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Imagine Asia  >  Destinations  >  Borneo  >  Birder’s Guide to Borneo
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    • Birder’s Guide to Borneo
    • Borneo's Big Five
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Introducing Malaysia and Borneo

Watch our video to see why our specialists love Malaysia and Borneo...

Borneo & Malaysia Guidebook

We've put together a guidebook with everything you need to know about Borneo and Malaysia. Written by our specialists, it details destination information, a wildlife guide, some suggested itineraries and plenty more to inspire your holiday. Fill in the form below and if you live in UK, your guidebook will arrive by post within the next couple of days. For those who live abroad, we will send you a link by email which will allow you to download your own copy.

Borneo Itineraries

Be inspired to visit Borneo. See incredible orangutans in their natural habitat, explore Sabah and Sarawak, and enjoy lazy days on the breathtaking beaches of the Kota Kinabalu coast. Borneo is for everyone, for the extreme adventurer, the wildlife fanatic, and for families who want to seek out the shy pygmy elephants, Borneo guarantees adventure of a lifetime.

Top five unique nature retreats of Asia

Here at Imagine Asia we are a team of nature enthusiasts. We’ve put together a list of our top five nature retreats across the continent, each with their own characteristics and special attributes that make them a must see.

Borneo's Big Five

Head deep into Borneo’s ancient rainforests, traverse walkways through the canopy and cruise along the murky waters of Sungai Kinabatangan in search of ‘Borneo’s Big 5’. Here is our guide to the top five iconic wild species to be found across this extraordinary island.

The life-cycle of a sea turtle

Turtles have been around for 120 million years, they are one of the oldest creatures to roam the planet alongside crocodiles.

Climbing Mount Kinabalu

Gunung Kinabalu is Malaysia’s highest mountain and the twentieth most prominent mountain in the world. Also known as ‘Borneo’s roof’, climbing this imposing peak is a real challenge and our insiders guide tells you all you need to know about your journey to the summit.

Top 5 wildlife lodges

Rightly known as one of Asia’s best wildlife destinations, Borneo is a great destination for anyone with an appreciation for animals. With so many great lodges to choose from, it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming trying to decide where to stay. We have taken the hassle away, giving you our top five wildlife lodges, complete with the animals you are likely to see whilst there.

Classic Malaysia and Borneo

From the wildlife-filled jungles of Malaysian Borneo to the historic cities and culinary capital of Penang, this two-week itinerary offers a varied introduction to the highlights of Malaysia.

Borneo Honeymoon Ideas

Choosing a luxurious, romantic Borneo honeymoon will open your eyes to a fascinating world of wildlife, nature, culture and beauty. Visit Borneo’s many national parks, get up close and personal with our closest relative, the orang-utan, and see hundreds of species of birds and monkeys in their natural habitat. With rich culture, beautiful beaches and world class scuba diving in crystal clear waters, a Borneo honeymoon will be everything you wished for, and more!

Borneo Family Adventure

A great introduction to Malaysian Borneo for all the family, this two-week itinerary offers the perfect combination of culture, wildlife and beaches to the keep even the youngest jungle adventurer entertained.

Wildlife in Borneo

Some of the wildlife that can be spotted on a Borneo and Malaysia holiday...

Classic Borneo

Discover the highlights of Malaysian Borneo on this 13-night itinerary, taking in indigenous villages and orangutans in Sarawak, wildlife-rich jungles in Sabah and the tropical beaches of Gaya Island.

Borneo Rainforest Lodge

Located in Sabah’s renowned Danum Valley, Borneo Rainforest Lodge is one of Borneo’s most sought after lodges, offering both comfort and a rich wildlife experience amongst 43,800 hectares of untouched rainforest.

Borneo Favourites

Borneo is the one of the largest islands in the world, dominated by some of the most diverse wildlife on the planet. Dense tropical rainforests, volcano’s, indigenous communities, tropical islands and stunning sandy beaches mixed in with unbelievable underwater life make Borneo truly unique. Borneo is for everyone, for the extreme adventurer, those looking to relax in tranquil surrounding, and for families who want to see the magnificent Orang-utans. Borneo is waiting for you to have an adventure of a lifetime.

Borneo Family Holiday Ideas

Borneo is the ideal destination for a family holiday. The rainforests are filled with intriguing plants and wildlife, whilst the beaches are lapped by marine rich waters, confirming Borneo as a premier wildlife destination. With a host of activities available for the whole family to enjoy, both young and old can experience anything from trekking to mountain biking.

Borneo In Depth

Taking in indigenous cultures, wildlife-filled jungles and the wild landscapes of Borneo's Sabah and Sarawak states, this three week itinerary is great for adventure-seekers looking for an in depth experience of Malaysian Borneo.

Simply Borneo

From orangutans and wildlife-rich rainforests to vivid coral reefs and white-sand beaches, this itinerary offers a varied introduction to the highlights of Borneo, a great option for those short on time.

Birder’s Guide to Borneo

Borneo is the third largest island in the world covering over 700,000km2 and is home to 673 bird species, including 358 resident birds, 59 of which are endemic species only found in Borneo. Here’s our guide to some of the resident species found across Borneo, from the iconic hornbill to the tiny Bornean blue flycatcher.

Interested in getting up close and personal with some of Borneo’s brilliant birds? Call our specialists on 020 3141 2850 for help planning a tailor-made trip.

Many species that breed in the north of Asia, migrate south in September – November to Borneo and will return in March - May. Species that breed in Australia will migrate north in April - May and return in August - September, so there are plenty of species available for bird watchers all year round. So much so that Borneo now hosts its own bird-race every year, to promote the protection and monitoring of many species.


Danum Valley is a nature conservancy that protects large areas of primary lowland rainforest in Sabah covering roughly 438km2. Danum is suggested to be one of the best birding spots in Borneo. It houses around 10 threatened bird species such as the storm’s stork, a scarce local resident due to its endangered status.

Danum Valley is home to all 8 species of hornbill including the endangered helmeted hornbill. These are picky breeders and require large territories of over 7km2 which makes Danum one of the most suitable areas for this particular species. Luckily hornbills have one of the most distinctive calls of any bird throughout Borneo, with a loud, deep, echoing call, often followed by a maniacal laughter. Keep your eyes peeled for long grey tail feathers with a white tip! Or if you’re feeling adventurous, trek to the nearest fig tree. Fig trees make up a large majority of all hornbills’ diets.

Danum Valley is also home to many kingfisher species, such as the sacred, chestnut-collared, collared, blue-eared, blue-banded, stork billed, Bornean banded and rufous backed.


To get a ‘bird’s-eye view’, visit the canopy walkway and get even closer to the wildlife. With 300 metres of platforms, with many seated viewing areas, it’s the perfect spot to wait quietly for the animals to come to you. Being 25 meters above the ground gives you an unobstructed up-close view of the 130-million-year-old virgin jungle’s canopy.


Danum valley is full of exciting bird species such as bulbuls, pittas, and barbets. The grid and waterfall trail is proven to provide good bird spotting results. If at first, the dense tropical jungle seems difficult to master, try the different trails and viewing points and you will be rewarded.


Being the national bird, and the emblem of the state of Sarawak, the hornbill is definitely Borneo’s most famous avian resident. But here’s our guide to some of the smaller and more colourful birds that can be found across Borneo.

Bornean blue flycatcher (Cyornis superbus)

You are most likely to find these small blue birds in the Danum Valley Conservation Area. Normally spotted alone or in pairs, the Bornean blue flycatcher has a distinctive flash of turquoise on its head and tail feathers, contrasting with the cream underneath.

Golden-naped barbet (Megalaima pulcherrima)

The spectacular golden-naped barbet is one of the more colourful members of Borneo’s endemic bird species. Azure blue, acid green and yellow in colour, this little member of the Ramphastidae family can be found from the slopes of Kinabalu to the forests of Mulu. Listen out for its distinctive took-took-took call.

Mountain wren-babbler (Napothera crassa)

The slightly unremarkable looking mountain wren-babbler belongs to the Pellorneidae family. Aptly named for its noisy nature, it is most commonly found amongst mountain habitats across Sabah, and is regularly sighted in the Kinabalu National Park. These little brown birds are often spotted in pairs, or small family groups of 4-5 individuals.

White-crowned shama (Copsychus stricklandii)

This particular member of the shama family can only be spotted in the state of Sabah. This characterful little bird has a melodious call, often heard throughout the jungles of the Danum Valley Conservation Area. To spot them in their forest habitat you’ll need to be stealthy, as they are shy and can flit quickly and effortlessly through the dense undergrowth.

Whitehead’s trogon (Harpactes whiteheadi)

The Whitehead's trogon is a species of bird from the Trogonidae family. Named after the British explorer and naturalist John Whitehead (1860-1899), its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, preferring dark, wet and mossy areas. The Whitehead’s trogon is threatened by habitat loss, but the best place to spot them would be amongst the lowland forests of Mount Kinabalu.

Yellow-rumped flowerpecker (Prionochilus xanthopygius)

Fairly common across Borneo, the yellow-rumped flowerpecker is a beautiful bird, characterised by a bright yellow belly, flecked with orange, contrasting to the inky-blue plumage on its back. A small specimen, at only 9 cm long, these colourful members of the Dicaeidae family forage in the lower levels of the forest, feeding on flowers, pollen, stamens, nectar, ripe fruit pulp and buds of plants.

Black-headed pitta (Erythropitta ussheri)

Often considered the jewels of the forest floor, the black –headed pitta is only found across northern parts of Sabah. Favourites of bird photographers thanks to their colourful plumage and inquisitive faces, they are ventriloquial and can also be seen perched on low branches, so make sure you look up as well as scanning the forest floor!

Bornean crested fireback (Lophura ignita)

Members of the pheasant family, there are two subspecies of this colourful fowl – the lesser Bornean crested fireback (Lophura ignita ignita) and greater Bornean crested fireback (Lophura ignita nobilis). These relatively large birds are usually found in pairs on the forest floor, with the males being the more striking in appearance, with their cobalt blue faces and dark metallic blue plumage.

Interested in getting up close and personal with some of Borneo’s brilliant birds?

Call our specialists on 020 3141 2850 for help planning a tailor-made trip.

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We want to be really clear about this. We offer amazing value. Tailor-made does not have to mean expensive, it simply means attention to every detail of your trip arranged by a true expert.

Here at Imagine Asia, we are so confident that we offer the best value on the market that we have a price promise. If you find the exact same holiday cheaper with another UK tour operator, then we promise to beat their price by £50.

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Protection means that in the unlikely event that we become insolvent; your holiday will be refunded or you will be repatriated if already travelling or have flights with us.

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