Wildlife conservation volunteering for families in Borneo
A family adventure in Borneo’s rainforests to replant habitats, monitor orangutans and pygmy elephants, and immerse yourselves in the vibrant culture
Intrepid families who are keen to make a genuine contribution to wildlife conservation will love this volunteer project in Borneo. Immerse yourselves in the stunning Borneo rainforest, living and working alongside local people, helping to protect their natural environment and the creatures within it. This is a fantastic hands-on and educational trip for children and adults alike.
Duration: 7 days
Dates: Click here for availability calendar
Eligibility: Fair level of fitness required. The work can be physical in humid conditions
Age: Recommended for children aged 8+
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Highlights
- Head well off the beaten track and immerse your family in a completely different way of life
- Live amongst the Orang Sungai, “the people of the river” and taste their delicious home cooked food
- Get real conservation experience that makes a genuine contribution
- Witness orangutans, pygmy elephants and much more on the daily boat trips
- Enjoy a shared experience with your family, which will be memorable for a lifetime
- Add a conservation career course to support and apply for jobs after your trip
Join other like-minded families volunteering in Malaysian Borneo’s beautiful rainforest. Become part of the small local community, helping to preserve their flora and fauna for generations to come.
Once an island covered by rainforest, the Malaysian government are now having to take special measures in Borneo to protect dwindling natural habitats. This conservation project is located in one of these newly protected areas known as the Corridor of Life. Home to a proliferation of wildlife including orangutans, pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, macaques, singing gibbons and sun bears – not to mention the birds – this riverside location is a nature lover’s paradise. This project is all about keeping these species and their habitat protected – and this is where you and your family come in.
Your Borneo family trip involves spending time on the river, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and spotting the incredible wildlife. The project is divided into two main roles:
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- Reforestation work: Families become immersed in tree planting projects on the banks of the Kinabatangan river. Increasing the jungle coverage means that more creatures can live and survive in the wild. This is rewarding work, as even after an hour or two you will see the tremendous contribution that you have all made. Children are often the most avid workers on this part of the project, loving to get mucky and stuck in. It is a real thrill to know that the work you are doing will help generations of orangutans and other animals live here in safety.
- Wildlife watching: Head out onto the river in traditional boats to monitor the wildlife that you encounter. This is a thrill for all the family – there will be a real competition for who is the first to see an orangutan, elephant and monkey! Observations and sightings are noted down, and the information shared with the local wildlife authorities – this is essential to know as it helps to maintain the area’s importance as a conservation area.
In addition to these principal daily activities, other tasks and activities can include:
- Community engagement: spend time with the local community to learn about their way of life and help them to promote positive environmental work. Examples of this include is growing tree saplings.
- Local education programme: get involved in the local school to help with English and environmental education. This is a great experience for children especially, as they can meet children of the same age as them, learn about their lives and overcome any language barriers with flair! Please note, this relies heavily on the school calendar and might be replaced with another activity if necessary.
- Jungle walk: head into the rainforest to explore life in the wild. This is a fantastic way to really contextualise the work that you have been doing here.
It’s not all about being a Borneo volunteer – we also include a day of responsible tourism to round off your Borneo family holiday. On your last day you will enjoy:
- Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre: Visit the world-renowned Sepilok orangutan rehabilitation centre to understand more about the rehabilitation process. See orangutans up close and living in their natural habitat.
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre: learn more about the world’s smallest bear, the threats it faces and the amazing work that is being done to conserve the species.
- Rainforest Discovery Centre: Explore the rainforest from up high on a treetop walkway. A great opportunity to stretch the legs and take some amazing pictures.
This project is located in the Corridor of Life, a protected wildlife area in Borneo. The village is home to a river tribe known as the “Orang Sungai”, and you will live alongside these welcoming people, becoming immersed in village life. You will be located about 3 hours from the port-side town of Sandakan, far off the beaten track. You and your family will gain complete cultural immersion, living, working and playing alongside the local people.
Are you looking for paid work in the conservation sector after volunteering or interning? Oyster have teamed up with our friends at Conservation Careers who support people to find paid work in conservation following study or a career change. You can add their fantastic and flexible course to your volunteering trip with Oyster. Your Oyster experience will help add interest to your conservation resume as an eye catching addition to your job applications in future!
- First night in a lovely rainforest guest house on the outskirts of Sandakan
- Main project accommodation is in the village of the Orang Sungai people on the Kinabatangan river
- Stay in a riverside guesthouse, sharing a room or neighbouring rooms with your family
- Linen, mosquito nets and fans provided
- En-suite bathroom with western toilet and hot-cold shower
- Last night in a cosy guest house in Sandakan
- Three meals per day provided at the project site
- Breakfast generally consists of eggs, rice, toast, spreads, tea and coffee
- Lunch and dinners are mainly provided by the local community
- A real highlight of this project is to eat in the homes of the local villagers – the food is delicious!
- Differing dietary requirements can be catered for, but do be aware that village life is very simple and so “picky” eaters are harder to cater for!
- Your final night is spent in Sandakan, where dinner is at your own expense so that you can choose your favoured type of cuisine
Travel arrangements
Airport: Sandakan (SDK)
Arrival and departure day: See here for project dates.
Included
- Access to your own personal ‘My Oyster’ account – our online portal where you can find out much more about the program and manage your booking
- Dedicated contact time with an experienced destination manager to discuss the project, answer any of your questions and for us to find out more about you
- Help and advice from our UK office before arrival and whilst you are away
- Pre-departure information covering medical, safety and project advice
- Gold level, 24/7 Pharos crisis management and incident support cover
- Financial protection: ATOL (if we book your flights).
- Thorough orientation on arrival
- In-country support
- Accommodation (see the ‘accommodation’ section above for details)
- Advice on visa requirements
- Oyster plants a tree in Africa with TreeAid to help reduce the impact of global carbon emissions
- All meals except last night dinner in Sandakan
- Project and airport transfers
- Entrance fees to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Center and Rainforest Discovery Centre
On your return:
- Welcome home pack
- Certificate of Recognition (on request)
- References (on request)
Not Included
- Flights – as an ATOL bonded company, Oyster can book flights for you
- You need a valid passport that meets the requirements of the country you will be travelling to
- Insurance (covering your time with Oyster and any planned independent travel)
- Any costs associated with changing your return flight date if you need to
- Independent travel costs
- Home country travel costs
- Spending money for additional trips, food and entertainment
- Camera fees
- Drinks
- Last night meal
FAQ's
Families love taking part in this project for a multitude of reasons. Stepping off the beaten track and well away from the hustle and bustle is great not only for adults but children as well. Real highlights have included seeing children overcome the language and cultural barriers and making friends with local children, as well as experiencing their contentment at seeing a good job well done in the rainforest regeneration programme.
Seeing animals living in the wild is an important lesson, and a wonderful experience. Family holidays to Borneo should involve nature, orangutans and community, and this trip gives you all of those important aspects.
Whilst late-availability is possible, we would advise booking as soon as you can to guarantee your ideal dates. Our projects are very popular and spaces can fill up several months in advance, especially for the months of June to September.
Morning:
Typically you will start the day early to cheat the heat! The day starts at about 6am with a hearty breakfast before hopping on the boat to head to the tree planting site. The journey can take anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour. You would usually be planting from 7.30am – 10.30am before heading back for some lunch.
Afternoon:
You have some downtime in the peak heat of the day, and then at around 15.00 would be ready to get back out on the river for wildlife monitoring. This usually finishes at about 18.00.
These hours are flexible. On one day you will head into the school for half a day to help out with the education programme, whilst on another day you may head into the jungle for a trek.
The Corridor of life is a high priority conservation area. The Kinabatangan River is the longest river in Sabah, Malaysia. This river runs through the centre of Borneo and merges with the Sulu-Salawesi Sea. It has amazing biodiversity, spanning 26,000 hectares. The ecosystem is under threat from logging and is desperately in need of restoration so that the wildlife and plant species that rely on the habitat can continue to thrive.
This project is specifically designed for families with children aged 8 and over to allow all of the family to volunteer in Borneo. Our spaces on this project usually fill up, so you may be with at least 2 other families of similar ages.
Oyster recommend Borneo Sandakan Tours as a lovely add on to complete your trip of a life time!
They can facilitate anything from 3-11 day tours, with transfers to and from the project site!* If you would like more information please ask.
*Minimum two adults.
Prepare for rain in Borneo. With an annual rainfall in excess of 2500mm in many areas, getting wet is inevitable. The humidity levels are 90%.
Malaysia has a wet and a dry season however, rain can occur at anytime.The seasons are:
Wet season: November – March.
Drier season: April – September / October
We would recommend up to £20 per person per week. Once you are in the village there is very little to spend your money on other than snacks and drinks.
The closest ATMs are in Sandakan Town. You will need to make sure you have sufficient cash with you whilst in the village on the project site, as there is no access to ATMs here. We recommend you withdraw any cash you need at the airport for convenience and time saving on trips to town.
No visa is necessary for trips under 90 days from UK and most western European and western countries.
You need to make sure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months from your date of entry into Borneo/Malaysia.
You should visit your doctor or travel nurse to find out what vaccinations you will need. Your routine vaccinations will need to be up to date, it is likely you will need Hepatitis A and Typhoid, and possibly Hepatitis B, Malaria and Rabies. Please follow your doctor’s advice.
Please check below for where the closest hospital to the project is – your doctor may ask to know this so that they can provide information on rabies.
Specifically for this project : the COVID-19 vaccination for adults above the age of 18 as a requirement . Volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated. A copy of the vaccination record needs to be sent to us prior to arrival
For any more information, including entry requirements related to Covid-19, please see the Fit for Travel website or the UK government’s travel advice page for Malaysia.
Medical facilties are closeby, just 20 minutes from the project and accommodation. There is a larger hospital 3 hours drive away.
Malaysia is a very forward-thinking country and has become very popular with travellers from around the world. Malaysian Borneo is a very accessible part of the island too and welcomes many visitors each year.
You will be collected from the airport and dropped off back again at the end of your stay. All project transfers are included. Your accommodation on the first night is located on the site of a leafy guest house on the outskirts of town and is very safe and very beautiful.
Whilst working on the project you will be under the guidance of the volunteer coordinator and you will receive full health and safety briefings on all that you do. Your accommodation is in a small and friendly village – all of the locals know and support the project.
Sandakan Town is a beautiful tourist town however you should keep an eye on your possessions when out and about.
The village where the project is based is 3 hours from the town of Sandakan.
Internet access is limited during your time on the project, apart from your first and last night.
Please bear in mind that you are in Asia, and signal and speed are unlikely to be as reliable as you might be used to back at home.
There is good phone reception in the village and in the guest houses where you spend your first and last night on the project.
Malaysia Standard Time is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+8).
In Malaysia, the British 3 pin plug is used.
There are some lovely walks to enjoy in your free time along the river’s edge and into the village. Generally speaking you will have a pretty packed itinerary with time for community engagement, trekking and the actual project- so you won’t have too much extra free time to go exploring! Families tend to play cards, read, chat, play music and relax together in the evenings.
Your final day is spent as a tourist. You will get to visit the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre, the Rainforest Discovery Centre and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre – families love this day and it is a great way to round off your time as a Borneo volunteer.
You will be volunteering from around 6am-10:30am and 3pm-6pm with a nice break in the middle during the hottest part of the day. These hours are flexible and will vary depending on the days tasks.
Supervision will be fairly intensive during the first few days, when you will receive a thorough induction and work-related training. Once you are comfortable with things, you might not always have a supervisor working alongside you, but there will always be staff and other volunteers around to help, and you will always be accompanied for any high risk activities.
Staff at Oyster’s head office and in-country will be responsible for your safety and welfare while you are at the project. This will start from the moment you are picked up from the airport until the time you are dropped back there. Before and after these times, you will be outside Oyster’s responsibility and should make sure that you act safely and avoid risk. This is also true if you choose to leave the project during your time off. We will give you plenty of guidance and advice about this.
Oyster assesses projects carefully to ensure that they offer high standards of animal welfare and environmental practice. We also check that volunteers understand key points of good practice before working with animals. To find out more, see our animal welfare policy.
Project Reviews
“Both guides were fantastic. They were bright, and passionate and able to help us to understand the complexities and factors to consider when understanding challenges in relation to reforestation in Borneo. The whole family (kids aged 11, 14, 17) really enjoyed the volunteering aspect and felt that it was incredibly rewarding. It was hard work in the humidity but completely...
“Both guides were fantastic. They were bright, and passionate and able to help us to understand the complexities and factors to consider when understanding challenges in relation to reforestation in Borneo. The whole family (kids aged 11, 14, 17) really enjoyed the volunteering aspect and felt that it was incredibly rewarding. It was hard work in the humidity but completely manageable and breaks and snacks were always strongly encouraged. It was very inspiring to hear of animals being seen in areas that have been reforested, and a sense of hope for similar with the trees we’ve planted. Maintenance of trees planted by previous volunteers was lovely, knowing that future volunteers would look after ours. We felt very well looked after throughout the project .The river trips were fantastic and we all loved the night trip as well. Our guide went out of his way to ensure we could see as diverse a range of wildlife as possible. It was very special to have a guide who was still in touch with his family’s indigenous roots and beliefs and to give us a deeper insight into understanding the rainforest on a much deeper level. The food was good, and even our relatively fussy children enjoyed it and ate well. Meals in villagers houses were a real highlight. Out of a three week trip to Borneo, I’d say that this was everyone’s favourite week.”
“The entire project and everyone involved with it provided a first-rate service throughout the trip and it proved to be a truly remarkable experience for me and my family. We felt fully prepared about what to expect and were able to ask questions throughout – always getting a full and swift response. Nick at the flight centre was excellent, especially when the Malaysian Airline website kept crashing and organised seating, special assistance and private transfers for us in KL which really helped. Georgie has been a great support throughout, and I felt I could trust her to ensure our trip would run smoothly. Mark in Malaysia is a formidable guy, an excellent educator, passionate conservationist and 100% dedicated to the work they are doing on the ground. He is infectious and brings out the best from every volunteer on the project. I must particularly praise the patience and kindness with which he supported our son with learning disabilities – Mark made him feel valued and as such he was able to make his own contributions to the project. There were so many magical moments but seeing a mother and baby orangutan, in the wild, at close quarters will take some beating! Also for the sheer hilarity that ensued – the boat breaking down late afternoon in a croc infested river led to the most incredible wildlife observation experiences of the trip. Grasp that nettle and do it. It will be like nothing else you’ve ever down as a family before and from it you will get to observe the different relationships between your children, see their own interests develop and emerge, meet incredible people and have a school vacation like no other! It has given us a time together that we might not otherwise have had. I was really keen to help my children understand a little bit about the world around them, especially after the impact of Covid. This experience has absolutely provided that, it has pushed them outside of their comfort zone, got them away from the constant pinging of phones and given them a new perspective on the opportunities that are available to make a positive contribution to the world.”
“Mark is an amazing project leader, so intelligent and passionate. Our teammates are awesome, too. We’ve all bonded. The tree planting is coming along, and we’ve seen many wonderful animals.”
“Anne was super nice and helpful. She was always on top of things. I think it is great that you conduct an interview ahead of the booking, as this is critical for less experienced travelers. Anne did an amazing job in ensuring that I was well prepared for the travel. Mark in Borneo was amazing. He is super knowledgeable and so enthusiastic a out his work.”
“This trip was amazing. I’ve been very lucky to be able to travel but this was my first volunteer vacation and it was spectacular. OWW was easy to work with and gave me enough info to make it all easy – loved every minute. I expected it to be more work and to need downtime afterwards but the project was designed really well to be a really perfect balance of work and vacation things/seeing the area/critters and so forth.Thanks for facilitating such an amazing opportunity with an amazing organisation doing meaningful work on the ground!”
“We collected the saplings and took them with us on the boat to the planting sites. Our aim was 200 trees in 3 hours. We were infilling gaps in the forest so that the orangutans would have a corridor to move along. One day we visited a site that had been planted 6 years ago and the trees were tall enough to support the orangutans. I really enjoyed my time on the project and hope to have made a difference to the orangutan corridor. I would certainly recommend the project to anyone wanting to help the orangutans.”
“It has been so much fun! I’ve seen a lot of wildlife, including orangutans, but no elephants yet. The work is quite tiring but very satisfying. I’ve particularly enjoyed meeting and spending time with the locals. Everyone is amazingly kind and welcoming, and it’s really incredible learning about the culture here. The food is especially good. All around it’s been great with no issues. Thank you for organising everything- I appreciate all your help!”
“There many highlights throughout the programme but the main one for me personally was seeing Orangutans in the wild for the first time. Many other highlights include the amazing people I met in Malaysia and the rainforest maintenance work as it felt so rewarding to see the end goal of setting up a replanting site.”
“Everyone who assisted from start to finish were extremely helpful and made it effortless. The people that I met along the way, knowing I made a difference (even if for a few days) and seeing the variety of wildlife living in their natural habitats was amazing. Be prepared to work but the rewards are well worth it. ”
“The project was good and I am definitely missing it – but not the humidity so much. I just wanted to say a big thank you for being there and helping me out before and during the project. ”
“I thought we would be lucky to see one orangutan, but we saw 12! We were lucky enough to see a female making a nest just a few metres away. It was an amazing feeling to clear a brand new site of vegetation, and to go on to plant 250 trees in that area. Thank you!”
“My favourite project activity was tree planting after clearing a brand new site full of grasses and bamboo. Followed by all the hard work preparing 250 planting spots + saplings and mulch! We worked really hard as a team to get there and it was most rewarding, knowing we did this ourselves and are giving back to the world. Homestay food in particular was amazing! Tried so many dishes and never had the same dish twice. Really felt like I was embracing culture here.”
“The tree maintenance was hard work but it was very rewarding. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the process of rehabilitation and the biodiversity in the rainforest. The project
“My time in Borneo was so much better than I ever imagined! We were lucky enough to see 8 orangutans, as well as as crocodiles, a wild array of birds, monitor lizards and the 6 other primates found in Sabah. The locals were so friendly and willing to teach us their ways. I especially loved learning their local dances! Amazing wildlife, the most friendly people and a community that is really developing and trying to save their rainforest and river!”
“It wasn’t just the appeal of seeing wild animals in their natural habitat, but for me it was all I had studied at university being put into action, and had finalised for me what work to pursue in the near future. I would definitely come back to volunteer again, especially to see the progress of the planting sites which we were involved with.”
“I loved my time abroad and I found myself just this morning thinking about what a good experience it was.Would you like to chat to Kate, who manages this programme? Just call +44 (0) 1892 771 973 or email: – [email protected].
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