Along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) lives a small population of pygmy elephants — a rare and isolated subspecies with fewer than 1,500 individuals. Smaller and rounder than mainland Asian elephants, they move in herds along the riverbanks and are often seen on boat cruises from Sukau or Bilit. The best sightings are at dawn and dusk, when they come to drink and bathe. The area also offers great encounters with orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and hornbills. Best time to visit: dry season, from March to October.
