Friday 25th May – Tuesday 5th June 2018
Explore a mystical land of incredible natural beauty and rare wildlife on this Sabah tour. With its collection of exotic animals, ancient traditions, hot springs, tribal villages, loveable orangutans and incredible views, Sabah has something for everyone. We cover part of the SandakanDeathMarch where a series of forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau resulted in thedeathsof 2,345 Allied prisoners of war held captive by the Empire of Japan during the Pacific campaign of World War II. Experience the very best of this part of Borneo - every minute of this incredible adventure will stay with you for life.
Tour will be executed by Sonshine Travel. A family business that has been operating tours throughout Australia and overseas for the past 30 years. We are delighted to offer you this wonderful tour to Sabah - Borneo. This will be the third tour we have done to Borneo, and we highly recommend it as a wonderful place to visit. The animals are amazing and so much fun to watch. The scenery is incredibly beautiful, and the people are among the most friendly and hospitable we have ever met.
Join us for this 12 day tour, and we will show you the best of Sabah - Borneo!
A Blend of Nature, Culture and History
Friday 25 May 2018 Brisbane Airport
With personal pick up from home to Brisbane Airport, we check into Singapore Airlines flight to Kota Kinabalu via Singapore. Flight departs on Monday Morning at 5 past midnight - now Saturday 26th May.
DAY 1 : Saturday 26 May 2018 Kota Kinabalu
Upon arrival at Kota Kinabalu International Airport we are met by our local Tour guide and transferred to our City Hotel. After a light lunch we check in to our room, having the afternoon free to relax.
Overnight at Kota Kinabalu: Le Meridien Hotel Meals in Flight + LD
DAY 2 : Sunday 27 May 2018 Kota Kinabalu Highlights
Today we drive to the Mari Mari Cultural Village, crossing over a hanging bridge to arrive at the entrance where we will be ushered to the warmth of different Sabah
homes. Each home was built by descendants of the tribes they represent – the Bajau, Kadazan, Rungus, Muruts and others. Acquaint ourselves with each tribe as they let us come into their house and their simple yet intricate lives. Demonstration huts along the main houses show the daily activities of old times. For example, the making of blowpipe, starting a fire from a bamboo tree without the help of a lighter, tattoo-making symbolisms and more. We enjoy a traditional lunch before driving back into Kota Kinabalu for a city excursion tour viewing temples, mosques, high rises, and downtown Kota Kinabalu including the Sabah State Museum.
Overnight Kota Kinabalu: Le Meridien Hotel BLD
DAY 3 : Monday 28 May 2018 Klias Wildlife River Cruise
This morning is free time to enjoy the markets and boutique shops right near our hotel. This afternoon, we drive through picturesque countryside to the Klias Village. Enjoy a welcome drink on arrival, then board a river boat for a cruise to observe the unique lifestyle of the elusive proboscis monkeys, silver hair monkeys called ‘Langgur’, long tailed macaques, buffaloes, iguanas, kingfisher birds and more along the lush river vegetation. After seeing the brilliant fireflies at dusk on the trees, we return to the village for a buffet dinner at the riverside restaurant. After a great day, we return to Kota Kinabalu to our hotel.
Overnight Kota Kinabalu: Le Meridien Hotel Lunch own Arrangement BD
DAY 4 : Tuesday 29 May 2018 Sandakan City Tour
After breakfast, we transfer to the Kota Kinabalu Airport for a short flight to Sandakan. Upon arrival at Sandakan, enjoy a brief city tour and visit the Puh Jih Shih Temple - 300 meters above sea level, offering a panoramic view of Sandakan Bay. This ornate temple is blazed with red and gold, with writhing dragons and a gold gilded Buddha. Visit Agnes Keith’s restored house and Museum. Agnes Keith was one of the original western settlers in Sandakan, and her family were taken as prisoners by the Japanese during the war. Dinner tonight is at the English Tea House.
Overnight Sandakan: Four Points Hotel by Sheraton Lunch own Arrangement BD
DAY 5 : Wednesday 30 May 2018 Sepilok Orang Utan/Sun Bear/Sukau
The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, helps injured or abandoned Orang Utans learn to climb and fend for themselves in the wild, hoping they may return to the forest. The semi-wild Orang Utans return to the platform for milk and bananas twice a day during their rehabilitation. You have the chance to get a close up view of the Orang Utans and to photograph them. From here, we visit the newly opened Sun Bear Conservation Centre to observe the amazing sun bears. After lunch we drive to Sukau for a boat transfer to our accommodation at the Bilit Rainforest Lodge.
Overnight at Bilit Rainforest Lodge BLD
DAY 6 : Thursday 31 May 2018 Gomantong - Sabah Tea
Today we visit Gomantong Cave inside Gomantong Hill. The hill is the largest limestone outcrop in the Lower Kinabatangan area in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Situated in a forest reserve, the caves and the surrounding area is protected for wildlife, especially orangutans. The cave system is home to many animals, and you may see crested serpent eagles, kingfishers, and Asian fairy bluebirds. We continue to the Sabah Tea Plantation passing oil palm plantations and colorful local villages.
Overnight at Sabah Tea Resort – Cottage BLD
DAY 7 : Friday 01 June 2018 Tea Adventure / Poring Hot Springs Enjoy a morning walk to experience tea harvesting, and after collecting some tea leaves, enjoy your Breakfast with the fresh tea. A Tea Trainer will brief us about Tea,
and how to choose a good Tea and also the different types of Tea processing, experiencing how to process your own. After lunch we visit Poring Hot Spring, to observe wildlife on the lush canopy of the Menggaris tree—king of the forest—the walkway is 157.8 meters long and 41 meters high. Enjoy a dip in one of the steaming hot mineral springs, and you may see the largest flower in the world ‘Rafflesia’. Our accommodation tonight gives a magnificent view to Mount Kinabalu.
Overnight at Kinabalu Pine Resort BLD
DAY 8 : Saturday 02 June 2018 War Memorial / Kinabalu National Park
This morning we visit the Kundasang WWII Memorial to commemorate the brave Australian and British POWs who died in Sandakan during the infamous death marches. We proceed to the Kinabalu National Park for a nature walk, exploring unique endemic flora such as the rare Rothchild’s Slipper Orchid, also known as ‘Kinabalu Gold’. The park is a botanist's paradise with over a thousand species of orchids, numerous different rhododendrons and pitcher plants. After lunch we continue your journey to Jesselton Jetty in Kota Kinabalu, where we take a 15 minute boat ride to our nights accommodation at the Gayana Eco Resort.
Overnight at Gayana Eco Resort - Villa BLD
DAY 9 : Sunday 03 June 2018
The Marine Ecology Research Center (MERC), which has seven out of the eight Giant Clams species, prides itself in their protection and rehabilitation. They focus upon conservation, protection and regeneration of marine life, the coral reef and the surrounding mangroves. It is a sanctuary where injured marine life are rehabilitated and eventually released back into the ocean. After our tour and lunch, we depart by the boat shuttle to Jesselton Point and transfer to our hotel.
Overnight at Le Meridien Hotel - Urban Room BLD
DAY 10 : Monday 04 June 2018 Flight Home
After breakfast, we depart for Kota Kinabalu International Airport to check in for our flight to Singapore, connecting through to Brisbane. We have a few hours at Singapore Airport, but it is more than just an Airport! Singapore Changi Airport is a destination in its own right. Stretch your legs on the nature trail or relax in the soothing butterfly garden, or join one of the free City sights tour before boarding our flight home. B
DAY 11 : Tuesday 05 June 2018
We arrive back on Australian soil early Tuesday morning. Meals in Flight
COST: $6,450.00 AUD per person Twin share
$ 950.00 AUD Single Supplement
The following cancellation fees apply for this tour: Deposit refundable up to 25 January 2018
70 to 60 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 50% Refund of Tour Cost
59 to 31 days BEFORE DEPARTURE 25% Refund of Tour Cost
Within 30 days of departure and on or after departure NO REFUND
TRAVEL INSURANCE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR THIS TOUR
· Single travelers who are prepared to twin share will be matched with another passenger (of the same gender), However, if this is not possible, you will need to pay the Single Supplement.
· If you have chosen to share a room, compatibility with your room mate cannot be guaranteed.
· Passengers are required to co-operate with the seat rotation program determined by Sonshine Travel Staff. The Proprietors reserve the right to vary any accommodation, price or other features of the tour at any time at their own discretion.
· FITNESS OF TRAVEL - Whilst the tour is comfortably paced to suit most people, we recommend participants have a reasonable level of fitness as there are stairs, uneven surfaces, sightseeing on foot and boarding on/off a couple of small boats.
Tour Price INCLUDES:
* Pick up and return to your home - Sunshine Coast, Brisbane CBD & Gold Coast
* Return economy airfares from Brisbane with Singapore Airlines to Kota Kinabalu via Singapore.
* Airport departure taxes and transfers
* Internal Domestic flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan
* Fully Escorted from Brisbane by our Sonshine Travel representative
* Maximum participants on tour 35
* Ensuite Accommodation
* Services of an experienced local coach driver and local guide(s)
* Quality air-conditioned touring coach
* All entries, National Park fees and cruises included in itinerary
* All gratuities for accommodation & restaurants whilst travelling with the group
* Meals : Full cooked breakfasts, restaurant dinners & lunches as listed.
* Personalised name bar
Tour Price does NOT include:
* Items of a personal nature and any optional extras listed in itinerary
* Tips and personal incidental charges - Tipping is not obligatory in most places. It is at the discretion of the guest whether they want to give tips or not.
* A valid national passport for Borneo, Malaysia - minimum validity of 6 months after return date
* Please check visa requirements with your local consulate; responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler for non Australian Passport Holders
* Travel Insurance
The Proprietors reserve the right to vary any accommodation, price or other features of the tour at any time at their own discretion.
Sonshine Travel - DISCLAIMER
o Advises the airlines reserve the right to amend their schedule and airfares without notice
o Advises price is effective for the dates specified but may be subject to change without notice
o Advises passengers require a current Passport to travel to Sabah Borneo with minimum validity of 6 months after return
o Advises non-Australian Passport holders to check re-entry Visa requirements
o Reserves the right to vary the itinerary in any way at any time deemed necessary.
o Accepts no responsibility for damage or loss of personal belongings and suggests that suitable Insurance be effected for protection of the same
o Accepts no responsibility or liability for delays, accidents, injury, irregularity or damage caused by other transport/touring companies used as part of this tour
o Reserves the right to change accommodation at any time without notice
CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL
Any special passenger requirements must be notified to Sonshine Travel at the time of booking. No passenger will be permitted to embark or continue on the tour while their mental or physical condition is, in the opinion of any representative of Sonshine Travel, such as to render them incapable of caring for themselves, or whereby they become objectionable to other passengers, or they become a hazard to themselves or other passengers. Sonshine Travel will not be responsible for expenses resulting in such persons being precluded from completing the tour for any such reason.
If you are willing to twin share but are a smoker or have a cpap machine or snore, you will need to pay a single supplement for a sole use room.
It is also a requirement of Sonshine Travel that each passenger is able to negotiate coach steps without the aid of the coach crew or other passengers. Any passenger who requires assistance in this regard is required to have a personal carer travelling with him/her.
For further information, please contact your Travel Agent