Sukau Greenview Lodge Review: Our Honest Thoughts After Two Stays (2026)

Looking for Sukau Greenview Lodge Reviews and wondering if it’s worth it? We visited Sukau Greenview Lodge twice and have all the answers you need!

Choosing where to stay on the Kinabatangan River can feel overwhelming. With dozens of lodges offering seemingly similar packages, it can be difficult to know which one is actually worth booking.

We stayed at Sukau Greenview Lodge twice in the last year, returning for a second visit because we enjoyed our first stay so much. During our two trips, we experienced multiple river cruises, jungle walks and wildlife encounters, giving us a good idea of what the lodge does well and where it falls short.

In this honest Sukau Greenview Lodge review, I’ll share exactly what our experience was like, including the rooms, food, wildlife sightings and whether we’d recommend staying here on a Kinabatangan River cruise.

All opinions voiced in this article are our own, after booking and paying for the experiences ourselves twice.

Quick Verdict

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best for: Wildlife lovers, photographers, couples, budget-conscious travellers

Not ideal for: Luxury travellers

Would we stay again? Absolutely, we’re already planning a third visit!

Where to book: Book via Seek Sophie by clicking HERE

Why We Chose Sukau Greenview Lodge Twice

When we first started researching Kinabatangan River tours, we quickly realised that prices varied massively. Many of the packages we found were over £500 per person, which simply wasn’t realistic for our budget.

We came across Sukau Greenview Lodge through Seek Sophie and were immediately drawn to the value for money. The package included everything we were looking for at a much lower price than many of the alternatives.

Our experience once we arrived was amazing.

The wildlife was incredible, the guides were exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about the rainforest, and the itinerary struck the perfect balance between activities and downtime. We enjoyed it so much that we booked a second stay less than a year later.

For us, that’s probably the strongest recommendation we can give. We rarely visit the same place twice, but Sukau Greenview Lodge was one of the few exceptions.

About Sukau Greenview Lodge

Sukau Greenview Lodge is a jungle lodge located right on the banks of the Kinabatangan River. Surrounded by rainforest, you often get wildlife right in the accommodation grounds, including cheeky macaques, bats, and owls.

The lodge has a large restaurant built right on the riverbank, so you can sit with a cup of tea and admire the view, keeping a watchful eye out for wildlife. On our most recent visit, we saw a lot of birdlife whilst just sat in the restaurant. We also know of people who were lucky enough to see a herd of pygmy elephants on the other side of the river!

Sukau Greenview Lodge has various different accommodation options and packages to suit every budget. If you’re a solo traveller on a budget, there is hostel accommodation. If you want something a bit nicer, they have both double and twin suites, which are really nice.

Typical packages are either 2D/1N, 3D/2N, or 4D/3N. The 3D/2N package is most popular and is the one we opted for on both occasions. It gives you plenty of wildlife watching opportunities, and you leave with a real taste of what the Kinabatangan River has to offer.

All packages include transport to and from the lodge from Sandakan, Sandakan Airport, or Sepilok. All your food and activities are also included in the price which is amazing.

Sukau Greenview Lodge hosts guests of all ages. We’ve been on tours with families with young children, young adults, and retirees, as well as all different nationalities. The guides are amazing at making sure everyone has the best time.

The Wildlife Experience

If you’re thinking about visiting Sukau Greenview Lodge, you’re probably wondering what the wildlife experiences are actually like, right? After 2 separate tours with them, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what you can expect to see.

River Cruises

During the 3D/2N tour, you will go on 4 river cruises: 2 evening cruises, a night cruise, and a morning cruise. This is the best opportunity to spot wildlife in and around the river.

The boats are relatively small, with up to 6-12 people per boat on average. The seats are plastic but have backrests which are definitely needed on longer boat trips. The sides of the boats are high enough to make you feel safe away from the crocs, whilst being low enough to offer good wildlife viewings.

Jungle Walks

As part of your tour package, you will also get to go on two jungle walks: one in the day and one at night.

The first is the day jungle walk, which is actually one of the only activities that is not about the animals. Instead, you’ll get to learn all about the plants and how they’re traditionally used in medicine and survival skills, which is fascinating.

They provide wellies so you won’t get muddy, but you’ll need lots of insect repellent. This walk is totally flat, but you may have to step over tree roots and branches.

The night walk is in a different place and involves going up and over a hill before going back down the other side. It’s not particularly strenuous and you go pretty slowly. Again, make sure to grab a pair of wellies before you go. During the tour, you’ll see a variety of nocturnal animals including owls, stick insects, and possibly spiders or snakes (though we didn’t see any snakes).

Wildlife We Saw

Needless to say, there are no guarantees when it comes to animal sightings, as they are totally wild. However, we were very lucky on both of our trips. We can now say that we’ve seen the Borneo Big 5, though we only saw 4 out of 5 on each trip.

Visit 1

On our first visit, we were incredibly lucky to see pygmy elephants, a wild orangutan, proboscis monkeys, and the rhinoceros hornbill. We did not manage to see any crocodiles other than a small baby croc.

We also saw a huge array of bird life, two types of macaques, and the elusive Bornean fire bird which was incredibly cool.

Visit 2

On our second visit, we saw all of the Big 5 apart from the pygmy elephant. We got incredibly close, seeing evidence of one crossing the river just hours before we got there, but no actual sightings.

We did manage to see two wild orangutans, lots of 4-5 metre crocodiles, a huge troop of proboscis monkeys, macaques, rhinoceros hornbill, and a very rare white-crowned hornbill.

We were also lucky enough to see several civets, owls, and flying foxes (which are massive!).

Both visits offered completely different wildlife sightings, which is what we love about trips like this. The guides are incredible and will do anything they can to spot the Big 5 and lots of other animals for you. It genuinely amazes me how they spot half of the things they do.

➡️ Convinced? Book Sukau Greenview Lodge By Clicking HERE ⬅️

The Rooms

Now you know the wildlife side of it is amazing, let’s move onto the facilities, starting with the rooms. We stayed in the deluxe twin and deluxe double rooms on our two trips, respectively.

Comfort

I have to say, the rooms were incredibly comfortable. They’re very spacious, and feel almost brand new. Each room has a reclining chair which is lovely to relax in after an early morning tour. The beds were so comfortable, we slept incredibly well. You get two pillows so you can adjust it to your liking, and the bedding was silky soft.

Cleanliness

Both times we visited, the rooms were perfectly clean. There was no trace of anyone staying there previously, and not a single spot of dust had been missed. The rooms are not cleaned during your stay, but personally this did not bother us.

Air Conditioning

Thankfully, all rooms have air conditioning that works incredibly well. When we arrived, the air con was not on and it was pretty hot in there. We popped it on the lowest setting whilst out on our first cruise, only to come 2 hours later and it was freezing. So yes, the air con works incredibly well.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms are relatively compact, but designed in a way that seems to work. The showers were large and powerful with plenty of warm water. Basic toiletries were included, and I’m sure you could ask for more if you ran out.

WiFi

There is no WiFi in the rooms. This was not a deal breaker for us as we were rarely in our rooms. There is WiFi in the restaurant, however, and mobile data seemed to work well despite the rural location

➡️ Check Out The Room Options HERE ⬅️

The Food

Being vegetarian and dairy-free, I was a little worried about the food the first time we visited, but honestly there was nothing for me to worry about.

When you arrive, you will be given a guest registration form to fill out. Part of this includes a dietary requirements box, so if you have anything you can’t eat, just pop it in there, and they will make something specially for you.

Every meal is served buffet-style, with plenty of food for everyone. Lunch and dinner generally consist of some kind of salad, rice, vegetables cooked two different ways, meat, fish, soup, fruit, and cake.

Breakfast included chips, rice, steamed vegetables, chicken, sausages, toast with butter and jam, and fruits.

For the vegetarian options, it varied between tempeh and tofu, generally one for lunch and one for dinner. They cooked them in different sauces and they were super tasty. I’m a little fussy when it comes to tofu, and even I loved it. If you’re vegan, they will also give you a huge fruit platter for dessert.

On top of the 3 main meals, they also pop some cake out for you to help yourself to in the mid-afternoon. Tea, coffee, and water are free and available all day, plus squash with dinner. We loved sitting by the river in the afternoon with coffee and cake.

We were very pleasantly surprised by the food quality and quantity on both of our stays. If something ran out, it was refilled moments later. You won’t go hungry, that’s for sure!

Note – You can buy fizzy drinks on site for an extra fee, but if you want alcohol, the lodge advises you to bring your own.

River Bean Coffee

As of April 2026, Sukau Greenview Lodge have built the first riverside coffee shop in Sukau. Of course, we had to check it out, and we loved it. The coffee was good and the prices were reasonable, with a latte costing 13 MYR. They also have alternative milks, which I did not expect, and a selection of sweet treats.

It’s in a very peaceful spot, with big glass windows looking out onto the river and both indoor and outdoor seating. We visited on our second afternoon, just before a huge rain shower hit. It was so nice to be able to sit inside whilst watching the rain thunder down into the river.

So, if you’re in need of a ‘proper’ coffee, Sukau Greenview Lodge delivers!

What Is Included?

The tour is all-inclusive, meaning you can relax and fully enjoy the experience knowing everything is taken care of. It includes:

Comfortable accommodation
3 meals a day plus cake in the afternoon
4 wildlife-viewing cruises
2 jungle walks
Use of wellington boots for jungle walks
Transfers to and from the airport, Sandakan, or Sepilok

➡️ Before You Go… Don’t Forget To Book Your Kinabatangan River Tour By Clicking HERE ⬅️

What We Loved

We absolutely loved our experience with Sukau Greenview Lodge both times we visited. Here’s our highlights:

Incredible wildlife nearby and occasionally onsite
Friendly staff who grew up in the area
Small group sizes
Experienced and very talented guides with excellent wildlife knowledge
Safety comes first on the river
Eco-friendly lodges
Good food (and lots of it)
Great value for money
No two experiences are the same
They genuinely care about the animals and never exploit them for sightings

Things To Be Aware Of

Whilst we loved our experience at Sukau Greenview Lodge, you do need to be aware of a few things before booking. Whilst some are specific to Sukau Greenview, some apply to the Kinabatangan River area in general:

This is not a luxury tour – the lodges are lovely but don’t expect fine dining
WiFi is only available in the restaurant area (but mobile data works pretty well)
Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed – the guides are excellent, but they don’t control the animals!
It is very humid, but mornings and evenings can be chilly
It may rain even in dry season, and when it rains it really rains
If there is lightning, they will have to call off your cruise
There are a lot of mosquitoes

Of course, many of these are down to the nature of the tour, being in the rainforest, and your own safety and do not reflect the lodge itself.

3D/2N Tour Itinerary

Based on our own experiences, this is the itinerary you can expect from Sukau Greenview Lodge on the 3D/2N tour. It fits beautifully into a wider Borneo itinerary. Of course, it is subject to change and may vary based on weather, sunrise and sunset times.

Day 1:

Pick up from Sandakan between 12-1pm
Arrive and check in around 3pm
4:30-6:30pm wildlife cruise
Dinner at 7pm
8-9pm night cruise

Day 2:

6-7:30am cruise
Breakfast at 8am
9:30-11:30am jungle walk
Lunch at 12:30pm
3-3:30pm cultural talk
4:30-6:30pm cruise
Dinner at 7pm
8-9pm night walk

Day 3:

Optional additional morning cruise (extra charge, only if availability allows)
Breakfast 8am
Depart 9am
Arrive back to Sandakan at 11:30am-12pm

The Future Of Sukau Greenview Lodge

Sukau Greenview Lodge appears to be investing money into expanding their facilities and services. When we visited for the second time, they had already expanded the restaurant and are working to expand it further. They also have the coffee shop now, something which other lodges on the river currently do not have, and they seemed to be building some new accommodations.

So they are definitely expanding to match the increased tourism on the river. I am excited to see what the future of Sukau Greenview holds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have a few questions? We’ve answered the most common questions below.

How Much Does Sukau Greenview Lodge Cost?

At the time of writing, Sukau Greenview Lodge costs between £111 and £205 per person for the 3D/2N tour, depending on the room chosen.

How Do You Get To Sukau Greenview Lodge?

Transfers to Sukau Greenview Lodge are by comfortable minivan and are included in your tour price.

Is Sukau Greenview Lodge Suitable For Families?

Yes, Sukau Greenview Lodge is suitable for families. On both of our visits, there were several families who seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves.

Can You See Orangutans From Sukau Greenview Lodge?

Whilst it is unlikely you will see orangutans directly from the lodge, the river safaris offer a good chance to see wild orangutans. We saw one on each of our visits. Of course, as they are wild, sightings are not guaranteed.

How Many Nights Should You Stay?

We recommend staying a minimum of 2 nights for the best wildlife viewing opportunities.

Does Sukau Greenview Lodge Get Busy?

Sukau Greenview Lodge currently has a maximum capacity of 40 guests. You will only be with the whole group at meal times. For all the activities, you will be split into smaller groups of between 6-12 people which is a nice size. During the boat trips, they actively seek out areas of the river that have fewer boats (unless there’s an elephant or orangutan sighting reported nearby).

Wrap Up: Is Sukau Greenview Lodge Worth It?

After staying at Sukau Greenview Lodge twice, we’d stay there a third time in a heartbeat. Whilst it isn’t the most luxurious lodge on the Kinabtangan River, we have the best memories there. The guides are incredibly good, the staff are so kind, and the whole experience might be the best we’ve ever done.

If you’re looking for a good lodge on the Kinabatangan River that won’t break the bank but still offers an incredible experience, go ahead and book Sukau Greenview Lodge. We highly recommend it.