10 perfect days in Borneo: days four to six, Kota Kinabalu

Having enjoyed three days of seclusion on Gaya Island you’ll be ready to throw yourself into town life at the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru. This immensely convenient hotel seems to be 15 minutes from everything, with the airport, the town and even the snorkelling and scuba hotspot of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park all within easy reach by car, bus or boat. 

The sprawling pool area is the social hub of the hotel with a plethora of slides and even a water balloon battle station, which keeps children busy while adults lounge poolside. It is tempting to settle yourself in for the day or treat yourself at the CHI spa, located on its own small island, but we recommend getting out there and exploring the South China Sea on your doorstep. Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park is a cluster of five islands, or ‘pulau’ in native Malay, of which three  – Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan and Pulau Mamutik – are within easy reach of the hotel. All are blessed with crystalline waters, bountiful reefs and barely-touched white sandy beaches. It’s the kind of lush tropical beauty that draws tourists in droves to the likes of Thailand or Fiji, but that few realise lie off the coast of Borneo. 

Having spent the day snorkelling among a cavalcade of clown, rainbow and parrot fish, you may be looking for some time on dry land, but if you have the sea legs a sunset cruise from Star Marina is recommended.

It would be easy to spend many more happy days in the Tanjung Aru, but we’ve only got ten days so we are on the move. We’re not travelling far – a 50-minute drive to sister property the Shangri-La Rasa Ria, which manages that rare feat of being both luxurious and family-friendly. Boasting two miles of soft-sanded beach, 400-acres of lush tropical forest, two pools, nine restaurants and bars - plus access to the surrounding golf course, this elegant property has the lot. Accommodation is divided between two sections – the more adult-orientated Ocean Wing and the family-magnet Garden Wing. You won’t be disappointed with either. 

Lunch at authentic Chinese restaurant The Eighth before getting to know your new favourite stretch of sand with a horse ride along the beach. The waters retreat slowly here, meaning that at times the ground resembles a mirror with the seemingly endless sky above you also reflected beneath your feet. 

For a unique peek at Rasa Ria’s natural charms the resort offers after-dark guided walks of the jungle that borders the property. Donning night vision glasses, you can see snakes, scorpions, bats and the occasional civet cat all illuminated in a ghostly shade of luminous green. Celebrate any sightings with an indulgent dinner of chargrilled fish at the resort’s Oceano Modern Grill.

After raiding the buffet breakfast, with its fresh roti, juice and pancake stations, it is back to the jungle for a very different view in daylight. The guided trek spirals up through tropical flora and fauna to a 90-metre-high viewing platform with commanding views over this rolling natural kingdom. For children there’s a terrific Ranger Experience, which allows them to assist the keepers in their work – checking camera traps, clearing pathways and learning basic jungle survival skills. Much like the stingless bees they will have the option of tending at the end of the experience, they’ll be buzzing. 

Rasa Ria has a unique lunch offering in Tepi Laut – a collection of street food stalls and open-fronted restaurants circling the tables where curious visitors can sample local specialties such as tuaran mee noodles. 

After some pool time it’s time to trip the light fantastic. A cruise along the Tembara River starts off inauspiciously enough, launching from a jetty 15 minutes’ drive from the resort, but the wonders reveal themselves slowly. First stop is a temporary island that emerges only at low tide and offers the best sunset views in a part of the world famed for its dramatic transitions from day to night. More illuminating beauty awaits on the second half of the cruise as you enter the mangrove forests. In the trees you’ll see hundreds of fireflies and as your guide entices them to swirl around you using a trick of his flashlight, you’ll feel like you are surrounded by slowly moving stars. 

Back at the hotel the flamboyant hotplate work of the chefs at Kozan Teppan-yaki – all sizzling meats and three-foot flames – will be almost as spectacular. Don’t get carried away though – it’s an early start tomorrow for a flight to the east where we go in search of Borneo’s ‘big five’, including the elusive orangutan.