Getting to the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Borneo involves organising transport to the small village of Sukau– here’s how.
Wondering how to get to the Kinabatangan River? After going through the process of organizing transport myself, I’ve prepared this detailed guide to help you reach Sukau either by independent travel or on a multi-day organized trip from Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Semporna, or Sepilok.
As you may well know, independent travel in Sabah Borneo isn’t always the easiest or the cheapest. Luckily, however, getting to the Kinabatangan River to see the last remaining glimpses of Borneo’s once-flourishing biodiversity can be done independently– and on a backpacker’s budget!
Where is the Kinabatangan River?
The Kinabatangan River, known as Sungai Kinabatangan in Malay, is located in the Sandakan Division in northeastern Sabah and runs from the interior Sabahan mountains to the saltwater mangrove wetlands on the shores of the Sulu Sea.
It's the longest river in Sabah and the second-longest in Malaysia with a total length of 560 km.
So, when asking where it is, travelers usually need to know that the best access is via the village of Sukau.
Tip: The Kinabatangan River is known for its incredible biodiversity and for being a sanctuary for endangered species including Proboscis Monkeys and Orangutans.
How to Get to the Kinabatangan River
Based on my experience, the best way to get to the Kinabatangan River and Sukau begins by taking a bus or private transport from the main tourist hubs in Sabah to nearby Sandakan.
These include Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Sepilok, and Semporna and I'll explain the best options for each below. However, the most difficult part of arranging the river cruise is organizing transport to the actual river in Sukau, since there is no reliable public transport available for this last stretch.
Here's a summary:
- Tour from Sepilok or Sandakan - there are a few tour operators running trips (overnight and day trips) to the river. You can book these online in advance.
- Bus to Sandakan then transport to Sukau - once you arrive in Sandakan, you can take a public bus or private transport to Lahad Datu. From here, I recommend booking transport with Mr. Choy (details below).
Update: Transport is still a little tricky for independent travelers since there aren't many large hubs or cities within a reasonable distance from Sukau. That said, the below options will cover you and answer your question about how to get to the Kinabatangan River, no matter where you start.
Note that it's a good idea to spend at least a night in Sukau once you arrive if you are traveling independently. Skip to the accommodation section below for tips on the best lodges that organize Kinabatangan River cruises.
Book a Tour the Kinabatangan River from Sandakan or Sepilok
If you're planning a longer travel itinerary of Sabah, then the best way to reach the river is by booking an organized 2-day trip from Sandakan or Sepilok. This is a convenient and popular option since you'll likely want to visit the Orangutan conservation area there regardless.
This trip includes your river cruises with a guide and a stay at the riverside Nature Lodge. But, more importantly, also includes transport in and out of the river area, which is the most difficult thing to arrange.
Book: Kinabatangan River Trip
How to Get from Sandakan to Sukau
Once you arrive in Sandakan, you have two options for getting to Kinabatangan River (Sukau).
The first option is to take a public bus leaving from the long-distance bus terminal (Stesen Bas Sandakan on Google Maps) towards Lahad Datu and then hopping off at the Sukau junction and hoping that a car or van will be there to take you to Sukau (not reliable but possible).
This first option is a bit annoying, firstly because the long-distance terminal is a bit out of town, and secondly, because you'll need to rely on a way to get to Sukau from the junction since it's a 45 km stretch of dirt road to the actual village.
The better choice and the option that I took is to get a direct transfer with a local legend: "Mr Choy". Choy lives in Sukau and does daily transfers in his minivan from Sandakan for 75 Ringgit per person. You can contact him on WhatsApp; 019-536-1889 or by email: at choysukau80@gmail.com.
The best part is, you won't need to change buses or vans, 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 aren't any ATMs for over an hour), he took my Debit Card on his next daily run and got money out for me in Sandakan, even though I'd only met him the day prior. Honestly, he's a super trustworthy guy and I still stay in touch with him today from time to time!
How to Get from Sepilok to Kinabatangan River
To get to Kinabatangan River from Sepilok, you could either wave down a bus going to Lahad Datu at the Sepilok junction and follow the same plan as above– or you could message Choy on WhatsApp.
Since Sepilok is on the way, Choy will also pick you up from your accommodation in Sepilok.
How to Get From Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River
The fastest way to get from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River is to take a flight from KK airport to Sandakan.
From here, you'll need to take an overland bus detailed below, or a private transfer to Sukau.
Alternative: 2-Day Organised Trip - KK to Kinabatangan
If you'd like to save time & energy with public transport, book this 2D1N Trip to Sandakan. This includes transport & a guide to Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, a Kinabatangan river cruise, and a visit to Gomantong Caves
Taking the Bus From Kota Kinabalu to Kinabatangan River
To get to Kinabatangan River from Kota Kinabalu by bus, you will need to go to the northern bus terminal (Inanam). There are several buses here going to Sandakan, and two buses daily going to Semporna (7:30 am and 7:30 pm).
You can tell the ticket vendors that you want to go to Sukau, or Kinabatangan River. They will recommend that you take the bus going to Semporna, and get off at the junction to Sukau, where you can find cars and vans parked waiting to take tourists down the dirt road to the lodges.
The trip from Kota Kinabalu to the Sukau junction takes roughly 6 hours by bus and follows the highway to Semporna.
Travel Tip: For those looking to fly within Sabah, the closest airport to the Kinabatangan River is in Sandakan. If you're not a fan of bumpy overland options, Air Asia also has cheap flights starting at $50 per person from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan Airport. If you're looking to get to bypass KK and fly straight into Sandakan, then you can also find many flights, most of which connect through Kuala Lumpur. I usually compare flight options on Skyscanner to get the latest deals.
How to Get from Semporna to Kinabatangan River
Those in Semporna and wondering how to get to Kinabatangan River from Semporna will have similar options. By now, you'll realize that there aren't any direct public transport services to Sukau on the Kinabatangan River.
From Semporna, it's best to take a morning bus to Kota Kinabalu at the bus station near the harbor. This bus will follow the same standard bus route as the reverse trip from Kota Kinabalu and you will have to get off at the Sukau Junction just the same.
From here, hope to take a van waiting on the road to Sukau.
Where to Stay on the Kinabatangan River
While it's possible to stay in Sandakan and take tours into the Kinabatangan, spending a few nights on the Kinabatangan River is in my opinion, one of my absolute favorite stays in Sabah.
This region is one of the last remaining sanctuaries for wild orangutans, Bornean pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, to name a few. Here are some great accommodation picks.
1. Borneo Natural Sukau Bilit Resort
An amazing eco-jungle resort surrounded by lush greenery. Spot monkeys swinging from the vines from your own balcony overlooking the river.
2. Kinabatangan Wildlife Lodge Mid-Range
Affordable but comfortable lodges on the doorstep of the Kinabatangan.
3. Sukau Backpackers B&B Budget
Cheap rooms right on the edge of the Kinabatangan River. The real-deal raw jungle experience and run by guys who organize cheap river cruises.
More Sabah Travel & Adventure Guides
I hope that you've enjoyed this updated guide on how to get to the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Borneo. While you're here, make sure to check out some of my other guides below for more travel tips and inspiration for your journey.
- One Day In Kuala Lumpur - my popular itinerary guide to spending a layover in KL.
- Sabah Itinerary - how to spend a week in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.
- Where to Stay in Kota Kinabalu - my helpful accommodation guide to finding a great hotel in KK!
- Where to Stay in Semporna - find the best hotels on Sabah's east coast
Kira
Monday 10th of March 2025
Just wanted to give an update as of Feb 2025. Mr. Choy is still in business, he's mainly providing transportation between Sandakan and Sukau, but is helping with other things too. He helped us to buy the bus tickets from Sribulan Restaurant to Semporna, that we needed to take after the tour, and delivered them to our hotel at Kinabatangan River. Very nice and friendly guy, you can rely on him. He's charging very reasonably too.
Arnaud
Monday 29th of July 2024
Hi Olly, thanks for all those infos and especially Mr Choy number (we contacted him on WhatsApp) he arranged for us the trip from Kinabatang river to Semporna even better than our homestay. The plan is to meet him at Lepit jetty at 9:00am so he can bring us to Sukau junction and from there we will hop on a bus to semporna with an estimated time of arrival at 3pm. He booked the bus tickets for us, and the overall price was 105MYR. Perfect 👌
Olly Gaspar
Friday 2nd of August 2024
Hi Arnaud, that's great to hear. Mr Choy is a great guy and I'm happy to learn he's still helping out travellers in the area! Olly
Jess
Tuesday 11th of July 2023
Hi Olly,
Wanted to thank you for sharing great tips and providing Mr. Choy information ! We just booked our pick up with him for end of July 2023.
Thanks a lot and have fun Jess
Dani
Friday 21st of April 2023
Just booked Mr Choy to drive us from Sandakan to Kinabantangan. There didn’t seem to be any buses from Sandakan to Tawau or Lahad Datu. Thanks for the tip! We would have been completely stuck otherwise
Hayley
Saturday 3rd of September 2022
Hi there, Your travel site is awesome! Do you know the best way to travel from the Kinabatangen river cruise (staying a night in sukau) to travel on to Semporna? We want to go to the Sipadan Dive Resort 😁