Malaysian Borneo is definitely on my list of ultimate destinations. There’s something for everyone there, from snorkeling in Sandakan to climbing Mount Kinabalu.
My family and I felt a great need to explore a little bit of everything that Borneo had to offer, so we tried to pack it all in! Borneo is one of Asia’s best family holidays. I fully reccommend it!
Our first stop was Kota Kinabalu to climb the mountain. It’s a two day trek up and down, but don’t let the short duration fool you, my legs have never been more sore than the day after getting down. The views along the way up the mountain were 10000% worth the tough hiking (are they ever not?!), and Mount Kinabalu quickly became one of my favorite experiences thus far (which is why its the focus of this post).
Something about seeing the clouds beneath you is just simply elating and majestic and wonderful!
We also flew on over to Sandakan, where we went to the Walai Penyu Resort. This resort is a turtle hatchery, where they create a safe place for turtles to hatch their eggs, and then, when the eggs hatch, they release the turtles into the ocean. Turtle Island is another popular spot for this.
We also headed on over to Sabah, aka animal heaven! We went to an orangutan sanctuary, where we were able to watch wild orangutans play. They’re truly amazing little guys and saving them is super important! There’s also a nature reserve there where you can go on night safari walks, which I definitely recommend. We saw tons of rare Bornean creatures.. Being able to see animals that most professionals don’t get to see was truly a once in a lifetime experience. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll see the rarest animals, but if you get lucky, it’s a truly amazing way to spend a night. There are so many things to do in Sabah, and I felt like we needed more time!
Borneo is a truly incredible, magical little place that is often overlooked. If you’re in Southeast Asia, don’t forget to visit!
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