You are invited to join us on a 10 DAY MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCE in East Malaysia, guided by yours truly - Tim and Marisa Notier. On this experience, you will ride through some of the oldest rainforests on earth, encounter orangutans and other stunning wildlife, twist into the foothills of Borneo's tallest mountain, plunge under waterfalls, and explore untouched coral reefs. All while making great friends and lifelong memories.

We want to show you some of the best roads and most breathtaking sights we've ever encountered after our 7 years on the road. And Borneo is a treasure trove!

This tour is particularly exciting since Borneo is still quite untouched and unknown. Although riding a motorcycle is a dream come true here, it's normally very hard to do so logistically, meaning that most adventure riders miss out on this incredible destination. But we have found a way!

So come along with us, and let us show you the ride of your life!

~ Tim and Marisa Notier​

Itinerary

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Dates

2025 Borneo Tour Dates:
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10 Days, 9 Nights

Sold Out - Sat, February 8th - Mon, Feb. 17th, 2025

Sold Out - Sat. February 22nd - Mon. March 3rd, 2025
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​Available - Sat, March 29th - Mon. April 7th, 2025

Sold Out - Sat. Feb 8th - Mon, Feb 17th, 2025​

​Sold Out - Sat. Feb 22nd - Mon. Mar 3rd, 2025

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​Available - Sat, March 29th - Mon. April 7th, 2025

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Prices

These prices include hotels, the motorcycle, support vehicle, and lots of other awesome stuff (see details HERE). It does not include airfare to and from Malaysia, or personal travel insurance.

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Motorcycles

You'll get to ride any of the following motorcycles (note that availability is on a first-come first-serve basis) -
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ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN

KAWASAKI VERSYS X 250

BMW G310GS

KTM 250 ADVENTURE

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Difficulty - Fun, Twisty, and Easy

This tour is all paved! That being said, there are a few optional off-road sections, including an epic beach ride. The hardest part of the riding will be the heat. Make sure you bring appropriate gear (see our Packing List for more info).

Are you ready to see what you'll experience on this ride of your life?

Borneo - Let's Go!

Note: The following itinerary is a preliminary plan, and is subject to change.

Distance Riding Day 1 - None, today is meet and greet!
Meals Included - Dinner
​Activities - "Tastes of Malaysia" Market, KK Boardwalk
Location - Kota Kinabalu

Once you arrive in Kota Kinabalu, Tim and I will personally meet you at the airport and bring you to your hotel. After that, the afternoon is yours to relax, settle in, and enjoy your first impressions of East Malaysia and the exotic island of Borneo.

Your Accommodations

We've selected a wonderful hotel for you to stay at in Kota Kinabalu. I really think you'll like it.

After all that flying, and before we go out to see the city this evening, you might want to spend the heat of the afternoon relaxing beside the hotel's pool, getting refreshments at the bar and restaurant, or checking out the spa. 

It depends on where you're coming from, but jet lag can be really tough. We suggest arriving in this part of the world as early as you can. Contact Us for more information on great places to stay in the region ahead of this trip, such as our suggestions for Bali, West Malaysia, and other excursions in Borneo.

Tastes of Malaysia Excursion

Once the sun starts to lower, and the lazy heat of the afternoon begins to shift into the buzz of the evening, we'd like to take you on a little walk to a local fisherman's market. Here you can fully delve into the sights, smells, and tastes of this new country.

If we find some, you absolutely have to try rambutan. It's my new favorite fruit!

Oceanside Dinner

As the sun sets over the city of Kota Kinabalu, we invite you to a Welcome Dinner along the oceanside boardwalk. I remember our first time eating here was a very special moment for us. As we watched the setting sun glisten over the waves, we thought, "This place is truly special. How lucky are we to be here!"

Distance Riding Day 2 - 203 kilometers | 126 miles
Hours Riding - 3 1/2 hours
Max Elevation - 280 meters | 918 feet
Elevation Rise - Sea Level to 280 meters | 918 feet
Meals Included - Breakfast
​Activities - Maranjak Longhouse
Start Location - Kota Kinabalu
End Location - Kudat
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Breakfast

Today will be our first day riding our motorcycles in Malaysia! And not just that, we will be leaving the coastal city of Kota Kinabalu, and heading deep into Borneo's jungles. So we'll start our day with a nice big breakfast at the hotel, and then get ready to hop on our motorcycles!

Riding into the Jungle

One of the first things you'll notice about riding a motorcycle in Malaysia is that as a former colony of the United Kingdom, they drive on the left side of the road. But even if that's new for you, it should come pretty easily, especially because you'll also notice that the roads on Borneo are a breeze to ride on. They're newly paved, there's very little traffic, and fellow drivers are extremely courteous. Riding a motorcycle here in East Malaysia is always an enjoyable experience!

Along the way, we might get lucky and spot some of Borneo's famous jungle wildlife, such as this pretty kingfisher.

Lunch

We'll dip back towards the coast for a lunch spot right on the sea. And you'll get a taste for how wonderful Malaysian food can be. Being so close to the spice islands of Indonesia, Malaysia is no stranger to flavor. They can grow almost anything here, and the ingredients to choose from feel and taste infinite.

One of the things that Malaysians excel at is cooking chicken. That's because chickens originally come from Southeast Asia! Here you'll find chicken roasted, fried, even steamed! If you like chicken, you're going to love eating here...

​And if you are vegetarian, vegan, or have any particular dietary restrictions, we can work with that. See our FAQ for more information on that.

An Indigenous Tribal Experience

Borneo is a melting pot of many different cultures - Malays, Chinese, Indians, and the indigenous people of the island who are collectively called the Dayak.

In the past, many of these Dayak tribes gained a fearsome reputation for being headhunters and formidable warriors. But today, they welcome us to their island. And we have been given the opportunity to visit one of their traditional stilted longhouses and experience their culture.

We'll be hosted by the Rungus tribe at their Maranjak Longhouse, where many people still live in the traditional way. Here, they will teach us about their culture, and we will get to see first-hand what life is like for these people who live immersed in the jungle.

And as we eat some of their foods, we may be treated to some beautiful music played on the "sape."

Off-Road Opportunity

As we make our way to our accommodations for the night, you will have the chance to arrive either via pavement, or take an off-road section. Both ways lead to the same place and take about the same amount of time, so it's up to you what you're in the mood for. But this little off-road bit will be some real jungle riding!

And even the paved section is super fun! It goes past a beach, and twists narrowly through some mangrove forests and over a couple of wooden bridges. Don't worry about missing out, because if you want to take both roads, you can choose to do the other one tomorrow.

Your Accommodations

You're going to love this. We'll be spending the night at a place that's as beachfront as it gets. It's located in a tiny fishing village where a group of families set up their oceanside houses to accommodate guests. And it is heaven on earth. 

The place is rustic - there are only fans instead of air-conditioning in the rooms, and no hot water for the showers. But with the sound of the waves lapping underneath your room all night (high tide comes right underneath), you'll be smiling in your dreams, knowing that this was worth it.

Dinner

Our dinner tonight will be the local catch of the day prepared by our hosts (who are amazing cooks)! Crab, fish, shrimp, squid, whatever they've caught, they'll cook it up with sweet and savory spices, making it succulent and mouth-watering. And if seafood isn't your thing, you're not alone (Tim is not a fan). They also prepare wonderful stir-fried seasonal vegetables, eggs, and rice.

Distance Riding Day 3 - 101 kilometers | 63 miles
Hours Riding - 2 1/2 hours
Max Elevation - 106 meters | 349 feet
Elevation Rise - Sea Level to 106 meters | 349 feet
Meals Included - Breakfast
​Activities - Sulu Sea Snorkel Boat Trip, Kelambu Beach Ride, Tip of Borneo
Start Location - Kudat
End Location - Longkan

After your night of sleeping to the sound of the waves crashing, you'll wake to the pink sun rising over the Sulu Sea.

Breakfast

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention, the family that runs this amazing guesthouse on the beach are not just cooks, but also bakers! And every morning they make an assortment of freshly baked goods such as traditional Malaysian coconut treats, as well as doughnuts!

Snorkel Voyage

This morning, we're going to take a boat ride over to a very unique snorkel spot - it's an old WWII bomb crater from the time of the Japanese invasion of Borneo. But the depression in the ocean has created the perfect habitat for sea creatures to thrive. And we're going to go check them out!

Even the elusive Nemo lives here (they say he's hard to find...). The ocean in this part of the world is renowned for its biodiversity, and it's impossible not to see some of the incredible marine animals that thrive in the warm waters of the Sulu Sea.

Lunch

Back at the guesthouse, we'll have another seafood meal that's to die for, made with local produce, sautéed together in the spices of the region, and served with steamed rice and fried tempeh.

Beach Ride of Bliss

Next, we'll be packing up and heading to a place where you can have the beach ride of your dreams.

It's called Kelambu Beach, and it is truly an undiscovered haven of white sand, turquoise waters, and sea breezes. Because of its remote location, almost no one ever comes here. And so we will have a once in a lifetime chance to take our motorcycles for a spin on the firm sand of the beach, all while staring out at our own private island.

For those who don't want to ride on the beach, this is also a great moment to just park the bikes, and simply enjoy this beach for what it is - a perfect slice of paradise.

Secret Place Rest Stop

Just five minutes away from the beach, and up a jungle-lined road, is a little beachside café and rest stop known as Secret Place Café. Here we'll sit and have a fresh coconut drink or a mid-afternoon snack, pet a few cats (they have tons of cats), maybe play some instruments, and recharge before our next fantastic destination.

Riding to the Tip of Borneo

This rocky promontory jutting out into the ocean is known as the Tip of Borneo, and it's not just a gorgeous place geologically, where the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea meet, it's also a bucket list item for many people. Being situated on the most northern point on the island of Borneo, it's quite the accomplishment to make it all the way out here.

In order to commemorate the achievement of reaching this spot, a monument has been built here, detailing where we are in relation to how far we have come. 

You can also walk right down to where the South China Sea meets the Sulu Sea.

Evening Oceanside Ride

As the sun gilds the world in its golden light, we'll ride our motorcycles to the town where we'll be staying tonight. The journey will take us along the ocean for the first part, and then through palm oil orchards and forests to get to the small village where we will hang up our helmets for the evening.

Your Accommodations

Life at the beach has been wonderful, but now it'll be nice to have a hot shower and a fully air-conditioned room. The views from your windows may also overlook rice fields, or forests from the surrounding hills.

Dinner

This little town has an assortment of great places to eat right down the street from where we'll be staying. The smorgasbord of options include Malaysian cuisine, Chinese, Indian, and Western food (there's even a KFC across from the hotel). I know I'll be looking for laksa, one of Malaysia's most flavorful meals featuring a coconut-milk broth with rice noodles, bean sprouts, and sometimes chicken, fried egg, and shrimp. Malaysian-style grilled and fried chicken served with aromatic rice is also a local favorite.

Distance Riding Day 4 - 224 kilometers | 139 miles
Hours Riding - 5 1/2 hours
Max Elevation - 1,500 meters | 4,926 feet
Elevation Rise - Sea Level to 1,500 meters | 4,926 feet
Meals Included - Breakfast
​Activities - Jungle Trek to Mahua Falls, Hike to Sosodikon Hill
Start Location - Longkan
End Location - Kundasang

Breakfast

Although your options this morning for breakfast are plentiful (including Western breakfasts), you are welcome to join Tim and I as we take our breakfast at a "Mamak" shop where they prepare Indian-inspired hand-tossed flaky bread called roti. It always comes with a rich curry sauce for dipping that I just adore.

Ride into the Interior

Today, as we get back on our motorcycles, we'll leave the coast and head into the interior of Borneo, where the peaks and jungle-covered crests of land start folding up around us.

As we rise higher and higher in elevation, you can feel the breezes get cooler and crisper while we make our way up into the mountains.

Traditional BBQ Pork Sampling

Besides having a seemingly endless variety of tropical fruits to choose from, the indigenous Dayak people traditionally subsisted on rice, fish, and hunting wild boar. These days, domestic boar is what's more likely to be on the menu, but for the Dayak, barbecuing that pig up over the fire has been elevated to become an art form. And we'll be passing through a region known for its juicy, tender, and flavorful pork. 

Since Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, many people don't eat pork at all. But here in Dayak country, pork is still very popular, and it's cooked so well, we will be able to smell it roasting from down the road.

If pork is not your thing, that's not a problem. This is just a brief stop, and we'll be having a real lunch somewhere else.

Jungle Trek to Mahua Falls

Today, we're going to head into the rainforest to see Mahua Falls, which is impressive in and of itself. But the walk to the falls is also an experience to be had. It's a well-paved path that only takes about 20 minutes to walk, but it's like being transported into another world. As we head into the jungle, the sounds of the forest will envelope us, filling the humid air with the buzzing vibrancy of all the life of the forest.

Mahua Falls

At 17 meters high (56 feet tall), this stunning waterfall is a hidden jungle treasure that rarely sees other visitors. Forget the lines of people trying to get their photo-ops on Bali, this is the real deal.

​Breathe deeply, because you're in heaven now.

Cool off from the heat of the day by taking a dip in this refreshing pool. Watch the butterflies flutter around us, and marvel at the sunlight glistening from over the top of the waterfall.

Lunch

After our unforgettable jungle waterfall experience, we'll head back to the Mahua Falls Lodge to have a delicious meal while listening to the trickling of the nearby river, and the humming of the rainforest around us.

This is Soto Ayam, a traditional chicken soup with rice noodles. Up here in the cool mountains, it's the perfect hearty, filling lunch.

Unbelievable Mountain Ride

This next ride might just be the most memorable and stunning ride of your life. It certainly was up there for us - the pinnacle of motorcycle riding some might say (pun intended). And that's because this twisty paved road glides effortlessly around one of the most visually prominent mountains on earth - Mount Kinabalu.

There will be almost no one else on the road, because this is Borneo, one of the least densely populated places in Asia. And yet, the roads are pristine, and the views of the mountain will just keep growing and growing as we get closer and closer to its immensity.

Mount Kinabalu is massive. At 4,095 meters (13,435 feet), Kinabalu is the highest mountain on the island of Borneo. And this road winds around its pointed peak as if crafted into the foothills for the pure enjoyment of motorcyclists.

Trail to Sosodikon Hill

As we make our way to the highest town on Borneo, Kundasang, and as the mountain of Kinabalu looms directly ahead of us, we have the opportunity to take a very unique ride, and then a short hike up to a viewpoint called Sosodikon Hill.

This excursion is optional, but riding up to this hill was a lot of fun for us. That being said, although it's paved, it is a narrow, steep, and sometimes slippery road. It's only a 20 min ride from the town of Kundasang.

The road will reach its end at a parking lot where we'll leave the motorcycles and head up the rest of the hill on foot. The entire hike only takes 15 minutes each way, but there are quite a few stairs involved. Thankfully, the weather is quite cool up here, and it's incredible to see the change of landscape at this altitude.

Your Accommodations

After the hill climb, we'll ride back down into the town of Kundasang where we'll be staying the night at a fabulous place that Tim and I found on our first time here. What makes this place extra special is the out-of-this-world view of Mount Kinabalu from right outside your own balcony.

No need for air-conditioning up here. It's nice and cool, and they give you plenty of warm wool blankets for the night. But if you get cold easily like me, I suggest you bring a jacket!​

And this will be the view right outside your window...

Dinner

Tonight, as we watch the sun set behind the mountain, I would like us all to try a beloved Malaysian dining tradition called Steamboat. It's a hot pot with a broth bowl section in which you can cook up an assortment of meats, seafood, tofu, tempeh, and vegetables. The meats have all been pre-marinated in the most delicious, sweet, tangy, and spicy sauces, ready for us to grill them up. It's usually an all-you-can-eat affair, so I hope you're hungry!

Distance Riding Day 5 - 217 kilometers | 135 miles
Hours Riding - 5 hours
Max Elevation - 1,269 meters | 4,165 feet
Elevation Drop - 1,237 meters | 4,059 feet
Meals Included - Breakfast
​Activities - Moroli Natural Fish Spa, Jungle Rope Bridge, Rainforest Night Walk
Start Location - Kundasang
End Location - Sepilok Forest

Today if you wake up early, you can watch the sun rise over the valley of Kundasang as it slowly bathes Mount Kinabalu in its soft glow.

You'll be provided with a kettle for tea and coffee in your room, so you can sit out on the porch as we did to watch the sunrise, letting your coffee or tea warm you up. We also got some local treats to nibble on before breakfast when we were there. These little sugar balls were Biscoff flavor! We can get some for you if you'd like.

Breakfast

The town of Kundasang has all sorts of breakfasts to choose from this morning, and you can join Tim and I for a popular Malaysian breakfast food called Bubur. It's a simple dish of rice porridge, but it can be dressed up with sweet soy and chili sauces, spices, shredded chicken, boiled egg, tofu, fried breaded crispy bits, scallions, lime, peanuts, and bean sprouts.

Ride through the Morning Mist

This morning, we'll get on our trusty motorcycles, and as the shrouding mists rise around us, we'll twist along another fabulous road, and get spectacular views of Kinabalu peaking out from behind its veils. 

Whenever we want, we can stop to take pictures and take in the sights.

Now we're traveling through the highlands of Sabah, East Malaysia, and this is also tea growing country. Maybe you'll be able to spot some of the lush green hedges of tea bushes.

Natural Fish Pedicure Experience

This might just be the craziest spa experience you'll ever encounter. The Cyprinidae fish of this river will "nibble" away at the dead skin cells of your feet and ankles to exfoliate your skin. But beware, because these fish are HUGE! 

​Not everyone can get their feet all the way in without freaking out, but you can try your hand (or foot) at this unique experience. At the Moroli Natural Fish Spa, these "ikan pelian," or Malaysian Mahseer, have been trained for generations by the local KadazanDusun people to "massage" the feet. And don't worry, if getting your feet wet, so to speak, is not to your liking, you can always just feed the fish instead (and watch everyone else squirm)!

Tim and I have not tried this yet, but our friend Lee went and he got his feet all the way in and seemed to enjoy it. I'm going to try, but I'm pretty sure Tim won't be able to handle it...

Jungle Rope Bridge

You know you've always wanted to... And now you can live out your Indiana Jones dreams by crossing this incredible jungle rope bridge that we came across!

It's long, it's narrow, and it's super wobbly! But even though it might be a little nerve-wracking to walk across this bridge, I think it's pretty safe (fingers crossed). People here take these bridges every day just to get home! Can you imagine carrying groceries along this?

Lunch

Now that we've survived the flesh-eating piranhas (just kidding), and rickety jungle bridge, it's time to eat! We'll be stopping at a place that has all my favorites, including mee goreng (fried noodles), nasi goreng (fried rice), and all sorts of other concoctions of roasted chicken, sautéed vegetables, and Malaysia's favorite category of food - fish and seafood.

This is also a great opportunity to try Malaysia's famous satay - grilled skewers of either chicken or beef, marinated and cooked to perfection over an open fire. Satay is normally served with a peanut-based dipping sauce that I cannot get enough of. I love it!

Ride to the Kinabatangan River Lowlands

After lunch, we'll get back on the motorcycles, and ride into a region known for its biodiversity. It's the Kinabatangan River delta, and it's home to some of the world's most unique and elusive wildlife, including pygmy elephants, and the highly endangered Sunda Clouded Leopards. As we ride, we'll have to keep our eyes peeled for anything moving in the foliage.

Your Accommodations

This evening, we will arrive at our destination for the next two nights - a gorgeous luxury resort tucked into the rainforest! Yes, we will be staying in the heart of the dense jungle of Borneo, with rooms that all have air-conditioning, hot showers, and balconies overlooking the forest.

The resort's property is actually within the bounds of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve where orangutans, pygmy elephants, and macaques call home. Who knows what you'll see in the trees as you're lounging by the pool or simply looking out your hotel room window...

There is even a "Flying Squirrel Platform" to watch the squirrels jumping from tree to tree at dusk.

Dinner

To the sounds of the rainforest, we'll eat dinner at the resort's restaurant, which serves an assortment of fresh, local dishes.

You might be wondering after seeing all these mouth-watering pictures of Malaysian food full of chili peppers, is the food here very spicy? And the answer is YES! But thankfully, many Malaysian dishes have their sambal (spicy chili sauce) on the side. And most of the places we will be going to are used to tourists and know how to make food not spicy. Also, there are usually Western options available. In other words, if spice is a problem, we can do the ordering for you. For more on special dietary requests, please see our FAQ section.

Night Walk Through the Jungle

Tonight, we will have a special opportunity to take a guided hike through the jungle in the dark. When Tim and I did this through Borneo's rainforest at night, I have to say I was a little nervous. But no need to fear, because the guides know how to keep us safe. And it's incredible to feel and experience how different the rainforest is after the sun sets. 

Borneo is known for its incredible wildlife, but many of these animals do not come out until nightfall. So as we make our way through the dark jungle, our guide will be able to show us special animals that we wouldn't be able to see otherwise, such as flying foxes (large bats), tarantulas, owls, and more.

And because we are staying at this rainforest lodge for two nights, we can choose to do this night walk tonight, the next night, or even both nights if we want (and if we dare)!

Continue your journey here...
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Did we peak your interest in coming on this tour with us? Let us know!

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