Top 9 Boat Tours in Kota Kinabalu

1.Bongawan River Cruise: Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Mangrove

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 437 reviews · 8 hours · from $58Our pick

Spend eight hours with guides such as Timmy, Eddie, Simon, or Zai visiting Kota Kinabalu’s Floating Mosque and Cocoa Kingdom before a Bongawan mangrove cruise. Look for proboscis monkeys and macaques, watch the Sky Mirror sunset, and finish with fireflies and dinner. The $58 price includes transport, food, guiding, and all listed stops.

“Eddie was a great guy and guide. Carmen was friendly and helpful, she was nice to talk to me as a solo traveller. The tour is totally worthy if you have a free day in KK. also the groups was small which was nice”

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2.Borneo (Klias) River Cruise & Fireflies Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 126 reviews · from $50Best value

Leave Kota Kinabalu around 1pm for the Klias Wetlands, about 132 kilometers away. Cruise the river for proboscis monkeys, langurs, macaques, birds, and possible crocodiles, then eat a Malaysian buffet before a night boat ride among fireflies. Guides may include Khatty, Sulani, or Roddy. Expect a long, sometimes bumpy drive.

“The transfer is a little bit long but totally worth it. Our guide was amazing for the first time in Kota Kinabalu. Well organized and communicated trip to the Klias river. We have seen a raptile lots of monkeys and the fire flies. Thanks.”

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3.Sky-Mirror Photographing and Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies Watching River-Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 109 reviews · from $81

Leave Kota Kinabalu for Bongawan, where you will cruise mangroves for proboscis monkeys, watch macaques, pose at Sky Mirror Beach, and search for fireflies after sunset. Guides such as James, Nick, and Bird help with wildlife spotting and beach photos. Pickup, snacks, drinks, dinner, and hotel return are included.

“Driver didn't speak at all after picking us up. No idea where we were going or how long it would be. Two guides spoke at the same time in Chinese and English so you couldn't hear anything. Left sitting around for ages with no info most of the time. The mirror photography is just a bit of beach when the tide comes in. There was a massive storm and they said we'd leave the beach if it started raining. Instead they left us for an hour in a tin shack whilst they played on their phones and said nothing. Then the weather got too bad to leave so we had…”

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4.Bongawan River Cruise Proboscis Monkey, SkyMirror, Fireflies

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $52Top rated

Travel from Kota Kinabalu to Bongawan for a mosque visit, chocolate tasting, mangrove river cruise, sunset at SkyMirror beach, fireflies and a local dinner. Guides such as Timmy, Simon, Eddie and John are praised for friendly service, wildlife knowledge and careful driving. Expect a full day with up to 48 people.

“It's a nice arranged trip. We experienced the nature, learned about a bit history about Sabah, and saw the most fabulous sunset on the beach! Big thanks to our guide Timmy, he is professional, friendly and funny. He made conversation with each of the guest, and made sure everyone had a good time. I highly recommend this trip to everyone, if you like nature, and sunset!”

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5.Proboscis Monkey and Fireflies River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 51 reviews · from $81

Leave Kota Kinabalu at 1:30 pm for Weston, about 100 kilometers south, with shared hotel transfers and a local guide. Cruise the Kawa Kawa river area for proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys, macaques, monitor lizards, and birds, then watch fireflies after sunset. Terence is one guide praised for his warm, informative approach.

“Terence unser Reiseleiter hat alles gegeben,uns sein Land,die Natur und vieles mehr näher zu bringen.Dankeschön”

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6.Fun Boat Snorkeling and Island Visit from Kota Kinabalu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 35 reviews · from $130

Spend about eight hours cruising from Kota Kinabalu to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park with PADI-certified instructors, two snorkeling stops, and lunch on Pulau Gaya. Hotel pickup, boat transfers, park admission, and jetty fees are included. The group can reach up to 40 people, so expect a social, shared-boat outing rather than a private trip.

“Recomendado. Muy bonita experiencia de snorkeling, muy atentos y amables. Lo más bonito de Kk fue hacer este tour.”

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7.Mari Mari Village & Bongawan Cruise Package

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · 12 hours · from $121

This 12-hour trip pairs Mari Mari Cultural Village with a Bongawan River cruise. Learn from guides such as Eddie and Timmy, try native snacks, watch tribal dances, spot proboscis monkeys, and see fireflies beneath a sunset reflected on calm water. Transport, meals, refreshments, and an English-speaking guide are included.

“Eddie was a knowledgeable and extremely professional guide. He immediately must us feel at ease and we had a fantastic day. The tour combination of culture and then nature made for a great balance with delicious snacks and meals also included. The highlight was seeing a troop of proboscus monkeys and following them as they jumped from tree to tree. Amazing day.”

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8.Klias Wildlife Safari River Cruise – Proboscis Monkey & Fireflies

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · from $81

Spend an afternoon and evening in Sabah’s Klias Wetlands. Ride through mangrove creeks, look for endemic proboscis monkeys, watch the sunset, eat an Asian buffet dinner, and return after dark for fireflies. Hotel pickup, transport, afternoon tea, and an English-speaking guide are included.

“It was a good chance to witness the wild life of Borneo just two hours away from the city. We have seen monkeys in their natural habitat and experienced firefly show after the dark. The meal was also fine”

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9.Full Day Bongawan River Cruise with Proboscis Monkey Sightseeing

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · from $58

Spend an afternoon and evening at Bongawan, about 90 minutes from Kota Kinabalu. Cruise mangrove waterways in search of proboscis monkeys, macaques, monitor lizards, and fireflies, then enjoy local tea, a Malay buffet, sunset beach time, and a sky-mirror photo stop. Mimi and the crew help keep the outing friendly and well organized.

“Our tour was a bit rough, but not by fault of the tour staff - we happened to go during a huge downpour. However, the staff were so lovely and helpful the entire time. They did their best to navigate the situation well, helping us see monkeys Read more”

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