Sukau Kinabatangan River Cruise – Independent Tour Guide

Sukau Kinabatangan River Cruise – Independent Tour Guide

When it comes to a Sukau Kinabatangan River Cruise, many backpackers and independent travelers wonder if it is possible to visit this incredible place without an expensive organized tour. This Kinabatangan River blog aims to help answer the most common questions and walk you through what you need to know before heading to Sukau and down the Kinabatangan River.

How to get to Kinabatangan River?

First of all, how do I get to Kinabatangan River? If you want to spend a few days here, the small village of Sukau is the best place to stay.

Sukau is located on the banks of the Kinabatangan River and in the middle of the Kinabatangan Conservation Area. Because it's on-site, so to speak, Sukau is a great place to book a daily Sukau Kinabatangan river cruise for wildlife viewing.

There are countless ways to reach Sukau and the Kinabatangan River that don't require an organized tour, although they may not be so obvious without research.

BUS: Buses traveling from Kota Kinabalu to Semporna pass through Sukau Junction. You can get out here and hope for a van to take you down the long dirt road to Sukau. Alternatively, there are buses from Sandakan to Semporna and Lahad Datu, which you can board and get off at the same junction. MR CHOY: The most direct and cheapest option is shared transport by a man from Sukau known as Mr Choy. Mr Choy makes daily trips from Sandakan for 50 ringgit and can also pick you up from Sepilok along the way. His WhatsApp number is: 019-536-1889. GRAB CAR: Easily the most expensive option. Expect around 300 from Sandakan. I was told that drivers charge even more since they also have to drive all the way back.

For more information on how to get here, I also wrote a blog post about the Kinabatangan River here.

Accommodation by the Kinabatangan River

Yes, it is possible to stay overnight on the Kinabatangan River, namely in Sukau. There are also options to suit every budget.

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

What to do in the Kinabatangan River?

The best thing to do on the Kinabatangan River is to take a boat trip on the Sukau Kinabatangan River. If you're already in Sukau, these are relatively inexpensive and definitely a must. But hey, that’s why you’re reading this Kinabatangan River blog, right?

Boats travel down the river and deep into the Kinabatangan Nature Reserve to catch a rare glimpse of Sabah Bornean's unique wildlife.

River cruise cost: 50 ringgit per person

If you're staying by the river, you don't need to purchase a pre-booked package at check-in. All lodges and hotels in Sukau. At the RB Lodge where I stayed, the host offered open excursions where we could choose to go on morning, afternoon or night cruises.

Most Sukau-Kinabatangan river cruises hire local fishermen to guide you downstream, which is great because you're directly contributing to local communities.
alt=“SUKAU KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE BOAT”>

READ MORE: SABAH ITINERARY 7 DAYS – THINGS TO DO IN SABAH BORNEO

Sukau Kinabatangan River Cruise Route

Wondering what awaits you on the river? Here's a quick itinerary with options to choose from and what kind of animals you might be lucky enough to see.

Wildlife of the Kinabatangan River

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Kinabatangan River is one of the most biodiverse places I've ever visited. Here is a quick summary of some of the Kinabatangan River wildlife you might see, depending on how rare they are.

Spread

I am by no means a biologist, but I categorized these species as common based on what the guide told me and what species we spotted on each trip.

Common wildlife includes:

• Langschwanzmakaken (es gibt Tausende)
• Nasenaffen (gefährdet)
• Nashornvögel
• Falkenadler
• Eulen (Nachtkreuzfahrten)
• Stiele
• Eisvögel

Less common

Less common species are the ones we were told are quite rare, but you have a good chance of seeing them if you take a few cruises on the Sukau Kinabatangan River.

• Blattaffen (und verschiedene Artenvarianten)
• Borneanischer Gibbon
• Fliegende Eichhörnchen (Nacht)
• Salzwasserkrokodile
• Schildkröten
• Schwarzblatt-Affe
• Pythons
• Wildschwein
• Wilder Hirsch
• Orang-Utans
• Irrawaddy-Delfine
• Überwachen Sie Eidechsen

Super happy

• Pygmäen-Elefant
• Otter
• Tarsiers (Nachtkreuzfahrt)
• Langsame Loris
• Süßwasserhaie
• Sumatra-Nashorn
• Sonnenbären

Of course, since this is just a blog post about the Kinabatangan River and not an encyclopedia of wildlife, it doesn't list every single animal you might encounter. For more information from real wildlife experts, visit this website.

• alt=“Rüsselaffe SUKAU WILDLIFE“>
• alt=“ADLER SUKAU“>
• alt=“Langschwanz-Makaken“>

Sunrise cruise

The morning cruises are my favorite. Although you may not see as many monkeys, the light seems to filter through the trees on the river banks and reveal lots of hidden reptiles and bird species too.

We were also told there was a higher chance of seeing more birds, but I think we saw just as many in the afternoon.

• alt=“SUKAU FLUSSKREUZFAHRT“>
• alt=“AFFE AUF DEM KINABATANGAN-FLUSS“>

Sunset cruise

A sunset cruise on the Sukau Kinabatangan River usually begins around 4:30 p.m. and is similar to the morning cruise. However, in the afternoon you have more chances to see different species of monkeys as they make their way to the river banks.

However, keep in mind that the chances of rain are higher during this time. Your guide will likely take you back shortly after sunset.

• alt=“POSSUMS IM FLUSS KINABATANGAN“>
• alt=“Rüsselaffe, Fluss KINABATANGAN“>

Night cruise

The night cruises are the most unique trips. You'll be armed with a flashlight to spot nocturnal species such as tarsiers, possums, squirrels and of course the glowing eyes of over 4 meter tall crocodiles.
alt=“SALTWATER CROCODILE ON THE INDEPENDENT SUKAU KINABATANGAN RIVER CRUISE”>

After three days on the river we made 5 trips to maximize our chances of seeing the rarer animals such as orangutans, rhinos and pygmy elephants. Unfortunately we didn't discover any of this. However, we saw more than our fair share of animals, many of which are incredibly rare.

Tips for the Kinabatangan River

Here are some quick tips that will serve you well on your trip to Sukau. If you have any further questions about Sukau Kinabatangan independent river cruises or anything else, feel free to leave a comment below or email me. I'm happy to help.

Bring food and snacks

The village is very remote and you will not have access to general comfort foods or snacks. Most restaurants take advantage of the lack of services and charge a hefty premium.

Budget restaurant

There is a small restaurant about 500 meters downstream from RB Lodge that serves relatively cheap local food. Here you can avoid the steep prices and still get a decent Nasi Goreng or Mie Goreng for 7 ringgit.

Bring cash

I made a mistake here. Since Borneo was a much more expensive destination than I was used to, I simply didn't realize that I barely had any cash on me when I arrived in Sukau. I quickly found out that there were no ATMs within an hour's drive.

Luckily, Choy, our driver from Sepilok, was kind and trustworthy enough to take my debit card to the ATM on his next morning run to withdraw some cash for me. Seriously, avoid the embarrassing situation and make sure you bring enough cash for your accommodation and Sukau river cruises.

Bring a stuff sack

The Kinabatangan River is a very wet place. This is especially true in the rainy season. I would recommend bringing a dry bag to store your electronics in and bringing extra dry clothing as anything wet will likely stay that way.

Mosquito repellent

You'll thank me later.

Hike the elephant trail to Sukau Cave

There is a particular trail in Sukau that I consider a must-do. The path winds through the dense rainforest into a huge cave system. This is not in any guidebooks or books and is a local gem.

Check out the fireflies on the Kinabatangan River

If you can brave the rampant mosquitoes, you can spot fireflies flying around almost anywhere in Sukau at night. If you've always wanted to see this, just come by at night and take a look around.

More photos from Sukau and the Kinabatangan River

Hopefully this Kinabatangan River blog will help you discover your inner Nat Geo photographer.

Looking for more wildlife inspo? Here are some more snaps from the Sukau River Cruise and Kinabatangan River.
alt=“BIRDS ON THE KINABATANGAN RIVER”>
alt=“SALTWATER CROCODILE KINABATANGAN RIVER”>
alt="KINGFISHER BIRD SUKAU">
alt="KINABATANGAN RIVER SUNSET">
alt="WILD Proboscis Monkey in SABAH BORNEO">
alt="Proboscis monkey in SUKAU">

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