Sticky Rice Travel
Sticky Rice Travel
4.9
Multi-day ToursClimbing ToursPrivate ToursNature & Wildlife Tours
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
Full view
About
Sticky Rice Travel is a responsible travel operator focussing on destinations within Malaysian Borneo. We are passionate about crafting personalized trips that explore sensitive ecosystems and indigenous cultures, all the while adhering to our strict policy on low-impact, responsible travel. Our motto of meaningful adventures lives through our dedication to environmental conservation and the preservation of local communities and cultures. Join us as we blaze the trail for responsible travel in Malaysian Borneo!
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
4.9
333 reviews
Excellent
309
Very good
11
Average
6
Poor
4
Terrible
3
HummerSheffield
Sheffield, UK13 contributions
Sept 2024 • Family
We spent two weeks in Borneo as a family of five (three kids in their twenties) and Sticky Rice looked after us for a week of that time. I cannot fault anything about our experience with them; we've been lucky to travel to many wonderful places and I honestly rate everything about our time with Sticky Rice as exceptional.
Booking - I contacted several local agencies for itineraries and communications with Hannah were consistently first-class, with fast and courteous responses that made helpful suggestions. She made a real effort to tailor things to our needs and arranged an itinerary that was just what we wanted. Payment was straightforward and secure.
The trip - we stayed at Sandakan to visit the Orang-utan centre and the Sun Bear centre, then transferred to Borneo Nature Lodge on Kinabatangan River before moving on to Danum Valley Field Centre. Pick-up from the airport, transfers and almost all of our excursions were just for the five of us, with three exceptionally knowledgeable and personable guides.
In Sandakan, Jeffrey was calm, punctual and obviously well-respected by other guides. He's also a warden and knows a huge amount about the area, its wildlife and the local inhabitants. We learned a lot about the area with him.
Borneo Nature Lodge made a great base to explore the Kinabatangan River and Marvin (our guide) made real efforts to get us to see our priority species. As a result, I fulfilled a lifelong ambition to see Rhinoceros Hornbills (we spent half an hour with a party of five) and we also enjoyed wonderful experiences with Bornean Pygmy Elephants and Proboscis Monkeys, plus a wide range of other birds and wildlife. Accommodation was fairly basic but comfortable, food was consistently very tasty (including vegetarian meals) and staff extremely helpful (one of the restaurant staff took my son - for a small payment - to the local hospital for a pressing medical matter that arose).
Danum Valley Field Centre had no rooms available for Sticky Rice to book on our dates, but Hannah gave me details of how to contact them direct and we were able to arrange rooms that way. This was really impressive and showed how they put us and our experience before anything else. Danum Valley Field Centre was also basic accommodation (you're in the middle of the jungle!) but all the food was really tasty. The highlight here was our guide: Derryl (or was it Darrell?) was simply exceptional, the best guide we've ever had. His skills in finding birds and animals, as well as identifying them, was unrivalled and he knew the answer to every question we asked him over three days, sharing his tremendous knowledge with generosity and humour.
We had regular WhatsApp messages to check everything was going well and a few days later I had a very quick reply to an enquiry to let me know there were Rafflesia in flower to visit from Kota Kinabalu, even though we were going independently. Simply fantastic service.
All in all, our experience of Sticky Rice was absolutely first class and I'd thoroughly recommend them to anyone.
Booking - I contacted several local agencies for itineraries and communications with Hannah were consistently first-class, with fast and courteous responses that made helpful suggestions. She made a real effort to tailor things to our needs and arranged an itinerary that was just what we wanted. Payment was straightforward and secure.
The trip - we stayed at Sandakan to visit the Orang-utan centre and the Sun Bear centre, then transferred to Borneo Nature Lodge on Kinabatangan River before moving on to Danum Valley Field Centre. Pick-up from the airport, transfers and almost all of our excursions were just for the five of us, with three exceptionally knowledgeable and personable guides.
In Sandakan, Jeffrey was calm, punctual and obviously well-respected by other guides. He's also a warden and knows a huge amount about the area, its wildlife and the local inhabitants. We learned a lot about the area with him.
Borneo Nature Lodge made a great base to explore the Kinabatangan River and Marvin (our guide) made real efforts to get us to see our priority species. As a result, I fulfilled a lifelong ambition to see Rhinoceros Hornbills (we spent half an hour with a party of five) and we also enjoyed wonderful experiences with Bornean Pygmy Elephants and Proboscis Monkeys, plus a wide range of other birds and wildlife. Accommodation was fairly basic but comfortable, food was consistently very tasty (including vegetarian meals) and staff extremely helpful (one of the restaurant staff took my son - for a small payment - to the local hospital for a pressing medical matter that arose).
Danum Valley Field Centre had no rooms available for Sticky Rice to book on our dates, but Hannah gave me details of how to contact them direct and we were able to arrange rooms that way. This was really impressive and showed how they put us and our experience before anything else. Danum Valley Field Centre was also basic accommodation (you're in the middle of the jungle!) but all the food was really tasty. The highlight here was our guide: Derryl (or was it Darrell?) was simply exceptional, the best guide we've ever had. His skills in finding birds and animals, as well as identifying them, was unrivalled and he knew the answer to every question we asked him over three days, sharing his tremendous knowledge with generosity and humour.
We had regular WhatsApp messages to check everything was going well and a few days later I had a very quick reply to an enquiry to let me know there were Rafflesia in flower to visit from Kota Kinabalu, even though we were going independently. Simply fantastic service.
All in all, our experience of Sticky Rice was absolutely first class and I'd thoroughly recommend them to anyone.
Written 15 December 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.
Coastal13502041313
1 contribution
Jul 2024 • Family
My wife and I visited Sabah in 1988. This year we decided to return and this time we invited family. We wanted to visit the lowland and riverine forests of Sepilok, Danum, Tabin, and the Kinabatangan, and we wanted to reduce the hassles that come with traveling as a group. We contacted Sticky Rice and asked them to help us. They responded promptly and we developed a 12 day itinerary that allowed us to visit all of those amazing places. We had excellent communications with Phoebe and her colleagues at the Kota Kinabalu office. When we arrived in Kota Kinabalu we were met by Arick (aka Patrick), who was our guide for the entire trip. Arick and other members of the Sticky Rice crew were exceptionally hard working, kind, helpful and knowledgeable. They also did a great job working with the guides at our accommodations at Danum Valley Rainforest Lodge, the Tabin Wildlife Resort, the Sukau Rainforest Lodge and the Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok. Logistics were expertly handled and our transfers from one lodge to another were seamless. One member of our party had an illness that required medical attention. Arick worked with the staff at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge to arrange a quick and effective visit to a local clinic.
I would strongly recommend Sticky Rice to anyone interested in visiting the natural areas of Sabah. On more than one occasion my wife remarked “we are coming back” and we will contact Sticky Rice before we do.
I would strongly recommend Sticky Rice to anyone interested in visiting the natural areas of Sabah. On more than one occasion my wife remarked “we are coming back” and we will contact Sticky Rice before we do.
Written 28 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.
Namalee
Singapore, Singapore22 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
I booked my trip (and later my friends) on the basis of a recommendation from a friend who had used them before. I had initially booked a trip which ended up being during Covid so got in touch with them again to re-book what I had planned. It was a relatively straightforward process and the various staff members I dealt with were helpful and responsive.
Four of us did the 6D5N trip which took us to Sandakan, the Kinabatangan River and the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.
Our guide for our trip was Lister - he was super knowledgeable about all of the wildlife that we saw and had a good network within the guide community as well as the places that we stayed. This is important so that you get the ‘gossip’ about what animals have been seen and where. It was due to this network that we heard about a group of Pygmy elephants on the banks of the river. While being helpful to us on our trip, Lister balanced this with not being intrusive and letting us enjoy our holiday as friends. He was great and was the key to us having an enjoyable trip.
Now for some tips if you are going to go to Borneo, with Sticky Rice (or someone else).
* Take binoculars with you - the guide will share theirs, but it would be more convenient to have your own.
* Don’t get scared about the possibility of leeches - they are there in the jungle and they may even attach to you, but it’s easy to get them off and it doesn’t hurt at all.
* Take a reasonable amount of clothing - it’s very hot and humid in the jungle and it might not always be possible to re-wear things before washing them again. Unless you love doing laundry! The Borneo Rainforest Lodge has a great laundry option - everything that fits in the laundry bag they provide is laundered quickly for a single price per bag (not a price per unit of clothing).
Four of us did the 6D5N trip which took us to Sandakan, the Kinabatangan River and the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.
Our guide for our trip was Lister - he was super knowledgeable about all of the wildlife that we saw and had a good network within the guide community as well as the places that we stayed. This is important so that you get the ‘gossip’ about what animals have been seen and where. It was due to this network that we heard about a group of Pygmy elephants on the banks of the river. While being helpful to us on our trip, Lister balanced this with not being intrusive and letting us enjoy our holiday as friends. He was great and was the key to us having an enjoyable trip.
Now for some tips if you are going to go to Borneo, with Sticky Rice (or someone else).
* Take binoculars with you - the guide will share theirs, but it would be more convenient to have your own.
* Don’t get scared about the possibility of leeches - they are there in the jungle and they may even attach to you, but it’s easy to get them off and it doesn’t hurt at all.
* Take a reasonable amount of clothing - it’s very hot and humid in the jungle and it might not always be possible to re-wear things before washing them again. Unless you love doing laundry! The Borneo Rainforest Lodge has a great laundry option - everything that fits in the laundry bag they provide is laundered quickly for a single price per bag (not a price per unit of clothing).
Written 21 August 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.
Diane D
2 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
Sticky Rice Travel, a local based company in Malaysian Borneo, organised our 8 day wildlife tour and right from the start they listened to what we wished for and were really quick to respond to any of our enquiries and questions. Everything they arranged for us was excellent from the transport; the 3 lodges where we were accommodated during our wildlife experiences; the hotel for our last 2 nights in Kota Kinabalu; the food served throughout our 8 days even arranging a packed lunch when our flight times changed and we had to leave earlier than first planned; and last but certainly not least our amazing guide who was so experience, knowledgeable & skilful at spotting a huge range of wildlife for us to enjoy. We would highly recommend Sticky Rice Travel to anyone wanting an amazing wildlife tour in Malaysian Borneo.
Written 26 June 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.
Hi H9073RKdianed,
Thank you so much for your glowing review! We're thrilled that you had an excellent 8-day wildlife tour with us in Malaysian Borneo. It was our pleasure to arrange every detail, from transportation and accommodations to meals and adapting to your changing flight schedule. We're especially glad that our knowledgeable guide made your wildlife experiences memorable.
We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another amazing and meaningful adventure! Till then be safe and well.
Written 5 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Macky
Ojai, CA41 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
My husband and I used Sticky Rice Travel to help us navigate through Malaysian Borneo. Before contacting them, I had booked a stay at Danum Valley. They were so helpful setting up the rest of the itinerary and getting us from place to place and working around our already set up itinerary.
Their customer service was exceptional, the itinerary was perfect for us and the private guides they choose for us were all outstanding. I cannot recommend this company highly enough. They make sure that what they deliver is on point with what you want. Shida, Rachel and Charlie were all amazing in guaranteeing a truly exceptional experience.
Their customer service was exceptional, the itinerary was perfect for us and the private guides they choose for us were all outstanding. I cannot recommend this company highly enough. They make sure that what they deliver is on point with what you want. Shida, Rachel and Charlie were all amazing in guaranteeing a truly exceptional experience.
Written 19 August 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.
Jo8Cumbria
Great Salkeld, UK32 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
We had an amazing 2 weeks travelling through Sabah .The organisation was fist class , everything tailor made to our requests and our personal guide Kirstey was so helpful . From pick up at the airport until the end of our trip we seamlessly moved between lodges exploring the different areas , all different and interesting. Being based in Borneo their local knowledge and expertise was second to none, giving us access to areas not usually on UK based tour company itinerary's, like the Sipadan islands Would highly recommend
Written 29 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 Jo8Cumbria,
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience traveling through Sabah! It sounds like you had an incredible time with first-class organization and tailor-made arrangements that catered perfectly to your preferences. We will be sure to let Kirstey know that she made a significant impact with her helpfulness and local expertise, ensuring a seamless journey from start to finish.
Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we're delighted to have been a part of creating such a memorable travel experience for you. If you ever decide to explore another destination, please don't hesitate to reach out. We'd love to assist you in planning another unforgettable journey!
Written 5 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Philippe V
12 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Great travel organisation! They go above and beyond to arrange everything for you in detail, as if you were family. Communication with Hannah, our consultant at the office, was excellent. She worked out a tailor-made travel proposal according to our wishes and replied promptly and friendly to all of our questions. During the trip, we had several drivers and guides, who were always equally friendly and knowledgeable. They made our trip go smooth logistically and added value by sharing their culture and showing us the beautiful flora and fauna. Upon our request, Sticky Rice Travel also arranged for a homestay for us. We wanted to be emerged in the local culture, to really see the day-to-day life of Bornean people. We stayed with Ezara and his family in beautiful Sayap Village. They were very welcoming and friendly! Rubina, Ezara's mother, cooked us wonderful local food and they took us to their farm where we could help harvest fruits and vegetables and then cook dinner together. The next day, they took us on a very strenuous, but wonderful hike to Aura Montoria. A trekking trough the jungle and past waterfalls and hanging bridges, all the way to the top, where we could swim in a large, clear rock pool with lots of small fishes and butterflies. It was heaven. The homestay was a great way to start our trip. We learned a lot about the culture and we even learned some Dusun words (Ezara also spoke good English). For our 3-week travel, Sticky Rice Travel combined this homestay with several jungle trekkings (amongst which the unique Danum Valley) and 2 island stays, where we could go snorkeling. It was the most memorable trip! Borneo exceeded our expectations. The people were very friendly, we felt safe and we saw so much wildlife and beautiful nature! We can definitely recommend Stricky Rice Travel!
Written 18 August 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.
Kenna Sue T
Anchorage, Alaska2 contributions
Sept 2024 • Family
We had a wonderful 5 day birding extention with Sticky Rice after our Natural Habitat Adventure. Dean Jais was an excellent, knowledgeable guide; Azrel was a competent and safe driver. As we drove from location to location, Dean gave us Borneo history and local cultural information. Dean was also very careful with our dietary restrictions. Sticky Rice listened to our requests, met our expectations and planned the perfect trip. I highly recommend Sticky Rice. Thank you Charles Ryan, Norerasehida, Dean and Azrel.
Written 5 October 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.
chandafuller
Palm Beach, FL8 contributions
Sept 2024 • Friends
The tour was great! The guide picked us up from the hotel, drove us to many places around the city, and took us to lunch where we had the most delicious meal. The tour guide and driver were friendly and knowledgeable. I definitely recommend Sticky Rice Travel for tours!
Written 20 September 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.
CulturalTraveler01
Palm Desert, CA3 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
After reading some positive reviews, we arranged our trip with Hannah at Sticky Rice Travel. She arranged a custom tour that met our goals of experiecing the cultural, cuisine and wildlife highlights of Sabah, Borneo. Hannah was sensitive to our desires and made some excellent suggestions that made our trip a very special experience. All of the lodgings were very nice and some really special. The guides, drivers and lodging staff were all knowledgeable and extremely helpful. We saw all the wilflife that we hoped to see (except the clouded leopard) and learned so much about Sabah. We highly recommend Sticky Rice for their expertise and attention to our wishes.
Written 18 November 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.
I need evisa and transportation for Malaysia i am from india
Written 5 September 2022
I need evisa and transportation for Malaysia i am from india
Written 5 September 2022
I want to go to the sepilok sanctuary to see the orangutans I am staying in Kota Kinabalu is it possible in one day thanks
Written 25 December 2019
Hannah Mohd
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Hi Penny,
You can visit Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre for a day trip. To reach Sepilok, the ideal way is to take a 45 minute flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan. If you are flying on the day you wish to visit Sepilok, we suggest you take the earliest flight and you can opt for a half day or full day trip there. We hope this answers your question, if you need further information you can send us an email info@stickyricetravel. com and one of our travel consultants will attend to you. Hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you,
Sticky Rice Travel Team
Written 26 December 2019
I have only a day would it be possible to see orangutans
Written 18 December 2019
Hannah Mohd
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Hi Penny,
Apologies for the delayed reply. One of the best ways to see Orangutans while contributing to the local conservation effort in a day is by visiting the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Please don't hesitate to contact us for more details. Looking forward to hear from you.
Thank you,
Sticky Rice Travel Team
Written 26 December 2019
Hello,
I’ll be traveling to the region in early January. Does Sticky Rice offer 2d3n tours to Maliau basin as well as Danum? Or 3d4n?
I’ll be traveling solo as well, is it possible to join a group? What is the general cost of these tours?
Thank you for any help that you can provide!
Written 2 December 2018
Hey Greenboat88, unfortunately for Maliau Basin the shortest itinerary we have available is a 4 days 3 nights. Maliau Basin is one of the more remote destination in Sabah with the overland journey from Kota Kinabalu taking 6-7 hours.
For Danum Valley we have 3 day 2 night and 4 day 3 night itineraries available departing from Lahad Datu. Please see the Sticky Rice Travel website for full itinerary details for both Maliau Basin and Danum Valley.
Where possible we try to arrange for single travellers to join existing transfers to avoid a single supplement surcharge. However the surcharge will need to be paid in the event that there are no existing transfers on the day you wish to travel.
I would encourage you to get in touch with our sales team via email. Please let them know rough dates you wish to travel on, hopefully we can link up with one of our existing bookings. Your Travel Consultant will also be able to provide you pricing based on your travel style.
We look forward to hearing from you and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions.
Written 19 December 2018
How much does it cost for 3D2N for Danum Valley Tour? Where is the pick up point? I sent an inquiry to Sticky Rice two times but never get an answer. I want to know the cost to plan for my budget. Thanks.
Written 23 October 2017
Hi there,
Thanks for your e-mail and we do apologise for the apparent communication breakdown. The pick-up point for our Danum Valley trips is Lahad Datu Airport. Have you e-mailed our travel consultants directly on info@stickyricetravel. com or through other means? Please kindly provide your e-mail so I can forward your inquiry onto our team as soon as possible and deliver the requested quote.
Thank you,
Sticky Rice Travel team
Written 24 October 2017
Hallo -I fly tomorrow (1 person) from Bangkok to KK. I'm interested in 4/5 day tour in the Dschungel, Orang Utans and a typical village. Could you offer me something in english, german or spanish, group or with guide alone? Thank you Doris
hubermex@gmail
Written 4 August 2017
Hello Doris,
Sorry, your email just got in today. If you still wish to travel with us, do visit us at our office on Gaya Street (our address is also listed in this platform). We are open from 9 am till 5 pm with a lunch hour break from 12.30 - 1.30 pm.
Alternatively, you could also send us an email by visiting our website. One of our travel consultants will attend to you. Hope to see you or hear from you soon.
Written 7 August 2017
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