The best things to do in Sabah: 1 week to explore nature, adventure, and culture

Sabah is located on the island of Borneo, but is officially part of Malaysia. Sabah is best described as an adventure-filled but serene place, thanks to its natural landscapes, long coastline, and unique wildlife. 

I executed a perfect Sabah itinerary for 1 week, which is an ideal amount of time to explore plenty, though 10 days would have allowed for a few more activities. With so many things to discover, I crafted my itinerary around a mix of cultural, nature, and wildlife activities, which included visiting the Mari Mari village, observing turtles lay eggs on Selingan Turtle Island, spending a few days along the Kinabatangan River to see endemic proboscis monkeys, and snorkelling among the most beautiful corals near Semporna. 

Below is a breakdown of the best things to do in Sabah in 1 week, plus my itinerary without a car, and what I skipped and why. If you intend to rent a car, which I do recommend, compare prices for rental cars first.

The top things to do in Sabah

1. City life and culture in KK

Sabah’s capital city, Kota Kinabalu, is where you’ll experience city life in Sabah, as everything else is nature and small towns. Locally called KK, this coastal city is laid back and is an excellent starting point for nature and cultural activities. 

Top things to do in and around KK include:

• Explore Kinabalu Park and hike Mount Kinabalu (the hike requires careful planning, permits, and booking in advance)
• Poring Hot Springs
• Visit the beautiful mosque Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (it’s particularly beautiful at sunset with colourful reflections on the water)
• Island hopping and beach lounging at nearby islands like Gaya Island
• Visit a traditional village like Mari Mari Cultural Village or Walai Tobilung tribal village

2. National parks and rainforests

Sabah is a tree lover’s dream, especially if you have a penchant for parks and rainforests. One of the top things to do in Sabah is to visit biodiverse jungles, national parks, and protected reserves with abundant tropical endemic plants and wildlife. 

Here are the rainforests and parks you should visit in Sabah

• Kinabalu National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Crocker Range National Park (for waterfalls, villages, and a more local experience)
• Kinabatangan River & Forest Reserve (best place to see proboscis monkeys)
• Sepilok Forest Reserve (home to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre)
• Danum Valley Conservation Area, in southeastern Sabah (this is a lowland rainforest with unique wildlife like spotted leopards, orangutans, and gibbons)
• Tabin Wildlife Reserve (this is where you can see the Borneo pygmy elephant and the Sumatran rhinoceros)
• Tawau Hills Park (volcanic hills, waterfalls, rainforest — ideal for hikes and picnics)

3. Wildlife in the wild

As a wildlife enthusiast who enjoys seeing animals living freely with minimum disturbance from humans, I absolutely loved exploring the parts of Sabah where you can see pygmy elephants (the smallest Asian elephants), proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, leopards, and orangutans. 

I spent two days on Selingan Turtle Island watching turtles lay eggs and baby turtles finding their way to the sea (without touching them, of course). I also stayed along the Kinabatangan River for 3 days, doing guided walks through the rainforest and gliding along the river watching crocodiles and proboscis monkeys.

4. Island hopping, beaches, and sea activities

With such a long coastline, it makes sense that one of the top things to do in Sabah is to go island hopping, lie on the tropical sandy beaches, and explore the sea life. Unless you’re a diver, few people know that Sabah is one of the best places for diving and snorkelling, due to its diverse and abundant marine life. 

Where can you enjoy beach-related activities and marine life in Sabah?

• Near KK
  • Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (Mamutik and Manukan Islands)
  • Gaya Island
• Sandakan area
  • Lankayan Island
  • Selingan Turtle Island
• Semporna area
  • Mabul Island
  • Sipadan Island (one of the top 5 dive sites in the world)
  • Kapalai Island
  • Mataking Island
  • Pom Pom, Timba-Timba, and Sibuan Islands (best for those who want to snorkel only, as the water is shallow)

5. Soak in hot springs

The best way to relax after a strenuous hike? Dip into a hot spring. Luckily, Sabah has plenty of hot springs to choose from: 

• Poring Hot Springs near Mount Kinabalu
• Tagal Hot Spring
• Kipungit Hot Springs
• Kelawat Hot Springs
• Manis Manis Rooftop Hot Spring & Spa

The best Sabah itinerary in geographical order: culture, nature, wildlife in a 1 week

• Kota Kinabalu: 2 nights
  • Day 1: Mari Mari culture village in the morning, and Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu in the afternoon
  • Day 2: Island hopping near KK
• Sandakan and Selingan Turtle Island: 1 night
  • Day 3: fly into Sandakan’s domestic airport (for a future trip, I will opt for driving the 5 hours from KK rather than flying to Sandakan, for sustainability purposes. This time, it was unavoidable due to time limits).
  • We were picked up from the airport and taken to the marina. Then, it was a short boat ride to Selingan Turtle Island, where we spent the night.
  • Here are the full details of the Selingan Turtle Island trip.
• Kinabatangan River: 2 nights
  • Day 4: Got dropped back from Selingan to Sepilok, where we visited the Sepilok orangutan rehabilitation centre in the morning, followed by the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC). We had lunch at a hotel nearby. 
  • We got picked up in Sepilok by our lovely accommodation in Kinabatangan River (Sukay B&B), where we spent 2 nights (with breakfast, lunch, and dinner included), exploring the river and its wild animals. 
• Semporna: 2 nights
  • Day 6: In the early morning, our hosts at Sukay B&B dropped us off at Sukau junction, where we took the public bus to Semporna.
  • In Sempora, we decided to stay in town rather than on the islands for a more local experience and to avoid adding environmental pressure to the islands. We booked island-hopping boat trips and got to snorkel and dive for 2 days.

What I skipped in Sabah and why

• Hiking Mount Kinabalu
  • This requires proper planning and permits, and it just didn’t fit our 1-week Sabah itinerary. Also, we weren’t sure how strenuous the hike would be, so we preferred to opt out.
• Hot springs
  • It was quite hot and humid, and we just didn’t feel like soaking in hot springs.
• Labuk Bay sanctuary: I was told that the owner of this “sanctuary” owns the palm plantation surrounding the park, which displaced the monkeys in the first place.
• Danum Valley Conservation Area
  • Lack of transportation and no time.
• Tabin Wildlife Reserve
  • I would have absolutely loved to visit the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, but we just didn’t have the time for it on this trip.
• Tawau Hills Park for waterfalls and rainforest
  • This was just not a priority for us, as we had already spent a few days in the rainforest at Kinabatangan.

FAQs: the best things to do in Sabah

• How many days do you need in Sabah?

To explore Sabah properly and without rushing, 10 days is best, although 7 days is doable too, but you’ll have to skip a few activities and areas. 

• Where is Sabah?

Sabah is located in East Malaysia, forming part of the island of Borneo, which comprises two Malaysian states (Sabah and Sarawak), an Indonesian state (Kalimantan), and the country of Brunei

• Where is the best snorkelling and diving spot in Sabah?

The most famous diving spot in Sabah is at Sipadan Island, although there are several areas where you can also snorkel, such as the islands near Kota Kinabalu, and neighbouring islands near Sipadan, like Mabul and Mataking. 

• What to do in Sabah in 1 week?

Sabah is full of nature and adventure. In 1 week, your Sabah itinerary can take you on island hopping and snorkelling trips, rainforest exploration, seeing turtles lay eggs on a remote island, hiking activities, followed by hot springs, and cultural exploration.