From City Lights to Jungle Nights – Malaysia & Borneo

Itinerary

Itinerary:
Kuala Lumpur - Ipoh - Penang - Kota Kinabalu - Sepilok - Kinabatangan River - Sandakan - Lankayan Island
Duration:
16 days / 15 nights (flexible)
Price:
From £ 2,845.- per person (excluding flights)
Highlights:
✓ Explore the culinary delights of Ipoh
✓ Relax on the beaches at a private island resort
✓ Discover Borneo’s unique wildlife in the rainforest

This 16-day Malaysia and Borneo itinerary features the best that East and West Malaysia have to offer. The trip starts out in the lively city of Kuala Lumpur, before continuing onto the colonial town of Ipoh and the cultural island-city of Penang with its culinary delights. A short flight takes you to Borneo for serious wildlife spotting and beach time on a tropical island.

Days 1-3 – Twin towers & chopsticks

Kuala Lumpur is a city of exciting extremes, where space-age skyscrapers nudge up against cluttered Chinese markets and timeless Indian restaurants. You’ll explore Kuala Lumpur independently, watching east bump into west with your own eyes. You can stare up at the famous Petronas Towers, throw yourself into lively food-court culture and get a bird’s eye view from the top of the KL Tower.

Next you’ll take the train to the colonial city of Ipoh, which usually takes around 2 and a half hours. Today you will arrive in Ipoh – one of the largest cities in Malaysia with plenty of colonial charm. You’ll stay in a boutique hotel in the old town, perfect for exploring this fascinating city on foot. During your time here we’ll organise a city tour with an English speaking guide who’ll be able to tell you all about the city’s history. Ipoh is one of the culinary centres of Malaysia, and you’ll sample some typical Malaysian snacks whilst here.

After breakfast it’s time to bid farewell to Ipoh. Your driver will pick you up from your hotel for your 2 hour journey to Penang. Penang is a patchwork of Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures, there’s something fascinating happening on every street corner. The food here is famous throughout the world, a mouth-watering hotchpotch of Asian flavours that will get your taste buds dancing. During this trip you’ll take a bike ride around Georgetown, the cultural heart of Penang and sample some tasty traditional cuisine.

Next, you’ll be transferred to the airport, which takes around 45 minutes, for your flight to Kota Kinabalu, Borneo. The direct flight time is around 2 and a half hours. This bustling coastal city at the foot of the immense Mount Kinabalu is the starting point for your journey through Sabah. On arrival, you’ll be transferred to your central hotel close to the restaurants and colourful markets of the city. Kota Kinabalu is a relatively modern city with many western influences and a whole host of delicious local food to try. The next day you’ll head to Kinabalu National Park with a guide to discover the wildlife and plants which call this place home, getting a different perspective as you explore from the canopy walks high above the forest floor.

Next, you’ll be collected from your hotel by our driver and transferred to the airport for your flight over to Sandakan. The direct flight takes about 45 minutes. Borneo is the land of orangutans, and the very best place to see them and learn all about them is at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. This morning you’ll join a small group and will travel to Sepilok, where a guide will answer any questions you may have about the park’s hairy inhabitants. At feeding time you’ll find yourself at a safe distance, yet incredibly close to the endearing primates. You’ll also stop in at a Sunbear Sanctuary nearby, where you can see these unique, endangered bears. After your visit to Sepilok you’ll climb into a boat and you’ll travel deeper into the jungle, where you’ll spend 2 nights in a wooden lodge on the riverbank.

No other spot in Borneo features such a wide variety of wild animals: monkeys, monitor lizards, crocodiles, sunbears, hundreds of species of tropical birds, and if you’re lucky you may even see wild pygmy elephants! During your time here you’ll have the opportunity to go on morning and evening boat cruises, where a local guide will help you spot whichever amazing creatures happen to be about. You’ll sleep with the sounds of the jungle all around you, before heading back along the river to Sandakan, where you’ll arrive around lunchtime/early afternoon.

Next you’ll head back to Sandakan for a night in our In Style hotel before hopping over to Lankayan the next day. The boat crossing takes around 90 minutes and will usually leave from Sandakan at 10am. Lankayan Island is a secluded paradise hidden away in the tropical Sulu Sea just north of Sandakan, and the perfect place to rest up after your travels through Borneo. You can spend your days relaxing on the white sandy beaches or swimming in the crystal clear sea. The view beneath the sea is perhaps even more beautiful than above the water. Our local project, Reef Guardian is based on the island and if you’re lucky you’ll be able to watch the volunteers release baby turtles into the sea for their first swim!

You will be staying in a seafront bungalow, situated right on the beach. All your meals are included and are served at the restaurant, which boasts an amazingly beautiful open-air wooden terrace. After your dinner, you can sit on the terrace and watch the sun setting over the sea.

On your last day on the island you will leave at 7am and head back to Sandakan. Once you have arrived back on the mainland you’ll catch a taxi to the airport in Sandakan for your flight home.