Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Malaysia – Borneo – Kota Kibanalu – Sandakan – Sukau – Gaya Island
100% customisable for you
Passports packed and little ones in the car: your family adventure to Malaysia begins today.
Head to the airport, speed through security and settle in for some coffee (or a babycino, for the little ones) in the lounge before boarding your flight bound for Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysian Borneo's Sabah State. With a speedy stopover in Kuala Lumpur, the journey will take just under 17 hours, but don’t worry: we’ve armed the children with our tailor-made family fun packs to keep them entertained in the air.
When you arrive, you’ll be met and privately transferred to your beachfront hotel, a one-hour drive away. Check in for three nights, smother the little ones in suncream and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing, perhaps with a cooling dip in the pool or a sandcastle-building competition. Something tells us you'll be able to enjoy a peaceful dinner with some worn-out (but happy) children…
Rise bright and early this morning to beat the jetlag and fuel up with a hearty breakfast before meeting your driver and heading to the Kiulu River for a fun-filled day of family-friendly rafting.
When you arrive at the rafting launch point, you’ll be kitted up and given a safety briefing before you board your raft and hit the water. Set off on a thrilling nine-mile descent downriver – the longest whitewater rafting course in Sabah, no less – passing bamboo thickets and tackling the rapids. Then, once you’ve reached the end of the course, you’ll be treated to a barbecue lunch on the riverbanks, complete with postcard-perfect views over the surrounding valley.
Back at the hotel, enjoy a relaxing afternoon – you deserve it after all that excitement.
We’ve left today free for you to enjoy at your own pace. Whether you’d rather head out to explore or simply relax at your hotel, begin your day right with a hearty breakfast in the sun – say yes to that second plate of pancakes for the table, you are on holiday after all.
Prefer to stay close to home after yesterday’s excitement? Parents can set up camp on the sand while the little ones hurtle down to the sea to dip their toes in the waves. More adventurous youngsters can also try their hand at windsurfing or waterskiing with friendly instructors.
If you’d like to explore more of your surroundings, venture into town, stopping at local markets or souvenir shops. When you’ve worked up an appetite, pause at a traditional restaurant for a taste of authentic Malaysian cuisine – our clued-up Concierge is on hand to recommend some hidden gems.
Come evening, enjoy a sundowner on the beach (mocktails for the little ones, of course) as the sun sets over the sea.
It’s up and away to Sandakan today, so bundle the little ones into the car as you’re whizzed back to the airport this morning for the short 45-minute flight east.
Once you’ve touched down, it’s another private transfer to your hotel in the Sepilok-Kabili Forest Reserve, a protected area home to lush rainforest and cute orangutans. When you arrive, check in for the night and settle into your scenic surroundings with a tasty lunch and a game of I-Spy.
Then, as night falls, head out with a knowledgeable guide for a private wildlife walk through the rainforest. With a number of nocturnal species calling this region home, this is one of the best times to spot wildlife, so keep an eye out for Malay badgers, sleeping birds, flying lemur and even a few glowworms and fireflies tucked away in the trees.
After a tasty breakfast this morning, you’ll be collected and privately transferred to Sukau, a pretty neighbourhood set along the Kinabatangan River.
Just before you leave the reserve, stop at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, where your very own cheeky monkeys can get up close and personal with these gentle giants. Then, continue to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where you’ll be introduced to these teeny bears. Both centres work to protect these increasingly endangered species, meaning children can learn about the importance of preservation while also admiring these cute creatures.
Suitably wowed, hop back in the car and chart a course to Sukau, your home for the night. Here, the excitement continues with a sightseeing cruise along the Kinabatangan River – keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife and endemic birds.
Finish the day with a candlelit dinner on the riverbank and a presentation on the local wildlife by a naturalist guide, keeping score of how many creatures you spotted earlier.
Rise at first light today for a jam-packed day of family fun. With the forest at its most tranquil (and the wildlife at its most active), hop aboard a boat and cruise upstream towards the Kelananap Oxbow Lake, keeping an eye out for proboscis monkeys, crocodiles and, of course, orangutans.
Along the way, your naturalist guide will fill you in on the rainforest ecosystem, pointing out how each animal and plant works in tandem. Back at your lodge, they’ll then whisk you out on an educational tour along the lodge’s boardwalk, where you and the little ones will learn how to differentiate your hornbills from your kingfishers.
After a tasty lunch and a few hours spent relaxing, board another boat for a leisurely river safari, putting your newfound wildlife knowledge to good use. As the sun sets, drift along the Kinabatangan River, watching for animals gathering along the riverbank – first one to spot a pygmy elephant wins…
Swap rainforest for beaches today as you’re privately transferred back to Sandakan airport for the 45-minute return flight to Kota Kinabalu. When you land, you’ll be collected and whisked to the Jesselton Point ferry terminal, where you’ll once again take to the water for the ten-minute speedboat crossing to Gaya Island.
After several days in the dense rainforest, stop to soak in the open sea views before docking onto the sandy shores of your beachfront hotel, where you’ll be staying for the next four nights. Once you've checked in, head straight to the pool to cool off before a delicious dinner – fresh seafood, anyone?
After a jam-packed week, the next three days are entirely dedicated to R&R (or as close as you can come to relaxation with children in tow…). Complete with sparkling waters, glorious sandy beaches and verdant jungle, Gaya Island is a real slice of paradise, making it the perfect spot to finish up a fantastic family holiday.
If the youngsters are still raring to go, there’s plenty of island activities on offer. Budding snorkellers can mask up and dive down with an expert guide, drifting over lush coral gardens and swimming with tropical fish. If they’d prefer to keep their head above water, watersports are also on offer, alongside jungle walks and cookery classes.
While the children are entertained by friendly instructors, parents can enjoy some time to unwind, whether you’d rather take a dip in the pool, soak up the sun on the sand or indulge in a treatment at the spa.
End each sun-kissed and salt-speckled day with sundowners and seafood on the beach, soundtracked by excited chatter about the incredible family memories made.
It's sadly time for your fun-filled family holiday to come to an end. After one last leisurely morning, board the ten-minute speedboat to the mainland and meet your driver for the private transfer back to Kota Kinabalu airport, where you’ll begin your journey home.
With another quick connection in Kuala Lumpur, the overnight journey will take around 18 and a half hours, and you’ll arrive back in the UK in the early morning, already gearing up for your next family adventure.
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from checking you in for your flights to our network of local Concierges
