Turtle Island and the Kinabatangan River – Get Close to Wildlife in Sabah, Borneo
Visiting Turtle Island (also known as Selingan Island) and the Kinabatangan River are two very popular choices during a holiday in Sabah, Borneo. With this 3-Day Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Cruise Trip, we bring together these two amazing locations in one easy to book trip package. During this trip, you enjoy an overnight trip to Selingan Island followed by a night’s stay at a lodge located along the Kinabatangan River (Nature Lodge Kinabatangan).
Selingan Island is located in Turtle Island Marine Park and is positioned 40km north of Sandakan in the Sulu Sea. The Marine Park is a safe sanctuary for the scarce Green and Hawksbill Turtles. Selingan is the largest island among the other 3 islands in Turtle Island Park, Sabah, Borneo. At Selingan Island, you can observe turtle landings and nesting during your stay (which typically happens every night). The Turtle Hatchery will also release hatchlings at dusk as part of their ongoing Turtle conservation programme.
Explore the wonders of Sabah – 3D2N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Trip, Sabah, Malaysia
After visiting Turtle Island, you will visit on Day 2 a morning feeding session at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre before being transferred to the Kinabatangan River to join river cruises in search of some of the amazing wildlife of Sabah. During your visit to the Kinabatangan River, you will join a range of wildlife viewing activities: two river cruises and a night trek. On the last day of your trip, you will also visit the Rainforest Discovery Centre before being transferred back to Sandakan.
If you want more wildlife encounter opportunities and you have an extra day free, then choose our 4D3N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River trip with the chance to enjoy more river cruises along the Kinabatangan River.
Trip Itinerary – 3-Day Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Trip, Sabah, Malaysia
Day 1 (Meals: L & D)
~08:00hrs – 09:15hrs: You will be collected from your hotel within Sandakan, or at Sandakan Airport or your hotel near Sepilok. If you are flying to Sandakan Airport to join the tour, you need to arrive at SDK by 08:00hrs. You will be transferred by minibus/coach to Sandakan Yacht Club for your boat ride to Selingan Turtle Island Park. 10:00hrs: Your boat departs for Turtle Island.
The journey to Turtle Island will take approximately 45 minutes (depending upon the sea state). Upon arrival, you will register at the Parks HQ and check into your chalet
12:00hrs: Enjoy lunch at the cafeteria on Turtle Island. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the island, chill out on the beach or go snorkelling in the sea (snorkel gear is available to rent at Turtle Island).
Early evening: You will have dinner at the cafeteria. After dinner, Rangers will call you to observe turtles laying eggs. Watch the Ranger transfer the eggs to the hatchery and enjoy the opportunity to observe the release of baby turtles to the open sea. You will also be called by the Ranger when there is an opportunity to watch a Turtle nesting (laying eggs).
Overnight on Turtle Island in a twin share room (with ensuite shower room and aircon). Click here to see photos of Turtle Island Resort and the accommodation.
Day 2 (Meals: B, L & D)
07:00hrs: Depart Turtle Island on your boat and transfer back to Sandakan. You’ll then proceed to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center.
10:00hrs: Join the morning feeding session at Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. The Orangutans’ feeding time is at 1000 hrs. Orangutan rehabilitation is the primary goal at Sepilok.
11:30hrs – 12:00hrs: After the feeding session at Sepilok, you will go for lunch at a local restaurant in the Sepilok area.
13:00hrs: After lunch, you will be transferred to the Kinabatangan Nature Lodge, which is located in the Lower Kinabatangan River Sanctuary. The journey will take approximately 2 hours, passing by Kota Kinabatangan town and also oil palm plantations. Once you arrive at Kampung Bilit, you will transfer to Kinabatangan Nature Lodge, just a few minutes by boat transfer across the Kinabatangan River. Welcome drinks will be served upon arrival.
15:00hrs: On arrival at the Lodge, you will have a welcome briefing, including an orientation of the Lodge and the surrounding area. Check into your chalet within the Agamid Wing of Kinabatangan Nature Lodge.
16:00hrs: Join the afternoon river cruise along the Kinabatangan River to search for wildlife and bird life along the river banks.
18:00hrs: Return to the Lodge to freshen up and then enjoy dinner at the Lodge restaurant in the midst of the Kampung Bilit secondary jungle. As an optional extra during your Turtle Island and Kinabatangan River tour you can choose to join a local dance session which is offered as a 30-minute activity after dinner before you join your night trek. The Lodge team will teach a traditional dance from one of the tribes found in Sabah such as Sumazau (a KadazanDusun dance) or daling daling (a Bajau dance). An opportunity for learning more about Borneo’s rich culture and having a bit of fun!
Afterwards, go for a guided night walk behind the Lodge to enjoy the wilderness and watch sleeping birds and nocturnal creatures of the jungle.
Overnight at the Kinabatangan Nature Lodge in an Agamid Chalet (with twin or double bed, aircon and ensuite Shower Room). Click here to see photos of the accommodation at the Kinabatangan Nature Lodge.
Day 3 (Meals: B)
06:00hrs: Join an early morning Kinabatangan River cruise to see more birds and wildlife.
07:00hrs: Return to the Kinabatangan River lodge for breakfast. After breakfast, you will proceed to check out of your Chalet.
08:30hrs: Start your transfer by minibus/coach back to the Sepilok area.
~10:30 to 11:00hrs: Arrive at the Rainforest Discovery Centre. Embark on a journey along the Rainforest Skywalk, Sabah’s longest canopy walk, and soak in panoramic views across the rainforest canopy. Hopefully, you’ll see some of the exotic birds found here and possibly a sighting of an Orangutan. You’ll join a guided walk along one of the marked trails to visit “Old Sepilok,” the tallest tree at the centre. It’s like meeting a giant from the rainforest’s ancient past. If time permits, you will also visit the botanical garden and see some of the endemic flowers of Borneo.
12.30 – 13.00hrs: Continue your journey back to Sandakan and transfer to either your hotel or Sandakan Airport (recommended flight AK6497 ETD 2.50 pm or later). We hope you’ve enjoyed your Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge Trip.
Trip Pre-requisites – 3D2N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Trip, Sabah, Malaysia
This 3-Day trip is open to all.
Trip Inclusions – 3-Day Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Trip
- Return road transfers as mentioned and return boat transfer to Turtle Island.
- Meals (2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunch & 2 Dinner).
- Visits (and entrance fees) to Turtle Island, Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Rainforest Discovery Centre.
- At the Kinabatangan River: 2 x river cruises (1 morning & 1 late afternoon), 1 x guided night nature walk. The Kinabatangan River cruises included with this trip will travel as far upstream as ~7km to Pontian Point and a downstream maximum of ~ 10 km to Tenegang Besar Point.
- 1-night accommodation at Turtle Island in a twin-sharing room with an attached bathroom.
- 1-night accommodation in an Agamid detached chalet (twin / double or triple beds, ensuite shower room and toilet, aircon) within the Agamid Wing of Nature Lodge Kinabatangan.
- Guided throughout your trip by an English-speaking, experienced, passionate, licensed Nature Guide.
- Free flow of coffee/tea and fresh water are available at the restaurant at Kinabatangan Nature Lodge.
- Limited free drinking water is provided at Turtle Island Resort (1 small bottle per person at lunch and dinner).
- 0% Sales & Service Tax on the tour price as applicable from 6th May 2019.
Trip Exclusions – 3D2N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Trip
Camera/video conservation fee at Turtle Island (RM10 per item) and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (RM10 per item) and the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RM10 per item), extra bottled water at Turtle Island, soft drinks or alcoholic drinks. We recommend you take a large bottle of drinking water per person as limited free drinking water is provided by Turtle Island Resort. Single supplement if you book this trip on your own (for single sharing a room / Chalet).
The new Tourism Tax – the Tourism Tax is currently set at a flat rate of RM 10 per room per night and will be charged to Non-Malaysian or Foreign tourists from 1st September 2017.
Recommended Packing List For The Trip – Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River
To get the most from this trip, please bring with you a raincoat, cap/hat, insect repellent, sun cream, swimwear for Turtle Island, towel, comfortable walking shoes, comfortable cotton T-shirt, long sleeve top, long or short trousers, binoculars, torch, camera and personal medications (if needed). Please take your passport with you on this trip – your passports will be checked at Turtle Island and the Kinabatangan Lodge.
Notes – 3D2N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Trip, Sabah, Malaysia
Turtle Island Park is located some 40km from Sandakan City. The boat ride from the jetty to the island takes 45 mins – 1 hour. If you suffer from sea sickness, it is recommended you take sea sickness tablets. For boat transfers to/from Turtle Island Resort the Sandakan Marine Department on a daily basis, based on weather/tide updates, will make a safety decision if boat transfers are allowed. In the case of choppy sea, state parents may find the boat crossing to Turtle Island not suitable for infants. Persons with back problems or pregnant may find the boat transfer to Turtle Island unsuitable when there are rough seas.
Sabah Parks (who manage Turtle Island conservation activities) endorse the following conservation, and safety, practices at Turtle Island. This is to minimise any negative impact on the Turtles who come to lay eggs on the island.:-
- Sabah Parks allow only the use of a camera with unaided flash to take photographs of the turtle (Video/Digital Video Camera are not allowed).
- Visitors are not allowed to go around the island on their own from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am.
- Only one (1) turtle sighting per night is allowed for visitors to Turtle Island.
At Turtle Island Resort, triple-sharing is only allowed for children below the age of 5 years old with parents. A third adult will need to have his/her own room with an extra surcharge for a single supplement. All tours are subject to weather conditions.
The Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River trip price is valid for trips up to 31st December 2023.
LeapFrog –
I’d really recommend Borneo Dream to take the hassle out of your holiday in Borneo. We booked our flights directly, then booked diving, nature reserve, Turtle Island, and a few other things too. With all these different elements, we were worried things might not work out. But as they’re based in Borneo, they clearly knew how to put the whole package together and made us feel assured things would go well – and it did !
Nigel Martin –
we had a tight schedule to fit in Turtle Island, Orangutan Sanctuary and Kinabatangan River trip in 3 days. Borneo dreams were absolutely excellent in swift response to our enquiries and everything worked like clockwork in Borneo. The staff all went the extra mile for us, carefully pointing out all wildlife, explaining conservation methods, coping with no power when camping out to the 5.30 am gong for morning cruise. We cannot thank them enough for all of their efforts. Use this company without hesitation.
Lynne & Brian Brough –
We had an amazing trip with your company. Everything ran very punctual. We saw a turtle laying her eggs and even better saw the little ones released into the sea. At Sepilok watching the orangutan in the nursery was so amusing. Down at the feeding station a large male came down and being so close was something we won’t forget. On the river cruise we saw crocodiles, monkeys, birds and a lizard. The accommodation and food were better than we expected.Thanks again for so many memories. We will definitely be recommending you to people at home.
Annette Murphy –
We would like to say that we enjoyed the 3 day 2 night Turtle Island and Kinabatangan river trip. It was the highlight of our holiday in Asia. All our guides were truly amazing and gave us good amount of time to appreciate he wildlife in their natural habitat. We would definitely book with Borneo Dream again as the whole experience from planning was easy.
Jessica Tagg –
The trip was amazing. We had a fantastic time and we have been recommending it to all of our friends and family. We had two guides during our trip. Both of them were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They made our trip very enjoyable. We were lucky enough to be the only two people on the three-day trip, which meant we had a lot of attention from the guides and were able to tailor the trip to exactly how we wanted it. It was perfect!
Vanessa Ambler –
The Turtle Island trip was amazing – we loved every second. The staff were very attentive and the experience was unforgettable. 30 turtles came up to lay on the night we were there, laying 1760 eggs!
The Kinabatangan river trip was also excellent although we were disappointed with the accommodation. It was much more run down than we had expected (mainly the bathroom) and the staff were not warm or welcoming as we had experienced elsewhere.
Thank goodness for Sam our guide from Borneo Dreams who was fantastic. It would not have been nice staying there without him. Seriously suggest you look at getting the lodge to refurbish their accommodation and train their staff to smile. It would make a massive difference.
We would do the Turtle Island again but wouldn’t stay at the lodge
Bailey050276 Barnstaple, United Kingdom (TripAdvisor) –
This is the goto company for Borneo trips! – These guys are so professional and our excursion was amazing and toned to perfection. Watched a green turtle lay eggs, hatchlings released into the sea then our jungle trip was out of this world. So many animals in their natural habitat that it blew our minds. If you’re looking for a company who really know how to organise trips and excursions you won’t go wrong using them.
Sid T Mumbai (TripAdvisor) –
Excellent Tour Agency That Cares for the Customer’s Experience – During our recent trip to Sabah, we used Borneo Dream to help us arrange a 3D2N tour of Turtle Island and Kinabatangan river. We also did a 3-dive tour within Kota Kinabalu. We were happy with both experiences, with the diving trip to Sapi island well organized, with good equipment (that actually fits and works!), and a strong attention to safety. Our divemaster Sabari was exactly what we wanted, he was attentive to our specific needs and helped us improve during the course of the day.
Overall, we were glad we booked using them and would recommend them if you are looking to dive around Kota Kinabalu or are planning a tour in Sabah.
Bengaluru, India (TripAdvisor) –
Extremely professional and responsive – We booked the 3D2N Turtle Island Kinabatangan river tour with Borneo Dreams, and then decided to also go with them for a day of scuba diving in TARP because of the ease of the booking process. We were not disappointed, and a couple of comments are below:
Scuba at TARP: Our last dive was over a year ago, at the Nilaveli Dive Center in Trincomalee – it left a bad taste in the mouth as we are inexperienced divers and were assigned an aggressive, constantly critical and unpleasant dive master who left us wondering whether we should give up diving or if there was any possibility of us improving our technique. Borneo Dreams were the first dive operators we opted for after that experience, and they went a long way in creating a safe, constructive environment. First – they proactively asked for dive history, equipment sizes etc. in advance and arranged for a 15 minute refresher before we went into the water. The dive master Sabri was the epitome of patience, handled a difficult situation with a diver very well and gave us several helpful tips that enabled us to improve our technique. We were very happy that we decided to add the diving component to our trip at last minute.
Turtle Island Tour: We landed in the Sandakan airport and were picked up for the Turtle Island tour. The car is comfortable and our guide Adrian was friendly and knowledgeable. He accompanied us to the island – not something we expected, but it seems to be standard practice with tour groups since the facility itself is government run. The experience was magical and I would recommend it whole heartedly, particularly for children. We saw three turtles over the course of our day there. The snorkelling was enjoyable and the island itself is idyllic. The accommodation is basic, which we were prepared for. They also have a vegetarian option at all meals – it isn’t fine dining but it gets you by. We did look into the option of booking directly with the Turtle Island folks instead of through BD – however, it wasn’t easy and in retrospect we were happy to have opted for the tour. It is all in all good value for money as permits to Turtle Island are restricted and stay seems expensive.
Sepilok: On the next day morning, we came back to Sandakan and were taken to the Sepilok orangutan sanctuary by another guide. Sepilok is a short, fun trip and we enjoyed going there. We did not think a guide was required or a significant value add on this section.
Kinabatangan Cruise: After Sepilok, we headed to the Kinabatangan Nature Lodge for the river cruises and a night stay. BD houses you in the Agamid Chalets which are air conditioned and seemed to be the nicest accommodation in the Nature Lodge. We got one of the two river facing rooms and were quite happy with it. We saw several primates on the river cruise, including two orangutans in the wild.
On the next day, we asked to be dropped off at he Sukau junction as we were heading to the Danum Valley Field Center and needed to catch a bus to Lahad Datu. They were able to arrange it for us and the switch to the bus was seamless. The bus was comfortable as well.
We would certainly book with Borneo Dreams again on our next trip to Sabah, particularly for itineraries such as the Turtle Island tour which provide a bang for a buck.
Hayes –
Borneo Dreams arranged a 3D2N Turtle Island & Kinabatangan River Trip for our family. We have a 10 year old boy and 6 1/2 year old girl. We all enjoyed this part of our trip to Malaysia and Borneo very much!
The accommodation on Turtle Island is basic but we did not feel that we needed anything more luxurious as we were there for the snorkelling and turtles. We were fortunate to see a turtle lay eggs, see the ranger put the eggs in the hatchery and watch the ranger release 15 turtles into the sea (we had to help a few which were insistent in going the wrong way). This was all done with the welfare of the turtle at the forefront. Each night, tourists are only allowed to view one turtle laying her eggs and help one set of turtles head back out to sea so as not to disturb the natural process. The number of people staying on the island is also kept quite small. This is certainly a positive aspect of the experience. The snorkelling around Turtle Island is also good and the coral is quite close to the surface of the water.
We enjoyed viewing the orangutans at Sepilok Sanctuary. The orangutans are free to move in and out of the Sanctuary as there are no fences. Orphaned orangutans are rehabilitated so that they can return to a life of living in the wild.
All transfers between the locations/activities worked well and we were fully informed of what was happening. I suggest that you take plenty of water for the two hour coach/mini bus ride from Sandakan to Kinabatangan. On the way there our bus broke down but a replacement was swiftly organised and we were soon on our way again.
The lodge at Kinabatangan was basic but comfortable and in a fantastic setting. On the river cruises we saw lots of monkeys (including proboscis monkeys), kingfishers, hornbills, egrets, and a crocodile. It is definitely worth doing the early morning cruise as well. The guide was fantastic at spotting the animals and birdlife for us. The night walk was also a fantastic experience of the children and we saw a number of interesting insects. We probably would have seen more but our family and the other family that we were with were probably a little too noisy to see more! The lodge has wellington boots that you can borrow – you’ll need them as it is muddy! There are currently no small children’s sizes though…
We also enjoyed visiting Labuk Bay Sanctuary to see the proboscis monkeys. They are fascinating animals to watch. The Rainforest Discovery Centre was also very much worth the visit!
Finally, the food provided throughout the tour was very good. All guides and staff were very helpful, friendly and professional. We will definitely book trips through Borneo Dreams in the future.
R Myers –
My husband and I spent Christmas Eve on Turtle Island and Christmas Day at Kingabatangan River and had a wonderful time. Our guide, Jam, was incredibly knowledgeable and could answer all our questions about the huge array of wildlife we saw during the three days.
At turtle island we saw two turtles laying their eggs and enjoyed releasing the hatchlings afterwards. As it was raining, there wasn’t much to do on the island for most of the day, but we enjoyed snorkelling all the same.
The river trip definitely exceeded expectations. We saw loads of monkeys and birds, crocodiles, and even wild elephants and orang utans.
Again, there’s not much to do at the lodge but it’s a lovely place to relax and the atmosphere was really nice.
At both places the accommodation was basic but perfectly adequate and the food was good.
The boat crossing to the island was not for the faint hearted so bring travel sickness tablets if you need them!
My husband loved the visit to the cave but if you don’t like cockroaches and bat poo I’d advise you stay away…
We’ll definitely be recommending this trip to friends.
Wendy Mabilat –
Turtle island certainly lived up to very high expectations! We loved every minute of our trip with Borneo Dream. We had an excellent guide, Rudy, who was very knowledgeable on the subject of turtles and in fact nature in general and he looked after us well. It was wonderful to have most of the day to acquaint ourselves with the island and relax. Once night arrived, there was a buzz of excitement as we all scrambled on the uneven sand in search of the chosen turtle – all this in semi-gloom! Mother turtle was already laying her eggs when we arrived and they were carefully taken away eventually to the hatchery. We also helped around 30 scampering baby turtles towards the sea.
The river trips were awesome and we saw Pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, hornbills, sea eagles and many other specimens!
Jo Melville –
This was a great trip which was well organised by Borneo Dream and Nasalis Larvatus. My guide, Dino, was very nice, helpful and full of knowledge. We saw loads of animals and were also lucky to see Orang Utans in the wild!
Matt Vincent, April 2016 –
Hi,
We returned from our trip today and I wanted to pass on our thanks!
The trip was absolutely fantastic and certainly an experience that will live with us all forever!
It was superbly organised and our guide Dino was both knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife.
You are all very lucky to live in a country with such beautiful and marvellous wonders and this trip really paid tribute to it!
Many thanks again!
Erica Hu –
Borneo Dream provide a professional guide , we get lots of useful information from him. It’s really helpful for foreign tourist, so we get a perfect trip from Borneo Dream.