Day 5 Sabah Road Trip Sandakan Kinabatangan Lahad Datu Kunak Semporna
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 17-05-2026
Route Summary This route was created with his permission.
Seen as one of the most beautiful provinces in Malaysia, Sabah is known for its scenic landscape with spectacular mountains, beautiful beaches, surreal sunsets, rich culture, friendliest people, winding roads, tall waterfalls, national parks and much more!
The roads in Malaysia are generally in good condition, but beware; there are also parts where the asphalt is poor and there can be potholes in the road surface. This can be dangerous, so caution is advised. During the rainy season (September-December) the roads can be slippery. Traffic in Malaysia drives on the left side of the road.
You can rent a motorcycle in Malaysia, but these are usually lighter models and often scooters. You can spend the night in hotels, B & Bs or campsites, which can easily be booked via the website in the review or via booking.com.
I rate this route with 5 ***** stars because of the beautiful roads, the beautiful nature, sights and activities that you can undertake.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
10h 42m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
362.04 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review One of the places you can visit is the Gomantong Caves, located on Gomantong Hill. This is a system of caves with two primary chambers, the Black Cave and the White Cave. Multiple animal species live in the large, 90-meter-high caves, including swifts, but above all millions of bats and an incredible number of cockroaches and parasites living in the guano deposits, making the whole thing look like a scene from Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom.
Hundreds of thousands of Wrinkle-lipped Free-tailed bats also live in the upper parts of the cave. Their nocturnal exodus from the cave mouth is a popular spot for visitors.
What is less popular, at least for those seeking the pristine beauty of the rainforest, is the thirty-meter-high pile of guano that has developed in the cave. The gigantic heap of sh… has attracted millions of cockroaches and parasites.
There are so many cockroaches in the caves that you see them swarming en masse against the walls, giving the cave a truly creepy appearance. The cave is accessible via a wooden walkway that leads visitors down into the wonderland infested with bats and cockroaches. The question is: are you up for it?
In Kinabatangan, we stop for lunch at one of the local restaurants. After lunch, we continue driving to Lahad Datuh. You can choose to visit the “Danum Valley Conservation Area”; to do so, you need to refuel your motorbike in Lahad Datuh and leave the route after approximately 14 kilometers. It is about a 65-kilometer drive to this beautiful area, mostly on gravel. This is certainly worth a visit, but it will extend the trip by about 130 kilometers, so it is a good option to split the ride into two days and stay overnight at the Danum Valley Camp Ground. TomTom users should note that the road to this location is not shown on the map.
Danum Valley Conservation Area is a 438-square-kilometer area of relatively pristine tropical forest in Sabah, Malaysia. It boasts an extensive diversity of tropical flora and fauna, including species such as the rare Bornean orangutans, gibbons, mousecatchers, clouded leopards, and more than 270 bird species. Activities offered include jungle treks, river swimming, birdwatching, nighttime jungle treks, and excursions to nearby logging sites and sawmills.
The area holds a unique status in that, prior to becoming a protected area, there were no human settlements within it. This means there was no hunting, logging, or other human intervention, making the area nearly unique. It is managed by Yayasan Sabah for training purposes in conservation, research, education, and habitat restoration. Proposals have been made to nominate the site as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The next short stop for a photo can be at the Madai Cave, an integral part of the limestone hills in the Baturong Madai Forest Reserve. The cave is known as a source for swift nests used in bird's nest soup. Twice a year, there is an event where recognized collectors risk their lives climbing to the roof of these caves using only rattan ladders, ropes, and bamboo poles dangerously tied together to collect the nests.
It is now the end of the day, and you can still enjoy a lovely evening on the beach at the Pantai Sarina Beach Recreation Center. This is a nice place to hang out; enjoy the beautiful view with a delicious meal. Please note that TomTom does not recognize this road. There is also the opportunity to snorkel or island hop here. They also offer diving activities with an experienced divemaster. And last but not least, there is a campsite if you wish to extend your stay.
After this break, we drive on to the end point of the day and spend the night in one of the many hotels in Semporna. Optionally, you can stay overnight at the Pantai Sarina Beach Recreation Center and start Day 6 from there.
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Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Nearby routes 
Sabah
About this region
Sabah (Malay pronunciation: [saˈbah]) is a state of Malaysia located on the northern portion of Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's Kalimantan region to the south. The Federal Territory of Labuan is an island just off the Sabah coast. Sabah shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the west and the Philippines to the north and east. Kota Kinabalu is the state capital city, the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sabah state government. Other major towns in Sabah include Sandakan and Tawau. The 2015 census recorded a population of 3,543,500 in the state, and in 2019 it was estimated to have grown to over 3.9 million. Sabah has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. The state has long mountain ranges on the west side which forms part of the Crocker Range National Park. Kinabatangan River, the second longest river in Malaysia runs through Sabah, and Mount Kinabalu is the highest point of Sabah as well as of Malaysia.
The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along the Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries, while the eastern part of the territory was given to the Sultanate of Sulu because the Sultanate had helped the Bruneian empire in a battle and as such it was given to them as a gift between the 17th and 18th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British-based North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II, Sabah was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became a British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, Sabah was granted Independent and self-government by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside Sarawak, Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with the Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day.Sabah exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture and language. The head of state is the Governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, while the head of government is the Chief Minister. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and has one of the earliest state legislature systems in Malaysia. Sabah is divided into five administrative divisions and 27 districts. Malay is the official language of the state; and Islam is the state religion, but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the state. Sabah is known for its traditional musical instrument, the sompoton. Sabah has abundant natural resources, and its economy is strongly export-oriented. Its primary exports include oil, gas, timber and palm oil. The other major industries are agriculture and ecotourism.
Read more on Wikipedia
The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along the Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries, while the eastern part of the territory was given to the Sultanate of Sulu because the Sultanate had helped the Bruneian empire in a battle and as such it was given to them as a gift between the 17th and 18th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British-based North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II, Sabah was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became a British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, Sabah was granted Independent and self-government by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside Sarawak, Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with the Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day.Sabah exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture and language. The head of state is the Governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, while the head of government is the Chief Minister. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and has one of the earliest state legislature systems in Malaysia. Sabah is divided into five administrative divisions and 27 districts. Malay is the official language of the state; and Islam is the state religion, but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the state. Sabah is known for its traditional musical instrument, the sompoton. Sabah has abundant natural resources, and its economy is strongly export-oriented. Its primary exports include oil, gas, timber and palm oil. The other major industries are agriculture and ecotourism.
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Route Collections in this region The best Sabah Road Trip Borneo Malaysia
Based on the routes of “Rider Chris” from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, this 11-day Motorcycle Tour in Sabah Borneo is a passionate motorcyclist and loves to share his travel adventures with the community through his website and social media. The link to his website can be found in the first route.
This route collection was created with his permission.
Seen as one of the most beautiful provinces in Malaysia, Sabah is known for its scenic landscape with spectacular mountains, beautiful beaches, surreal sunsets, rich culture, friendliest people, winding roads, tall waterfalls, national parks and much more!
The roads in Malaysia are generally in good condition, but beware; there are also parts where the asphalt is poor and there can be potholes in the road surface. This can be dangerous, so caution is advised. During the rainy season (September-December) the roads can be slippery. Traffic in Malaysia drives on the left side of the road.
You can rent a motorcycle in Malaysia, but these are usually lighter models and often scooters. You can spend the night in hotels, B & Bs or campsites, which can easily be booked via the website in the review or via booking.com.
This route collection was created with his permission.
Seen as one of the most beautiful provinces in Malaysia, Sabah is known for its scenic landscape with spectacular mountains, beautiful beaches, surreal sunsets, rich culture, friendliest people, winding roads, tall waterfalls, national parks and much more!
The roads in Malaysia are generally in good condition, but beware; there are also parts where the asphalt is poor and there can be potholes in the road surface. This can be dangerous, so caution is advised. During the rainy season (September-December) the roads can be slippery. Traffic in Malaysia drives on the left side of the road.
You can rent a motorcycle in Malaysia, but these are usually lighter models and often scooters. You can spend the night in hotels, B & Bs or campsites, which can easily be booked via the website in the review or via booking.com.
View Route Collection