Best of East Malaysia's Rainforests & Beaches – 10 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Kota Kinabalu, Visit Gaya Street, Sunset Harbor Walk

Welcome to Malaysian Borneo! Upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia's Sabah state, you'll meet your driver to begin your adventure. Start with a visit to the famous Gaya Street. Originally named Bond Street, this exclusive area has been the center of Kota Kinabalu's business district for over a hundred years. Although the traditional wooden shops with thatched roofs are long gone, family businesses continue to thrive here and are often passed down through the generations.

If you visit on a Sunday, head to Gaya Street for the weekly street fair. A must-visit market while in Kota Kinabalu, you can peruse stalls laden with everything from antiques, batik sarongs, flowers, and street food. This is the best place in the city to experience the local culture and lifestyle. In the late afternoon, take a sunset walk along the harbor to end the day.

Day 2: Transfer to Danum Valley, Treetop Canopy Tour, Guided Night Walk

Today starts with a flight to Lahad Datu on the east coast. Upon arrival, you'll transfer by private van to Borneo Rainforest Lodge in Danum Valley, a biodiverse conservation area home to rare primates and over 340 species of birds. After getting settled at the lodge, you'll take a guided nature tour along the treetop canopy walkway, a 1,180-foot (360 m) structure suspended 90 feet (27 m) above the rainforest floor. Take in views of the 130-million-year-old rainforest, home to various birds and wildlife unique to Danum Valley.

Return to the lodge for dinner and prepare for your exciting nighttime adventure. Board an electric buggy to drive into the forest, then disembark for a guided walk. You'll see another side of the forest while your guide points out nocturnal birds and insects under a sky full of stars.

Day 3: Rainforest Hike & Swim, Guided Night Walk

Get your hiking shoes on this morning for a hike to the famed Kadazandusun burial site via the Coffin Cliff Trail. Follow a path through the jungle and cross a suspension bridge, listening to the hum of birds and insects. After hiking 1.5 miles (2.5 km), you'll reach the ancient burial site of the Orang Sungai, the native Dusun tribe that lives by the Segama River. They famously hang their dead in decorated ironwood coffins from the vertical cliff, which you can view from the trail.

Continue to a panoramic viewpoint that sits 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, providing sweeping views of Danum Valley. Watch the mist swirl above the forest and listen for distant gibbon calls. Next, descend to the so-called Jacuzzi Pool at the base of a waterfall, where you can cool off from your hike. After dinner at the lodge, you'll take another night walk with an expert guide, looking out for the bright reflections of animal eyes in the darkness.

Day 4: Rainforest Hike, Visit Serpent Falls

Spend another day in Danum Valley, part of one of the world's oldest and largest lowland rainforests. Hike through the forest, which is home to 15,000 plant species and rare animals such as clouded leopards, pygmy elephants, the long-nosed proboscis monkey, and endangered orangutans. During the hike, you'll make a stop at Serpent Falls, which tumbles 50 feet (15 m) over rocks into an emerald pool surrounded by towering trees. Then head back to the lodge and relish your final night in the rainforest.

Day 5: Transfer to Kundasang, via Kota Kinabalu

Say goodbye to the rainforest this morning and fly back to Kota Kinabalu, where you'll take a transfer east to the hill station of Kundasang. Located at 6,200 feet (1,890 m) above sea level, this cool-climate town lies at the foot of UNESCO-listed Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia's tallest mountain. The town acts as a base for hikes in Kinabalu National Park and outdoor adventures in the hill country. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day chilling and enjoying the highland scenery, which is often compared to New Zealand.

Day 6: Visit a Dairy Farm, Transfer to Kota Belud

Discover Sabah's "Little New Zealand" today with a trip to Desa Dairy Farm. Set over 500 acres (200 ha), the farm is home to a herd of cows and goats that produce around 237,000 gallons (900,000 l) of milk per year. Meet the Holstein Friesian cows; you can even feed the calves and try delicious ice cream, cheese, and milk made at this agro-tourism site.

Later, you'll dine at the unique BW Bus Restaurant in Kundasang. Have a meal in one of the refurbished sky-blue Labuk buses that now have the '80s retro-diner feel. If it's a clear day, you may even get views of Mount Kinabalu from here. Afterward, make the two-hour drive to Kota Belud.

Day 7: Transfer to Kudat, Beach Time

Today you'll travel to Kudat, which lies on the northernmost tip of Borneo. Once a thriving 19th-century port that brought the first Chinese settlers to Sabah, Kudat is one of Borneo's most undiscovered beach havens. Picture sugar-white sands and topaz waters teeming with exotic marine life.

Spend the rest of the day lazing on the powdery beach or enjoy various water activities, from snorkeling to jet skiing. The sunset is spectacular from Simpang Mengayau and marks the place where the South China Sea meets the Sulu Sea.

Day 8: Free Day in Kudat

Savor a slice of sun-soaked beach time in Kudat today. Head out for a diving trip to watch colorful fish dart among corals, take a snorkeling trip, or simply lay back on the beach and relax. If you're after some culture, learn about Kudat's maritime history and the Rungus people who live in wooden longhouses, which you can visit on a guided tour.

If your visit falls between March and July, you can also take a tour to spot the area's magical bioluminescent plankton, also known as "blue tears." Swim after dark to encounter the plankton, which causes trails of sparkles as you move through the water.

Day 9: Transfer to Kota Kinabalu, Free Time

It's time to leave your paradisical beach today and return to Kota Kinabalu. Spend a final afternoon shopping for souvenirs and exploring Sabah's capital, known as "KK," to the locals. Then wander around the night market where you can pick out fresh sea bream, red snapper, and shellfish that a vendor will cook and prepare before your eyes.

Day 10: Depart Kota Kinabalu

It's time to say goodbye to Malaysian Borneo! At the appointed hour, a driver will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the airport for your onward flight. Safe travels! 

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