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Birding tours in Sabah, Borneo

Home to 688 bird species, Sabah is one of the best locations in Malaysia to go bird-watching.

A birding treasure trove in Sabah, Borneo

Borneo is the third largest island in the world and a birdwatcher's dream. The island is home to approximately 688 species of beautiful, colourful and enigmatic birds. On the northern tip of Borneo, you’ll find Sabah, a place renowned for its remarkable birds and somewhere that visitors can expect to encounter a fantastic array of species including hornbills, malkohas, broadbills, pittas and many other colourful Asian specialities.

This varied landscape offers many opportunities for avian encounters, from Kinabalu Park – a UNESCO World Heritage site - to the Kinabatangan River and Deramakot Forest Reserve. If you’re a first-time visitor to the region, an experienced birding guide will ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Birding tours in Borneo

There are plenty of terrains for birders to explore in Sabah and the most popular places are the ones where you can find the most endemics including the whitehead's trogon and the blue-headed pitta. You could easily fill a fortnight discovering the region, staying a handful of days at various birding hotspots. This is why Bamboo Travel offers bespoke tours of Sabah for those looking to get under the skin of this magical place. Their team of experienced travel professionals will make sure that you are looked after by an expert birding and wildlife guide, and taken to a range of bountiful habitats that support exotic and endemic species.

Unmissable birding destinations

The birding trip with Bamboo Travel starts in Sepilok, home to the famous Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Here you’ll find plenty of canopy walkways and observation towers that allow you the chance to spot the Bornean bristlehead, along with many other birds including kingfishers, pittas and hornbills. The next leg of the trip will take you to the Deramakot Forest Reserve for a three-night adventure. Widely considered the best place in Borneo to see nocturnal wild cats, such as the elusive clouded leopard and marbled cat, along with many sought-after bird species such as the Sunda frogmouth and the brown wood owl.

The finale is a three-night trip to the Danum Valley Conservation Area, one of the largest protected areas of virgin rainforest in Borneo and a perennial favourite for wildlife enthusiasts. This beautiful habitat offers birders an excellent 260m walkway that provides a magnificent platform for watching the canopy. Danum Valley is a haven for pittas, babblers, flycatchers, hornbills and the Bornean green magpie.

So, whether you’re a birding enthusiast or just fancy an adventure, look no further than Sabah. With its natural wonders, an incredible diversity of cultures and exotic animal species, you’re certainly in for a spectacular time.

Birding in Borneo promises to be an unforgettable experience, click here to find out more about booking your adventure.