Borneo Eco Tours
Borneo Eco Tours
5
Multi-day ToursCultural ToursHiking & Camping ToursNature & Wildlife ToursPhotography Tours
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Full view
About
An ecotourism pioneer in Sabah since 1991, Borneo Eco Tours (BET) is renowned for specialising in responsible tours. Award-winning BET invites you on a journey to experience exotic cultures, botanical wonders, ideal bird watching locations, scenic jungle and wildlife river safaris, and exciting mountain trekking among others, right here in beautiful Borneo. Besides that, our Sukau Rainforest Lodge is an ecolodge that offers guests a unique experience in the heart of the Kinabatangan River. Sukau Rainforest Lodge has opened up 20 new villas where guests can enjoy both luxury and nature hand in hand. Borneo Eco Tours was recently awarded the with the PATA Gold Award 2019 for Corporate Social Responsibility and MATTA Award 2019 for being Asia's Most Eco-Friendly Hotel.
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
787 reviews
Excellent
715
Very good
56
Average
7
Poor
7
Terrible
6
teresabinding
Orange, Australia3 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
The trip to Sukau River Lodge was amazing. Thanks to our wonderful guide Jonathan we saw Orangutans, Proboscis Monkeys, Hornbills, Crocodiles, Macaques, Kingfishers and many other birds, mammals and insects. Jonathan was super friendly, kind, efficient and very knowledgeable . The lodge was extremely comfortable with good food and great staff and everything, from booking, thru pick ups, transfers and requests worked like clockwork. Can’t wait to go back and thoroughly recommend Borneo Eco Tours and Sukau Lodge - be sure to request Jonathan as your guide!
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marcus
Karlsruhe, Germany3 contributions
Mar 2020
We had booked the 3 days / 2 nights in the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. We were picked up at Sandakan airport by our amazing tour guide Jumaidi. We visited the Sepilok Orang Utan Center and the Sun Bear Conservation Center, both were very interesting and the animals are not held in captivity there. Afterwards we took a boat ride to the lodge, on the way we already saw our first wild Orang Utan. The lodge is a really nice place in the middle of the rainforest. We had three boat safaris included in our package. In addition we did two night safaris which are led by some of the locals. We saw much wildlife including Orang Utans, Macaques, proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, hornbills and all kinds of other birds. There are also many free on-site activities available including a rainforest board walk. All meals were provided, the food was fine. To summarize, the experience was really amazing, mostly because of our excellent tour guide Jumaidi. He was really kind, funny and well skilled in spotting wildlife and also in doing their sounds, some animals even replied him. He was also very respectful towards the animals and never disturbed them. Generally it was really impressive how the guides spotted the wildlife from distance and during the night. I can warmly recommend the Sukau Lodge for everybody who is interested in eco-friendly tourism. The prices are more than fair. I can also recommend to choose the transfer to the lodge by boat as it is a great experience and you can already see a lot of wildlife (as I wrote earlier we saw an Orang Utan during the transfer to the lodge which is very rare to see).
Written 4 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julian Y
Styal, UK24 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Very good service from Borneo Eco Tours throughout and would definitely recommend them to others.
I was arranging my own flights from the UK and some time based on the coast in Kota Kinabalu but then looking for a travel company to arrange a tour for myself and family within Borneo. I'd already decided which activities we wanted to do and which lodges we wanted to visit (Borneo Rainforest Lodge and Sukau Rainforest Lodge) and Borneo Eco Tours were very flexible and responsive in sorting out a package (over email) which met my requirements as well as being good value compared to what UK tour operators wanted to charge. Pick-ups and drop-offs were always punctual, rooms and activities at the lodges as described and transfers comfortable. Their coaches/minbuses were equipped with WIFI and water and the larger vehicles had charging facilities. Many of the higher end tour operators seem to use them but as long as you're happy to do some of the basics yourself like booking your own international/internal flights then you can get Borneo Eco Tours great service whilst in Borneo but save yourself quite a bit of cash.
Would definitely recommend and use Borneo Eco Tours myself again if visiting Sabah.
I was arranging my own flights from the UK and some time based on the coast in Kota Kinabalu but then looking for a travel company to arrange a tour for myself and family within Borneo. I'd already decided which activities we wanted to do and which lodges we wanted to visit (Borneo Rainforest Lodge and Sukau Rainforest Lodge) and Borneo Eco Tours were very flexible and responsive in sorting out a package (over email) which met my requirements as well as being good value compared to what UK tour operators wanted to charge. Pick-ups and drop-offs were always punctual, rooms and activities at the lodges as described and transfers comfortable. Their coaches/minbuses were equipped with WIFI and water and the larger vehicles had charging facilities. Many of the higher end tour operators seem to use them but as long as you're happy to do some of the basics yourself like booking your own international/internal flights then you can get Borneo Eco Tours great service whilst in Borneo but save yourself quite a bit of cash.
Would definitely recommend and use Borneo Eco Tours myself again if visiting Sabah.
Written 13 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ash
9 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
I booked my tour to the Sukau Rainforest Lodge through this company. A additional night Safari tour I booked for my entire family was paid for in full. The tour was cancelled due to rain. I requested a refund and was advised that they do not provide refunds for weather cancelled tours. I was not advised of this when booking. I do not believe I should have to pay for a tour I never received. I am very much displeased with the outcome and would like the Borneo Eco Tours to refund me.
What are the consumer protection laws?
What are the consumer protection laws?
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello there Ash202086,
First and foremost, we appreciate you for taking the time to write this review.
We would like to sincerely apologise to you for the unsatisfactory service you received. We can admit that it was a mistake by some of our team members as there was a miscommunication and action wasn't taken as promptly as it should.
We're happy to know that we are able to resolve this issue with you and that you are pleased with the refund received.
Once again, thank you and we appreciate you for using our service.
Written 28 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mike B
Southend-on-Sea, UK314 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Booked and paid deposit in 2019 which Borneo Eco Tours held open until after Covid. Reliable email communications from Cindy throughout the original planning and re-organised bookings, despite a number of incoming and outgoing flight time changes (I had booked our own flights) When our flight from Abu Dhabi was delayed we missed our connection to Sandakan but Cindy reacted again and re-organised our pick up. All pick ups, transfers and boat journeys were faultless. The guides, especially Han were excellent in spotting wildlife on the river.
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi mikebO4938WK,
Thank you so much for choosing Borneo Eco Tours and share your experience with us, we really appreciate it! We're are glad after a long delay because of the covid you're finally here in Sabah Borneo with us! We're happy that you had a great trip and spotted the Bornean wildlife during your river cruise. Thank you for acknowledging the hard work of our staffs. Our team will let them know that you're satisfied with their service. I'm sure the would be happy to hear that.
As we get many great guests such as yourself, we at Borneo Eco Tours strive to always step up our services no matter what to fulfil the needs of guest from across the globe to make their holidays a memory that they will hold most dear.
Do give us a follow on our Facebook and Instagram page at @borneoecotours to get the latest updates from us.
We hope to see you again in the next adventure!
Written 23 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amy P
4 contributions
Jun 2022
Borneo Eco Tours absolutely made our trip to Borneo - everything was well organised, punctual, all staff were friendly and incredibly knowledgeable which made for a professional, well run tour where everything had been considered in detail.
We spent one night on Selingan ('Turtle') Island, a magical place where we were honoured to be included in the nightly monitoring activities of turtles as they came ashore to lay their eggs. We then went on to Sukau Rainforest Lodge which is a wonderful place finished to an incredible standard given that it's in the middle of the rainforest! We saw orangutans, pygmy elephants, crocodiles, macaques, hornbills as well as a host of other animals - a real privilege to see them all in the wild.
Our guide, Rahman, was with us for the duration of our tour and we could not recommend him more. He was so knowledgeable on all of the wildlife we saw, was friendly and very approachable and really took the time to get to know us. The rapport we built made us feel completely comfortable and looked after and we had great fun, as well as learning a lot.
Rahman is an asset to Borneo Eco Tours and we would wholeheartedly recommend this experience to anybody looking for an active, fun filled, educational adventure in the most stunning part of the world.
Thank you so much to Rahman, the other guides and all others who booked, organised and ran such an incredible trip - you have a business to be proud of.
We spent one night on Selingan ('Turtle') Island, a magical place where we were honoured to be included in the nightly monitoring activities of turtles as they came ashore to lay their eggs. We then went on to Sukau Rainforest Lodge which is a wonderful place finished to an incredible standard given that it's in the middle of the rainforest! We saw orangutans, pygmy elephants, crocodiles, macaques, hornbills as well as a host of other animals - a real privilege to see them all in the wild.
Our guide, Rahman, was with us for the duration of our tour and we could not recommend him more. He was so knowledgeable on all of the wildlife we saw, was friendly and very approachable and really took the time to get to know us. The rapport we built made us feel completely comfortable and looked after and we had great fun, as well as learning a lot.
Rahman is an asset to Borneo Eco Tours and we would wholeheartedly recommend this experience to anybody looking for an active, fun filled, educational adventure in the most stunning part of the world.
Thank you so much to Rahman, the other guides and all others who booked, organised and ran such an incredible trip - you have a business to be proud of.
Written 25 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey there!
Thank you for leaving us such a wholehearted comment on your recent trip to Borneo with us.
We're so glad to hear you got to go to Selingan Island and see the turtles laying their eggs and also your trip to Sukau Rainforest Lodge! The fact that you got to see such a variety of wildlife during your stay makes you incredibly lucky, especially the Borneon Pygmy Elephants!
Thanks again for your kind words, and we'll pass on the compliments to Rahman.
Till next time, we hope to welcome you again in the future.
Written 5 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mobile314743
16 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Audrey from Borneo Eco tours helped me plan my entire journey from the word Go. She laid out the entire itinerary and made sure pick up and drops were suitably arranged. I’m very grateful to her for putting in all her efforts and helping with last minute rescheduling when we missed our flight and also when we made changes to drive to Lahad Dattu instead of take a plane
Written 6 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AM T
Guildford, UK23 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Very disappointing. Have travelled independently for years. I emailed to get a quote and book on the Borneo Eco Tours 3D2N Kinatabangan River tour and was informed that one place was available for the two of us. I immediately questioned the airport pickup time in the quote, as no flights are scheduled to arrive in Sandakan before the pickup time. I did not revive a response. I sent two further emails trying to check that we could join the trip and two days after trying to book I was told the trip was full.
Written 9 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi 884ct,
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to leave us a review, we really appreciate it. We're sorry that we aren't able to provide you with the service experience you were looking for. We pride ourselves on providing the best possible service, and it sounds like we missed the mark this time around.
We will sure to pass your feedback on, we'll work on improving our customer service in order to meet your expectations in the future.
We hope you will give us another chance and contact us again when you’re ready for your next trip!
Till then, take care!
Written 10 May 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ineedanewpassport
Singapore, Singapore8 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
Had an amazing trip to Selingan Turtle Island and then to the Kinabatangan Nature reserve for 2 nights at Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Booking was quick and efficient, and the trip was well organised, all connections were well organised and seamless, and the food and sightseeing were all amazing. Great effort by our Guide, Mason, who made us all feel well taken care of, entertained and educated with his great knowledge of wildlife, and a great, positive vibe. We saw a greenback turtle laying eggs, Pygmy Elephants, proboscis monkeys, Orang Utans, swiftlets, various hornbills, raptors, crocodiles and many other great spots.
Food was good, with buffet style for almost all meals.
Most of the guests were from far afield like Europe and Australia, and it’s puzzling why other South East Asian guests from Singapore, Malaysia or nearby give this gem of natural beauty a pass when considering holiday destinations.
The thrill of spotting one of the Borneo Big 5, watching the river and world lazily pass you by made this an unforgettable and relatively affordable break from modern world to spend more time in nature.
There is so much to do and see from a short flight away from Singapore, that there’s no reason to miss the wonders of Sandakan and Borneo.
Food was good, with buffet style for almost all meals.
Most of the guests were from far afield like Europe and Australia, and it’s puzzling why other South East Asian guests from Singapore, Malaysia or nearby give this gem of natural beauty a pass when considering holiday destinations.
The thrill of spotting one of the Borneo Big 5, watching the river and world lazily pass you by made this an unforgettable and relatively affordable break from modern world to spend more time in nature.
There is so much to do and see from a short flight away from Singapore, that there’s no reason to miss the wonders of Sandakan and Borneo.
Written 15 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello there ineedanewpassport,
Thank you so much for your review and 5-star rating!
We truly appreciate you sharing your wonderful experience with us here in Borneo and are delighted to know that it was an amazing trip overall. It really does sound like you had a trip of a lifetime!
Thank you for highlighting the thrill of spotting the Borneo Big 5 and enjoying the tranquil beauty of the river. We agree that Sandakan and Borneo offer wonders that are not to be missed, just a short flight away from Singapore.
We look forward to welcoming you back for more adventures in nature!
Here's to creating more magical memories!
Written 4 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Justin B
Sydney, Australia12 contributions
Apr 2022
Borneo Eco Tours organised a 6-night trip consisting of 3 nights in each of Sakau Rainforest Lodge and Shangri-La Tanjung-Aru. It was the perfect combination of rainforest and beach side resort. From start to finish couldn’t fault any part of the trip. Prompt and courteous pick up and drop offs, quality of transfer vehicles and accommodation, knowledge of guides, everything exceeded expectations. Highly recommend.
Written 25 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Justin B,
We're glad you enjoyed your trip to Borneo! Appreciate your kind review, we hope to be able to welcome you again. Thank you!
Take care.
Written 11 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi! We are family with young children and elderly parents. For those who have been on the Sukau tour(s) - did you feel safe?
Written 23 May 2024
Hi. Is anyone else having trouble booking a tour? Been trying for 3 weeks and have sent numerous emails. I understand it’s busy due to the borders only recently being opened but 3 weeks is an awfully long time. Never had an issue in previous years with communication so am wondering what’s wrong ? Thanks
Written 22 May 2022
Hi,
I have emailed to the address listed regarding a booking for next August, I have sent a follow up before Christmas but haven’t heard anything. Could I have an alternative email to contact you please ?
Thanks. Catherine
Written 30 December 2019
Hi Catherine, we've got your tickets, and our sales rep (Brandon) has responded to you. Please ensure our response did not end up in the spam or junk mail.
Written 3 January 2020
hi, how much deposit did you have to pay to secure the booking?
Written 27 November 2019
I booked a month or two before the trip so I payed the whole amount. It was worth every dollar!
Written 24 May 2024
I am a single, elderly (perfectly fit and healthy) woman from UK. I am aware the Lodge will charge me for 2 people even though I am alone. I am on a tiny budget. Borneo is a bucket list dream. Is it possible to access the rainforest by hiring my own taxi and doing it by myself? How would I do this and where would I stay? Would an indy hotel organise a taxi for me? I do hope some reader out there can help me with this! And thank you - I lived in Malaya as a child, 65 years ago, I want so much to re-visit this beautiful land before I leave the planet - but being poor gives certain limitations!
Written 29 July 2019
The Danum Valley is quite far in the forest. I don’t think there is public transport in that area. That is one of the reasons I loves it so much, not alot of tourists!
Written 25 May 2024
Hi,
I’m staying in Kota Kinabalu, how is the best way to enquire about booking and prices?
Thank you
Written 30 May 2019
Hello! I am in touch with your tour consultant Danella Chan since last 11 days. I and my sister are looking for a good, professional tour company who can design 10 to 14 days PRIVATE tour of Sabah for bird watching and wildlife (in May or June 2019 with flexible dates). With the quotation of MYR 49730 for 12N/13D, I am told emphatically that...
"Please note that the quoted price is just an estimation as we have yet to receive the new rates for April 2019-March 2020. We will revised the new rates to you once it is out.hence I am not able to provide the exact tour price for you. The new rates could go higher between the estimation price or it may not have any difference at all." !!!...
What I would like to know is - is this a Company policy and this is how all your clients are put on hold??? With the price of 49730 MYR (not a small amount, you would agree), and booking being done well in advance by travellers, do you want me to wait indefinitely for the actual price? As Danella doesn't come across as warm and friendly person (though nothing personal about it), I would like to have reply from someone 'above' her. After all what we are looking for is a memorable and happy holiday! Also, no other tour company that we enquired with have put us on 'hold' like this!! Hope to receive a professional response.
Written 17 January 2019
We booked for in early last year for September. The rates were subject to revision then also. In part, I believe certain aspects of the rate structure are due to government regulations. The tour company also contracts the accommodations from others. In addition, one cannot travel to the Rain Forest Lodge without external authorization as it is a preserve. The changes in our initial quotes and final cost were a few percent.
Written 17 January 2019
Hello! Good to hear you have a fantastic time! May I ask you which tour you took? travel by boat one or overland one? thank you!
Written 10 January 2019
I took the boat both ways to Sukau. Very comfortable and cover if it rains. Saw lots of wildlife on the way.
Written 14 January 2019
Do you do tours of the organgutangs in Sepilok Rehab center from hotels in Kato Kinabalu
Written 18 August 2018
After a stay in Kuala Lumpur, we flew straight to Sandakan and stayed for 1 night there. The next morning, Borneo Eco Tours picked us up at the hotel, we did the Sepilok tour and the Sun Bear Sanctuary, before heading off by boat to Sukau Lodge.
After our stay at Sukau, we travelled back to Sandakan by boat, visited the rainforest centre and the War Memorial, which were both worthwhile, before getting the evening flight up to Kota Kinabalu for our stay there.
For us doing it in this order worked well, since we didn't have to cram 2 flights into a day of our holiday. However it depends if you're going to do any of the rainforest lodges in that area.
There are a few things to see in Sandakan, which could warrant a one or two day stay.
We ran out of time for the Agnes Kieth House and adjacent tea rooms.....next time...
Written 17 November 2018
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