We are situated in this rustic, nature-based tourism island resort on the island of Pulau Tiga, famous for its unique natural mud volcanic spa therapy and sea snake island features, within the Kuala Penyu district national park, just two hours drive away from the nearest modern city, Kota Kinabalu.
Hi, have you been to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah? If yes, I'm pretty sure you have visited Tunku Abdul Rahman Park which consists of Pulau Gaya, Manukan, Sapi, Sulug & Mamutik. Most people will choose this place because it's easily accessible by speedboat from KK town.
But for me, I have planned my island trip to Pulau Tiga and I never regret that…… It's so much different from the islands located in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park! Although the journey is long before we can reach the resort, you will soon forget the tiredness once you touch down resort jetty ( From KK, 1 1/2 hour in resort van to Kuala Penyu, then another 20minutes by speed boat to resort)
Little info gathered from web : Pulau Tiga became famous due to the popular Million Dollar Prize Money TV series 'Survivor' by the CBS TV network, USA. This is the exact island that the entire first series was filmed! The fact that this island was chosen was due to its untouched natural landscape and marine life.
If you want to save cost, book package directly from Borneo Survivor Resort (BSR) website (www.borneosurvivor.com.my). The staffs are very professional and helpful in providing full info about Pulau Tiga. Especially Phillip Heng, the resort manager, I'm appreciate his help during my stay at BSR.
There are many type of room/chalet available in BSR. Due to my budget constraint, I have chosen dormitory type. The room is very clean and tidy. Cosy environment around the resort, friendly staffs and the food is ok if you are not a choosy eater.
I like the unpolluted night sky there too. Lie on the jetty and enjoy beautiful night sky. Many constellations can be seen with naked eyes. We even saw a few shootings stars and a fireball too!
When you're in Pulau Tiga, don't forget to try doing 'spa' at mud volcano. Don't panic, just relax and enjoy… believe me, it is very fun!!! A little tips, apply mosquito repellent as you need to do a little bit of jungle trek before reaching mud volcano. Please also bring along spare drinking water in case mud goes into your eyes, you can use clean water to wash because no toilet or tap water there.
The resort provides other optional tour too… snake island, snorkeling, water rafting at Padas River, Klias River cruise and many more… just browse through their website! Enjoy : )
Read more
Date of stay: April 2007
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
We spent two days on Pulau Tiga, staying in the Borneo Survivor Resort, and had the most unique and enjoyable experience in our lives! We had been doubtful at first about staying in a less well-known resort compared to another established one on the other side of the island, but after all the adventures there, we've promised each other we'll definitely go back as soon as we can!
Firstly, the cost of staying at BSR was very reasonable, especially if booked directly through the resort website. We booked two months in advance and received an early bird discount of 20%. The manager Mr Philip Heng was also very helpful and accommodating to our requests.
We were picked up from our lodge in KK by the resort staff on Day 1, and had a pleasant 2-hour journey by van to Kuala Penyu, where Zaini our guide cum driver pointed out various interesting things along the way. At the jetty, we met the resort supervisor Jasni, and proceeded to the island by boat. Halfway through the journey, a large fish leapt through the air alongside our boat, making us gasp in awe!
Pulau Tiga itself is beautiful. From the jetty, we could see a large expanse of clear shallow water, teeming with fish fry and occasionally larger fish. I even spotted a small ray swimming by.
As we were the only ones at the resort, it was incredibly peaceful and quiet, only the sound of waves and bird calls could be heard. We were shown to our room, a 6-bed dorm for our budget, and it was clean and comfortable. The attached bathroom was clean and spacious too, although there was no hot water shower which was only available in the chalets.
After a sumptuous lunch, we took a 1.5-hour trek to the mud volcano at the west side of Pulau Tiga and had a great time floating in the mud. It was late afternoon by the time we were done, and we requested to go back by boat at a charge of RM30 per person. However, it was well worth it because we got to catch the beautiful sunset which could not be seen from the resort as it was on the eastern side.
The meals were good and food was plentiful. For dinner, we even had a special treat of fresh meaty crabs! The owner Mr Francis was very hospitable and thoughtful. When he overheard us commenting that a dish of bitter gourd (a local vege) was very bitter, he quietly ordered a new dish of beans to be served to us instead. It touched us immensely as we had not expected him to hear our chatter at the dining table. It was the same with all the staff there, their exceptional service made our stay memorable.
At night, Jasni made us a campfire on the beach and we went out on the jetty to fish for squid. It was great fun to watch the staff reeling in huge squid and getting a try ourselves. It was breezy on the jetty and we did not have to worry about mosquitoes at all. Unfortunately, we didn't get to grill the fresh squid by the fire because it rained after a while and we were forced to retire to our rooms.
The next morning, we woke early to catch the sunrise. One feels like one is alone in the whole world, surrounded by the calm sea and forest. The only living things we saw were sea birds and a white-bellied sea eagle circling above. Jasni had told us we could spot Mount Kinabalu in the distance if the weather was clear, and true enough, for a short while we could see the mountain, but it was soon hidden from our view when the sun rose. I could have sat there all day, watching the sparkling green water, the squabbling birds, and the schools of fish swimming below. It felt like almost paradise. The only pity was that we didn't spot any hornbills which we were told would appear near the resort in the morning.
We left the island with heavy hearts at 11am, but our experience with Borneo Survivor Resort had not ended, as Jasni guided us on a trip to Beaufort to see the Harvest Festival and then on to the Klias Wetlands tour with Zaini to see proboscis monkeys and fireflies. Their perpetual good humour, patience and knowledge left deep impressions with us, and we felt like we've found new friends after just a day's acquaintance.
In short, if you love nature in its unspoilt state, and would like an adventure on a deserted island, this is the place for you, bugs and all! Imagine waking up and spotting monitor lizards around the resort, listening to the "woof woof" of a barking lizard as you have your meals, and hearing the meowing calls of the megapode as you trek through the jungle....it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially for us who have spent all our lives in cities.
TIP: Invest in a good insect repellent to ward off the mosquitoes and sand flies so that you can enjoy the atmosphere completely. It's all part and parcel of the island experience!
Read more
Date of stay: April 2008
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
The trip by boat took about 20 minutes from the mainland. Survivor island is like 3 In 1 . Snake island is tiny and although there is a sign to say be careful poisonous snakes I did not see any at all and you could walk around it in less than 5 minutes . The 2nd is now just a stretch of white sand with a few trees left as it has eroded away over the years, the main island is very beautiful but has a few downsides. The water is clear and warm the buffet food was very good but the toilets on the island where horrendous , please note I went in the quite season there was only 9 of us in total so no reason for the following. The toilets were not clean, they did not flush you have to take your shoes off at the steps and then put on their flip flops on as you enter the toilets , heaven only knows who had them on their feet before you. The trip up the volcanic mud pool takes about twenty minutes and can be very slippery in parts so wear shoes you don't mind getting dirty as trust me they will get filthy. When you reach the pool you undress to swimwear . Note before you get in make sure all your stuff is safely in your bag and towel out ready . When you get out or you will get mud over everything you touch. You do need to be careful getting in as it's very slippery the mud is quidgey beneath your feet and you will be able to feel all the leaves in there and she the odd spider skiing across the top of the mud you will also float in it. There is no shower to clean the mud off at the pool so you will need to trek down again to the sea covered in mud, it more slippery going down as others leave a trail of wet mud I front of you. The sea is very welcoming and warm, after You can then rest in the hammocks and caught so some sun before the boat goes back to the mainland. It is worth a day visit but I would not want to stay for a couples of days.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2016
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Take old shoes that you don't mind getting dirty. Ladies no white bikinis
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.
We just returned from a week's vacation in KK, and whilst there, we took a side-trip to Pulau Tiga, an island off the coast of Malaysia and stayed at the Borneo Survivor Resort. From what was meant to have been a day's visit turned out to be a night stop-over - we were so taken back with the place, we wanted to experience staying on the island overnight. This was certainly not regretted, even if it meant loosing out staying in our 5 Star hotel in town for one evening.
KK itself is laid back and unhurried, well, certainly compared to Hong Kong, where we live, but Survivor Resort was something else! Its a very new resort, been up and running for about 18 months to two years or so, and is slowly developing. There is one 'kampong' style chalet that sleeps three persons (see photo), and another ‘long-house’ block that consists of six rooms, each room sleeps six, and each with their own toilet and shower facilities. All accommodation are air-conditioned, and the Resort’s electricity is run from its own generators. We stayed in the chalet that was comfortably equipped and even had tea making facilities! I understand that more chalets will be built shortly as part of the management’s expansion plans. More of this later.
Upon landing on the pier after the 30 minutes boat ride from the mainland, you see the beach and the rainforest, but no buildings! We had to strain your eyes looking for the resort. Are we in the right place??? Its only once you get off the pier and make your way towards the jungle undergrowth that you have sight of the main building neatly tucked in amongst the trees behind the beach. Incidentally, the Borneo Survivor resort is located in the same spot (Tagi Beach) where the “Tagi Tribe” of the first CBS Survivor series, "SurvivorBorneo" screened in 2000, camped out. The main building houses the reception and dining and lounging facilities, with the kitchen facilities at the rear. Its really more of a large covered shelter, with a high ceiling to let the breeze through, and is open on three sides to get the maximum potential out of the view of the jungle.
After a lovely lunch the resort staff arranged a guided 45-minute trek to the mud volcano bath which was a wonderful experience. En-route, take in all the flora and fauna – the environment. Stimulate your senses – smell, touch, see and listen to the rainforest. It was so refreshing! Arriving at the mud-volcano we shed our top clothes and slid into the mud wearing our swim wear. This was fun and well worth experiencing! Have you ever floated on watery mud whilst volcanic air pockets are slowly bubbling around you?? It’s a must try – why spend all that money on a mud face-mask when you can get your whole body caked?? Don’t forget to bring your camera for those fun snap shots, as well as some water and a clean small towel cloth (to wipe your eyes in case you get some of the mud in your eyes). Upon returning back to the resort, other excursions we had on that first day involved a short ten minute boat ride to ‘Snake Island’ where the guide pulls out sea-snakes from under the rocks (for some unknown reason, these sea snakes travel thousands of miles to this small island to breed. National Geographic has even made a documentary on the snakes and eagles on the island). From here, we traveled a few minutes by boat to the nearby sand-spit for a swim. This sand spit was also featured in “SurvivorBorneo” as a number of the challenges were held on it. This was fun to be on too! Had we stayed longer, I may have arranged a ‘romantic dinner’ on the sandbar whilst watching the most spectacular sunset. Apparently the resort staff have dropped off couples there before and left them there with food, marooned for a few hours!
By mid afternoon we had to make a decision – shall we go, or shall we stay?? We decided to stay the evening – We were so much in love with the place! As we were the only ones at the resort we got the use of the chalet and then we had time to explore the beach that was all part of the resort grounds (apparently includes 30 acres of jungle and beach front). The majority of the beach was generally clean and there were plenty of nature’s gifts left there - sea shells, drift wood etc., though the more secluded end of the beach still had a few plastic bottles and other man-made objects which had yet to be cleared away. I was told by the management that they have basically left the top end untouched since they are currently focusing on the main part of the beach, though they will slowly make their way around to clearing it up, in-line with their expansion plans. I preferred it as it was – it gave a more of a rough and natural feel to the place; more of that ‘deserted island feel’, rather than that too-clean and cosmetic beach feel you get in those more touristy places.
The meals were all prepared by the on-site local chef; very good and tasty - all locally used products. For lunch we had the freshest and tastiest steam fish that I have ever come across. The is no ‘choice’ from a menu, per-se, but in all fairness, we didn’t ask for a menu since we were happy to take what was put in front of us. I’m sure if you ask, and if you give sufficient time, they could prepare something at your request. Remember that everything has to be brought in from the local town on the mainland so don’t ask for anything too elaborate!
Afternoon soon turned to dusk, and into evening. Enter a different world. The jungle sounds echoed around, the lapping of the sea shore – the distant lights of the mainland Sabah. After dinner the staff pulled out their fishing tackle and invited us to fish for squid. We stepped our way along the wooden pier into the darkness and started to fish. Having noticed the incredibly cloudless night sky it soon dawned on us that we were experiencing one of the most clearest evenings since childhood! The sky was so brilliantly lit up with the stars it was truly magical. We put down the fishing kits and lied on the jetty star glazing, whilst the staff were pulling in their large squid catches. Reluctantly after a couple of hours we made out way back to the main building where the deliciously cooked squid were already waiting for us. Prepared straight away by the chef, caught fresh from the sea. They cooked them wonderfully well! What a treat!
After a comfortable night, we enjoyed a very tasty breakfast (Malaysian noodles and home-made banana fritters you would die for) then spent the morning basking in the sun, beach strolling and swimming. Around midday, a group of three backpackers arrived by boat (they apparently met up in Kula Lumpur only a few days before, and decided to fly to Sabah together to spend three days at the resort). One was equipped with a guitar. Selfishly, we felt that they were intruding on OUR island – fortunately we didn’t see much of them as they had a lunch then made off to the mud volcano bath. The staff had put up three tents at their request - as they said they would prefer to camp out, rather than stay in the lodgings. The staff told us that, on request, they could set up camp fires on the beach. I imagined the three backpackers sitting around a camp fire, cold beer in hand and humming along with the guitar player.
After lunch and another walk on the beach, camera in hand to capture and bring back the beauty of the island, we were voted off (!!) and it was time to go. We felt invigorated and relaxed. It was indeed very sad leaving the island and a promise to ourselves was made to return, one day in the near future.
Borneo Survivor Resort is a place to relax, unwind and do nothing. If you are a ‘city folk’, then its comfortable enough to feel as if you are roughing it out. You have to take the place as it comes – remember, that the place is just starting out. It doesn’t claim to provide five-star accommodation, but it doesn’t need to. The natural and unspoiled environment and the most genuine, friendly and helpful staff is all that you need. You MUST visit and experience it BEFORE it is discovered by others and the resort expands. What I was most impressed about was that there was a deliberate attempt by the management to try and leave as much of the environment untouched as possible. In getting started they didn’t bring in the bulldozers, wiping out dozens of trees in the process. They merely made a few small necessary clearings for the few building they erected, and that was it. Paths are left unpaved and even a tree is left to grow through the hut, rather than cut it down. This place will gradually expand, and over time, will certainly become a popular place to visit - speaking to the staff there, they intend to only develop incrementally, and slowly. They do have plans to erect a few more kampong style chalets, whilst retaining as much of the natural environment as possible, and that they will leave as much of the tropical rain forest intact as possible.
What you must bring – your swim wear, insect repellent and a camera.
If you seek peace and quiet, when enquiring on availability, do ask if another group or ‘large’ party is there during the time you intend to be there, otherwise your stay will be spoiled with the ‘disturbances’. If you can get the place to yourselves, or share it with only a few others, then I promise, you would not regret visiting. Visit before others discover!
Had a great time and I'd recommend it to all.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2007
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
The place would be not too bad, but the food is terrible, we had rats in the room at night, it was expensive and the personnel was not so nice.
Forget to go there, especially with the family, much better the other resort on Pulau Tiga island, we went there by foot and seemed to be a dream as a difference.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2008
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Business service (e.g., internet access)
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
It's a long ride (2 hours) from KK and then a half hour boat ride, but is a relaxing place to go.
We were interested in birds and Julius was very helpful.
We enjoyed a walk down the beach but found the monkeys a bit aggressive. We found all sorts of hermit crabs and they were all living in the most beautiful shells.
The water at the beach was lovely and warm and shallow.
Each room is a raised little bungalow. Our room (which was called superior) was basic but had everything we needed and it was clean. The beds were comfortable. We enjoyed sitting on the porch watching the monitor lizards go by, watching the water and the birds.
We took a side trip to Snake Island. We did see snakes but not well as they hide under rocks in the heat of the day. If you go, wear proper foot ware, not flip flops as I wore!
Read more
Date of stay: March 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
we went on a day visit and proceeded to book the next night......we had 2 superior rooms which we did not spend much time in......lazing in a hammock swimming in the warm water and some snorkeling. Of course we went up to the mud volcano and did our beauty thing coming back down to wash it all off in the warm South China Sea. We took a long walk around the coast and found the most amazing shells and saw monkeys playing, yes there is some litter but not as bad as what some say and it seems it is washed up with the tide and not left behind as it was in remote places. The resorts beach is raked everyday. The food is ok and of course more asian friendly especially with the amount of Chinese that were staying there. We met up with a lovely German couple and had a BBQ with them on the beach for dinner, well worth paying the extra with our own big bonfire on the beach. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and cant be blamed for the owners lack of interest as there is plenty of opportunity to improve the place like turning the beach bar into a cocktail bar etc and organizing survivor games between guests. we had such a relaxing time over the 2 days there that we never made it to snake island and thus will have to go back, any excuse will do to go back. The monitor lizards are also to be seen only problem is they have discovered there is food at the back of the hotel kitchen and thus don't catch the rats so make sure you take a torch with you at night and have a stick to bang the ground but we didn't have any in our room. If you are drinking rather order the bottle as its much cheaper and if you like snacking through the day then you need to take your own peanuts/crips or the like. A big thank you to the staff for making our short stay a remarkable and memorial one, if you go there open and friendly they will embrace you and do all they can
Read more
Date of stay: April 2014
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:try to get a room close to the main lodge as its dark at night it
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.
We werethe only 2 people on the island for the first 2 nights..... great you would thik but the staff seemed to take this as no one staying so not working! Resort itself needed updating. Loved the monekys and monitor lizards!
Read more
Date of stay: April 2011
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
Sadly was disappointed in this Resort. Had been trekking for 2 weeks prior to Pulau tiga. The dining area was fairly modern, however our bungalow was tired with badly cracked floor tiles which had been roughly stuck together. Rooms weren't particularly clean, no towels in room and only 6 sheets of toilet paper with no spare roll so had to go to reception to request same. Beach not very clean which was a shame. Our room was supposed to be a superior room. Place overrun with monkey's not just in the grounds but when the opportunity arose they would steal from the dining area. You can see that it had been a nice place some time ago but really they need to spend some money on resort. Not sure who was managing the resort, it appeared as if no one was. Requested on arrival not to leave anything of value in rooms however was advised that there was a safe area at reception for valuables. However this just appeared to be a room at back of reception. Lost count of the number of people coming and going from this room so not very secure. We left our keys at reception and when we came back they were still sitting on the counter 2 hours later so an open invitation for someone. Asked to sign a disclaimer b4 visiting island which at the time we thought was strange. We were there for 2 nights and it was long enough. There appeared to be a bit of a party on the 1st night which resulted in a reluctance of staff to offer all the services that they mentioned on our arrival ie guided walk. The management of this resort and the maintenance really needs to be looked at. The girls at reception who also seemed to cover the bar worked well and also the food was fairly good. Wandered along the beach as someone had mentioned it was cleaner further along. Just a short distance away there is a hostel which I have to say was immaculate in comparison. Hopefully after reading this report the management if there is any, will open their eyes and spend some money to bring this resort back to its former self and also take some control over the staff. We were not the only ones that were disappointed.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2015
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Sadly would not recommend this resort.
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.
- about a 2 hours drive from KK City (107 km) to the Kuala Penyu jetty - 20 min boat ride from jetty - currently 2 choices of places to stay : Borneo Survivor Resort & Sabah Park. (2 more properties under construction) - Attractions : Mud Volcano, Trekking, Snorkeling, Diving, Snake Island** and Sand's Pit**) ** (15 min away by boat) - Along the way : Tempurung Lodge, Binsuluk Resort, Klias or Garama Proboscis and Fireflies river cruise. - opt for day trip or stay overnight.
It's a good option from the busy Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi and Mantanani islands.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2014
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:nice individual chalets. but could use some refurbishment.
i give it a 4 mainly due to the...
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.
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia13 contributions5 helpful votes
"nice individual chalets. but could use some refurbishment.
i give it a 4 mainly due to the dated look of the chalets. but otherwise, the experience is great."
There are more places to choose from in the Pulau Tiga area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
borneo survivor hotel kota kinabalu
LOCATION
MalaysiaSabahKuala PenyuPulau Tiga
NUMBER OF ROOMS
105
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
