Borneo-Keeled Pit Viper @ Rainforest Discovery Center, Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia

Borneo-Keeled Pit Viper is a small, attractive and resident reptile can be found in Rainforest Discovery Center, Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia. They can be found on the mature tree and bushes along the road around the center.

Borneo-Keeled Pit Viper is a venomous snake but it is non agressive. The reptile is active during night time. The photos were taken using Nikon D500 paired with Nikkor 500 PF lens, ISO 1600, F 5.0, EV -0.7. 

About Rainforest Discovery Center

Rainforest Discovery Center or in short RDC is the most famous and accessible natural rainforest in Sabah. It overs a total area of 4,300 hectar of Sepilok-Kabili Forest Reserve. The center offers many attractions to visitors, including jungle trekking, night walk, canopy walk, plants discovery garden and exhibition hall. Rainforest Discovery Center opens from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily. The entrance fee is RM7.00 for Malaysian and RM15.00 for foreigner respectively. For night walk with guide will be charged separately. Detail information can be obtained at the ticketing counter located at the entrance of the center.

 

How to Get There

Rainforest Discovery Center is located just 23 km from Sandakan town, Sabah, Malaysia. It can be reached in approximately just half hour drive from Sandakan town.

Although Sepilok and Sandakan are relatively small towns, to cater for both local and foreign tourists visiting those attractions, there are abundant hotels, resorts, villas and guesthouses of different standards and prices. Not forgetting restaurants, cafe, convenience shops of all kinds and standards. 

Other nearby attractions to Rainforest Discovery Center include Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center, Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center and Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary.

What to Expect 

Rainforest Discovery Center has a large bird population and varieties with a recorded more than 300 species of birds. It certainly entices birders around the world to be there. The main target birds include different types of pittas, Bornean Bristlehead, eagles, doves, hornbills, bee-eaters, kingfishers, shrikes, weavers, flycatchers, bulbuls, pigeons just to name a few. It has become a destination for migratory birds too.

Bornean Black-capped Babbler @ Batu Puteh, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia

Bornean Black-capped Babbler (Pellorneum capistratoides) is a colorful, very active and attractive resident bird can be found in Batu Puteh forest, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia. 

Bornean Black-capped Babbler is endemic to the island of Borneo, East Malaysia.The photos were taken using Nikon D850 paired with Nikkor 500 PF lens, ISO 2500, F 5.6, EV -0.3. 

How to get to Batu Puteh, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu

Lahad Datu is a district located some 400 km away from the capital city Kota Kinabalu. Located in the Tawau division of Sabah, Batu Putih has both primary virgin forest and secondary forest, which attract a lot of birds both residents and migratory birds. 

Lahad Datu can be reached in approximately 7 hours 30 minutes from Kota Kinabalu by car. Alternatively, it can also be reached from Sandakan city in approximately 2 hours 30 minutes by car for a distance of 170 km. To reach birding location, it requires to hike approximately one kilometer through secondary forest behind a village crossing a small river. Special protection is needed against leaches for visiting the place during rainy season.

The Connecting City - Kota Kinabalu 

Kota Kinabalu can be considered as a transit place for many bird watchers and birders to Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia as it is a gateway to other more exciting bird watching and bird photography destinations in the island, such as Mount Alab, Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC) and Mount Trusmadi. 

Due to its geography, Kota Kinabalu has a large bird population and varieties with a recorded more than 30 species of birds. It certainly entices many birders to be there. The main target birds include different types of kites, eagles, parrots, bee-eaters, swallows, kingfishers, shrikes, weavers, flycatchers, bulbuls, pigeons just to name a few. It has become a destination for migratory birds too. Other excellent nearby birding locations are Penampang and Tanjung Aru.

Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker [Female] @ Rainforest Discovery Center, Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia

Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker (Prionochilus percussus) [Female] is a colorful, attractive and very active resident bird can be found in Rainforest Discovery Center, Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia. They can be found on the mature tree along the road around the center.

In terms of size, color and other features, it is observed that there is no significant differences between Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker found in East and West Malaysia. The photos were taken using Nikon D500 paired with Nikkor 500 PF lens, ISO 1600, F 6.3, EV -0.3. 

About Rainforest Discovery Center

Rainforest Discovery Center or in short RDC is the most famous and accessible natural rainforest in Sabah. It overs a total area of 4,300 hectar of Sepilok-Kabili Forest Reserve. The center offers many attractions to visitors, including jungle trekking, night walk, canopy walk, plants discovery garden and exhibition hall. Rainforest Discovery Center opens from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily. The entrance fee is RM7.00 for Malaysian and RM15.00 for foreigner respectively. For night walk with guide will be charged separately. Detail information can be obtained at the ticketing counter located at the entrance of the center.

How to Get There

Rainforest Discovery Center is located just 23 km from Sandakan town, Sabah, Malaysia. It can be reached in approximately just half hour drive from Sandakan town.

Although Sepilok and Sandakan are relatively small towns, to cater for both local and foreign tourists visiting those attractions, there are abundant hotels, resorts, villas and guesthouses of different standards and prices. Not forgetting restaurants, cafe, convenience shops of all kinds and standards. 

Other nearby attractions to Rainforest Discovery Center include Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center, Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center and Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary.

What to Expect 

Rainforest Discovery Center has a large bird population and varieties with a recorded more than 300 species of birds. It certainly entices birders around the world to be there. The main target birds include different types of pittas, Bornean Bristlehead, eagles, doves, hornbills, bee-eaters, kingfishers, shrikes, weavers, flycatchers, bulbuls, pigeons just to name a few. It has become a destination for migratory birds too.

Yellow-bellied Bulbul @ Telupid, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia

Yellow-bellied Bulbul (Alophoixus phaeocephalus) is a fast, very active and attractive resident bird can be found in Telupid forest, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia. 

The photos were taken using Nikon D500 paired with Nikkor 500 PF lens, ISO 2500, F 5.6, EV -0.7. 

How to get to Telupid

Telupid is a district located some 210 km away from the capital city Kota Kinabalu. Located in the Sandakan division of Sabah, Telupid has both primary virgin forest and secondary forest, which attract a lot of birds both residents and migratory birds. 

Telupid can be reached in approximately 4 hours 30 minutes from Kota Kinabalu by car. Alternatively, it can also be reached from Sandakan city in approximately 2 hours 30 minutes by car for a distance of 130 km. To reach birding location, it requires to hike approximately 2.5 km through secondary forest behind a village crossing a small river. Special protection is needed against leaches for visiting the place during rainy season.

The Connecting City - Kota Kinabalu 

Kota Kinabalu can be considered as a transit place for many bird watchers and birders to Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia as it is a gateway to other more exciting bird watching and bird photography destinations in the island, such as Mount Alab, Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC) and Mount Trusmadi. 

Due to its geography, Kota Kinabalu has a large bird population and varieties with a recorded more than 30 species of birds. It certainly entices many birders to be there. The main target birds include different types of kites, eagles, parrots, bee-eaters, swallows, kingfishers, shrikes, weavers, flycatchers, bulbuls, pigeons just to name a few. It has become a destination for migratory birds too. Other excellent nearby birding locations are Penampang and Tanjung Aru.