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River Rafting

With its countless rivers streaming from the heart of her mountain ranges Sabah and Sarawak, the two Malaysian states in Borneo, are excellent destinations for river rafting. For all levels of experience and all grades of river, rafting here can be done in organised groups on overnight adventures or day trips. The surroundings are exciting too, where lush jungle and carved landscapes, wild noises and smells all take your imageination away from civilisation.

Particularly popular are three rivers in Sabah, the Kiulu (levels 1 and 2), the Padas (levels 3 and 4) and the longer and more remote Liwagu River (levels 1 and 3). All these rivers offer something for everyone, from half day excurions to personalized itineraries along multiple stretches. In Sarawak the rafting scene is not as developed although rafting building as part of an expidition can be organised. Alternatively there is the annual Baram White Water Rafting Challenge, typically held on October each year, where partisipants compete for a cash price in a 10 hour bamboo rafting challenge.

Discover Borneo can help you organise a variety of white water adventures, and can also cater for kayaking requests, lessons and experienced on the same rivers.

Contact our travel consultants now and start planning your holiday!

The Padas River

In Malay Padas means hot, as in the chilli kind of heat, and indeed the Padas River can rage. The trip involves a whole day. Leaving Kota Kinabalu in the morning a bus journey will take you to Beaufort, from here you take in train through the jungle, a great experience in itself, to the rafting station just before Tenom. After the safety briefing the journey begins. It takes approximately 1 - 1½ hours depending on the height of the river and you will paddle through 9 rapids, some with fierce some names like Cobra Point and the Washing Machine Rapids. Between the rapids you have time to absorb the beautiful jungle scenery and have a refreshing dip in the fast moving current. Be prepared to get very wet.

The Kiulu River

Kiulu River is more of a beginner's river. It is suitable for anyone aged between 5 and 65 and who would enjoy a gentle adventure. The Kiulu River is located on the north western part of Sabah in a small and beautiful town called Kiulu and is classified as a Class 1 to 2. The trip begins with a safety briefing session conducted by our professional raft guide, he will demonstrate the rafting techniques and proper handling of rafting equipment before the adventure begins. The journey covers 15km and will take about 1½ - 2 hours.

The Liwagu River

This is a long remote and diverse river. The enterance point is located up in the Cocker range, a long mountain range which includes Mount Kinabalu. A 2 hour drive will take you from Kota Kinabalu to Ranau, on way you will pass the Kinabalu Park Headquarters and have great views of the mountain, providing it's not raining. Until recently the Liwagu had only been explored by hard core adventurers, pushing the bounaries of what they could do safely, however recently a large section of the river has opened up to the public. The river, which flows through primary, unexplored jungle offers a long and fun ride, about 4 hours of it, with numerous rapids ranging from grades 1 to 3. One day though is not long enough to explore the length of these rapids and you can take the an option to do 2 days with a stop over night in a jungle lodge half way down the river. The second day of this adventure is as thrilling as the first and 4 more hours in the river await!

All trips include:

• Transport
• Rafting Guide
• Rafting Equipment
• Meals