Luxe Wildlife Voyager: 3D2N Luxury Kinabatangan River Cruise – Malaysia's First Wildlife Liveaboard Print

Arrival in Sandakan / Kinabatangan River / Kampung Bilit / Afternoon River Cruise / Happy Hour / BBQ Dinner

10:00 Hrs: Enjoy a convenient pick-up from Sandakan airport or your hotel lobby, and proceed 2 hours by car to Kampung Bilit, a quaint village located upstream along Kinabatangan River. Most of the journey would be along asphalt roads, only changing to gravel in the last 20 minutes. 

12:00 Hrs: Upon arrival at the jetty, check-in to the Luxe Wildlife Voyager – the first and only wildlife liveaboard in Malaysia – and settle in for a quick safety briefing from your guide. 

12:30 Hrs: Enjoy lunch onboard before the day’s activities begin. 

13:30 Hrs: Embark on your first river cruise! Kinabatangan River, the second longest river in Malaysia, is considered a hotbed of wildlife activity. While a typical Kinabatangan River Cruise takes you out on the river a couple of hours a day, the Luxe Wildlife Voyager offers an exclusive opportunity to stay on the river, giving you more chances to spot wildlife like pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, orangutan, hornbills, and more. 

16:00 Hrs: Enjoy Happy Hour onboard, with free flow of beer, wine, and snacks from 16:00 Hrs to 17:00 Hrs. 

18:30 Hrs: Return to the jetty. 

19:30 Hrs: Enjoy a BBQ dinner onboard, thoughtfully prepared by your service crew. Vegetarian and vegan meals can also be prepared with advanced notice. 

21:00 Hrs: Enjoy the rest of the night at your leisure and retreat to your comfortable cabin for the night. 

Morning River Cruise / Oxbow Lake / Gomantong Cave / Evening River Cruise / Happy Hour / BBQ Dinner

06:00 Hrs: Rise early for an early morning river cruise in search of wildlife.  

08:00 Hrs: Have breakfast onboard after returning to the jetty. 

09:00 Hrs: Step off the boat and take a guided jungle trek to a nearby oxbow lake for opportunities for birdwatching and other wildlife encounters.  

12:30 Hrs: Return to the boat for lunch. 

13:30 Hrs: After lunch, head out for some cave exploration at Gomantong Cave, a massive limestone structure made up of two cave complexes, Simud Hitam (Black Cave) and Simud Putih (White Cave). Gomantong Cave is home to bats, swiftlets, and edible bird’s nests, a highly prized delicacy in Southeast Asia and a rich source of amino acids, carbohydrates, and mineral salts. 

16:00 Hrs: Return to the boat for an evening river cruise in search of wildlife. While wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, booking a stay on the Luxe Wildlife Voyager provides ample opportunities. 

16:30 Hrs: Happy Hour! Enjoy free flow beer, wine, and snacks from 16:30 Hrs to 17:30 Hrs as you lounge on one of the decks. 

18:30 Hrs: Return to the jetty. 

19:00 Hrs: Sit back and relax as a BBQ dinner is prepared and served to you by the crew onboard. 

21:00 Hrs: Enjoy the rest of your night at leisure before retreating to your cabin for the night. 

Morning River Cruise / Sandakan Airport or Hotel

06:00 Hrs: Venture out for your final river cruise and last chance to spot wildlife. Bid farewell to Kinabatangan River, your home for the last two days. 

08:00 Hrs: Return to the jetty and have breakfast onboard. 

09:00 Hrs: Check out and transfer back to Sandakan. 

11:00 Hrs: Estimated time of arrival in Sandakan – your tour ends here.