How to get to Kinabatangan River and where to stay

How to get to Kinabatangan River and where to stay

This detailed guide is designed to help travelers wondering how to get to the Kinabatangan River. This guide lists options from major hubs such as Sandakan, Semporna and Kota Kinabalu.

As you may know, independent travel in Sabah Borneo is not always the easiest or cheapest. Fortunately, however, it is possible to reach the Kinabatangan River to see the last remaining glimpses of Borneo's once-thriving biodiversity, independently – and on a backpacker's budget.

Where is the Kinabatangan River?

The Kinabatangan River, known as Sungai Kinabatangan in Malay, is the longest river in Sabah and the second longest in Malaysia, with a total length of 560 km.

Located in the Sandakan Division in northeastern Sabah, the river flows from the interior Sabahan Mountains to the saltwater mangrove wetlands on the shores of the Sulu Sea.

The Kinabatangan River is known for its incredible biodiversity and as a refuge for endangered species, including proboscis monkeys and orangutans.

Overnight accommodation on the Kinabatangan River

For jungle river cruises and access to the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, the best riverside accommodation is in a small town called Sukau. There are a few places to stay here and many river guides live in this town.

Sukau accommodation

BUDGET RAINFOREST ACCOMMODATION: RB LODGEThe cheapest Kinabatangan River accommodation you will find in Sukau. I stayed here. The rooms are bungalow-style and located directly on the river bank. Breakfast is included and a double room costs less than $14 per night.

BACKPACKER VIBE: SUKAU BACKPACKER’S B&B Located just a few hundred meters from RB Lodge, this B&B costs a few dollars more but has more comfortable and cleaner rooms. Breakfast is also a buffet.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SUKAU RAINFOREST LODGESukau Rainforest Lodge has to be the coolest place to stay on the Kinabatangan River. Located on the banks of the river, the lodge is the first eco-tourism venture in the area. The owners of the lodge are built with conservation in mind and the facilities include common areas, a lounge, a restaurant, promenades, a pool and a bar. They have also won several tourism and sustainability awards.

You can also compare all accommodation in Sukau and Kinabatangan River on Booking.com.
alt=“SUKAU VILLAGE IN SANDAKAN SABAH, BORNEO”>SUKAU ACCOMMODATION ON THE EDGE OF THE RIVER

DON'T MISS THE SUKAU CAVE WALK: READ THE GUIDE

How to get to Kinabatangan River?

To get to Kinabatangan River and Sukau, you need to take a bus or private transport from the main tourist centers in Sabah. These include Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Sepilok and Semporna.

However, it is still a bit difficult for independent travelers as there are not many major hubs or cities within a reasonable distance. The following options should cover you and answer your question about how to get to Kinabatangan River no matter where you are starting from.

Flying into Sabah, Borneo

The closest airport to Kinabatangan River is in Sandakan. If you're not a fan of bumpy overland options, Air Asia also offers cheap flights starting at $30 per person from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan Airport. If you want to bypass KK and fly direct to Sandakan, you can also find many flights, most of which connect via Kuala Lumpur.

COMPARE FLIGHTS TO KOTA KINABALU AND SANDAKAN ON SKY SCANNER OR MOMONDO

How to get to Kinabatangan River from Kota Kinabalu

The quickest way from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River is to fly from KK Airport to Sandakan. From here you will need to take one of the intercity buses described below or a private transfer to Sukau. Read on to learn how 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 need to go to the Northern Bus Station (Inanam). There are several buses to Sandakan and two buses a day to Semporna (7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.).

You can tell the ticket sellers that you want to go to Sukau or Kinabatangan River. They will recommend that you take the bus to Semporna and get off at the turnoff to Sukau, where cars and vans are parked waiting to take tourists down the dirt road to the lodges. The journey from Kota Kinabalu to Sukau Junction takes approximately 6 hours by bus, following the highway to Semporna.

Map of Sukau Junction

DON’T MISS: SABAH ITINERARY 7 DAYS – THINGS TO DO IN SABAH BORNEO

How to get to Kinabatangan River from Sandakan?

There are two main options for getting to the Kinabatangan River from Sandakan. The first option is to take a public bus that leaves from the long-distance bus station (Stesen Bas Sandakan on Google Maps) towards Lahad Datu and then get off at Sukau junction and hope there is a car or van to take you there Sukau.

This first option is a bit annoying, firstly because the long-distance transport terminal is just outside the town, and secondly because you have to rely on a path to get from the junction to Sukau, as it is a 45km dirt road from the village proper.

Mr. Choy Sandakan

The better choice and the option I chose is a direct transfer with a local legend: "Mr. Choy". Choy lives in Sukau and makes daily transfers in his minivan from Sandakan for 50 ringgit per person. You can contact him on WhatsApp; 019-536-1889 or email: [email protected] The best part is that you don't need to change bus or van, Mr Choy will take you from your accommodation in Sandakan or Sepilok to your accommodation in Sukau or vice versa.

Choy is such a great guy. After screwing up and not bringing enough money to Sukau (there have been no ATMs for over an hour), on his next daily run he took my debit card and got money out for me in Sandakan, even though I had only met him the day before.

Sepilok to Kinabatangan River (Sukau)

To get to Kinabatangan River from Sepilok, you can either flag down a bus to Lahad Datu at Sepilok Junction and follow the same plan as above - or you can message Choy via WhatsApp. Since Sepilok is on the way, Choy will also pick you up from your accommodation in Sepilok.

How to get to Kinabatangan River from Semporna?

Those in Semporna wondering how to get from Semporna to the Kinabatangan River have similar options. By now you will notice that there is no direct public transport to Sukau on the Kinabatangan River.

From Semporna, it's best to take a morning bus to Kota Kinabalu from the bus station near the port. This bus follows the same standard bus route as the return trip from Kota Kinabalu and you need to get off at Sukau Junction in the same way. From here you take another van waiting on the road to Sukau.

IN SEMPORNA? READ THE SEMPORNA ISLAND HOPPING BLOG ON BOHEY DULANG

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