15-Day Trans-Borneo Road Bike Tour

Welcome to Borneo! Once you drop your bags at the hotel, you’ll have a quick trip briefing with the group before a tasty seafood dinner.

Your first day of cycling eases you into it with a mostly flat ride along the beautiful coast. You’ll ride through mangrove forests, paddy fields, and rubber tree plantations. Once you hit 45km, it’s time for a break at a local cafe. Then, you’ll cross several rivers on the way to Kampung Hilir Maludam, a charming and sleepy Malay fishing village. Here, you’ll set up your things at the homestay before riding on a boat to the Maludam National Park. This little-visited treasure is home to proboscis monkeys, which are quite the sight! Then, you’ll dine with your local hosts before settling in for the night.

How are the legs feeling after your first big ride? After breakfast, you’ll cycle out along a pretty coastal road, hopping on the ferry to ride to Pusa. Here, local bread and coffee await. After your break, you’ll ride past more rubber and palm plantations on a mostly flat road. You’ll be riding into the heartland of the Iban tribe, passing their traditional longhouses and unique birdhouses made to harvest swiftlet bird nests. Finally, you’ll arrive at your hotel for the night, where you can relax for the remainder of the evening.

The next leg of your cycling adventure in Borneo is a bit morning-heavy, with a big ride first thing in the morning. This allows you to enjoy time in Sibu, the “gateway to Central Sarawak.” It has a famous market, where you can stroll past 1200 stalls selling exotic fruits, crafts, and jungle produce. Grab yourself a snack of mapua noodles or kongpia meat buns before a speedboat ride to Dalat. The local Melanau tribe is welcoming, and you’ll pass by their longhouses as you cruise. Once back on land, ride past colourful villages to a local seaside resort, where you can freshen up before hitting the town with your group.

Day 5 begins with breakfast before cruising on your bikes along the coast to Bintulu. You’ll pass by several towns on the way, stopping in at their markets to rest and enjoy the scenery. Then, cycle along undulating hills to the dock where you’ll hop in a speedboat towards Similajau National Park. Spend the afternoon off the bike finding sea turtles, crocodiles, and dolphins. There’s an optional transfer to a remote golden-sand beach, which we highly recommend for any sun-lover. Then, you’ll spend the evening in the national park chalet.

After breakfast, head towards northern Borneo along the picturesque coastline. You’ll ride over a few rolling hills before stopping for lunch in Samalaju. The rest of the ride flows through plantations, villages, and fields. Upon entering Niah Cave National Park, you’re guaranteed to be awestruck by the lush forest, spooky caves, and fascinating rock formations. Before settling in for the night, you can head out to town and enjoy a local dinner with the group.

Before leaving the national park, spend the morning exploring on foot. It’s one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and soon to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The local birds are plentiful and chatty, the cave paintings are incredible, and the rainforest is alive with action. In the afternoon, hop back in the saddle for a ride along gradual hills to the resort city of Miri, where a foot reflexology centre can help relax you after a big week of riding.

Take today off from riding, exploring Miri on foot after breakfast. It was an oil boom city, with plenty of interesting corners to find. If you’d prefer to explore underwater, there’s an opportunity to arrange a scuba tour. Those wanting to get out of the city but stay on land can take a day trip to one of the nearby national parks. So many choices! Whatever you end up doing, you’re free to spend the day as you like and choose your own spots for lunch and dinner.

Begin the day early to beat the traffic out of Miri. Today you’ll actually bid Sarawak goodbye as you cross the border into Brunei, a tiny nation with impressively-designed government buildings, perfect beaches, and a diverse rainforest. Cycle into the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, using a quieter back road. Hop off the bike and check into your hotel before setting off on foot to explore the Old Town, dominated by the impressive gold-clad Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, a magnificent sight. Then, you can stop along Kampong Ayer, a colourful village on the water, before grabbing a seat at dinner.

This morning, you’ll depart from the city along farm roads flanked by paddy fields. You’ll actually cross over the border back into Malaysia, and then back into Brunei, and then finally back into Malaysia. Busy day! Enjoy lunch in Limbang, a charming town with a busy market. This town is the most diverse in Sarawak, with Bruneian, Malay, Iban, Kedayan, and more people hailing from all over. After lunch, set off on your bike and get your passport stamped again as you cycle to Lawas, the northernmost town in Sarawak. Spend some time cleaning up at the hotel before a delicious seafood meal to end the day.

Hope your legs are feeling up to a challenge, because today has some serious elevation gain ahead! You’ll enter the state of Sabah to cross the Crocker Range, which divides the western plains and coast from the other side of Sabah. The range ends south of the splendid Mount Kinabalu. The mountain scenery will hopefully inspire you to keep pedaling as you gain elevation towards the peak of today’s ride. Thankfully, downhill riding follows and it’s much more relaxing on the way to the hotel. The coffee made in the area surrounding Tenom is famously wonderful, so you’ll spend some time sampling brews at an old-school coffee house before the end of the day.

Enjoy breakfast with a cup of local coffee before hopping on the saddle and heading off towards Keningau, where lunch awaits. The ride is beautiful, with mountains framing your view and rolling hills alongside you. After a lunch of local Bak Tuk Teh (pork in hot, savoury herbal broth), set off towards Tambunan. The ride takes you through a terraced valley of paddy fields, passing farms and villages. Unwind at the hotel in preparation for a big ride tomorrow.

After breakfast, set off towards the basecamp of Mount Kinabalu, the tallest peak in Southeast Asia. It’ll be a tough ride, but it’s so worth it at the end! The views along the way and once you make it to base camp are fantastic. The area surrounding base camp is a major producer of local vegetables and fruit, so make sure you try some local strawberries and tomatoes at dinner. Then, check into a mountain resort with a view of Mount Kinabalu to relax for the remainder of the evening.

The last full day of your cross-Borneo cycling tour begins with a quick ride to Kinabalu Park, which provides access to Mount Kinabalu. Stop by the stunning botanical gardens, recognized by UNESCO as one of the most important biological sites in the world with over 4500 species of plants and animals calling it home. Then, stop in at Nabalu Market for a snack or a souvenir. Finally, it’s time to hop back on the bike and head towards Kota Kinabalu. The road is all downhill for 1500 metres, but make sure you take the winding descent carefully. After checking into your hotel, it’s time to stroll along the waterfront and find a bar to kick back at. A final dinner celebrates your journey and bids the group farewell.

The tour concludes with a final breakfast before heading to the airport. Safe travels!