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This 5 day Sabah itinerary is a step-by-step guide for everything to do in Sabah in 2026. If you only have 5 short days in Sabah you will be surprised by how much you can see and do in this time.
Sabah is packed with wildlife, beauty and adventure. This 5 day Sabah itinerary – starts in Kota Kinabalu and travels to Sandakan via the mountains. This itinerary finishes in Sandakan. From here you can either return to Kota Kinabalu by air, by land or travel elsewhere.
We have included prices, locations and booking information to help you plan your trip independently and on a budget. Following a pre-booked tour that offers an itinerary like this would be super expensive.
Follow our itinerary and you will save money and have an amazing trip. If you are planning to visit Sabah please read this itinerary carefully. In some cases we have included things that you really need to know before you go.
Got more time? You may be interested in our 10 day itinerary for Sabah
Summary – 5 day Sabah Itinerary
- Day 1 Cultural village, Sabah State Museum and a seafood market
- Day 2 Island hopping (Tunku Abdul Rahman Park)
- Day 3 Outdoor adventure center, the Desa Dairy farm and mountain homestay
- Day 4 Hot Springs, canopy walkway and Rafflesia and travel to Sandakan
- Day 5 Sandakan Orangutans, sunbears, proboscis monkeys and seafood
MAP – Sabah Itinerary
Join our adventures in Sabah
Day 1 Cultural village, Sabah State Museum and a seafood market
This 5 day Sabah itinerary starts with some activities in Kota Kinabalu. Visit the Mari Mari Cultural Village. This is a great way to dip into the rich tribal heritage of Sabah. The Mari Mari cultural Village has traditional Sabah clothing, tribal art and jungle houses. They do performances showcasing traditional dance, games and music.
The Mari Mari Cultural village is located approximately 18km to the east of Kota Kinabalu. The best way to get here from Kota Kinabalu is to take a taxi. You can book taxis using the Grab taxi app. This is likely to cost around RM30 each way. Work out a price for your driver to wait or return to pick you up later. Don’t miss our Full and in-depth guide to using the Grab app in Malaysia.
The Mari Mari cultural village offer sessions daily at 10am and 2pm
- Adults RM170 (or RM100 on offer)
- Children RM 155 (or RM90 on offer)
After visiting the Mari Mari cultural village head back into Kota Kinabalu and take a visit to the Sabah State Museum. This is a great way to learn more about the culture, history and heritage of Sabah and much more. This is genuinely an interesting attraction to visit in Kota Kinabalu.
The Sabah State Museum is also relatively cheap to visit. Open daily from 9am – 5pm. As a foreigner you have to pay RM15 for a ticket. Malaysian tickets cost RM2. This is also a great activity in Kota Kinabalu for families with kids.
When you return to Kota Kinabalu try the Seafood market along the seafront. This market sells fresh seafood dishes and is a great way to experience some of the Sabah seafood. There are various places to get seafood along the sea front.
Food in Kota Kinabalu is relatively cheap. Most dishes cost around RM10. However seafood is a little more expensive. You generally pay be weight. Expect to pay around RM20 – RM50 for a typical seafood dish in Kota Kinabalu.
Day 2 Island hopping
On day 2 we recommend an island hopping day trip from Kota Kinabalu. The island hopping trip visits some of the beautiful islands in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. This is a great way to enjoy some of the beautiful beaches near Kota Kinabalu. You can take island hopping trips that visit one, two, three or four islands in a single day. We recommend the three Island trip as it allows you to see plenty of beautiful islands at a good pace.
An island hopping trip is likely to be between RM35 (roughly £7 or $10) to RM65 (roughly £13 or $15) depending how many islands you wish to visit.
- 1 island: Adult RM35 Child RM30
- 2 island: Adult RM45 Child RM40
- 3 island: Adult RM55 Child RM50
- 4 island: Adult RM65 Child RM60
At the jetty there are ticket counters where you can buy tickets and rent masks, snorkels and fins. To organize an island hopping trip, turn up at the jetty between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
Rental of snorkel and fins should cost around RM10 and can also be arranged at the jetty. You also need to pay an island conservation fee of RM20. Keep the ticket as this can be presented at each island. Bring plenty of water and sun protection. On some of the islands you can buy simple food. However, there is not a lot of choice so we recommend bringing your own food along with you. The island hopping trip generally returns to Kota Kinabalu between 3pm – 5pm.
BOOK IT ON KLOOK – An easy way to arrange this tour is to Book Kota Kinabalu island hopping on KLOOK
Day 3 Outdoor adventure center, the Desa Dairy farm and mountain homestay
On day three of this Sabah itinerary you will travel to Kundasang which is a beautiful town in the mountains not too far from Kinabalu. You may want to arrange a Grab taxi or Rent a car in Kota Kinabalu.
Zip Borneo Adventure Centre
If you love a good adrenaline rush head over to Zip Borneo – The Adventure Centre – which is on the way to Kundasang. What’s more, if you have your own car it is pretty easy to get to the Zip Borneo Adventure center. This is roughly on route to Kundasang – you will need to take a short detour. Zip Borneo has a climbing wall, an obstacle course, high rope course and a zipline. Contact Zip Borneo Adventure Center in advance to arrange the activities.
Desa Dairy farm
After Zip Borneo, continue your journey to Kundasang. Kundasang is a beautiful mountain town located near Mount Kinabalu.
The journey from Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang is likely to take around 2 or 3 hours by road. In Kundasang visit the Desa Dairy farm, which is situated in the hills around 5km north of Kundasang. At the Desa Dairy farm you can enjoy amazing views of the mountains. Don’t miss the amazing Desa Dairy ice cream. Here are some things to do at the Desa dairy farm:
- See the milking bay
- Agro feeding pen activity
- See the cattle barns
- Learn about milk processing and packaging
- Food kiosk and cafe
Entrance tickets for the Desa Dairy farm cost RM5 for adults, RM4 for children (7-12 years old), and it is FREE for children 6 years old and below. The Desa dairy farm is open daily 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tickets are only available in advance and must be booked through their official ticket website.
Other things to do in Kundasang
After visiting the Desa dairy farm you can visit a local fruit and veg market located in Kundasang. They sell a range of fresh fruits and vegetables, a great way to experience the beautiful rural mountain culture. Also don’t miss the BW Bus Restaurant Kundasang. The bus restaurant offers scenic dining in converted buses with tables and chairs inside.
We also recommend taking a homestay in the area. The Pogimpaan Homestay is our top pick with breathtaking views of Kinabalu and the surrounding hills. It is also great value for money. Don’t miss our FULL review of Pogimpaan Homestay. Alternatively check out Zen Garden – another lovely option in the area.
Day 4 Hot Springs, canopy walkway and Rafflesia and travel to Sandakan
Day 4 of the Sabah itinerary is an action packed and adventurous day. Check out of your accommodation and do the epic activities in the morning. Travel on to Sandakan in the afternoon.
Rafflesia gardens
Find out more about how to see the remarkable rafflesia flowers in Malaysia
The activities are all in a small town called Poring. On the road that leads to the hot springs there are a couple of Rafflesia gardens. If they do have flowers in bloom you can normally see them for around RM20. This is a very special experience as Rafflesia are very rare and only bloom for around 5 days.
Hot springs
After stopping at the Rafflesia Gardens, continue up the road to the Poring hot spring. At the top there are some pools that are almost too hot to touch (take care!) You can also see the source of the geothermal water. Lower down there are small hot spring baths that can be filled up using a tap, and some larger hot spring pools. There is a hot spring pool that is big enough to swim in close to the bottom.
The Poring hot springs are open daily from 8am – 3pm. Once you have paid for entry you can stay for the whole day:
- Adults RM15
- Children (7 – 17 years old) RM10
- Children 6 years and below are FREE
Canopy walkway
You may also be interested in the canopy walkway. This impressive Poring canopy walkway is a series of rope bridges suspended high in the jungle canopy. Be aware it is high and pretty scary.
You need to buy an additional ticket for the canopy walkway. Adult entry tickets RM5 and Children RM2.50 (under 18 years old). Opening hours: 9am – 4pm (closed on mondays)
To get to the canopy walkway just walk to the top of the hot springs and look out for signs. It is only around 1 minute walk from the hot spring. From the ticket office you then need to hike up a steep jungle trail for around 10 minutes to get to the start of the course.
In the afternoon, travel to Sandakan. Be prepared for an early start to head over to the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary.
This day is a lot easier if you have your own vehicle. If you do not have access to your own vehicle you will need to make the journey to Poring by taxi and arrange a bus to Sandakan in the afternoon.
Day 5 Sandakan Orangutans, sunbears and seafood
On the last day of this 5 day Sabah itinerary visit the Sepilok orangutan rehabilitation center (definitely read our guide to find out how to get up close to the Orangutans at Sepilok. There are around 60-80 orangutans living across 43 square kilometers of jungle. Sepilok has a wooden platform that leads through the jungle. There are no cages, fences or bars separating you from the jungle where the orangutans live.
BOOK IT ON KLOOK – For a convenient option book a Sepilok Orangutan tour on KLOOK
You can visit this center independently and do not need to pro-book any tickets. If you visit at feeding time there’s a good chance of seeing around 5 – 10 orangutans at the feeding platform. Sepilok has two daily feeding times and the orangutans gather at the feeding platform during these times: 10am and 3pm. We recommend arriving at least 30 minutes early as the orangutans also like to arrive early for their food. The platforms can be quite crowded at feeding time. If possible avoid weekends and public holidays.
Sometimes it is possible to see orangutans close up when they climb onto the walkway. There is also an orangutan nursery where you can see orphaned orangutans.
Sepilok prices and details
- RM30 Adults
- RM15 Children (2 – 17 year olds)
- RM10 camera fee (phone cameras FREE of charge).
You can buy your entry tickets from the ticket office when you arrive. If you are planning to visit on a weekend or public holiday, arrive early to avoid waiting.
The Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary is open daily from 8.45am – 4pm (closed for lunch from 12pm – 2pm).
If you want to see an orangutan close up, arrive around 2pm. They can sometimes be found strolling around the wooden walkway waiting for food. There is a section of walkway where you may see orangutans arriving for feeding. This section of walkway is just past the viewing deck for the feeding platform. After seeing the orangutans you can also visit the Malaysian Sun Bear conservation project (it is right next to the orangutan sanctuary at Sepilok).
TOP TIP: You are not allowed to bring any bags into the Sepilok orangutan sanctuary. There is however a free locker area available to leave bags.
Next get yourself over to the Labuk Bay Proboscis monkey sanctuary for one of their feeding times. Proboscis monkeys are seriously unique and fascinating. Best known for their long noses, these large primates live in the mangrove forests of Borneo.
If you plan to visit the Labuk Bay proboscis monkey sanctuary plan your visit carefully and visit during one of the feeding times. They have different feeding times at each of the platforms. The area is large and therefore you will need to make sure you have transport to get all of the way to the feeding platform.
The feeding times at Labuk Bay are as follows:
- 9.30am and 2.30 pm at Platform A
- 11.30 am and 4.30 pm at Platform B
If you arrive a little early you will probably see the proboscis monkeys gathering before feeding time.
- RM60 for adult non-Malaysians
- RM30 for non Malaysian children (12 years and below)
- RM15 for Malaysian adults
- RM5 for Malaysian children
- Under 3 years old FREE
Sabah seafood
You may also be interested in a visit to Sim Sim 88. This is a beautiful seafood restaurant located on the coast in Sandakan. They have a range of fresh seafood dishes. The food here is expensive but very good. Many dishes cost in the range of RM50 – RM100 or more.
A few things that aren’t on this 5 day Sabah itinerary
There are also a few places we have not included on this 5 day Sabah itinerary. SO if you have longer or you want to change this itinerary – here are some other things to do in Sabah:
Kinabatangan
If you have more time you may be interested in a Kinabatangan River cruise. These beautiful River Cruises allow you to spot Wildlife along the banks of this wild river. There is a very good chance of seeing proboscis monkeys and if you’re lucky you may also be able to see wild orangutans. If you have more time in Sabah we recommend looking into doing one of these river cruises.
Danum valley
We have missed out the Danum Valley conservation area. Although this is a very beautiful area, it is a little bit out of the way and we don’t think it adds a sufficient amount to this itinerary to include it. However, if you do have more time this would be a great place to visit.
Semporna and Marbul
We have also skipped Semporna and Mabul in this itinerary. This is a stunning area for snorkeling and diving. However, traveling over to Semporna and Mabul adds too much time to make this viable in 5 days. However, if you’re determined to see this beautiful area you could just ignore our itinerary and focus on this area instead. Alternatively plan a little longer in Sabah and make some time to visit Semporna and Mabul.
THE BEST places to stay for this 5 day Sabah itinerary
Kota Kinabalu (day 1 and day 2)
If you’re on a budget book a bunk bed at Escape Backpackers – super cheap, simple and well located. You can find Escape Backpackers on Agoda and on Booking.com. Alternatively, consider the Horizon Hotel for a great mid-range option. Horizon are also on Agoda AND booking.com. If you’re looking to splash out for something really special check out Le Meridien. Watch out for amazing deals and discounts at Le Meridien on Agoda. Alternatively you can book Le Meridien on Booking.com too.
Kundasang (day 3)
Our top pick in Kundasang is the beautiful and very affordable Pogimpaan Homestay – very simple and beautiful. Find Pogimpaan on Agoda or Reserve Pogimpaan on Booking.com. Also Zen Garden is a nice option in the area. Zen Garden are also on Agoda and booking.com.
Sandakan (day 4 and day 5)
If you’re traveling on a budget check out the Sandakan Backpackers Hostel. Sandakan backpackers are on Agoda. Check prices for Sandakan Backpackers on Booking.com. If you have a bigger budget and want to stay near the Orangutan Rehabilitation Center check out the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort. Keep an eye out for deals at Forest Edge on Agoda. Also check the latest prices at Forest Edge on Booking.com.
How do you get around in Sabah?
This 5 day Sabah itinerary crosses some big distances. So it’s important to plan how you will get around in Sabah.
The most convenient way to get around in Sabah is to use your own vehicle. If you are able to rent a car in Kota Kinabalu for a reasonable price this will make the itinerary straightforward to follow. Expect to pay around RM80 – RM150 per day for car rental in Sabah.
There are also long distance buses around Sabah. Long distance buses are reasonably comfortable and very affordable. Most long distance bus Journeys around Sabah cost around RM20 to RM50 depending on the bus company and the length of the journey. Also, be aware that long distance buses in Malaysia do not generally have toilets on board although there are a few exceptions.
If you are planning to get around by long distance buses, you will need to use taxis for local journeys. When you are planning your budget be aware that this could add up and be more expensive than car rental.
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