Borneo Scuba Expedition: 3 Weeks

This expedition is about more than just travel — it’s about learning, contributing, and growing. You’ll work toward your PADI Open Water Scuba Diving certification while exploring coral reefs, support conservation in Borneo’s rainforests, and join local communities on projects that create lasting impact. Along the way, you’ll develop confidence, teamwork, and resilience in a truly global setting.

  • Location Borneo, Asia
  • Duration 3 weeks
  • Expedition Type Scuba

You’ll take part in coral reef conservation, support reforestation efforts, and learn directly from local people about their traditions and challenges. Visits to the Sepilok Orangutan and Sun Bear Centers bring conservation to life, while nights spent in the rainforest connect you to the environment in a way that can’t be replicated in the classroom.

Map highlighting Borneo in AbC orange colour.

A fully supported expedition, from start to finish

Your expedition fee covers not just the incredible activities you’ll experience, but also the extensive guidance and support you’ll receive every step of the way. From the moment you sign up through your safe return home, our team ensures everything is organized and supported.

You’ll also need to plan for essentials like vaccinations, visas, personal gear, and a bit of spending money. Don’t worry—we make it easy. Once enrolled, you’ll get access to your personalized Traveller Gateway, with clear guidance and resources to help you prepare with confidence.

  • Round-trip international flights
  • Expedition Leader (qualified and experienced)
  • Accident and health insurance
  • All meals
  • Unlimited, safe drinking water
  • All accommodations listed in the itinerary
  • All activities listed in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees for all included excursions
  • All in-country transfers by private, approved vehicles
  • Project materials, costs, and management
  • 24/7 support throughout the expedition

This sample itinerary will give you a preview of what your expedition could look like. Please note that specific projects, activities, and camp locations may vary depending on local needs and conditions at the time of your expedition.

Day

Activities

More details

Day 1 Arrive in Borneo Arrive in Kota Kinabalu, where you’ll transfer to your accommodation for an expedition briefing. After lunch in town, you’ll have some time to explore before enjoying dinner at a traditional local restaurant. Then it’s back to your accommodation for a good night’s rest before the adventure begins.
Day 2 Transfer to Dive Camp Today you’ll head to the coast and settle into your dive camp, where you’ll begin working toward your PADI Open Water Scuba Diving certification. Meet your instructors, get a full course briefing, and dive into your first scuba lessons.
Day 3 – 5 PADI Open Water Dive Course Spend the next three days mastering the fundamentals of scuba diving. You’ll practice skills and then head out to dive around Mamutik Island. With crystal-clear waters, coral reefs, and an abundance of marine life, this is the perfect setting to build your confidence underwater. Meals are included throughout.
Day 6 Coral Reef Conservation Speciality Course After breakfast, you’ll take part in Project AWARE’s Coral Reef Conservation Specialty Course. Through interactive sessions, you’ll learn how coral reefs function, why they’re under threat, and what divers can do to help protect them. After lunch on the island, you’ll transfer by boat back to Kota Kinabalu where you will spend the night.
Day 7 Cultural Exchange After breakfast, you’ll travel to your next camp. During the transfer, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Kundasang War Memorial, a memorial to commemorate the brave Australian and British Prisoners of War who died in Sandakan. On arrival at camp, you’ll be welcomed by the local community and treated to a traditional cultural dance performance.
Day 8 Sunrise Views and Project Orientation Wake early for a hike up Bongkud Hill to catch a breathtaking sunrise over the surrounding countryside. Later, you’ll receive an orientation to the community project work ahead, focused on improving infrastructure and facilities for the rapidly growing village.
Day 9-15 Community Service Learning Project Spend the next several days working on the community service-learning projects that are designed by and for the community. Tasks may include low-level construction, bricklaying, plastering, or painting to improve schools and community infrastructure. You’ll also have opportunities to learn traditional arts and crafts from local residents.
Day 16 Transfer to Next Camp This morning you’ll transfer to Batu Puteh, a remote jungle region. Meet the KOPEL team, a local environmental organization, who will explain the project work you’ll be undertaking here. You’ll then take a boat ride up the river to your jungle camp, where you’ll have the chance to sleep in a hammock beneath the forest canopy under the stars.
Day 17 -18 Forest Regeneration Project Over the next two days, you’ll learn about the Borneo rainforest and its ecological importance. Working alongside KOPEL staff, you’ll help with reforestation efforts by planting native trees and supporting habitat restoration for endangered wildlife, such as orangutans.
Day 20 Sepilok and Sunbear Centres Return to Kota Kinabalu, and dependant on time, you may spend your final day exploring bustling local markets, sightseeing, and picking up souvenirs. Rest up ahead of your travel home tomorrow, and take time to reflect on your growth and accomplishments over your expedition.
Day 21 Departure After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to the Camp Borneo crew and head to the airport for your flight home.

How you’ll make a difference

You’ll work on a range of projects throughout your expedition, each aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and designed to make a significant and lasting impact on the region’s most critical issues.

Travellers collecting plastic waste on a beach.

Borneo – Ecotourism and recycling initiatives

Waste management is a big problem for the small islands, and the natural environment is suffering as a result. You’ll work with a local NGO on a recycling centre which gives local people a place to recycle plastic waste so it doesn’t end up on the beaches. You may also participate in constructing eco-tourism stalls and structures to raise awareness of environmental issues.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

4 Quality Education

Quality education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

13 Climate Action

Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Habitat conservation

Borneo – Habitat conservation

Batu Puteh is an incredible haven for a large majority of Borneo’s wildlife including orangutans, elephants and proboscis monkeys, and is one of the world’s most important natural habitats. However, it’s also one of the most threatened. You’ll get involved in activities to help safeguard this wildlife paradise for future generations by helping to tackle deforestation.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

13 Climate Action

Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

15 life on land

Life on land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Experience the local way of life in our authentic camps

Our camps are at the heart of every expedition. Built in traditional styles and staffed by local community members, they offer an authentic place to rest and recharge after a day of service learning project work.

Depending on your itinerary, you’ll stay in several of our camps. These could include those featured below.

Borneo view from a trek adventure

Camp Batu Puteh

Batu Puteh is all about getting back to nature! Our jungle camp is set in the heart of one of Borneo’s most ancient forests along the banks of the Kinabatangan river where you’ll get the chance to live alongside elephants and orangutans for an experience that’s hard to beat.

Our camp offers three types of accommodation and you’ll hopefully get a chance to try them all:

Jungle camp: Get back to basics and experience true adventure. Learn how to rough it in the jungle with local guides accompanying you and showing you the ropes. Sleep in a hammock and cook over a camp fire before falling asleep to the soothing sounds of the forest.

Eco camp: A little more luxury but still an exciting wilderness experience. This camp offers raised camping platforms where you can enjoy camping in the great outdoors.

  • Location: 350 km (6 hours drive) from Kota Kinabalu Airport & 60 km from Lahad Datu
  • Accommodation style Jungle Camp: Hammock, tarpaulin & mosquito net. No toilet or washing facilities – completely back to nature!
  • Accommodation style Eco Camp: Tents with comfy mattresses & bedding. Flushing toilets, cold showers & sinks
  • Power: Gas lighting available in eco camp
  • Signature dish: Local cakes – Linggang & Gelang

All the camps staff were super friendly and helpful. It was incredible experience learning about different cultures. To see the project work completed by the end of the stay in a particular camp was so satisfying and knowing that the local community would benefit from it.

Asha, Camp Borneo 2023

Our local camp legends

Our camps are staffed by local community members who will quickly make you feel at home. These amazing team members bring each expedition to life and share the very best of their country with you.

Evelyn Binti Thomas

As a Camps traveler, you’ll get to learn about our rich Bornean culture and experience its spectacular beauty – from mountains to coasts and jungles full of flora and fauna. Many people in rural villages in Sabah don’t have the opportunity to travel to other countries, so having travellers come to stay at camp is an amazing opportunity for cultural exchange (both ways!) and inspires the younger generations to study hard and see the world.

Interested in this expedition?

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