Borneo’s adventure: Miri Marathon and Jungle Running

Miri Marathon, Miri, Malaysia, 12th of April 2026.

Our adventure in Borneo was full of excitement and great runs!

Not only we ran the Speed Run for the Miri Marathon Event, but we also squeezed in a couple of jungle runs! Borneo’s rainforest is the oldest in the world, so those were great experiences, although not easy at all!

I found out about the Miri Marathon when researching what races took place in Asia in April 2026, since we were going to be in China. It looked professionally organised and it was in… Borneo!

Borneo, the land of the most ancient rainforest in the world, and the orangutans; a primate I really wanted to see.

So, it was decided: we were going! And it proved a wonderful decision as we had time to explore this fantastic island, run there and not be disappointed, but the opposite. Borneo is a jewel for the adventurers!

TLDR; “too long, didn’t read”

• I just want to run! Take me to RUN.
• I have 1 minute. Take me to USEFUL INFORMATION.
• Running is my excuse for travelling. Take me to TRIP.
• Running is my excuse for eating. Take me to CARBOLOADING.
• I want to know what to read in the plane. Take me to ONE BOOK.

🌍 The Trip 📷: A Borneo Experience!

Getting there

In order to get to Sandakan (the best place to see Orangutans, our objective) we had to fly to Kota Kinabalu, which is the hub of Borneo’s flights. 

The airport is very decent, we already saw Orangutans in the souvenir shops 🦧, and AirAsia delivered ☺️. My only complaint is that they like blasting very loud music before take off. And our first flight was at 4am, so…. listening to “Moves like Jagger” at top volume at 3am was not ideal 🤣.

Just arriving in Kota, we already felt the heat of equatorial Borneo. It was beginning of April and suddenly it was summer 😜

Logistics in Sandakan

In Sandakan we stayed in a private apartment which was comfortable, clean, big and in a very nice luxury compound which even had a pool. It is called Homexuite apartment, and I recommend it! Perfect for relaxing before our island adventure.

We started our day at 8am and, already, the heat hit us hard; it’s the typical tropical heat that leaves you exhausted, and you need to drink plenty of water. We actually were warned by Google Weather that the Sun radiation was strong, and it really was. At 2pm when we stopped at a gas station to buy water, I could not bear the sun, not even for a minute!

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre 🦧

We had come to Sandakan to see the Orangutans, and we did. And it was much better than expected. I love my fellow ginger apes!🦧

In the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, which is government run, you can observe them in the “nature”, as the space is quite big and allows the orangutans and monkeys plenty of space to roam.

Drenched in sweat after walking just 3 minutes to reach the observation platforms, we saw a big male, Malik, and a female, Mariko, hang around, and later eat from the feeding platform. 

This takes place at 10am so it is worth being there to see it!

Established in 1964, this center serves as a crucial sanctuary for orphaned or displaced orangutans, teaching them the survival skills they need to eventually return to the wild.

The name “Orangutan” actually translates to “Person of the Forest” in Malay. They share about 97% of our DNA!

Seeing them swing through the canopy with such effortless strength is a reminder of why protecting their shrinking habitat is so vital.

Nursery

Then we headed over to the nursery to see the younger ones as they were being fed at 10:30am. I loved the nursery!🥰

You can see them behind a glass, but the setting is good enough to observe them close and be amazed at the details. I was so mesmerized, they had to call me when we were leaving 😜

We saw babies playing and eating, and mothers hanging from ropes with their babies attached to their bodies. It is truly fascinating. 🦧❤️

The outdoor nursery is where the younger orangutans (usually aged 2 to 9) learn to socialize and refine their climbing skills. Because orangutan infants stay with their mothers for up to eight years in the wild, the rangers here act as surrogate parents, providing the care and “forest school” education these youngsters missed out on.

It’s heart-melting to watch them play, but there’s a serious side: they are practicing the coordination they’ll need to survive 30 meters up in the trees.

Sun Bears, BSBCC centre 🐻

Next we visited a conservation centre for sun bears: Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre. It was created by a local doctor, Dr. Wong, and it is doing an amazing job saving bears that were mistreated as pets  🥰.

I took the time to read the stories about some of them, they are displayed with cute pictures of each one! And btw, some of them have already been released back in the wild! 

Sun bears are the smallest types of bears that exist, as it was explained with real size figures in the centre. Which was quite cool to see: especially the scale. And, omg, how big can a polar bear be?! 😱

The sun bears have a distinct chest golden “crown” which is unique to each one; like a fingerprint.

The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) is the only one of its kind in the world. Despite their small size, they play a huge role in the ecosystem by dispersing seeds and keeping termite populations in check, making them the “engineers” of the forest.

They are sooo cute ❤️… however… they are still bears, and we witnessed 2 of them fighting for some food, and they were scary! They have big claws; they love honey and termites! ☺️

And I buy some Sun bear earrings, which I wear the rest of the trip 😜

To Bilit

After lunch in Sepilok lodge, we rode for 2 hours to reach Bilit, in one of the “infamous” Malaysian Roads (as our guide, Leo, explained). We even saw a truck crashed on the side of the road, a SouthAsian classic! 

Blue skies and lush vegetation with the ever present big banana trees and their massive leafs. Love ❤️

Bilit Adventure Lodge

We stayed in Bilit Adventure Lodge, on the river bank. 

It’s a very nice lodge in the middle of the natural reserve, with elevated gateways full of monkeys: but, caution! You cannot feed them as they bite! 🙈

They serve afternoon tea with Malaysian snacks, like banana cakes. This used to be a British colony, afterall!

Staying on the banks of the Kinabatangan is an immersive experience where the sounds of the jungle become your soundtrack.

Kinabatang River cruise

In the afternoon we went for a 2 hour cruise in the Kinabatangan river.

The Kinabatangan is the second longest river in Malaysia. It is a vital artery for Borneo’s wildlife, especially as the surrounding land has been developed. Because the forest is often restricted to a narrow strip along the riverbanks, the concentration of animals here is one of the highest in Southeast Asia. It creates a “corridor” of life, making it one of the best places in the world to spot rare species from the safety of a boat.

It seemed to me like a large stretch of brown water that you cannot swim in… because of the  salt water crocodiles. 🐊 And we do see a salt water crocodile, the larger species in the world. And, yes, they are Steve Irvin’s ones 😜

During the cruise, you can see “The Big 5”:

• Bornean elephant
• Salt water crocodile
• Orangután
• Hornbill (bird)
• Proboscis Monkey (long nose ones)

We did not see all of them, but we saw a Sandakan eagle, like the rugby team.

And Probocis monkeys, although not a male, and only the males have the famous big noses, so characteristic.

We also saw Orangutans’ nests, but empty (and our guide explained that, like gorillas, they do not stay in the same nest two days in a row), and a lot of monkeys. Our boat got close to the riverbank and we saw very close two different species of those monkeys!🐒

When returning, we enjoyed a magnificent sunset; the sky turned orange as we flied in our high speed boats. 

Night walk, anyone?

In the lodge, tehre is also the possibility of doing a night walk. We did not dare, as we are not that much into insects. Our guide had warned the group: 

“If you are really afraid of insects, do not try the night walk!”

Second Morning Cruise: A Misty Awakening 🚣‍♂️🌅

We woke up at dawn, well before 6:00 AM, to head out for our second morning cruise on the Kinabatangan River.

The setting was absolutely breathtaking; flocks of birds streaked across the sky while a mild morning mist clung to the riverbanks. It was the quintessential jungle scene! 🌫️✨ 😜

Stealthy Predators and Playful Locals 🐊🐒

The water was teeming with crocodiles, and we spotted a couple floating silently near the shore. They almost looked harmless because they were so still… but we knew better! 🐊

Beyond the reptiles, the river came alive with sightings of otters and vibrant kingfishers. We even encountered a family of Proboscis monkeys! We finally got to see a male with his signature large nose🌴🐒

Avian Wonders and Evolutionary Quirks 🦅

The diversity of birds was a dream come true for any nature lover. In addition to the majestic Brahminy Kite, often called the Sandakan Kite locally, we learned the river is home to eight different species of Hornbills. 🦜

These birds are culturally significant to the indigenous people of Borneo, often viewed as messengers between the human and spirit worlds.

Hearing the distinct “whooshing” sound of their heavy wings overhead was a “believe it when you hear it” moment. 🌬️🦉

Rainforest Walk

For the walk, they advised us to rent rubber boots since the ground was so muddy. We rented them and they proved to be incredibly useful because it was muddy indeed! Plus, they were bright yellow, which we thought was quite fashionable 🤣🎨.

The Borneo Rainforest is actually the oldest rainforest in the world 🏅.

However, we were walking in what is called a secondary forest, as it had been replanted following the deforestation caused by WWII. 🌳🌱

Danger in the Deep Green 🐆🐘

This ecosystem is home to the Bornean Pygmy Elephant, the smallest elephant subspecies in the world. Despite their “pygmy” name, they were still massive animals that required huge amounts of food, often migrating along the river in search of grasses and palms 🌿🐘.

We saw actual elephant footprints! 🐘👣

Some were recent and heading straight toward the lodge. We couldn’t help but wonder if we would see them later during the cruise! 🛥️❓

Ancient Giants and Itchy Realities 🌿🦟

Walking through a rainforest that is over 130 million years old made us feel very small.

The trek was an amazing experience; being inside this ancient forest felt like being embraced by a million sounds, smells, and every shade of green imaginable! 🍃🎶

Though, we had to be mindful: it was also quite uncomfortable due to the humidity, the mud, and especially the insects. So itchy! 🦟😫

Sandakan is not only orangutans!

On our fourth day, we travelled back to Sandakan and made a city tour which was surprisingly good and complete.

Sam Sing Kung Temple: Bright Colors and Bay Views ⛩️🌊

This Buddhist temple was beautifully painted in very bright colors! There was nobody else there when we visited, which made the experience feel even more special and serene. Established in 1887, this temple is actually one of the oldest structures in Sandakan, serving as a landmark for the early Chinese community who migrated to North Borneo. 🏮

The temple’s position overlooking Sandakan Bay was strategically chosen to provide spiritual protection to the town’s fishermen and traders. Standing in its quiet courtyard, we felt the bridge between Sandakan’s busy maritime past and its peaceful present. Plus, the views of the water were absolutely amazing! 🌅

Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Centre: Life in the Canopy 🦅

This was really worth visiting; we loved walking on top of the bridge! I didn’t realize quite how tall it was at first because the high canopy of trees disguised the height, but it was high! 😲 The “bridge” is actually the spectacular Rainforest Skywalk, a 347-meter-long steel walkway sitting roughly 25 meters above the forest floor. This height is essential for observing the “canopy layer,” an entirely different ecosystem than what you see from the ground. 🌳✨

We saw a hawk-eagle very close by, which was a huge plus! 🦅 The RDC is globally recognized as a premier birdwatching destination, with over 300 species calling it home. By walking at canopy level, we weren’t just looking at the trees; we were stepping into the “highway” used by orangutans, flying squirrels, and raptors to navigate the dense greenery of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. 🐿️

Agnes Keith House: The Land Below the Wind 🏠📚

Agnes was the wife of a government official and a prolific writer; her house was shown exactly as it was in the 1940s. The house, which Agnes affectionately named “Newlands,” stands as a symbol of the colonial era and the resilience of the human spirit.

The original house was destroyed during World War II, but after surviving internment camps, the Keiths returned and rebuilt this structure in 1946. ❤️

Today, it serves as a museum that beautifully showcases the furniture, artifacts, and quiet domesticity of a bygone era. Being the history and literature nerd that I am, I absolutely loved it! ☺️

For any literature lover, this house is hallowed ground. It was within these walls that Agnes penned her famous trilogy, including Land Below the Wind, which famously gave Sabah its poetic nickname. 📖✍️🐚

Sandakan Memorial Park

A Somber Awakening 🌹🥀

This park made a deep impression on me because I was previously unaware of the tragic history of the Prisoners of War (POWs) here. I had never heard of the “death march” from the Sandakan POW camp, which was located exactly where the park now stands.

This serene, beautifully landscaped park belies its heavy history as the site of a former British and Australian POW camp. 🇦🇺🇬🇧 Of the roughly 2,400 Allied prisoners held here by Japanese forces, only six survived the war.

The Path of Reflection and Haunting Ruins 🕯️🧱

The park was designed as a “Path of Reflection,” leading us through various stations, including the haunting ruins of an old steam boiler and an original trench system. It serves as a site of international pilgrimage to honor the “Sandakan Six” and their fallen comrades.

Walking the grounds, the silence of the forest served as a powerful, living monument to the endurance and sacrifice of those who lived through the camp’s darkest days. 🕊️✨ It was incredibly moving to see how nature has reclaimed the space while still holding onto the memories of the past.

A Lasting Impression of History’s Weight 🤐

Our guide shared a story that really stuck with me: once, they took a bus filled with both Japanese and British tourists to see the memorial. On the way there, everyone was joking with each other and having a great time.

However, after visiting the memorial, the bus was completely silent, and the joking between the groups stopped entirely. 😶

Because of this, the agency no longer takes groups of Australians or Brits and Japanese tourists to the site at the same time. This anecdote showed me just how effectively the memorial highlights the cruelty of war and the deep emotions it still stirs today. 🌏💔

🏃‍♀️ Kinabatalang River Run🏃‍♂️

A Steamy Adventure 🏃‍♂️🔥

We were staying at the Bilit Resort, right next to the Kinabatangan River, in the middle of the oldest rainforest in the world. Basicfally, we could not miss the opportunity to run there!

We knew it wasn’t going to be easy because of the heat, and that turned out to be a massive understatement.

Normally, we would have run at 6:00 AM when the sun rose, but we had a river cruise scheduled, so we had to head out afterward instead. ☀️

Village Paths and “Armed” Encounters 🏘️⚠️

Since it was forbidden to venture into the rainforest alone due to the dangerous wildlife, we arranged for our guide to take us to the other side of the river to run through the village and the adjacent jungle.

We were warned there might be “wild dogs,” but luckily, we were told they didn’t chase people! 🐕

By 8:30 AM, we feared it would be too hot, and we were right. In equatorial lands, you really shouldn’t be running after 8:00 AM! To stay safe, we grabbed a bottle of water and committed to just 5km.

After a quick two-minute boat ride, we started running past well-kept village houses before hitting a wide, quiet road where we saw our fellow tourists passing by in a bus. 🚌👋

Jungle Hills and Snake Spotting ⛰️

We eventually reached an area with paths leading into the fields, but we saw a very clear sign warning us not to enter, complete with drawings of an armed guard! 😱

We quickly turned the opposite way and ended up running straight into the jungle. It was extremely demanding with steep hills that offered gorgeous views but left us gasping for air.

We passed a remote house with barking dogs and chickens before venturing deeper into the trees, keeping a sharp eye out for snakes as we reached our 2.5km turnaround point. 🐓🌿

The scenery was incredible, but the heat was relentless. On the way back, we passed “Slow” signs that made us laugh. We certainly didn’t need any encouragement to take it easy! 🤣

After passing a funny sculpture of a Proboscis monkey, we finished at the dock, exhausted and soaking wet with sweat. Our boat driver just laughed at our silliness for running in that temperature! 🤣💦🏅

🏃‍♀️ Jungle Run in Lambir Hills 🏃‍♂️

After the Miri Marathon, we booked a tour to visit more nature: Lambir Hills, a natural park which is 30 minutes driving from Miri.

As its website explains, this park “is distinguished by its largely intact rainforest ecosystems, complex topography, pronounced escarpments, and multiple waterfall systems”.

When we arrived, we asked if we actually could run to the first waterfall. Apparently it was ok, so we changed clothes and we squeezed an unexpected last run in Borneo!

An exact 2 miles (3.2 kms) run to the first waterfall, Latak Waterfall, and back. Despite being announced as a 1km trail in the entrance, our garmins don’t lie! 😂

I actually found a blog about this waterfall by a local, you can check it here.

The Run: rewarding!

It was not easy, as it was a trail run through the rainforest, but it was rewarding. 

We also got to cross some bridges, and even a pretty decent suspension bridge… which was actually very difficult to run through! It felt like we were drunk 🙂, because it bounced so much!

You go up and down, and it is very humid and hot… obviously!

What made it very special were the sounds of the jungle. The sound of insects and other animals of the jungle were unexpectedly loud, creating an atmosphere somehow wild. We stopped talking for a while, just enjoying the moment.

🏃‍♀️ Miri Marathon Event 🏃‍♂️

🎽 Race Expo

The Race Expo took place in the Pullman Waterfront hotel, which happened to be exactly where we were staying! It was incredibly lucky, as I had booked the room long before the expo location was even announced.

The event took over the “Grand Ballroom,” and it was a complete, professional setup. 👍

There were plenty of stands featuring brands like Garmin and Asics, along with a local store selling cool gear like running vests, caps, and socks. We even picked up some plastic slippers that we knew would be handy for the rest of our travels! ✨

Bibs, Blue Shirts, and Local Hospitality

We picked up our bibs and some very sharp-looking blue t-shirts. The sizing was a bit unusual—I ended up with an XS because the shirts actually ran quite large! 👕 The staff were wonderful and friendly, and some even surprised us by saying a few words in Spanish! 🙂

The atmosphere was buzzing, with people taking photos at the bib-checking gate in front of signs for the four distances: 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon.

Robotic Dancers and Technical Glitches 🤖💃

The absolute highlight of the expo was a mini stand featuring humanoid robots! They were a hit with everyone, performing dance routines and even some impressive breakdancing. 🕺

We even got to shake hands and interact with them. The crowd was captivated by one little robot that was giving its all on the “dance floor” until it suddenly fell flat on its face! 😱 A giant “oooh” went up from the public, but luckily, the little humanoid was totally fine and survived its performance.

It was a hilarious and memorable way to kick off the race weekend! 😂🤖

🏃‍♀️ The Race 🏃‍♂️

The Miri marathon is a well organised event, backed up by the World Marathon Majors and with the Marathon Tours and Travel, an agency we are very familiar with, also counted as its sponsors.

I kind of had guessed that was going to be well organised, looking at the web, pictures and reviews of past events, and it proved true.

In fact, the day before we saw many, many runners jogging at a good pace at 7am in front of our hotel, along the water front. We took a video and they urged us to join. “Tomorrow!!” ,shouted Roger.

Confirmation that Sarawak’s running culture is very strong! 

Logistics when running in this latitude

The event races are run in the wee hours of the morning to avoid the heat, and there were water stations offering water and electrolyte drinks every 2 kilometers. Really helpful because, despite it still being not yet daytime, the humidity made us sweat like crazy!

The marathon started at 1am. The half marathon, at 2am. The race we ran, the 10k “Speed run”, at 5am, while the 5k “Fun run” started at 5:30am.

There we went! Start and Finish Area

So at 4:30am we walked less than a kilometer through the streets of Miri, seeing fellow runners and also a few locals partying, quite wasted 🙂 Saturday night at 4:30am, so I guess it makes sense!

The area was alive and vibrant, as the half marathoners were queuing for their medals and Milo drinks, the marathoners were still running and the 10k runners like us were preparing.

We did our warm up exercises while the marathoners passed by, and music was blasting (but not too loud, to be honest, maybe because of the hour!)

First part of the Race

We started at 5am sharp, with a speaker asking us to tag the marathon in our tik tok and insta posts. And we obliged and did it 🙂

We passed the start line with Sarawak tourism ads and after 10 meters we saw our friends, the humanoid robots, the ones we saw in the Expo. In fact, I missed them because I was very focused on our fellow runners creating a kind of ‘traffic jam’, but Roger saw them and greeted them!

The first 2 kilometers were run through the city, so we took some videos of the illuminated buildings with neon signs, and Miri ads. It was quite crowded in the beginning but later it got much better. The course is wide and super flat so it was a delight to run!

We ran along wide avenues, and despite the heat, we advanced well. There were also quite a lot of female runners, which made me happy 🙂

Second Part of the Race and Finish

Then at kilometer 7 we reached the city centre again and we picked up the pace. We had a last water station here, and we could finish the 10k without problem.

We entered the finish line running fast and holding hands, very happy to have come to Miri to run this excellent race! The atmosphere was great, and the medal was very nice, solid and with a good design: also for the 10k runners. 

The ‘tee’, the finisher t-shirt, was only for the full marathon. Fair enough!

All in all: a must if you want to experience Sarawak’s running culture!

🍜 Carboloading 🍝: What to eat in Borneo if you are a runner

We enjoyed Malaysian food greatly, especially dishes rich in protein like honey chicken and black pepper beef. They are tasty, loaded with nutrients and always served with white, sticky rice. 

We also enjoyed lovely tropical fruits and vegetables, always colourful and refreshing.

It is easy to eat healthy as the vegetables are fresh and mildly spiced to give it a characteristic Malaysian flavour. I loved the Baby Kailan and Sauté long cabbage dishes. 

We also had Laksa in a food court full of locals. Very tasty, although a little spicy for our taste!

Laksa is a popular, aromatic Southeast Asian spicy noodle soup. It is characterized by thick rice noodles or vermicelli in a rich, flavorful broth based on either coconut milk (curry laksa) or tamarind (asam laksa).

And, of course, tea! Served with milk, very Brittish. Either hot, or cold. 

Bonus: Kit Kat icecream with Borneo Chocolate!

And, btw, I became obsessed with a Kit Kat ice cream labelled “Borneo chocolate” which I saw in an ad… and tried later in Sandakan. It passed the “hype” test.

It is seriously good. And in the Malaysian heat, definitely a must if you like chocolate!  

🏃 Miri Marathon in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. 5k Fun Run, 10k Speed Run, Half Marathon and Marathon.

👟 Urban: bring shoes for asphalt.

✅ The chance to be part of the awesome running community of Miri, Sarawak.

✅ Very well organized! With frequent hydration. Part of the World Marathon Majors association, too.

⚠️The extremely hot climate makes it necessary to be held at night. Starting off at 1am is not great!

Route we ran along Kinabatalang River:

Route maps for the different distances of the Miri Marathon Event:

“Land below the wind” by Agnes Newton Keith

If your travels take you from the bustling streets of Miri or the history of Brunei further east to Sandakan, Agnes Newton Keith’s “Land Below the Wind” is the essential literary companion. This 1939 memoir is a beautifully written, witty, and deeply personal account of an American woman’s life in North Borneo (now Sabah) as the wife of a British forestry official. Keith’s voice is remarkably modern; she captures the absurdity, beauty, and challenges of colonial life with a dry humor and an observant eye that makes the 1930s feel vivid and immediate. 🌿📖

Reading this book while visiting Agnes Keith House in Sandakan is a surreal, “time-travel” experience. As you walk through the airy, wooden rooms of her restored hilltop bungalow, the stories from the pages come to life around you. 🏘️🌬️ You can stand on the same veranda where she wrote her manuscripts, looking out over the Sulu Sea, and feel the exact same breeze she described so evocatively. It turns the house from a mere museum into a living set piece; you’ll find yourself looking at the gardens and the architecture through her eyes, sensing the ghosts of the dinner parties and the quiet moments of reflection that defined her life in Sabah. It is the ultimate way to connect the spirit of the place with the reality of its history! 🦜✨