Enjoy an epic bike ride through the Iban heartland
Want to immerse yourself in the history and culture of Borneo while exploring the island by bike? The Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour is a one of a kind look into the epic past and present beauty of Borneo.
The Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour leads you deep into the Iban heartland, an area that rose from White Rajah rule and clashes with warring headhunters in the 1800s. You’ll cycle through the buzzing main square of Kuching, ride on a quiet longboat along flowing rivers, and pedal high into mountains with incredible views.
The Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour will take you to old military forts, like Fort Alice and Fort Margherita. Learn about their storied pasts and the people who created them before riding off past pepper farms and rice paddies. You’ll spend nights in local longhouses renowned for their genuine hospitality, tasting fresh fruit of a million varieties and local seafood.
The Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour not only connects you with Borneo’s past, but also introduces you to locals who can share with you what present-day life is like in this paradise.
Highlights of the Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour
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Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Kuching, Heritage Trail ride
You made it to Borneo! You’ll have some time to settle in your hotel before meeting your group and guide for the first adventure of your Borneo cycling tour. You’ll pedal off through the lovely main square of the old part of the city, getting a chance to peruse the Main Bazaar. Cross the river on a sampan ferry steered with oars to reach Fort Margherita, built by Charles Brooke in 1879 and named after his wife. Don’t worry, those cannons aren’t loaded anymore! Then, it’s off for a sunset dinner on the bank of the Sarawak River.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Kuching
Distance: 12 km
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 Boat to Beliong and Ride to Asajaya
After a quick transfer out, to avoid the busy traffic of Kuching, you will take a traditional sampan boat to cross the Sarawak River to reach an isolated mangrove island of Beliong. Very near to Kuching, yet isolated on an island, Beliong is home to three vibrant communities, each with their own cultural expressions. More recently, the impressive Chinese temple there has become a local attraction for devotees and local tourists. Perhaps lesser well known are the numerous trails that link the various communities and the numerous orchards, farms and plantations on the island. You will ride through partially gravel roads at a steady pace through mangroves, paddy fields, and Malay fishing villages. Stop to marvel at Beliong Temple before crossing the Sabang River on another wooden boat transfer. You'll drop by a local fishing market and take photos of the catches of the day. Enjoy the scenic ride on a combination of tarmac road and gravel back lane as you cycle along the river bunds along the South China Sea coastline. Stop at the small buzzling town of Asajaya for lunch before riding to a comfortable Malay homestay at Sadong Jaya. Enjoy the home cooked Bugis Malay dinner at one of the traditional timber Malay village houses.
Overnight Location: Homestay at Sadong Jaya.
Distance: 41km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 Asajaya to Maludam National Park
The road is all flat throughout the day as you continue our ride up the coastway. Along the way, you cross two major Borneo rivers, one over a huge bridge and the other using a unique community car ferry. You will end the cycling today by riding into the Kampung Hilir Maludam, a peaceful Malay fishing village, where you’ll check into a local hotel. You will leave our bikes at the hotel and take a 45-minute boat ride to the little-visited Maludam National Park in search of big-nose proboscis monkeys, and if you are lucky, you may have a chance to sight the endangered Red Banded Langur. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the quaint Malay fishing village that is famous for its jellyfish and dried fish processing. In the evening, walk to the old town area for some local dinner.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Maludam National Park
Distance: 58 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 Transfer to Debak - Iban Longhouse - Betong
After an early breakfast, you take a drive on a scenic road along the coast, and after a ferry crossing into the outpost town of Pusa, you head westward into the interior of Borneo as you enter the Iban communities territory. At the small rustic town of Debak, you get back in the saddle, and you can enjoy the great view of the rainforest dotted with small scale pepper farms, rice fields, and rubber plantations. As you slowly ride into the heartland of the Iban tribe, you will discover more and more longhouse settlements lining the side of the road. The main sources of income in the interior is rubber tapping and pepper planting. You’ll see raw rubber being dried in front of the longhouse as well as pepper processing! After a good stint of pedaling,you disembark at an authentic century-old longhouse and drop in to visit one of the oldest Iban longhouses in the region to walk through their rich history and learn more about their descendants which still plays an important part in the social and political life in Sarawak. You then continue cycling through secondary forests and rubber and palm plantations, taking in the fresh air and peaceful natural surroundings and enter into the township of Betong for a well deserved lunch at a good local coffee-shop! Visit Fort Lily (1855), built to fortify this 'outstation'. Lily has seen considerable action in the turbulent times when Iban chief Rentap challenged the Rajah; some of the cannon used in the skirmishes are preserved in the Betong District Office. Overnight is at a local comfortable 2-Stars standard hotel.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Betong
Distance: 48 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 Transfer to Sri Aman - Ride to Lingga - Boat to Banting
Today starts with a van ride upcountry and then a ride towards the Kalimatan border. You’ll pass quite a few longhouses along the route, marking this as the Iban heartland. Follow the Lemanak River to a lake nestled into the hills, where it’s time to set off by boat to the Batang Ai Resort. Spend the rest of the day relaxing as you like and enjoying the weather.
Overnight Location: Banting Longhouse
Distance: 49 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 Return to Sri Aman - Fort Alice - Transfer to Kuching
Your last full day cycling through Borneo begins with a scenic ride through the countryside that flanks the border with Indonesia. Mountain views spoil you along the way! Enjoy lunch at Engkillili before a transfer to Kuching arrives. Enjoy the relaxing ride back and then settle in for dinner at Topspot Food Center in Kuching, a delicious mix of the best food in Sarawak. The ambiance isn’t quite on point and it’s not fancy, but the food is worth writing home about!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Kuching
Distance: 30 km
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 Goodbye, Borneo!
Enjoy a final breakfast before your cycling tour of Borneo concludes. If you’re not in a rush, feel free to book an extra excursion or a few extra nights.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour Price and Dates
This guided cycling tour of Borneo is run as a fixed-departure tour where you’d be joining a group.
Prices below are per person sharing a double or a triple room:
Accommodation on the Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour
This tour is based in 3 and 3.5-star hotels, traditional longhouses, and resorts. The lodges offer unique rooms with great locations. Rooms are double occupancy, and single travellers will pay a supplement.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other, comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
You can pay a supplement of $225 USD have a private room in a hotel. Contact us and we can try and match single travellers up where possible.
Hotels on Standard Tour
Basaga Hotel in Kuching ★★★
The Basage Hotel offers air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a pool, and free bottled water. The rooms are simple but comfortable.
Banting Longhouse in Banting
This traditional longhouse offers basic accommodation with heartfelt hospitality.
Maludam Homestay in Maludam
This homestay is run by warm, friendly hosts who cook delicious local food.
Ulu Bayor Longhouse
This longhouse has a lovely location and very gracious hosts.
Banting Longhouse in Banting
This traditional longhouse offers basic accommodation with heartfelt hospitality.
Basaga Hotel in Kuching ★★★
The Basage Hotel offers air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a pool, and free bottled water. The rooms are simple but comfortable.
What’s Included in the Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour?
Meals
6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 6 dinners are included, as well as drinks and snacks each day.
Accommodations
Accommodation for 6 nights is included.
Transportation during the Tour
This tour includes all the necessary transfers, as well as airport pick up and drop off.
Also Included
- English-speaking guide
- Entrance fees to national parks and historical sites
Not included
- Travel insurance
- Travel to and from Kuching
- Lunches and dinners or drinks and snacks not previously mentioned
- Tourist taxes if applicable
- Personal equipment
Optional Extras
- Bike rental including helmet – $125 USD per bike
- Any additional nights before or after tour
Frequently Asked Questions about Headhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour
Paradesa Borneo is a boutique adventure tour operator in Borneo, allowing guests to explore the rural areas and natural wilderness of Borneo. Their tours go off the beaten path, showcasing the best of Borneo’s beauty.
Paradesa prefers to take you away from well-trodden tourist attractions and into the incredible natural world. They focus on responsible and sustainable travel in all endeavors.
Paradesa has cultivated meaningful relationships with locals, supporting their environmental initiatives and using their tours to contribute to the local economy. These partnerships make for amazing cultural exchanges and exceptional authenticity in their adventures.
Learn MoreHeadhunter’s Heartland Biking Tour Map
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Delilah is a favourite in Paradesa's TripAdvisor reviews, welcoming guests with warmth and humour. She has been guiding since 2018 and loves every day of her work. Delilah most loves sharing the heritage and culture of Borneo, as well as taking guests to hidden places normally only visited by locals.
- Q: What is your favourite trip to do and why?
- A: Longhouse trips! As a member of the tribe myself, I’m able to share and show the ways of my people in depth. Guests get to see the real deal: how they eat, how they live, how they work, their beliefs. It’s a firsthand experience.
- Q: What are guests most surprised about when visiting Borneo?
- A: Very friendly locals who always say hello even if you are a complete stranger. That, and how fluent the locals are in English! Also, the fact that Kuching is so clean, even with all that urban hustle and bustle going on.
- Q: What has your most unforgettable experience while guiding been?
- A: Taking care of an 80+ year old rider on one of our 14-day cycling holidays. The routes are challenging, and he finished the whole thing without faltering. I have such great respect for that man.