Name: Nature Lodge Kinabatangan
Address: Kampung Bilit, Kinabatangan, Segaliud, 90009 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia, Sandakan, Sandakan, Sandakan, 90009, Malaysia
Rating: 9

Air conditioning

Smoke-free property

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Sandakan Airport

Nature Lodge Kinabatangan

Sandakan

The staff at the lodge are very welcoming g and accommodating. My bungalow was very comfortable and the air conditioning worked very well. 

I was relocated to this property because the tour I booked which included other activities ended up being full at my original accommodation. 

My only downside was that construction was going in but the staff are wonderful a d the food very good. 

They offer a full program of nature activities which I appreciated.

Great introduction to jungle in Malaysia

I stayed here during November 2023 for a 3D2N trip and it was great! We stayed in the bigger dorms which had 3 bunk beds and to be fair they were clean, with mosquito repellent. The bathrooms could be better though as it was a shared one between the us and the other guests and was semi-outdoors. It didn't have water sometimes but was never fixed despite informing the staff about it. We went on a 6am morning cruise every day and an afternoon one, with breakfast included. The breakfast is a typical buffet with lots of food options. Our guides Mohammed and Omar were exceptionally good at spotting animals such as crocodiles and hornbills, and we stopped once in a while to see them, however we were not lucky enough to see the pygmy elephants. The receptionist was really friendly - she talked to us a lot and her daughter was the sweetest kid you'll ever meet! Overall this experience is great for animal lovers and photographers as it was interesting to see Borneo's wildlife, but don't expect a luxury experience at the lodge - the rusticity makes it better!

Awesome experience

We stayed here for 2 nights. We were picked up from Sandakan by Alan, a really nice friendly driver, who took us on to Sepilok. There we had lunch (as we didn’t do the orangutan and bear sanctuaries with the company the lunch was not covered). We then had a two hour drive to the jetty on the Kitabanangan River. 

When we arrived after a short river crossing we were amazed by the place itself. They’ve done so well to incorporate the place into the jungle, it really did feel as though we were right in the heart of the forest. 

The river safari was incredible. Our guide Raswan was so knowledgable, interesting and he was great at spotting animals. Within minutes he was showing us proboscis monkey groups, macaques, various bird species and amazingly an orangutan after only about 20 minutes! The night walk was equally if not more incredible, as again was Raswan, pointing out amazing nocturnal animals like whip scorpions, snakes, a slow loris and civets, and telling us about them. 

We stayed in a dorm, which was perfectly nice! To our surprise there was also air-con which was definitely needed for us! The lodges themselves are nice, with various chill-out spots where you can chat with fellow guests. 

The food was also delicious, with 3 meals included within the price of the booking. 

If you want to visit, which I highly recommend, ensure you bring plenty of powerful mosquito repellent, as they are absolutely everywhere, particularly on the daytime jungle walk. Also bring some kind of waterproof (poncho etc) as it does rain a lot and as long as there isn’t strong lightening the river cruises still go ahead!

Amazing.

Very good experience in Kinabatangan River. I highly recommend this resort to expend a few days doing different activities such as night walk in the jungle, boat cruise (if you’re lucky you could see Elephants). Good food, well cleaned!!!

Amazing experience in Kinabatangan River

We made de 3D2N packs and the experience was incredible. The most enjoyable part of the trips were the rivers cruises while finding the wildlife. 
Be prepared for the exciting night walks and the other activities that the people of the Nature Lodge Kinabatangan will offer you!!!

Amazing days in kinabatangan river

Booked the 3D/2N package through River Junkie in late November. We went when the river was high, which drastically reduced our chances to see pgymy elephants and crocodiles, but we did get to see many species of monkeys, birds, and even a few orangutans!

Rooms: We booked a private cabin and for a two star hotel, it was adequate. The bed was comfortable, they provided a towel, the AC worked well, and the shower was hot. My major complaint was that the cabin felt dirty: dusty throughout and particularly noticeable under the bed and the toilet seat was not cleaned. The furniture was also a bit rundown.

Service: The staff were friendly, including our guide: Mohammed. He seemed knowledgeable about the area and allowed us to use his binoculars on the boat. As part of the package, you go on a couple of night walks and a jungle trek. You can "rent" boots and a flashlight from the lodge (RM 10/ each, cash), but I think they should be included in the package because there's no way you could do either of these activities without them.

For our first day, our group had 7 people, which was a perfect number. Easy to hear the guide on the boat, a little tougher on the night walk if you're in the back. The second day when the next group arrived, they got added to our group, which made for 12. I believe the max number of people is 14, but even 12 was a lot. If you're at the front of the boat, it's hard to hear the guide in the back and on the jungle trek/night walk, if you're in the back, you're hooped- you can't hear what the guide is saying.

While I'm glad we had this experience, I wouldn't do it again. Perhaps if I was a wildlife photographer, I would. But you're so far away from the wildlife that a camera phone isn't going to do the trick. Lastly, there's no wifi in the rooms. But if you have a data plan, you should be able to connect (at least with Celcom).

Okay

I booked with Nature Lodge because they offer a 2 day 1 night tour from Sandakan to Kinabatangan River. Pick up is in Sandakan or Sepilok, and lunch is at your own expense at Mango Garden where the food was nice but the service incredibly slow (our meal was only just served by the time we needed to be back on the bus). Dinner and breakfast are included. The tour included transfers to the lodge on the river, an afternoon cruise, a night jungle walk, and an early morning cruise, and back to Sandakan. The accommodation was okay, with excellent air conditioning. Our boat guide was fantastic, and we saw a lot of wildlife. 2 days and 1 night is plenty. Highly recommended.

Another must-do activity when in north Borneo.

We booked our trip with River Junkies, and ended up at the Kinabatangan Nature Lodge. The chalets are good with plenty of room and AC. The camp is cozy and everybody is very friendly. The food was good too.

We took the 3D2N option with several Jungle treks and river cruises. And it was amazing! Thanks to the best guide you can have, Mr Eagle Eye Mohammed, we saw all the animals we hoped to see. Proboscis monkeys, Stork-billed Kingfishers, Pig-tailed, long tailed and short tailed macaques, crocodiles, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Orangutan and even the legendary Borneo-pygmee elephant. 
We had rainy days, sunny days and fogs, but in all conditions there is plenty of wildlife to see!

Special thanks to you again Mohammed, your knowledge, optimism, jokes and binocular eyes made sure with had a once in a lifetime trip!

Perfect Trip

Guides are very impressive. Most if not all grew up on the river and know the area intimately. Their ability to spot wildlife is second to none.

We were fortunate to have both Omar and Mohammed as guides for our river cruises, and night walks. Their knowledge is remarkable. They were also generous to share about their owns lives so we could learn more about local culture.

Food is good- dorms are A/C which is wonderful. Saw lots of wildlife!

Very reasonable price- highly recommend.



Great value- Very skilled guides

Our visit to the river was a great experience. The lodge is good located just by the river and the staff is very friendly. 

The food is good, and the restaurant area is cozy.

We was allowed to try fishing in the river, which was fun even though we didnt catch anything due to high tide.

We saw orang utan, nose monkey, makaq monkeys and crocodiles. 

We had a very nice sunset Cruise.

Memorable experience 

Nature Lodge Kinabatangan

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