Best Places To See Wildlife in Malaysia

Here is a list of the best places to see wildlife in Malaysia for nature, outdoor and adventure lovers in no particular order.

All of the places listed here have also been visited by me; hence this article is based on a first-hand experience and not written by writers who sit in an office researching content.

Malaysia is a tropical country located just above Singapore and below Thailand and is often overlooked by many travellers.

The country is also divided into Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysia Borneo, where Sabah and Sarawak are located. 

However, with this article, my mission is to highlight some of the more unique tourism experiences you can find here off the general tourist radar. 

Best Places To See Wildlife in Malaysia

To see Malaysia's wildlife, you need to travel out of Kuala Lumpur to other states around the country, some on the peninsular and other places at Malaysia Borneo. 

I will only be highlighting those places that are pretty much guaranteed to spot wildlife and how you can get there. The list of places to spot wildlife in Malaysia are;

A female Great Argus at Taman Negara National Park.

1. Pahang (Peninsular Malaysia)

In the state of Pahang, which is about four to five hours from Kuala Lumpur, you will find the Taman Negara National Park, which is the oldest national park in Malaysia.

Taman Negara 

Known as one of the oldest rainforests globally, Taman Negara is also the country's first national park and possibly the best in Peninsular Malaysia.

As Taman Negara is massive, only one luxurious resort is located in the national park, the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort I visited in 2018.

Taman Negara National Park offers many activities, including visiting an original 'Orang Asli' village upriver and a beautiful canopy treetop walk. 

Wildlife watching includes birds in the day and a unique night walk to spot nocturnal animals, insects, etc. It is also recommended to spend at least two nights minimum here to experience this place.

The Maya Houseboat at Tasik Kenyir Lake.

Kenyir Lake

Once a popular location to see some wildlife in the 90s, this place has been going through some up's and down's because the only resort here, Lake Kenyir Resort, has been undergoing renovations for a few years now and has yet to be reopened.

Since back then, most people that visit Kenyir tend to go there fishing or live on houseboats. I would recommend waiting for the resort to reopen before coming here to explore Tasik Kenyir Lake for those who have plans.

Most of the wildlife activities here are bird watching and the occasional mammal spotting around the massive manmade lake. 

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary

A beautiful rehabilitation for the Malaysian elephants has seen a massive tourism boom in the last 10 years. Kuala Gandah is an experience fit for just about anyone.

In recent years, van loads of tourists have been flocking here to experience seeing, feeding, riding and bathing the elephants that have been rehabilitated.

Around Kuala Gandah, a private zoo and deer farm is also open to visitors. The area around here is also known as a bird-watching location.

Belum offers just one rainforest resort for nature lovers.

2. Perak (Peninsular Malaysia)

Perak is one of the larger states in Peninsular Malaysia and is neighbouring the state of Selangor. There are a few places for wildlife watching but are more on the commercial side.

Orangutan Island at Bukit Merah Laketown

A very localised theme park and resort, Bukit Merah has been around for quite a while now. However, they have one unique attraction: Orangutan Island, about 10 minutes boat ride from the main park area.

This remarkable conservation in the peninsular is managed by the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation, which was blossomed from an idea by YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed many years ago.

The entire island serves as a rehabilitation and sanctuary for orangutans on the Peninsular, and just to add on, orangutans are not native to the peninsular.

A Clouded Leopard photographed by a camera trap at Belum Rainforest.

Belum Rainforest

This is one of the oldest rainforests in Malaysia next to Taman Negara and offers a resort built within the rainforest.

Belum boasts of the only place in Malaysia where you can spot all 10 species of hornbills. However, one needs to spend a few days to achieve this, and with a lot of trekking and hiking.

This rainforest is also not overcrowded and is a little more peaceful compared to other popular destinations. Most that visit here is either bird watchers, photographers or nature lovers seeking an escape.

Sarawak is filled with wildlife locations that are spread throughout the state.

3. Sarawak (Borneo Malaysia)

Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia, and by comparison, it is almost as big as the entire peninsular Malaysia.

This means that Sarawak is massive and perhaps 30% developed, leaving much of the land untouched. Yes, there are oil palm plantations, but overall, many rainforests are available throughout the state.

Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

Semenggoh is probably the best place to see the Orangutans in their natural habitat and is only about an hours drive from Kuching, Sarawak's capital city.

It is managed by the state forestry department and is open daily for visitors. Natural trails make the entire experience worthwhile, and it is not guaranteed that the orangutans may be there in full force.

The best is to book a tour from any travel agents in Kuching to know the best times to visit Semenggoh to see the orangutans.

A Beared Pig is seen at the Bako National Park in Sarawak.

Bako National Park 

Located two hours from Kuching, Bako National Park is a wonderland for nature lovers. The national park is also situated by the sea, making this a very unique place to explore.

At Bako, you can find Proboscis monkeys, Bornean bearded pigs, snakes, many birds, and other tropical wildlife. There are park accommodations, a restaurant and many trails to explore.

It is also recommended to book a tour from Kuching city as they include everything that makes it easy to experience Bako National Park in Sarawak.

A view of the Mulu National Park in Sarawak.

Mulu National Park

One of the UNESCO Heritage Sites of Malaysia, Mulu, is a perfect escape for the outdoor lover. The national park is massive, and one needs to spend a minimum of two to three days to experience this place.

The beauty of the Gunung Mulu National Park is that you can spot wildlife while exploring caves and rivers and see the unique nomadic Penan culture that resides around the national park area.

Mulu offers luxurious and budget accommodation and requires a flight from Kuching, Kota Kinabalu or Miri.

The incredible multiple-tier canopy treetop walk at Danum Valley in Sabah.

4. Sabah (Borneo Malaysia)

This part of North Borneo is probably the most active place for Malaysia's wildlife for many reasons.

Among the areas, Sandakan is the best place to see wildlife in Malaysia. The city is central and located on the east coast, making it accessible to many sanctuaries.

Danum Valley

Danum is one of the best locations for Malaysia's wildlife and probably the most luxurious accommodations with world-class guides.

This conservation centre is not for the budget seeker and caters to those who want a top-notch wildlife experience while visiting Malaysia.

Some years back, I agreed that the amount of wildlife I spotted here is probably the most at one location. One of the attractions here is the fantastic Danum Valley canopy walk.

A Slow Loris is seen climbing up a tree at Maliau Basin.

Maliau Basin

Known as the Lost World of Sabah, this massive basin stretches for 588 square kilometres, home to numerous wildlife ranging from primates to rare jungle cats to unique birds.

Maliau Basin Conservation Area, as it is known, is also not a touristy destination and only appeals to the hardcore nature lover, trekker and wildlife photographer or watcher.

Most of the time, beginners or intermediate level nature lovers will stay at the main conservation centre area while advanced levels will do the few day treks to the many base camps in Maliau.

At one of the base camps, which takes three days to trek to, you will find the unique seven-tier Maliau waterfalls.

The beautiful nature resort at Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah.

Tabin Wildlife Reserve

Another excellent wildlife destination in Sabah is Tabin Wildlife Reserve, which is larger than the island of Singapore.

I enjoyed five nights here, only to be thrilled that I saw the Borneo Pygmy Elephant among the many other wildlife like Leopard Cats, rare birds, and unique frogs.

There is only one central accommodation: the main resort and the professional service level is surreal, from the housekeepers to the guides.

One of the wildlife lodges at the Kinabatangan River

Kinabatangan River

Known as the mother of all rivers in Sabah, the mighty Kinabatangan River is home to many wildlife, including crocodiles, primates, reptiles, birds, and the endemic Pygmy Elephants.

For anyone wanting a surreal wildlife experience in Malaysia, the Kinabatangan River is hands-down the best place to do this, and you will need to spend a minimum of at least two nights here.

From Sandakan, it takes a couple hours to drive before you hop on a boat to the many riverside lodges and resorts along the Kinabatangan River.

A male Orangutan photographed at Deramakor Forest Reserve in Sabah.

Deramakot Forest Reserve

This is the only place that has not been visited by me yet, and because of Covid19, I missed my chance to do so in 2020. But not all is lost as this will be my next destination once we can travel.

Demarakot is relatively a new destination, having only opened up to the public in 2012. The forest reserve only started to get noticed in 2018/2019 with the help of social media.

This unique place is now known as Malaysia's best place to see wildlife in its natural environment. Clouded Leopard is one of the star attractions here, while bird watching is also one of the top activities.

The entrance to Sepilok.

Sepilok

Known as an Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre for decades and attracting wildlife and nature lovers from all over the world, including England's Prince Charles. 

Even Star Trek Discovery's Michelle Yeoh visited Sepilok in 2018, just to name a few celebrities who paid this place a visit.

However, Sepilok is also home to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) and the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), great for nature and wildlife lovers.

If you are in Sandakan, I would highly recommend visiting these places if you do not have the luxury of spending too much time here.

5. Commercial Wildlife Places

The Lok Kawi Wildlife Park in Sabah.

This is the commercial part for those who do not have enough time when visiting Malaysia, and zoo's are probably one of your best options to see the local wildlife.

While many do not support zoos' entire idea, some still believe that they provide a safe place for the animals, away from poachers and modernisation.

Below are Malaysia's best zoo's that are located throughout the country;

Zoo Negara - Malaysia's national zoo and the largest. It is located about a 20-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur city and is top-rated.

Taiping Zoo - Probably the best zoo in the northern region that offers a fantastic night safari experience with a good collection of wildlife.

Melaka Zoo - Catering the southern region, the Melaka Zoo has been around for a long time, and they have a decent collection of wildlife here.

Langkawi Wildlife Park - On the island of Langkawi and catering mainly to high traffic tourists, this wildlife park is decent with an essential wildlife collection.

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park - Located in the Penampang area of greater Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, this is probably the best zoo in Borneo Island.

Some of the wildlife resorts are simply breathtaking and beautiful.

What I use to capture my photographs

I am a DSLR person, and over the years, with smartphone technology improving, I have slowly resorted to using my smartphone for general photography.

As of Sept 2021, I'm currently using a Galaxy Z Flip3 5G smartphone for my general and landscape photos, which I find is quite good considering the technology changes.

However, I still refer back to my Nikon DSLR and my trusty Tamron 150-600mm telephoto lens for my wildlife shots. I guess this will eventually change to a mirrorless camera and a much smaller lens in the coming months.

For spotting wildlife, I still use my Omicron Binoculars 8x42, which is perfect and lightweight.

Conclusion

This article was specially created for anyone who wants to visit Malaysia and experience the unique and natural wildlife places spread all over the country.

Again, all of the places mentioned above have been personally visited by me over the last ten years, and I am still going to some of them for my bird watching in Malaysia.

If you enjoyed this article on the best places to see wildlife in Malaysia, please share it with your friends or on your social media platforms.

And if you have questions or feedback, I would love to hear them from you. Be safe and happy wildlife watching!