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Luxury holidays in Malaysia

Malaysia travel packages

Spot orangutans in the canopy of Malaysian Borneo and hornbills crossing the Kinabatangan River at dusk. Give us your dates and we book every lodge, river cruise and flight.

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Kuala Lumpur and Borneo's orangutans

10 days · 9 nights

Kuala Lumpur → Sandakan → Kinabatangan River → Danum Valley → Kota Kinabalu

You start in Kuala Lumpur, then fly to Sandakan in Borneo to see orangutans and sun bears in rehabilitation. A speedboat takes you up the Kinabatangan River for wildlife cruises, a 4x4 carries you into the primary forest of the Danum Valley, and you finish in Kota Kinabalu by the South China Sea.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Kuala Lumpur and Borneo's orangutans

Drift down a Borneo river at dusk

On the Kinabatangan River in Malaysian Borneo, the boat cuts its engine as the light fades and the trees fill with movement: proboscis monkeys settling for the night, hornbills overhead and, with luck, an orangutan high in the canopy. Days in the Danum Valley begin with a walk through rainforest that has stood for millions of years, and nights are spent in lodges built for exactly this.

Back on the peninsula, Kuala Lumpur rewards a couple of nights for its food and the view from the Petronas Towers. George Town on Penang keeps its old shophouses, temples and cafes, and Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking meet at every hawker centre. Langkawi and the reef-fringed Perhentians make an easy finish for a few days of swimming and rest.

Taste and explore Malaysia's many sides

City food walks with local guides pair well with river days in Borneo.

  • Kuala Lumpur's food streets

    Eat your way around the capital with a local guide, from fine dining to the markets and hawker stalls where Malaysians eat every day.

  • Kuala Lumpur old and new

    See how the city blends faiths and eras, from the Jamek Mosque at the river junction where it was founded to the modern towers above.

  • Climb to the Batu Caves

    Climb the 272 steps on the edge of the city to the cave temple of Lord Murugan, one of Hinduism's most revered shrines.

  • Heritage walk in George Town

    Walk the UNESCO-listed streets of George Town, from the blue Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion to clan houses, temples and old shophouses.

  • Langkawi from the air

    Fly over Langkawi's UNESCO geopark by helicopter at sunset, taking in the limestone peaks, mangroves and islands below.

  • Orangutans and sun bears

    Visit the Sepilok orangutan centre at feeding time, then cross to the sun bear sanctuary next door to meet the world's smallest bears.

  • Dusk on the Kinabatangan River

    Cruise the Kinabatangan and its quiet oxbow lakes at dusk, watching for proboscis monkeys, hornbills and, with luck, wild orangutans.

  • Tea and mossy forest walks

    Walk through the misty Mossy Forest on Gunung Brinchang and the tea estates of the Cameron Highlands, ending with a tasting.

Balance Kuala Lumpur with Borneo

A city stay makes a good start, and Sabah's rivers deserve most of your nights.

  • Kuala Lumpur

    The Petronas Towers, Chinatown and Little India, with the limestone Batu Caves and their temples on the edge of the city.

  • Sandakan and the Kinabatangan

    Orangutans at Sepilok near Sandakan, then boat trips on the Kinabatangan River for proboscis monkeys, hornbills and wild elephants.

  • Danum Valley

    One of the oldest rainforests on earth, with canopy walks, night drives and some of Borneo's richest wildlife.

Pick a month for Borneo wildlife

The drier months make walks and river trips easier, though the rainforest rewards a visit all year.

  • JanuaryMixed

    Wet season in Sabah, warm with afternoon showers in Kuala Lumpur.

  • FebruaryGood

    Rains ease in Sabah, a good month for the Kinabatangan.

  • MarchBest

    Drier in Sabah, with good wildlife sightings along the river.

  • AprilBest

    Warm and mostly dry in Borneo, with short storms in Kuala Lumpur.

  • MayBest

    Dry and warm across Sabah, a fine month for rainforest walks.

  • JuneBest

    One of the driest months in Borneo, ideal for Danum Valley.

  • JulyBest

    Dry in Sabah, with clear mornings on the river.

  • AugustGood

    Mostly dry in Borneo, with showers in the late afternoon.

  • SeptemberGood

    Warm and fairly dry, with rain increasing late in the month.

  • OctoberMixed

    Rains return to Sabah and Kuala Lumpur, with afternoon downpours.

  • NovemberMixed

    Wet season in Borneo, with heavy showers and lush forest.

  • DecemberMixed

    The wettest month in Sabah, warm and humid in Kuala Lumpur.

Fly direct to Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur has non-stop flights from Europe, the Gulf, across Asia and from Australia, and Borneo is a short domestic hop on.

  • Sydney (non-stop): about 8.5 h
  • Melbourne (non-stop): about 8.5 h
  • Brisbane (non-stop): about 8 h
  • Perth (non-stop): about 5.5 h
  • Los Angeles (one stop): about 20 h
  • London (non-stop): about 13.5 h
  • Dubai (non-stop): about 7 h

Combine Malaysia with Singapore

Singapore is about an hour's flight from Kuala Lumpur, and it makes a polished last stop.

  • Singapore

    Gardens, hawker centres and a skyline made for evenings.

  • Thailand

    Bangkok's temples, the cool north and islands on two seas.

  • Indonesia

    Bali's rice terraces and temples, with Java's volcanoes beyond.

Check the details for Borneo

Do we need the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card?
Yes. Most visitors must submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card on the Malaysian Immigration website before arriving. Entry rules depend on your passport, and Australian passport holders, for example, usually receive a 90-day visa on arrival for tourism. Check your own government's travel advice before you book, as rules change.
Does rain spoil a Borneo trip?
Rarely. Borneo is rainforest, so showers come in every month, usually as short afternoon downpours, and orangutans can be seen year round at Sepilok. The drier months mid year make river trips and jungle walks easier.
How long should we spend in Borneo?
Five or six nights covers Sepilok's orangutans, a lodge on the Kinabatangan River and a night or two on the coast. Add three nights in Kuala Lumpur or Penang if you want city life too.
Is Penang worth adding to Kuala Lumpur?
Yes, especially for food. George Town's heritage streets, clan houses and hawker stalls suit two or three nights, and it is a short flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Is Langkawi a good place for an anniversary?
Yes. Its rainforest resorts and private beaches suit an anniversary, with sunset cruises among the islands of the Andaman Sea. Tell us the date and your travel expert arranges a private dinner on the sand.
Can we climb Mount Kinabalu?
Yes, with a permit and a licensed guide, over two days with a night in a mountain hut. Permits are limited each day, so your travel expert secures them early.
Is Malaysia easy to pair with Singapore?
Yes. Singapore is a short flight from Kuala Lumpur, and our small group journey links the two. Many guests finish with two nights in Singapore before flying home.

Tell us about your trip to Malaysia

Tell us when you want to go, for how long and who is travelling. Your travel expert replies in writing with a trip shaped around you.

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