Here is a list of the best places to see wildlife in Malaysia for nature, outdoor and adventure lovers in no particular order. I have also visited all the locations listed here; hence, this article is based on first-hand experience and is not written by writers who sit in an office researching content.

Best Places To See Wildlife in Malaysia

Malaysia is a tropical country located just above Singapore and below Thailand, often overlooked by many travellers. The country is divided into Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysia Borneo, where Sabah and Sarawak are located.

However, this article aims to highlight some of the more unique tourism experiences you can find here off the general tourist radar. To see Malaysia’s wildlife, you need to travel outside Kuala Lumpur to other states around the country, some on the peninsular and others in Malaysian Borneo.

I will only highlight places that are guaranteed to spot wildlife and how you can get there. The list of places to spot wildlife in Malaysia are;

1. Pahang (Peninsular Malaysia)

The Taman Negara National Park, the oldest national park in Malaysia, is located in Pahang, about a three to four hours drive from Kuala Lumpur, and is one of the most popular in Peninsular Malaysia.

Taman Negara 

Known as one of the oldest rainforests globally, Taman Negara is the country’s first national park and possibly the best in Peninsular Malaysia. As Taman Negara is massive, only one luxurious resort is located in the national park: the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort, which I visited in 2018.

Taman Negara National Park offers many activities, including visiting an original ‘Orang Asli’ village upriver and a beautiful canopy treetop walk. Wildlife watching includes birds during the day and a unique night walk to spot nocturnal animals, insects, etc.

You should also spend at least two nights here to experience this place.

Kenyir Lake

Once a popular location to see wildlife in the 1990s, this place has been experiencing some ups and downs because the only resort here, Lake Kenyir Resort, has been renovating for a few years and has yet to reopen.

Since then, most people who visit Kenyir tend to go fishing or live on houseboats. For those with plans, I recommend waiting for the resort to reopen before exploring Tasik Kenyir Lake. Most wildlife activities here are bird watching and the occasional mammal spotting around the massive manmade lake.

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary

A beautiful rehabilitation for Malaysian elephants has seen a massive tourism boom in the last ten years. Kuala Gandah is an experience fit for just about anyone.

Recently, tourists have been flocking here to see, feed, ride, and bathe the rehabilitated elephants. Around Kuala Gandah, a private zoo and deer farm are also open to visitors. The area is also known as a bird-watching location.

2. Perak (Peninsular Malaysia)

Perak is one of the larger states in Peninsular Malaysia and neighbours the state of Selangor. There are a few places for wildlife watching, but they are more commercial.

Orangutan Island at Bukit Merah Laketown (Unsure if closed as of 2024)

Bukit Merah is a very localised theme park and resort that has been around for quite a while now. However, it has one unique attraction: Orangutan Island, which is about a 10-minute boat ride from the main park area.

This remarkable conservation in the peninsular is managed by the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation, which blossomed from an idea by YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed many years ago.

The island serves as a rehabilitation and sanctuary for orangutans on the Peninsular, and just to add on, orangutans are not native to the Peninsular.

Belum Rainforest

This is one of the oldest rainforests in Malaysia, next to Taman Negara, and offers a resort built within the rainforest. Belum boasts of the only place in Malaysia where you can spot all ten species of hornbills. However, with much trekking and hiking, one must spend a few days to achieve this.

This rainforest is not overcrowded and is a little more peaceful than other popular destinations. Most visitors are bird watchers, photographers, or nature lovers seeking an escape.

3. Sarawak (Borneo Malaysia)

Sarawak is Malaysia’s largest state; by comparison, it is almost as big as the entire peninsular Malaysia. This means Sarawak is massive and perhaps 30% developed, leaving much of the land untouched. There are oil palm plantations, but overall, many rainforests are available throughout the state.

Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

Semenggoh is probably the best place to see the Orangutans in their natural habitat and is only about an hour’s drive from Kuching, Sarawak’s capital city.

The state forestry department manages it and opens it daily to visitors. Natural trails make the entire experience worthwhile, and the orangutans are not guaranteed to be there in full force. The best option is to book a tour with any travel agent in Kuching to learn the best times to visit Semenggoh and see the orangutans.

Bako National Park 

Located two hours from Kuching, Bako National Park is a wonderland for nature lovers. The park is also situated by the sea, making it a unique place to explore.

Bako is home to Proboscis monkeys, Bornean bearded pigs, snakes, many birds, and other tropical wildlife. It also offers park accommodations, a restaurant, and many trails to explore. A tour from Kuching city is recommended, as it includes everything needed to experience Bako National Park in Sarawak.

Mulu National Park

One of Malaysia’s UNESCO Heritage Sites, Mulu, is a perfect escape for outdoor lovers. The national park is massive, and one needs to spend a minimum of two to three days to experience it.

The beauty of the Gunung Mulu National Park is that you can spot wildlife while exploring caves and rivers and see the unique nomadic Penan culture around the national park area. Mulu offers luxurious and budget accommodation and requires a flight from Kuching, Kota Kinabalu or Miri.

4. Sabah (Borneo Malaysia)

This part of North Borneo is probably the most active place for Malaysia’s wildlife for many reasons. Among the areas, Sandakan is the best place to see wildlife in Malaysia. The city is central and on the east coast, making it accessible to many sanctuaries.

Below are some notable places in Sabah to see wildlife:

Danum Valley

Danum is one of the best locations for Malaysia’s wildlife and probably the most luxurious accommodations with world-class guides.

This conservation centre is not for the budget seeker and caters to those who want a top-notch wildlife experience while visiting Malaysia.

Some years back, I agreed that the amount of wildlife I spotted here is probably the most in one location. One of the attractions here is the fantastic Danum Valley canopy walk.

Maliau Basin

Known as the Lost World of Sabah, this massive basin stretches for 588 square kilometres and is home to numerous wildlife, from primates to rare jungle cats to unique birds.

Maliau Basin Conservation Area, as it is known, is also not a touristy destination and only appeals to hardcore nature lovers, trekkers, wildlife photographers, and birdwatchers.

Most of the time, beginners or intermediate-level nature lovers will stay at the main conservation centre area, while advanced levels will do the few-day treks to the many base camps in Maliau.

The unique seven-tier Maliau waterfalls are located at one of the base camps, which requires a three-day trek.

Tabin Wildlife Reserve

Another excellent wildlife destination in Sabah is Tabin Wildlife Reserve, which is larger than the island of Singapore. I enjoyed five nights here, and I was thrilled to see the Borneo Pygmy Elephant among the many other wildlife, such as Leopard Cats, rare birds, and unique frogs.

And if you love wildlife and bird photography, this is the place to visit. There is only one central accommodation: the main resort and the professional service level are surreal, from the housekeepers to the guides.

Kinabatangan River

Known as the mother of all rivers in Sabah, the mighty Kinabatangan River is home to many wildlife, including crocodiles, primates, reptiles, birds, and the endemic Pygmy Elephants.

For anyone wanting a surreal wildlife experience in Malaysia, the Kinabatangan River is hands-down the best place to do this, and you will need to spend at least two nights here. It takes a few hours from Sandakan to drive before you hop on a boat to the many riverside lodges and resorts along the Kinabatangan River.

I have visited Kinabatangan several times in my life, and to me, it is one of the best places to see a balance of wildlife from Malaysia and Borneo.

Deramakot Forest Reserve

This is the only place I have not visited yet, and because of COVID-19, I missed my chance to do so in 2020. But not all is lost, as this will be my next destination once we can travel.

Demarakot is a relatively new destination, having only opened to the public in 2012. The forest reserve only started to get noticed in 2018/2019 with the help of social media.

This unique place is now known as Malaysia’s best place to see wildlife in its natural environment. Clouded Leopards are one of the star attractions here, and bird watching is also one of the top activities.

It has been known as an Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre for decades and attracts wildlife and nature lovers worldwide, including England’s Prince Charles. Even Star Trek Discovery’s Michelle Yeoh visited Sepilok in 2018, to name a few celebrities who visited this place.

However, Sepilok is also home to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) and the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), which are great for nature and wildlife lovers. If you are in Sandakan, I would highly recommend visiting these places if you do not have the luxury of spending too much time here.

This is the commercial part for those who do not have enough time when visiting Malaysia, and zoos are probably one of the best options for seeing the local wildlife.

While many do not support the idea of zoos, some still believe they provide a safe place for the animals, away from poachers and modernisation.

Below are Malaysia’s best zoos that are located throughout the country;

• Zoo Negara – Malaysia’s national zoo and the largest. It is located about a 20-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur city and is top-rated.
• Taiping Zoo – This is probably the best zoo in the northern region. It offers a fantastic night safari experience and a good collection of wildlife.
• Melaka Zoo—This zoo has been around for a long time and caters to the southern region. It has a decent collection of wildlife.
• Langkawi Wildlife Park—Located on the island of Langkawi and catering mainly to high-traffic tourists, this wildlife park is decent and has an essential wildlife collection.
• Lok Kawi Wildlife Park—Located in the Penampang area of greater Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, this is probably the best zoo on Borneo Island.

What I use to capture my photographs

I am a DSLR person, and over the years, with smartphone technology improving, I have slowly resorted to using my smartphone for general photography.

As of September 2021, I’m currently using a Galaxy Z Flip3 5G smartphone for my general and landscape photos, which I find pretty good considering the technology changes.

However, I still refer to my Nikon DSLR and my trusty Tamron 150-600mm telephoto lens for my wildlife shots. In the coming months, this will eventually change to a mirrorless camera and a much smaller lens.

Conclusion

This article was created for anyone who wants to visit Malaysia and experience the unique and natural wildlife places spread all over the country. Again, I have personally visited the areas mentioned above over the last ten years, and I am still going to some of them for my birdwatching in Malaysia.

If you enjoyed this article on the best places to see wildlife in Malaysia, please share it with your friends or on social media. I would love to hear from you if you have questions or feedback. Be safe and happy wildlife watching!