Where to stay in Borneo
Although tourism is relatively well established in Borneo, there is a noticeably smaller range of accommodation here than in other countries in South-East Asia. On the beach, for example, you can find 5-star luxury resorts that are beautiful but tend to be very expensive, or you can find 3-star hotels or lodges which are in gorgeous locations but are relatively simple. There isn’t much in between! We will be able to advise you on what will suit your family (and budget).
What are hotels in Borneo like?
Once you head away from the coast into the interior you will find yourselves based in rustic jungle lodges. These can be very comfortable and are usually in lovely settings with beautiful views over mountains and rivers. However, they are not luxurious so those who like their creature comforts need to select their hotels carefully. Please speak to us for advice.
One of our favourite hotels is the not-so-catchily-named Borneo Natural Sukao Bilit Lodge. Located in the heart of the jungle on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, this lodge offers wooden bungalows that are connected by open-air walkways. You can watch the monkeys swinging through the trees on your way to breakfast and civet cats ambling along the forest floor beneath the walkway.
Rise early for dawn boat rides and glide along the river through the morning mist in search of orangutans, pygmy elephants and crocodiles. In the evening take a night walk to search for nocturnal animals and listen to the jungle as it closes around you.
Borneo Natural Sukao Bilit Lodge
What are the different standards of hotels like?
On the beach, one of our favourite top-end resorts is the Bunga Raya. Located on a coral-reef island, the beautifully decorated rooms are set in the hillside and offer stunning views over the turquoise waters of the South China Sea. The private beach is the perfect place to read a book and do very little, but if your children are more active perhaps take a kayak trip through the mangroves, snorkel along the off-shore reef or follow the canopy walkways through the jungle behind the resort.
Bunga Raya
If you are travelling on a more limited budget, perhaps head to the SDC Lodge on Pulao Tiga. This resort offers simple wooden bungalows set in extensive gardens where monkeys and monitor lizards roam, and a beautiful beach. There is a giant swing that the children will enjoy and you can take a short walk through the jungle to a ‘mud volcano’ where you can bathe in the therapeutic bubbling mud.
SDC Lodge, Pulao Tiga
These are just a few examples of places to stay in Borneo that past travellers have loved. All our holidays are tailor-made, so once we have found out a bit more about you and your family, we will suggest a range of properties that we think will suit you best. Please do get in touch for advice and to find out more about out family trips to Borneo.
Call us and we will be happy to provide you with a free-of-charge no obligation itinerary and quotation designed for you.
01728 752751
Borneo in pictures
