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ITINERARY
Begin your Borneo Eco adventure as your flight lands at Sandakan. You will be met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel. Check in and relax after a long flight. Located on the northeast coast of Borneo, Sandakan is a gem of a destination and is one of Sabah's hub for wildlife, nature and historical tourism. Sandakan definitely has lots to offer in its own special way and is indeed a destination worth exploring.
Overnight in Sandakan.
After breakfast, time to lace up your hiking boots, strap on your camera, and get ready for a full day of exploration at Sepilok-Kabili Forest Reserve. Stop by the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre for a morning feeding, then visit the Sunbear Center next door before stopping for a delicious lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, return to your hotel and relax a bit before heading back out mid-afternoon to the Rainforest Discovery Center. Find an excellent canopy walkway, perfect for bird and wildlife watching, as well as a network of on-the-ground trails. At sundown, head back to the hotel.
Overnight in Sandakan
A day to explore the city after breakfast. The city would have been the capital of North Borneo until 1946 when it was switched to Kota Kinabalu at the end of the Second World War and holds an important place in history. This was the starting point of the infamous ‘death marches’ during the Second World War when British and Australian prisoners would have marched all over Borneo and you can see several monuments in their honour.
A visit to the Buli Sim Sim Water Village is not to be missed. Skirting along the coastline of Sandakan presents visitors with the perfect spot to go for an afternoon stroll as the sun is starting to go down. The village stands on stilts over the water and is famous for its delicious seafood restaurants that line the waterfront. If you are a seafood lover, try some of the signature seafood based delights such as the prawn noodles, dumplings and laksa.
Overnight in Sandakan
After a leisurely morning breakfast in your hotel, board your vehicle bound for the Sandakan Yacht Club Jetty, where a boat will take you to a lodge in Kinabatangan. The scenic 1.5 hour ride will take you across the Sandakan Bay, past historic Berhala Island, and within sight of traditional fishing villages. When you arrive at the lodge, check in and enjoy lunch and a welcome briefing about the lodge, activities, and your surroundings.
Relax and later, a cup of coffee and some local banana fritters await as you board a small boat for a cruise along the Kinabatangan River in search of wildlife. Admire the stunning river landscape as the sun sets and watch for fireflies as evening falls and you cruise back to the resort for dinner. After dinner, if you're feeling adventurous, a series of raised boardwalks wind through the nearby jungle. Keep your flashlights handy and an eye out for nocturnal wildlife. In the midst of this virgin rainforest, your guide will help you spot maybe a Sumatran rhino, clouded leopard, pygmy elephant or the Bornean gibbon – some of the rare and endangered species that call this area home.
Overnight in Kinabatangan
Wake up early this morning to join a morning river cruise to Pitas Oxbow Lake where a packed lunch and a rich diversity of wildlife await. From here, visit an Abai village for a glimpse of true village life on the river before returning to the lodge to spend the rest of your morning exploring the jungle boardwalks.
In the late afternoon, another cruise is the perfect opportunity to check more wildlife off your to-see list. Keep your eyes peeled for Wallace’s hawk eagle, orangutan, proboscis monkey, pygmy elephant, and Sumatran rhino - they're all commonly spotted here. Watch another sunset on the water and then circle back to the lodge for dinner.
Overnight in Kinabatangan
After breakfast, check out of the lodge and wave farewell to the river as you return to Sandakan by boat. The boat ride is yet another great opportunity to spot wildlife, so keep your eyes on the shores. Once in Sandakan, transfer to the airport for your onward flight with wonderful memories of your adventure with Airtours Holidays India!