Know Before You Go | Borneo
Whether you're preparing for your upcoming Borneo Adventure or just want to learn more about this lush island, we've got you covered. We've rounded up an array of helpful resources, from wildlife and weather guides to compelling first-hand accounts written by Nat Hab travelers and staff.
Travel Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Browse our most frequently asked questions about Borneo's orangutans, wildlife, climate and more.
Wildlife Guide
Learn about orangutans, sun bears, pygmy elephants and other breathtaking animals you'll encounter in the wilds of Borneo.
Photography Tips
Whether you're an experienced photographer or just getting started, you'll want to read these essential photo tips from our Natural Photographer blog before your Borneo adventure.
Bornean Orangutan Trivia
Take our quiz to put your knowledge to the test, then share it with friends to see who knows the most about Borneo's most famous primate!
Weather & Climate
Find out what the typical weather conditions in Borneo in this month by month breakdown of average temperatures and rainfall.
Packing List
We’ve made a comprehensive list of all the clothing and gear you’ll want to pack so you'll be well prepared for your rainforest adventure.
Travel Stories & Articles
8 Rain Forest Ecotourism Adventures
—By Cathy Brown
To start you daydreaming about your next nature getaway, we’ve compiled eight of our favorite rain forest destinations.
Bird Watching in Borneo—A Biological Treasure Chest
—By Joel Centano
Borneo contains an immense trove of avian species—700-plus (including more than 50 endemics)—making Borneo one of the world’s top spots for birding.
Showing Gratitude for the Gardeners of the Rain Forest on International Orangutan Day
—By Megan Brief
Orangutan translates to “person of the forest” in the Malay language; an apt description for a mammal that shares approximately 97% of our DNA.
World Rainforest Day
—By Megan Brief
Established in 2017 by Rainforest Partnership, World Rainforest Day recognizes forests as one of the most powerful and cost-effective climate change mitigation tools we have.
Strange and Wonderful Wildlife of Borneo
—By Cathy Brown
Let’s meet some of the fabulously unique creatures you can hope to meet on a Borneo adventure!
Sustainable Pepper Farming Supports People and Nature in Malaysian Borneo
—By WWF
Imagine a crop that thrives in fallow land, grows without chemical fertilizer, and provides reliable income for Indigenous peoples. That’s pepper.
Borneo’s wildlife: What’s at risk and why we must act now
—By WWF
Borneo and Sumatra are priority regions for WWF’s conservation work because of their high biodiversity and vital natural resources. The risk is grave but there is still time to counter some of these losses and prevent new ones from occurring in order to save this ecosystem and its wildlife.
How Consumers Can Keep Forests Thriving
—By WWF
Deciding which products to buy make a real difference in keeping some of the world’s most important forests thriving for nature, local communities and our global climate.
A World on Fire: Battling Blazes in Borneo’s Rain Forests
—By Emily Goodheart
As we increase our consumption year by year, the growing number of regions consumed by fires casts shadows on human “progress.”
Why Exploring Borneo Changed My Life
—By Courtney Nachlas
Borneo is truly a magical place that feels wild in the best way. Living along the Kinabatangan River opened my eyes to a small pocket of wild rain forest still preserved in our industrialized world.
Big Adventure on a Wild Island
—By Brad Josephs
The high-pitched calls of gibbons echo through the steamy valley and send chills down my spine. Gibbons live only in intact old-growth forests like this one in Danum Valley, deep in one of Asia’s most pristine wilderness regions. From our base...
A Lifelong Love of Orangutans
—By Lauren Deeley
I’m pretty sure my binoculars levitated to my face. I have no memory of holding them there but with what I can only describe as miraculous precision, the first thing I see is a massive, male orangutan lazing about in the branches. We watched him for what...
Traveler Story: Green Sea Turtles Hatching in Borneo
—By Jaime Lozano
The trip to Borneo was spectacular, and we enjoyed every minute. The orangutans were special, the insects out of this world, and the birds gave us a show every time, but the highlight of our trip was...
Wildlife Photos: Borneo's Up-Close Encounters
—By Kelley Ashford
Kelley Ashford's journey took her to the Kinabatangan River, the largest and longest river in the Malaysian state of Sabah, and the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, which is...
