Sandakan: 3-Day Kinabatangan Birdwatching Tour

Meet your driver at Sandakan Airport, town or sepilok, begin your journey into Borneo's lowland rainforest. Reach a Kinabatangan homestay or lodge after 2.5 hours. The river and swamp woods are home to a sizable population of Southeast Asian birds, rest and get your personal camera gear ready before starting your first river safari. Board a small boat and slowly navigate the winding waterways and hidden tributaries while guide searches the riverbanks for avian activity. If birdwatchers are lucky, they may see stork-billeds and gorgeous blue-and-orange kingfishers zooming across the pond. As the sun sets, birds cry to roost in the woodland and enjoy the golden blue hours. Return for a flavorful Bornean dinner prepared by local hosts, then venture back onto the river for a nocturnal birdwatching. Discover secretive species that are rarely spotted during daylight hours. Overnight.

Wake up to the sounds of the rainforest before dawn. Board the boat for a morning birding tour as woods awaken and morning mist flows across secret oxbow lakes, slowly bringing the jungle to life around you. Keep an eye out for uncommon and stunning birdlife on the riverbanks, which are illuminated by the warm golden light of dawn. Return for breakfast and a walk along the small woodland trails under the dipterocarp trees. Learn to identify bird calls and understand the forest's intricate flora-bird relationships. Have lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing. As twilight falls, embark on another lengthy river safari on Menanggol, watch a stunning sunset, and continue on a deeper river safari to see birds of prey and kingfishers, as well as walk narrow jungle trails beneath towering dipterocarp trees and have dinner. As darkness falls, continue the last search for nocturnal bird species a guided night birding tour. Overnight

As dawn breaks over the rainforest, enjoy a final breakfast and a slow morning at your own pace. Wander through the grounds, breathe in the fresh jungle air, and cherish the last moments. With unforgettable memories in tow, bid farewell to your hosts and journey back to Sandakan, where your tour concludes with drop-off at the airport or within the sandakan city.