Kinabatangan River Night Cruise in Sabah
This unique night cruise is an optional package at each of the lodges. Hence, you must book with your lodge or tour guide to experience this cruise along the Kinabatangan River in Sandakan to see the nocturnal wildlife here.
Kinabatangan River Night Cruise
As I was staying at the Proboscis Lodge Bukit Melapi for my Sandakan Eco-Tourism visit organized by Sabah Tourism, I was informed by my nature guide – Ben, that there were optional night cruises available, and I had to book from the lodge.
So, my booking was completed, and it was a memorable experience, with many new encounters with the nocturnal wildlife here.
Birds were seen at the Kinabatangan night river cruise.After experiencing the late afternoon cruise and the wildlife, we returned to our lodge and freshened up for a sumptuous local dinner there.
Questions of all kinds were thrown to Ben about what we would expect during our night cruise, and Ben calmly told me, ‘Not to worry, you will have a chance to see things you never saw in your life’, and that kept me extra curious until we started our journey.
The boatman had arrived at the lodge jetty right on schedule, and we made off into the dark Kinabatangan River armed with my DSLR camera and a couple of high-powered torch lights, remembering our mandatory safety life vests.
A bird was spotted during the night river cruise.In just three minutes of the ride, we had already spotted a bird on one of the leaves along the side of the river. Unafraid of the light and boat, we moved in closer, and I started with my pictures.
This was my first time there, and I was afraid that using the flash would scare the bird. I tried to click without shaking my Nikon D60 with an 18-105mm lens.
The result? A total failure! Ben noticed and told me to go ahead and use my flash as the birds would not fly away. So, from the pictures here, you will see that I flashed every bird I came across.
Kingfisher bird at the night river cruise.Birds at Kinabatangan River
You should know about the Kinabatangan Night Cruise because the boat travels in pitch darkness except for the spotlight, which the boatman handles to spot birds and reptiles.
Ben had another high-powered flashlight, so there were only two light sources. Once a bird or reptile is spotted, the boatman quickly heads in that direction and keeps the light on the animal.
Another Kingfisher bird was seen on the night cruise.At many points during the night cruise, I was about three to four feet from the birds perched on the branches.
When we got close, they looked like they were asleep. So, for Birders or Bird Watchers, this is one of the sporadic moments when you can get extremely close to the Borneo birds. It was an absolutely fantastic experience if you ask me.
A Pied Hornbill was seen on one of the trees.Among the birds we saw were hornbills, kingfishers, and other birds named Borneon, which are called this river home.
They sit comfortably on the branches as we spot them on this two-hour night cruise. Apart from looking out for birds, we saw fireflies as they dimly lit up parts of the trees.
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| A White-breasted Waterhen. |
Once again, if you are a bird lover, this is the place to further explore your hobby. It is incredible to see birds in their natural habitat from such a close distance.
Among the birds that you will be able to spot here are;
- Oriental Darter
- Egrets
- Herons
- Storm’s Stork
- Hawks
- Osprey
- Pheasants
- Owls
- Hornbills
- Trogon
- Nightjar
- Bee-eaters
- Woodpeckers
- Drongo
- Pittas
- Broadbills
- Babbler
- Forktail
- Warbler
- Spiderhunter
A bird rests on one of the branches.
The boat engine was turned off as we casually drifted along the river in total darkness, looking at the stars.
A baby crocodile is spotted during the night river cruise.Crocodiles at Kinabatangan River
The highlight of the Kinabatangan River night cruise was the crocodiles. We must have encountered at least five of them, ranging from babies to juvenile crocodiles.
Most baby crocodiles are sighted by the sides of the rivers, as their mother is nearby, but they are hardly spotted as they are, in fact, quite shy.
Baby crocodile seen during the night river cruise.Honestly, I was a little scared at first when encountering these reptiles, but reassurances from Ben and even the boatman calmed us down.
The crocodiles spotted along the Kinabatangan are known to be shy, and when boats arrive, they would just go under the water. But the baby ones would remain on the surface.
An 8″ baby crocodile looks at us.Our boat got so close to one of the baby crocodiles, which measured about eight inches, that it looked like we could just pick it up from the water, but we did not.
These little ones would grow to a whopping length of 10 to 15 feet in size once fully matured. I would not want to be face-to-face with one of the fully-grown crocodiles.
Yellow Ringneck Snake seen on the mangrove branches.Wildlife at Kinabatangan River
Also sighted along the Kinabatangan Night Cruise was a Yellow Ringneck Snake, which was fast asleep on one of the branches of the trees.
This was a whopper in size, as the snake’s width was estimated to be around three inches in diameter.
We also saw a Brown Civet Cat (Musang) high up in the trees, feasting on some local fruits. If you are lucky, during this river safari, you will have a chance to see other nocturnal creatures like the Borneo Wild Cat, Owls, Wild Boars, Deer, Frogs, Insects, Otters, and many others.
With my guide, Ben, I knew the names of the birds and reptiles I saw during my Kinabatangan Night Cruise or Night River Safari.
You must have a guide with you throughout your Kinabatangan stay, as required by each lodge operator.
Best times to visit Kinabatangan River:
- The Kinabatangan-Sukau region can be visited all year round, though it is often flooded during December and January’s wettest months.
- From April to October, the main flowering and fruiting seasons are generally relatively dry and a good time to spot many birds and animals.
- The best time to see Pygmy Elephants is around June.
Getting to Kinabatangan River:
- AirAsia or Malaysia Airlines flies to Sandakan from Kuala Lumpur, and from there, engage a tour company for your river safari.
- A car, bus or taxi is available from all towns in Sabah, and prices vary according to distances.
- Various tour operators around Sabah offer full-board packages to Kinabatangan.
General Tips for Kinabatangan River:
- Bring a poncho, as the boats are non-covered if it rains.
- Bring water and snacks, as cruises can last 2-3 hours.
- Torch lights are necessary to see the animals and birds at a distance.
- An 18-200mm lens is minimal for those with DSLR Cameras. You will need more than your standard lens to satisfy you.
- Compact digital cameras require a 10x to 20x zoom with an anti-shake function.
- Always stay in the boat and do not try silly heroic things, as you would not want to fall into the waters.
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