Adventure Holidays in Borneo and Indonesia

Rich in wildlife and culture, Borneo and Indonesia captivate the heart of the adventure traveller in so many ways - from the forests, volcanoes and tropical waters of the Bali Sea, to the ancient temples, palaces and treasures. Not forgetting the unique primate that's become synonymous with these islands - the orang-utan.


Find out about our tours to Borneo and Indonesia.

Wildlife holidays in Borneo

Orang-utans at Sepilok/Tanya Durkin

Orang-utans at Sepilok/Tanya Durkin

An intriguing and varied country, Borneo conjures up images of jungle, headhunters and orang-utans. Divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, the island houses a vast variety of plants and animals with new species discovered every month. Recent discoveries include catfish that can travel short distances out of water, the Kapuas mud snake that changes its skin colour and the Bornean clouded leopard.

Borneo often features on wildlife programmes for the wrong reasons, as commercial logging is destroying the orang-utans' habitat, making them a critically endangered species. The Malaysian state of Sabah, located in northern Borneo, is home to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre that you will visit on our adventure holidays to Borneo. Founded in 1964, the centre rehabilitates abandoned, injured or captured orang-utans. We aim to visit the centre around feeding time, which also attracts these primates from the wild.

Travellers on our Sabah Naturewatch wildlife holiday can also look out for mynah birds, monkeys, rare orchids and rafflesia - the world's largest flower at the Kinabalu National Park. This tour can also be added onto our Borneo Jungle Adventure holiday.

Adventure holidays in Borneo

Mount Kinabalu at dawn/Ashley Toft

Mount Kinabalu at dawn/Ashley Toft

As well as plenty of nature to admire, Borneo has much to offer those looking for adventure.

Our Borneo Jungle Adventure holiday is ideal for anyone up for a challenge, offering caving, jungle trekking, hiking to the top of limestone pinnacles, rafting through rapids and tubing down the river. Experience local life first hand as you stay on a longhouse in a village and, if you're fit as a fiddle, why not trek to the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

Go walking in Borneo underground and overground - literally. On this adventure holiday you'll go into caves and have the option of walking through the treetops above the jungle and forest canopies. A visit to Poring Hot Springs gives you the chance to relax in the hot springs before making an assault on Mount Kinabalu.

Family holidays in Borneo

Rainforest canopy walk/Tanya Durkin

Rainforest Canopy Walk/Tanya Durkin

If your children find orang-utans irresistibly cute, why not travel with your tribe to view them in their natural habitat? Our Land of the Orang Utan tour, for families, includes a visit to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, as well as giving you the experience of exploring the rainforest, cruising along the river and rounding off your holiday on white sandy beaches.

Adventure holidays in Indonesia

Borobudur, Buddhist Stupa/Dave West

Borobudur, Buddhist Stupa/Dave West

The archipelago of Indonesia comprises several thousand islands, is rich in wildlife and is home to more than 300 ethnic and tribal groups. Java, one of the largest islands, is rich in culture with many Buddhist and Hindu temples, royal palaces and colonial towns. Bali offers travellers the chance to unwind by lazing on the volcanic beaches or swimming and snorkelling in the warm waters.

Discover the heights and sights of Exotic Java and Bali on our Indonesian adventure holiday. The Hindu temple complex at Prambanan Plain is home to an incredible array of 8th and 9th century temples and palaces, while Borobodur is the largest Buddhist monument in the southern hemisphere. Walk up Mount Bromo to watch the sun set and then see it rise the next morning at the top of Mount Pananjakan (optional). In Bali you can relax on the volcanic beaches at Lovina before exploring temples and villages.

Take a voyage of discovery on our East Indies Seatrek adventure holiday. Sail along the eastern part of the 'Archipelago of Gods', stopping off to observe the Jurassic Komodo dragons (watch out for those jaws), visit traditional villages, hike in search of wildlife and swim and snorkel.

Family holidays in Indonesia

Cheeky monkey / Ray Spencer

Cheeky monkey / Ray Spencer

Take your little monkeys to meet some real ones on our family holiday in Bali. Visit the 'Monkey Forest', home to mischievous macaques and the high temple of the dead believed to contain magical powers, Pura Dalem Agung Padang Tegal. Elephants and dolphins also feature in this family holiday with a visit to the Taro Elephant Sanctuary and a boat trip to search for dolphins. Go local as you stay in stilted chalets at the village of Munduk and maybe try your hand at the art of Balinese cooking. If you're feeling adventurous and fit, you have the option of climbing the active volcano of Mount Batur (1717m).