Permits and insurance
Entry Conditions and Practical Guidance
Prepare for your Sabah trip with guidance on Danum Valley permits, travel insurance, health and the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card.
Getting there
The roads and domestic flights
From Kota Kinabalu, take a 55-minute AirBorneo flight to Lahad Datu. The town sits 81 km from the primary facilities. The final approach requires a transfer in a 4WD vehicle along the 66 km Main Line West logging road. These transfers are arranged with the stays for your rainforest trip.
It is important to understand the entry conditions . Travel and health insurance is advised, and evacuation cover is sensible.
Entry rules
Conservation area entry permits
The Danum Valley Conservation Area covers 438 km² of primary rainforest. Entry requires a strict permit. You do not need to handle this application, as permits are arranged with your stay.
Insurance for remote stays
Travel and health insurance is advised, and cover that includes emergency evacuation is sensible.
Entering Malaysia
The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card is mandatory for most foreign visitors.
Health preparations
The deep interior is a malaria risk zone, so ask your clinician about antimalarial tablets.
Safety systems
Lodges have safety systems and doctors on call.
Diving and flying
Allow 24 hours after your last dive before flying or ascending to altitude.
Related locations
Nearby and alternative stays
Borneo Rainforest Lodge
Situated on the Danum River inside a primary rainforest of a lineage some 130 million years old, this 31-chalet lodge offers high-end comfort and expert wildlife guiding 2.5 hours from Lahad Datu.
Danum Valley Study Centre
Deep inside the Danum Valley Conservation Area, this working research station offers a stay focused entirely on the 50-kilometre trail network and the rainforest ecology.
Tabin Wildlife Reserve
A 122,500-hectare lowland reserve bordered by oil palm, Tabin is Sabah’s premier destination for night drives. The sharp forest edge concentrates small cats and civets along the boundary roads.
Practical matters for Sabah
Understanding the logistics before you travel helps the trip run as it should. Here is the practical guide to connectivity, insurance and preparing for Sabah.
Getting there
Plan your trip
Tell the team your dates to arrange the necessary permits and transfers for your expedition into the primary lowland rainforest.