Experience · Malaysia

Orangutans in Borneo

Watching a wild-born orangutan swing in to feed at Sepilok's rehabilitation centre in Sabah rearranges something in a child permanently.

Best forFamilies · Wildlife & nature · Photographers
In October31°C · 28 rainy days
Ideal stayA week in Sabah, with three nights around Sandakan
Approx. flying time~15h 35m from Los Angeles

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Happens around Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia — nearest airport Sandakan (SDK), about 13km away.

CurrencyMYRMalaysian ringgit
LanguageMalay
Local time17:346h ahead of the UK
PlugsType GUK plugs fit
Drive on theLeftSame as the UK
Dialling code+60

The experience

Seeing an orangutan move through the canopy is nothing like a zoo encounter: the deliberation of it, the long arms testing branches, the way a mother positions herself so an infant can follow. Sabah is the accessible place to do it, with rehabilitation centres near Sandakan and genuinely wild sightings along the Kinabatangan river. Feeding platforms give a near-certain look; the river gives the chance of something entirely unscripted.

Most people fly into Kota Kinabalu, spend a night or two on the coast, then move east to Sandakan and on to a river lodge for two or three nights. Adding Mount Kinabalu or the Danum Valley turns it into a proper fortnight. Rain falls all year and is heaviest from October to February, while drier months concentrate wildlife along the water. Small children find the early starts and long transfers hard going.

Ideal stay: A week in Sabah, with three nights around Sandakan
The vibe: Humid, patient, quietly astonishing

From our guides

The morning and afternoon feedings are reliable, the sun bear conservation centre next door doubles the impact, and river cruises on the Kinabatangan add proboscis monkeys, hornbills and — with luck — pygmy elephants. It's a long haul, so fold it into a wider Malaysia trip. Best from about age six, with patience and repellent.

Featured in Ten wildlife holidays that beat any screen

Make a trip of it

Sepilok rehabilitation centre

Orphaned and rescued orangutans are prepared for life in the forest here, and the twice-daily feedings give visitors a reliable, well-managed view from a boardwalk.
Bornean Sun Bear Centre

Next door to Sepilok, this centre cares for the world's smallest bear species, an animal most visitors have never heard of and immediately want to read about.
Kinabatangan river cruises

Dawn and dusk boat trips along the river turn up proboscis monkeys, macaques, hornbills, crocodiles and, in some seasons, herds of pygmy elephants.
Rainforest Discovery Centre

A canopy walkway near Sepilok puts you level with the treetops, which is the best chance of forest birds and the occasional wild orangutan passing through.
Danum Valley

Primary lowland rainforest several hours inland, with lodges, night drives and the highest chance of meeting entirely wild orangutans on their own terms.

Getting there

Fly to
Sandakan (SDK)

Nearest airport to Sepilok, about 13km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Sandakan

Fly to Sandakan (SDK) in Sabah, usually via Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu, then about half an hour by taxi to Sepilok; the airport listed sits in Indonesian Borneo and is no use here.
On the ground
Getting around

Sepilok's orangutan and sun bear centres are next door to each other and walkable from the local lodges; Kinabatangan river cruises start two to three hours away by road and are sold as packages.

Public transport: Buses and taxis link Sandakan with Sepilok, but the river lodges expect you to travel on their transfers.

Flights

Los Angeles Orangutans in Borneo, Malaysia

Flying from

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Roughly 15h 35m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about 29°C in January to 31°C in May. Driest in February and April; wettest in November, with rain on about 29 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

October31° · rain 28 daysHot and often wet.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2015–2024 at Sepilok (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to base yourself

Rainforest lodges and chalets around Sepilok, river lodges on the Kinabatangan, and standard business hotels in Sandakan. Air conditioning is not universal outside town.

Best base overall
Sepilok

Staying beside the rehabilitation centre gets you to both feedings without the drive from town, and the rainforest lodges here have their own trails. Dinner means eating at your lodge.
Find stays in Sepilok
Best value
Sandakan town

Twenty-five kilometres away, with proper hotels, seafood restaurants and the airport. Cheaper per night, but you commit to a taxi or shuttle each way, and the town is unlovely.
Find stays in Sandakan town
Quietest
Sukau on the Kinabatangan

Riverside lodges two to three hours south, booked for dawn and dusk cruises among proboscis monkeys and hornbills. Fan rooms, insects and no phone signal at some places.
Find stays in Sukau on the Kinabatangan
Best with children
Sepilok jungle resorts

Several lodges near the centre have pools, garden rooms and short boardwalk trails, which buys you a rest between the two feeding times. Book adjoining rooms early, as families are common.
Find stays in Sepilok jungle resorts

Worth knowing before you book: Sepilok has a small number of beds and tour groups take them in blocks, so book well ahead for July and August. Most river lodges price as packages including transfers and cruises.

Search everything else in Sandakan by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

Or see everything in Sandakan

Good to know

Book ahead: Lodges on the Kinabatangan and in the Danum Valley are small and fill months in advance, particularly over European school holidays.
Timing: Feeding sessions run mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Arriving early matters, as the viewing platform has limited space.
Pack this: Long sleeves, repellent, leech socks for forest walks and a dry bag. Humidity is high and afternoon rain is normal.
Etiquette: Keep your distance, never feed or touch the animals, and leave bags in the lockers provided. Orangutans will take anything carried openly.
With kids: The boardwalks and boats suit children of about six upwards. Expect long road transfers between Sandakan and the river lodges.