MY · Sabah · 4.70°N 116.48°E

sapulut

Murut village stays, longboat rides and the limestone tower of Batu Punggul.

Best time
March to September usually has more dry spells. Rain is possible any day; high water can stop the cave trips, and low water makes the longboat slower.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly from KL to Kota Kinabalu (about 2.5 hours), then it's about 4–5 hours by road over the Crocker Range via Keningau and Nabawan, the last part on gravel. Hosts usually meet you in Sapulut and take you on by 4WD and longboat, so book the package before you go.
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MY · Sabahsapulut4.70°N 116.48°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Murut village stays, longboat rides and the limestone tower of Batu Punggul.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingSapulutMY, Sabah
KLsapulut
≈ 1,650 km from KL, as the crow flies
Kg. Salarom, Sapulut, Sabah: New houses in Kg. Salarom

Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small town deep in Sabah's interior, in Murut country towards the Kalimantan border. From here longboats run up the Sapulut River to forest camps, limestone caves and Batu Punggul, a limestone pinnacle you scramble up on fixed ropes. Village homestays round it off with tapai, gongs and bamboo dances.

Makan

  1. TapaiMurut rice wine, fermented in jars and offered to guests. A polite sip is enough.Map ↗
  2. Village mealsRice with jungle vegetables, river fish and often wild boar or deer, cooked by your hosts.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Batu PunggulA longboat ride upriver, a short forest walk, then a scramble up the limestone on fixed ropes. Not for anyone scared of heights.Map ↗
  2. The caves near PungitonWade and crawl through limestone caves with stalactites and underground streams. Bring a headlamp.Map ↗
  3. Longboat on the Sapulut RiverThe ride between forested banks is half the reason to come, even if you skip the climb.Map ↗
  4. A Murut village stayEvenings with your hosts, the gongs and the magunatip, the Murut bamboo-pole dance.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Book transfers, boats, guide and meals as one package. The activities start from different villages along the river.
  • Batu Punggul needs good fitness and a head for heights; the caves and the longboat are fine for most people.
  • Meals often include wild boar, so tell your host early if you need halal food.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.