Borneo to be Wild - A Motorcycle Journey into Borneo

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

Trip Overview

Start & End Location: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Duration: 10 Days, 9 Nights

Our tour around the Bornean province of Sabah in Malaysia starts in the main city of Kota Kinabalu (KK). From there, we journey by motorcycle to the beaches of the north, then head south to waterfalls and Borneo's tallest mountain, Kinabalu, until we end the motorcycle portion of the trip in the lowland orangutan-filled jungles of Sepilok.

In the final days of our adventure, we'll say goodbye to our bikes and take riverboat safaris through the wildlife-rich Kinabatangan Basin, finishing with a flight back to KK.

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Itinerary

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Borneo Tour Dates

We have picked THE BEST time of year for your Borneo tour to take place with the least amount of rain. That being said, if these dates don't work for you, please Let Us Know.

2026

Tue. March 31st - Thu. April 9th, 2026
10 Days, 9 Nights - Sold OUT!

2027

Thurs. March 11th - Sat. March 20th, 2027
10 Days, 9 Nights

That Works For Me!

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Prices

These prices are ALL INCLUSIVE which means they include meals, hotels, the motorcycle, gas, 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).

ROYAL ENFIELD 411 HIMALAYAN - Great for 2Up Couples!

KAWASAKI VERSYS X 250 - Great for 2Up Couples!

SUZUKI V-STROM 250

BMW G310GS

KTM 250 ADVENTURE

CF MOTO 450 - Great for 2Up Couples!

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Difficulty - ★★★☆☆

A FUN, TWISTY CHALLENGE

This tour is 95% paved! That being said, there are a few optional off-road sections, including an epic beach ride. You should also be aware that "paved" in Borneo might mean lots of potholes, dogs in the road, and random construction.

⚠️ In order to ride a motorcycle on this tour, you must be able to:

Ride paved twisty turns
Engine brake on steep declines
Pass other vehicles on straightaways
Go through uneven pavement in areas of construction
Ride in the rain (sometimes we can't avoid a downpour)

The hardest part of the riding will be the HEAT and RAIN (we've chosen the best time of year for you, but it's the rainforest 😉). Make sure you bring appropriate gear (see our Packing List for more info).

---> If you're not sure about riding a motorcycle on this tour, but still want to experience Borneo with us, fear not! You can do it from the comfort of an air-conditioned van (our support vehicle) that goes every place we go, and your tour will be at a discounted cost! Click HERE for our tour prices.

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.

Location - Kota Kinabalu
Distance Traveled - None, today is orientation and meet & greet!
Meals Included - Dinner
Main Activities - "Tastes of Malaysia" Market, KK Boardwalk
Elevation - Sea Level

Welcome to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's largest city! Though it's actually not a very big city at all, it's got a lot of culture and spice. Whether you're coming from afar, or even if you're not, we highly suggest arriving here early to get over jet lag, get accustomed to the pace of life here, and best of all, we get to hang out with you for longer! If you arrive during the day, either Tim or I (or both) will personally meet you at the airport and bring you to the hotel where we'll be staying. Then we can give you suggestions about the amazing things to see and do in KK (as the locals call it here).

Go to the beach, walk through the mangroves, visit night markets, shop for local crafts, or take a cooking class. You can even go on day trip excursions such as firefly boat tours, island hopping, or SCUBA diving. Alternatively, you can simply relax, settle in, and enjoy your first impressions of East Malaysia and the exotic island of Borneo. Our tour officially starts the afternoon of Day 1.

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, you might want to spend the heat of the afternoons relaxing beside the hotel's pool, getting refreshments at the bar and restaurant, soaking in the sauna, or checking out the spa. They even have a gym here.

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 adventures 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!"

Start Location - Kota Kinabalu
End Location - Kudat
Distance Riding - 203 kilometers | 126 miles
Hours Riding - 3.5 hours
Longest Continuous Ride - 1 hour 40 min

Meals Included - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Main Activity - Mari Mari Village
Max Elevation - 280 meters | 918 feet
Elevation Rise - Sea Level to 280 meters | 918 feet
Total Elevation Gain - 2,249 meters | 7,377 feet

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 pleasant to ride on. As one of the least populated areas of Southeast Asia, once we're out of the city of Kota Kinabalu, you'll start to feel the true sense of the Bornean wilds!

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

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'll have the opportunity to visit a recreated village of stilted longhouses to experience their culture.

At Mari Mari Cultural Village, we'll get a private tour of traditional life of the Dayak and can see how each major tribe of Sabah lived. Here, they'll teach us about their beliefs, and we'll get to experience first-hand what life was like for these people who spent their lives immersed in the jungle. As we explore their longhouses, we'll learn all about their head hunting practices, burial rites, bush craft, and we can also taste some of their delicacies.

Lunch

We'll dip back down into the lowlands to a lunch spot located right next to a river. 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.

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!

Paved Route

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 we'll all be doing the paved way 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 grilled chicken or lamb, as well as wonderful stir-fried seasonal vegetables, eggs, and rice.

And as we watch the sunset over the ocean after our first full day of riding together, I'll explain to you all that's going to happen tomorrow. Because if you've ever wanted to ride a motorcycle along a beach to your own private island, then this is going to be the experience for you!