This detailed information is geared toward serving to vacationers who’re questioning easy methods to get to Kinabatangan River. These information lists choices from primary hubs together with Sandakan, Semporna and Kota Kinabalu.
As you could nicely know, unbiased journey in Sabah Borneo isn’t at all times the best or the most affordable. Fortunately, nonetheless, attending to the Kinabatangan River to see the final remaining glimpses of Borneo’s once-flourishing biodiversity could be carried out independently – and on a backpacker’s price range.
The place is the Kinabatangan River?
The Kinabatangan River, often known as Sungai Kinabatangan in Malay, is the longest river in Sabah, and the second-longest in Malaysia with a complete size of 560 KM.
The river is positioned within the Sandakan Division in northeastern Sabah and runs from the inside Sabahan mountains to the saltwater mangrove wetlands on the shores of the Sulu Sea.
The Kinabatangan River is understood for its unbelievable biodiversity and for being a sanctuary for endangered species together with Proboscis Monkeys and Orangutans.
The place to Keep on the Kinabatangan River
For jungle river cruises and entry to the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, the perfect place to remain on the river is in a small city often known as Sukau. There are a couple of lodging choices right here and plenty of river guides dwell on this city.
Sukau Lodging
BUDGET RAINFOREST LODGING: RB LODGE
The most cost effective Kinabatangan River lodging you’ll discover in Sukau. That is the place I stayed. The rooms are a bungalow fashion and positioned proper on the sting of the river. Breakfast is included and a double room prices lower than $14 USD per night time.
BACKPACKER VIBE: SUKAU BACKPACKER’S B&B
Situated a couple of hundred meters from the RB Lodge, this B&B prices a couple of further {dollars} however has extra snug and cleaner rooms. The breakfast can also be a buffet fashion.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SUKAU RAINFOREST LODGE
The Sukau Rainforest Lodge must be the good place to remain on the Kinabatangan River. The lodge is positioned on the banks of the river is the primary ecotourism firm within the space. The lodge house owners are constructed on conservation and amenities embody communal halls, lounge, restaurant, boardwalks, a pool, and a bar. They’ve additionally gained a number of tourism and sustainability awards.
You can too examine all Sukau and Kinabatangan River lodging choices on Reserving.com.
DON’T MISS THE SUKAU CAVE HIKE: READ THE GUIDE
Tips on how to Get to Kinabatangan River
Attending to the Kinabatangan River and Sukau entails taking a bus or non-public transport from the principle vacationer hubs in Sabah. These embody Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Sepilok, and Semporna.
Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless slightly tough for unbiased vacationers since there aren’t many massive hubs or cities inside an affordable distance. The beneath choices ought to cowl you and reply your query of easy methods to get to the Kinabatangan River, irrespective of the place you begin from.
Flying in Sabah, Borneo
The closest airport to the Kinabatangan River is in Sandakan. In the event you’re not a fan of bumpy overland choices, Air Asia additionally has low cost flights beginning at $30 per particular person from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan Airport. In the event you’re trying to get to bypass KK and fly straight into Sandakan, then you may as well discover many flights, most of which join via Kuala Lumpur.
COMPARE FLIGHTS TO KOTA KINABALU AND SANDAKAN ON SKY SCANNER OR MOMONDO
Tips on how to Get From Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River
The quickest strategy to get from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River is to take a flight from KK airport to Sandakan. From right here, you’ll have to take an overland bus detailed beneath, or non-public switch to Sukau. Learn on additional for info on easy methods to get to Kinabatangan River from Sandakan.
Bus From Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River
To get to Kinabatangan River from Kota Kinabalu by bus, you have to to go to the northern bus terminal (Inanam). There are a number of buses right here going to Sandakan, and two buses each day going to Semporna (7:30 AM and seven:30 PM).
You’ll be able to inform the ticket distributors that you simply need to go to Sukau, or Kinabatangan River. They may suggest that you simply take the bus going to Semporna, and get off on the junction to Sukau, the place yow will discover vehicles and vans parked ready to take vacationers down the filth highway to the lodges. The journey from Kota Kinabalu to the Sukau junction takes roughly 6 hours by bus and follows the freeway to Semporna.
Sukau Junction Map
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Tips on how to Get from Sandakan to Kinabatangan River
There are two primary choices for attending to Kinabatangan River from Sandakan. The primary choice is to take a public bus leaving from the long-distance bus terminal (Stesen Bas Sandakan on Google Maps) in direction of Lahad Datu after which hopping off on the Sukau junction and hoping {that a} automobile or van shall be there to take you to Sukau.
This primary choice is a bit annoying, firstly as a result of the long-distance terminal is a bit out of city, and secondly since you’ll have to depend on a strategy to get to Sukau from the junction because it’s a 45KM stretch of filth highway to the precise village.
Mr Choy Sandakan
The higher selection and the choice that I took is to get a direct switch with an area legend: “Mr Choy”. Choy lives in Sukau and does each day transfers in his minivan from Sandakan for 50 Ringgit per particular person. You’ll be able to contact him on WhatsApp; 019-536-1889 or by e-mail: [email protected] The very best half is, you gained’t want to vary buses or vans, Mr Choy will take you from lodging in Sandakan or Sepilok to your lodging in Sukau or vice versa.
Choy is such an amazing man. After screwing up and never bringing sufficient cash to Sukau (there aren’t any ATMs for over an hour), he took my Debit Card on his subsequent each day run and obtained cash out for me in Sandakan, though I’d solely met him the day prior.
Sepilok to Kinabatangan River (Sukau)
To get to Kinabatangan River from Sepilok, you could possibly both wave down a bus going to Lahad Datu on the Sepilok junction and comply with the identical plan as above – or you could possibly message Choy on Whatsapp. Since Sepilok is on the way in which, Choy may even choose you up out of your lodging in Sepilok.
Tips on how to Get from Semporna to Kinabatangan River
These in Semporna and questioning easy methods to get to Kinabatangan River from Semporna, may have related choices. By now, you’ll notice that there aren’t any direct public transport providers to Sukau on the Kinabatangan River.
From Semporna, it’s greatest to take a morning bus to Kota Kinabalu on the bus station close to the harbor. This bus will comply with the identical normal bus route because the reverse journey from Kota Kinabalu and you’ll have to get off on the Sukau Junction simply the identical. From right here, once more take a van ready on the highway to Sukau.
IN SEMPORNA? READ THE SEMPORNA ISLAND HOPPING BLOG TO BOHEY DULANG
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