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.

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!!

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.