Borneo ~ Malaysia Travel Pictures & Information
Sabah, Sarawak - the Land Below the Wind & Hornbills 
I came to Borneo almost on a whim, because I liked the name Kota Kinabalu, even though I had no idea where it was. Now that I have toured the Borneo Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and seen the Orangutans at Sepilok, the turtles at Turtle Island and Libaran island, walked in the jungle canopy at Poring Hot Springs, trail hiked at Mt Kinabalu (I stayed at the Kinabalu Mountain Lodge), toured Sarawak's Gunung Mulu Park bat caves, and cruised in a river boat ride to a native village, I can tell you that this trip to Borneo is one of the best trips I've ever taken!
Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah, one of the Federated States of Malaysia, and located on the island of Borneo. In Bahasa Malay, Sabah means 'The land below the wind". The winds that bring typhoons to the Philippines and Hong Kong don't reach this far south
Sarawak, the other Federated Malay state on Borneo, is known as the Land of the Hornbills, chiefly for the Rhinoceros Hornbills (this picture shows the carved wood hornbill souvenir I bought at the Royal Mulu resort in Sarawak) that are native to Sarawak. While I didn't see a hornbill in Sarawak, I did see one and take its picture at the Nanning Zoo in China.)
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Borneo Island Travel Information ~ Sabah and Sarawak Malaysia
Where is Borneo? It's located south of Hong Kong, north of Australia, west of the Philippines and east of Peninsular Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak occupy the north part of Borneo Island, Indonesia has the south part. The Sultanate of Brunei, on the west coast of Borneo island, is tucked in between the first two countries.
How do I get to Borneo Sabah Sarawak Malaysia? I took a Dragon Air all inclusive tour from Hong Kong to Kota Kinabalu, the international airport on Borneo Malaysia. Domestic flights -- included in the tour package -- to and from Royal Mulu Sarawak, and from KK to Sandakan were on Malayasian Airlines. Tours and scheduled flights operate from Kuala Lumpur. Compare Borneo travel deals online for hotels, flights or packages.
Do I need a visa? Most visitors to Malaysia (including Sabah, Sarawak on Borneo Island) do not need a visa. See Malaysia Foreign Affairs for specific information.
What language do they speak? Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the national language but English is widely spoken, especially in tourism areas. Ethnic groups speak various languages and dialects. If you like, order a Malay phhrasebook to take along with you -- try Lonely Planet Malay phrasebook
What Money do they use in Borneo? The currency used in Malaysian Borneo is the Malaysian ringett - MYR. Rates may vary, but generally 1 MYR = 30 cents US OR $1 USD = 3 MYR
Borneo Malaysia Travel guides Order a current travel guide online and take it along: See Lonely Planet Borneo
How long should I stay? I travelled alone, but with the security of a tour group. On a one week tour, I only 'scratched the surface' of this amazing island, and look forward to returning to see more of both Sabah and Sarawak. A two-week trip is better, but likely three-four weeks would suit me perfectly to see all that Malaysia Borneo has to offer.
Can I get a map of Borneo? Guide books have basic maps included, but you can get a map for Sabah -- see Sabah and Kota KInabalu travel map
Travel money for Borneo Malaysia I took travelers checks / travellers cheques, as well as US dollars in cash, one creidt card and one bank debit card. I changed cash and checks at the hotels where I stayed. Bank hours are limited to roughly Monday to Friday from 9-4. Banks and ATMs / ABMs may not be located where you are touring. For local markets, use ringetts. See travel currency tips page for more travel money tips.
Make Calls to Borneo (and calls home from Borneo) Use pre-paid, pinless phone cards (find calling cards) to make phone calls TO Borneo, or call home FROM Borneo from your hotel, public phones with card facilities, or a Telekom office.
What to Pack for a Borneo trip? Borneo is tropical (hot and humid) year round, though rain gear is always a good idea, as is a light jacket for the cooler temperatures at Mt Kinabalu. Dress conservatively. See Travel clothing tips pages for general travel packing information and holidays in Dominican that has hot weather travel clothing suggestions. Resort gift shops, shopping malls in KK, and village markets sell Tshirts, sarongs and skirts, so you can always buy lightweight clothing when you are in Borneo.
What's the food like? Generally tasty, not too spicy. See some of the Hotel and resort food info at Royal Mulu resort page and Kota Kinabalu page for Nexus hotel.
Is the water safe to drink? Use bottled water -- don't drink tap water. Even at the Royal Mulu where they purify water, the resort recommends drinking only bottled water; at both the Nexus in Kota KInabalu and the Mulu in Sarawak, I boiled water for tea in my room(s). But, when you travel, even if the water is potable (safe to drink), it is still different water than you'd drink at home. This different minerals, etc. content may upset your stomach.
Travel Health See your usual travel health clinic for recommendations; I brought lots of sunscreen and a bottle of insect repellant containing DEET, as well as my usual regimen of travel meds and OTC (over-the counter) medications.
Is it safe to travel to Borneo? Before travel, I always check for current status and travel advisories from a government (official) source. I posted links for Canada, UK, US, Australia government travel info here.
Who goes to Borneo, and why? Everyone who appreciates natural wonders -- from divers, birders and gardeners to mountain climbers, hikers and casual holidayers -- Borneo travel appeals to a great many travellers.
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See all Sabah Borneo pictures and information pages
- Borneo Island Poring Hot Springs
Mt Kinabalu park photos
Kinabalu Mountain Lodge and market
Kota Kinabalu the Nexus hotel, KK streets, homes
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