Sukau River Homestay was established in 2009 and offers a cosy accomodation along the river of Kinabatangan. Great nature, great wildlife and the best part, you are staying with the local family. Isn't it great combination? Experience local culture and nature for your Borneo trip..,,see you here soon.
We stayed 3 nights with Maria and family. She has put together a nice program, you get lots of time on the river, and we spotted some absolutely amazing things like bull elephant, proboscis monkeys, hornbill, eagles, macaques, orangutans....the list goes on. We also went to a fun market in town which is on weekends. Maria's is an excellent and creative cook. As others have said in their reviews, be prepared for a very basic facility that feels primitive and even in disrepair sometimes. The toilets and showers are shared among quite a few people. We were the only guests, and I think if we had needed to share bathrooms with more people it worked have not been workable. If you want more amenities our privacy they are plenty of choices in the area, but we were really glad we got this experience.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had an incredible time with Maria and her family at Sukau River Homestay. Maria is an absolutely amazing host. We were made to feel immediately welcome in her home (with a maximum of 3 guest rooms.) She cooks 3 delicious meals a day included in the price (which btw is about 1/8th of what some of the hotels nearby are charging - and insanely good value for what you get) usually a meat or fish dish, 2 veggie sides and rice and fruit or pudding. Transfers from our previous hotel/to Sandakan airport were also flawless and included in the price. Be aware the homestay is basic (no windows in the bedrooms and no locks on the outside of the doors) but you have your own room and bed and a mosquito net and free filtered drinking water, tea and coffee. The tours are awesome! A massive thanks to Maria's brothers Mus and Shah who run the boat trips/walks. Shah has worked with the BBC, Nat Geo and various research teams so comes with impressive credentials. Both were so knowledgeable about the jungle and the animals, as well as how to track/find them. Many of the other big resorts nearby were basically following our guides and asking their advice to try and find things. Over 3 days we managed to find all of the Borneo big 5 - elephants, orangutans, hornbills, crocodiles and proboscis monkeys amongst many others. Maria also showed us around her farm and gardens explaining all the uses of the plants she grows. If you're unsure how to contact/book I contacted Maria on WhatsApp on +60 13-870 0908. I really can't recommend this place any more highly. Thank you so much for an amazing stay!!
Read more
Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had the most wonderful experiences here. We travelled as a family of 5 and 3 generations. Maria is very welcoming and a fount of knowledge about the area as well as a great cook, and she dealt with all our odd allergies seamlessly. Shah guided us on our river trips pointing out animals, reptiles and birds we would have missed without him to show us. Cannot fault our few days at the homestay. We saw everything we had hoped to see and more besides. Now the accommodation is being improved we will be interested to see what Maria and her husband have done.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria (+60138700908) is a great host She and her family have great knowledge about animals and botanica in this area. Maria arranged all the river safaris according to your wishes, combined with day and night walks in the jungle. She arranges also all transportation. Absolutely recomended
Read more
Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed for 3 days, 2 nights and wish we had booked longer. Maria and the family are wonderful, they are so welcoming, the experience of sharing their home was amazing. The program of visits to the river at first seems a lot, but the hours in the boat melt away as Maria imparts her knowledge. The wildlife is amazing, from several different types of monkey to seeing a mother and baby Orang-utan making a nest and settling down for the night. The photos were amazing. The food was amazing, each meal was freshly prepared. The coffee on the boat on the morning trip was an experience I will never forget.
Not for you if you don’t like early starts and Not for the faint hearted as there are crocs in the river!
If I could give it 6 stars I would.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mariati Amit, Owner at Sukau River Homestay
Responded Aug 5, 2022
Hello Mr Neil and Family, Terima Kasih ( Thank you ) , for your brilliant review about our home / program as well Sukau in general. This means a lot to Us , it help boost the moral , simply for us to do better in the future . We do not wish to compete nor be the best in the field. Is good enough to be able to do something that I fond of and in the same time contribute back to our place and people. And I am grateful to have people like you, that given me this chances. Wishing you a wonderful adventure / journey ahead . Kind regards, Maria & the Entire Families (Sukau , Malaysia)
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had a great stay here with our 4 young children. The accommodation was simple but comfortable and the food was very tasty. Maria and her family took care of all of our needs. We had some fantastic river trips with Shah and he was great at spotting lots of wildlife. A really wonderful memorable trip for our family. Thank you Maria and family for making it special for us.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fantastic place. We stayed with three kids and all had a great time. Welcoming family, confortable rooms, good food and an amazing guide who could spot the smallest things even in the dark! He also found troops of monkeys crossing the river and several orangutans. Highly recommended!
Read more
Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First thing i would like to start with is how amazing this family is, i mean we all come to this part of the world for the wildlife but this family makes the experience one million times better. Maria is so welcoming and her bothers who do the trips are incredible human beings, i mean their passion for the animals really shows. both brothers do volunteering and research projects to help save some of the endangered spices they have living in this part of Borneo. One the brothers mus or moose (dont know how you spell it sorry) has even met SIR DAVID ATTEMBOROUGH when he was younger as he helped carry his stuff when David was doing a program on the Gomantong Caves about 30 Kilometers away from their village. They also help with projects such as Fruit tree planting along the river for the animals as they have lost so much due to the palm plantations and work with bigger organisations like the WWF. i hope you now get the idea of how mindblowingly amazing these local people really are.
Secondly is the accommodation, yes is basic, for a backpacker its probably what you are used to, a small room with a fan. yet their house is so beautiful with plants growing by the front door, garden that leads straight onto the river and a kitchen/dinning area that marias husband made on stilts over the river,, amazing !! you will be sharing this home with maria, her husband, her two brothers (The animal tour guides and boat men) her sister, and all their partners and children, also including ducks chickens chicks, baby ducks, cats and kittens !!
Finally the wildlife, this is why we come here, this place is literally teaming with wildlife and you can really see how Borneo would have been before all the plantations. hundreds of long tail and pig tail Macaques, two different types of leaf monkeys, slow loris, Tarsier, gibbons, proboscis monkeys and the greatest of all the Borneo Orangutan. Thats without mentioning the wild pygmy elephants, wild cats, clouded leopards, all the amazing birds, reptiles and insects. we were lucky enough to see alot of these mentioned including a huge male orangutan up in the trees by the river bank which we sat and watched for a good 40 minuets, what i liked is that mus our guide was just as excited as we were yet he has seen these thousands of times !
we have been traveling for over three months and this is one of the best things we have done.
well done to maria and the family for making us feel so welcome and sharing your home and wildlife with us. we will be back, maybe even this trip :)
Read more
Date of stay: March 2018
Value
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Only has 3 rooms as its a home stay.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a great stay at Sukau riverhomestay! The family was very welcoming and took care of everything. The food we were given was very good and plentiful.
The rivercruises are arranged by the two brothers of the family. In just 4 days, they have shown us a great deal of wildlife along the Kinabatangan river. The brothers know everything there is to be known about the animals and will happily tell you all they know.
Altogether, we would highly recommend this to any traveller who wants to explore the Kinabatangan River.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I went there last week after receiving their contact from a few other tourists. I have been to kinabatangan before with a friend, at a very pricy lodge. I thought of giving it a try here as I have a new lens and wanted to give it a try..I can assure you of one of thing, whether you use this company or other companies in Sukau, its the same boat ride they all use. And animals are unpredictable, and you will most likely see the same ones from all the boat riders.
it just depends on your budget and your guide. I know alot of scientists and guides, but I can bet my words that Mr Muis one of the main guides at this lodge is a very talented and a fantastic wildlife spotter and great knowledge. he is a truly one of a kind. His brother shar is equally talented. They are very respectful to wildlife and again, great at spotting.. they are a humble and genuine local family.. their package of 255RM for 3 days two nights and 5 boat rides which includes food and accommodation in a tent, is the more value for money deal in town
Oh, did i say I saw elephants and had a great opportunity to photograph them. Agai kudos to the guides because they left early at 3pm to find them. Most companies leave at 4 but this one gives extra boat time :)
I will be back soon
Oh the only thing I did not enjoy was the Orchestra the chickens conducted every 1 am on the tree above my tent, so bring your ear plugs!!
Read more
Date of stay: December 2016
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Sukau area.
LOCATION
MalaysiaSabahKinabatangan DistrictSukau
NUMBER OF ROOMS
3
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
