Kinabatangan river cruises

Sabah’s longest river is home to a rich profusion of wildlife, much of it endemic, but perhaps its biggest draw is one of the largest remaining populations of orangutans.

A small boat cruise on the Kinabatangan River, where the riverbanks are thick with verdant rainforest, will offer the opportunity to see not only these but some of the rest of the spectacular wildlife in Southeast Asia.

Macaques, monitor lizards, pygmy elephants and, perhaps most famously, the proboscis monkey with his unique colouring and large nose, are just some of the wildlife that can be seen. Late afternoon is a great time to watch the monkeys as they jump from one side of the bank to the other in front of your boat. The river is also a paradise for birdwatchers, with a huge variety of species including rhinoceros hornbills, crested serpent eagles and blue-banded kingfishers. Carnivores such as the Malayan sun bear, clouded leopard (the largest wild cat in Borneo), and marbled cat are all present but are rarely seen.

The area is the focus of a number of conservation projects and whilst staying here you might like to take the opportunity to plant a tree to help regenerate the forest.

Late afternoon is a great time to watch the monkeys as they jump from one side of the bank to the other

Borneo Specialist Jack