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How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia

How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia

top-birdwatching-location-in-malaysia-sabah How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
In this article, I aim to shed light on how bird watching in Sabah became the top destination In Malaysia over the last couple of decades. It’s a development that many overlooked until recent data and tourism statistics revealed its significant impact and untapped potential.
While much has been written about Sabah’s ecotourism, pristine beaches, majestic mountains, vibrant cultures, and delicious food, few know that bird watching has quietly emerged as one of the most successful niches within Malaysia’s wildlife tourism sector.

How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia

 

top-birding-detination-in-malaysia How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Sabah has become the top destination for birders in this part of the world.

In northern Borneo, Sabah shares the island with Kalimantan, Brunei, and its sister state, Sarawak. Since the 1990s, a group of passionate bird watchers in Sabah recognized the region’s immense potential for this activity and dedicated themselves to elevating bird watching as both a sport and a hobby.

Before I go further, let me introduce myself: I’m a casual bird watcher and photographer introduced to this nature-loving pursuit by Cede Prudente in 2008. That means I’ve been birding for over a decade now.

Over the years, I’ve travelled extensively across Sabah, Sarawak, and other parts of Malaysia to document and write about bird watching. To my surprise, I’ve discovered that Sabah stands out as the leading state in Malaysia for bird watching, surpassing all others in terms of popularity and development.

The key reason for Sabah’s success in this field is the unwavering dedication of the people involved in the bird-watching community. Their passion and commitment have inspired many local tour guides to specialize in bird guiding.

These guides have invested time in studying Sabah’s diverse bird species and participating in numerous training sessions and events organized by various groups. This collective effort has transformed Sabah into a premier destination for bird enthusiasts, offering unparalleled opportunities to explore and appreciate its rich avian biodiversity.

rainforest-birding-sabah-borneo How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Birding in the Sabah rainforest is an exciting adventure.

The bird guides are the most important factor to avitourism, and over in Sabah, I can vouch and say that all of the bird guides there speak a good command of English. This is very important for international bird watchers who want to travel around for their hobby.

And for those Chinese or Japanese bird watchers heading to Sabah, there are even Mandarin and Japanese-speaking bird guides here. This shows how important birding in Sabah has become.

Resorts and hotels also play an essential part in bird tourism, where many in Sabah print out a bird checklist for their resort area. One is the Tabin Wildlife Resort, which gives guests a wildlife checklist booklet that includes information about birds, mammals, insects, and frogs.

birdwatching-sabah-borneo How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Bird watchers at the Rainforest Discovery Center in Sandakan, Sabah

Why is Bird Watching Important for Sabah?

Bird watchers, or birders, represent a high-yield segment of tourists, spending up to three times more than the average visitor. While most tourists typically spend three to seven days in Sabah for general sightseeing, bird watchers often stay for a minimum of ten days to two weeks. Their extended stays allow them to fully immerse themselves in Sabah’s rich avian biodiversity, seeking out as many bird species as possible during their visit.

Let’s look at the global bird-watching community to put this into perspective. Below is an estimate of the number of bird watchers from various regions around the world:

  • America: As of June 2018, there are approximately 46 million bird watchers, with about 18 million travelling overseas for birding trips. It’s documented that Americans alone contributed over USD 80 billion to the U.S. economy through bird-watching activities in a year.
  • United Kingdom: An estimated 6 million bird watchers, with 2 million being highly active and travelling for birding.
  • Netherlands: Around 140,000 bird watchers.
  • Japan: Approximately 35,000 bird watchers, according to BirdLife Japan.
  • China: A 2010 census recorded 21,000 bird watchers, supported by 24 nationwide birding societies.
  • Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Birdwatching Society alone has around 2,000 members.

Imagine tapping into just 1% of these numbers from each country. The potential influx of bird watchers to Sabah would substantially boost the state’s tourism revenue and economy. This highlights the immense importance of bird watching as a niche yet highly lucrative tourism sector for Sabah. By catering to this dedicated and passionate group of travellers, Sabah can further solidify its position as a premier destination for avitourism.

Where are the places that bird watchers travel to? 
Most bird watchers would stay in their own country to do this hobby, but since social media came around, many have started to explore the world in search of birds, namely the endemic species; below is a percentage of where birders go to find them;
  • 32% of birders head to South America
  • 28% of birders head to Asia
  • 24% of birders head to Africa
kinabatangan-river-birding How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Birders cruising along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah

Is Sabah a Safe Bird-Watching Destination? 

This is one of the main concerns of international bird watchers when they travel, and to date, Sabah has been one of the safest bird-watching destinations. Most locations are national parks, conservations, and forest reserves, making it extremely safe for any bird-watching tour.
important-birding-areas-sabah-borneo How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
A list of Important Birding Areas (IBA) in Sabah

Where are the most popular bird-watching destinations in Sabah? 

Sabah has many different types of terrains and destinations for bird watching, and the most sought-after locations are where you can find the most endemics. From the east to the west coast of Sabah, you can easily spend around two weeks moving from location to location, spending three to four days in each site.
Among the highly popular locations, they are isolated and have their dedicated resort and their own dedicated bird guides. This makes it easy and convenient for any bird watcher visiting Sabah. The locations are in no order below;
  • Kinabalu Park – West coast
  • Kinabalu Wetland Ramsar Site – West coast
  • Crocker Range – West coast
  • Maliau Basin Conservation Area – Center
  • Danum Valley – Center to East coast
  • Tabin Wildlife Reserve – East coast
  • Kinabatangan River – East coast
  • Rainforest Discovery Center, Sandakan – East coast
  • Tawau Hills Park – East coast

 

birds-of-borneo How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Birds of Borneo poster. (Click to see full size)

How Many Bird Species In Sabah? 

The golden question, and to be exact, is that there are 688 species of birds found in Sabah at the point of this writing. To make it even more interesting, out of that number, 54 species are endemic to Borneo Island, and 33 species are endemic only to Sabah.

However, most endemic birds are spread throughout Sabah and require some travelling to get to them. When you book a birding tour, they often offer single or multiple destinations, depending on how much time you spend here.

birding-equipment-sabah How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Some of the digiscoping equipment that bird watchers use

Why is bird watching in Peninsular Malaysia lagging behind?

This is a question I often hear from international birders visiting Malaysia. The core issue seems to be the scarcity of reputable bird guides.

Having written extensively about bird watching in Malaysia, I frequently receive inquiries from birders worldwide planning trips here. They often ask for recommendations, and while some websites offer birding services, personal recommendations are highly valued. Unfortunately, Peninsular Malaysia has only a few well-regarded guides that are consistently booked.

This scarcity contrasts sharply with Sabah, where bird guides are readily available. Consequently, I often advise those considering Sabah for their birding trips.

I believe local tourism boards play a crucial role in promoting bird watching. While Tourism Malaysia, the national body, should be leading this effort, the Sabah Tourism Board has been particularly effective.

Since 2008, they’ve proactively participated in international bird-watching expos and events, raising Sabah’s profile as a premier birding destination. This targeted marketing has significantly boosted bird-watching tourism in Sabah, a strategy Peninsular Malaysia could benefit from adopting.

cede-prudente-birding How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with Cede Prudente at the Borneo Bird Festival in Sabah

So, how did the Sabah Tourism Board Achieve This?

Sabah Tourism’s success is rooted in a simple but effective strategy: collaboration. Instead of solely representing themselves, they invited reputable bird watchers and specialized birding tour companies to international bird fairs and expos.

This approach, prioritizing professional expertise over tourism board staff at specialized events, proved invaluable. Industry experts shared information about Sabah’s birding opportunities directly, making it much easier for potential birding tourists to plan their trips to Sabah.

From 2009 to 2015, Sabah Tourism actively supported and hosted numerous reputable local bird watchers and guides at prominent international events such as the British Bird Fair, Dutch Bird Fair, Taiwan Bird Fair, and Japan Bird Fair.

The result? A significant increase in birding tourism to Sabah, with many visitors returning and bringing friends, demonstrates the power of word-of-mouth marketing within the birding community.

kinabatangan-birding How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Bird photographers and watchers on a boat

What Kind of Birders Are Out There?

Serious bird watchers, often photographers, typically embark on birding trips lasting one to three weeks, frequently travelling solo, as a couple, or in small groups. For them, birding is the primary focus, with all other aspects of the trip secondary. Here’s a breakdown of their key characteristics and preferences:

  • Trip Length: One to three weeks.
  • Accommodation: Hotels, resorts, or lodges are preferred.
  • Influence: Recommendations from other birders regarding location, logistics, and overall experience are crucial.
  • Tour Company: A reputable bird tour company with extensive experience and specialization in birding tours is essential.
  • Bird Guide: Highly recommended, knowledgeable, and English-speaking guides are crucial.
  • Resources: Access to local bird guidebooks, ideally provided by operators/guides or available for purchase, is essential.
  • Budget: Serious birders are willing to invest significantly in their passion, with approximately 60% prioritizing comfort and quality food, even if it means higher costs.
  • Demographics: Birders span all ages, from young adults to retirees, and include both men and women.
  • Repeat Business: If the service and experience are positive, repeat visits are highly likely.
kinabalu-park-birding How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
Birders and Bird Watchers at the Kinabalu National Park in Sabah

What can be Improved for Bird Watching in Malaysia? 

Bird watching in Malaysia could significantly benefit from a shift in approach by the leading tourism board. Increased and targeted budget allocation is key, specifically to send the right people to international birding events. This means prioritizing representatives from the birding industry and specialized media who understand and actively promote avitourism.

My own experience highlights this need. Having written about Malaysian bird watching for years, I once suggested sending birding-focused media to these fairs. The response was a lack of awareness of such media and budget allocation for this purpose.

My goal was to assess Malaysia’s presence and strategy at these events beyond simply having a booth with photos and pamphlets. Direct engagement with international birders and media is crucial to understanding how Malaysia is perceived and identifying areas for improvement. This insight can only be gained through on-the-ground experience and reporting by those familiar with the birding world.

sabah-bird-watchers-birders How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
The Sabah birders at the Borneo Bird Festival

Personally, I think that a brand new approach needs to be implemented to promote bird watching in Malaysia. Hopefully, if done the right way, it could increase Malaysia’s visibility to potential countries with many bird watchers.

With 785 bird species found all over Malaysia, it is on par with many other popular bird-watching destinations worldwide. All we need is to tap into this unique market, and by doing so, we can see a new avenue of tourism for Malaysia and possibly increase the number of tourists spending dollars, too.

For the record, I have also written an article about the top birding places in Malaysia if you are interested in learning more about avitourism in this world.

golden-naped-barbet-kinabalu-park How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
A Golden-naped Barbet, one of the prize endemic birds of Kinabalu Park

Conclusion 

Without the support of the specialized tourism sectors and tourism boards, I have resorted to writing about bird watching on my own and working with a few bird tour operators in Malaysia.

One of them is no other than the Borneo Bird Club, which is also the organizer of Malaysia’s largest bird fair called the Borneo Bird Festival, which was in its 10th year in 2018. They are indeed one of the best-organized bird festivals in Malaysia, which does not lean towards the political side of things.

They aim to share information, organize contests, educate the children, provide talks about birds and conservation and make bird watching a family fun event. I believe they have succeeded, but sadly, the funding to execute such an event could be better and supported by more private sectors.

david-hogan-jr-birder How Bird Watching in Sabah Became The Top Destination In Malaysia
The writer, who is also a scuba diver does fish-watching!

Every year, I would attend the bird festival in Sabah, speak to local birders, document events that go on, understand the bird watching industry there, and learn more about what is happening in Sabah.

I believe that over the years, Sabah has led the way in bird watching for Malaysia, and it is only due to time that the other Malaysian states or the entire country look seriously into avitourism as one of the upcoming and potential subcategories of wildlife tourism to increase tourism numbers and of course tourism dollars.

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