandakan Airport. - Morning: Drive to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre to witness orangutan feeding and observe them in their natural habitat. - Morning: Continue to Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre to see and learn about sun bears in their forest environment. - Lunch: Enjoy lunch and check-in at Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort. - Afternoon: Spend the free time relaxing and enjoying the resort atmosphere.

Itinerary Day 2

Itinerary Summary: River cruise for wildlife spotting near Kinabatangan, stay at Sukau Bilit Resort

Itinerary Description: - 1245 hrs: Be picked up from Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort and travel to Bilit by the Kinabatangan River, then on to Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort. - Upon arrival: Greeted by the resort team and served refreshments followed by a briefing on resort routes and safety. - Check in: Receive key to your room. - 1600 hrs: Embark on a river cruise to observe wildlife such as proboscis monkeys, orang utans, macaques, pygmy elephants, birds, and other animals. - Return to the resort: End the cruise and enjoy dinner. - After dinner: Overnight stay at Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort.

Itinerary Day 3

Itinerary Summary: Morning wildlife cruise on Kinabatangan, then return to Sandakan for flight or hotel drop-off

Itinerary Description: - Before departing the hotel or meeting at Sandakan Airport, prepare for travel to Kinabatangan. - Early morning, set out for a wildlife cruise along the Kinabatangan River to observe wildlife and birdlife. - Return to the resort for breakfast after the cruise. - Check out from the hotel or resort. - Depart for Sandakan, with a drop-off at your hotel or Sandakan Airport for your onward flight.