Elevated eco villa overlooking the coral lagoon at sunrise

Eco Villa & Research Sanctuary

Where the Sulu Sea Meets Borneo's Ancient Rainforest

Eco-luxury villas funding frontline reef science and regenerative farming at the northern tip of Borneo.

Rainforest · Reef · Regeneration

A living campus devoted to coral futures and heritage crops

At the northern tip of Borneo, we steward a 33-acre coastal rainforest backed by the Coral Triangle scientific area. Our villas are built on stilts to protect the forest floor, powered by solar arrays, and cooled by sea breezes.

Sanctuary & Stewardship

Divers tending coral gardens at sunrise in Tun Mustapha Park

Orangutan calmly observing guests from a canopy platform in Sabah

Fresh durian fruit opened on a rustic table, revealing golden flesh

Sanctuary at the Edge

Wake to hornbills threading through the canopy and end the day with horseshoe crabs tracing the tide line. Elevated boardwalks weave between dipterocarp giants, linking suites to research decks and the tidal lagoon where new coral gardens are tended daily.

Borneo Reserve was designed with marine biologists, local Sabahan architects, and the Kudat community to minimise disturbance to wildlife corridors. Villas rest on stilts to preserve root systems, while rainwater catchment and solar arrays power daily research operations.

Regenerative Hospitality

Every stay funds our coral nurseries, reef monitoring dives, and scholarships for young marine stewards from coastal villages. Guests can dive among freshly planted coral fragments each afternoon, then dine on fruit harvested from our regenerative orchard under a canopy alive with fireflies.

Cacao-fermentation tastings and culinary labs showcase our commercial D200 Black Thorn, D197 Musang King, and D214 Tupai King harvests alongside guest-only flights of Kampung durian, Durio dulcis, Durio kutejensis, and Durio graveolens.

Reef corridors from Sabah to the Coral Triangle scientific area

A glance at how our lagoon in Tun Mustapha Park ladders into one of the planet’s richest marine bioregions.

The Coral Triangle scientific area spans roughly six million square kilometres across Indonesia, Sabah Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the Solomon Islands. Although it covers only 1.5% of the world’s oceans, it safeguards close to 30% of global coral reefs—around 130,000 square kilometres of reef habitat—with nearly 600 reef-building coral species (around 75% of the world’s total), six of the planet’s seven marine turtle species, and more than 2,000 reef fish species.

Tun Mustapha Park

Biodiversity in motion

Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) protects a mosaic of mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and coral reef habitats that serve as nurseries and migratory pathways for the Sulu Sea's megafauna. Whale sharks, reef manta rays, and marine mammals feed alongside the turtles and horseshoe crabs that return to our beach.

Sabah Parks documents an extraordinary spectrum of life across TMP—from fast-growing coral bommies to grazing dugongs. Spanning 898,762.76 hectares of protected waters, the park shelters nesting sea turtles that return to our beach each season. Our restoration work aligns with this protected network, monitoring keystone species and ensuring local communities share in its stewardship.

Fish Species

715

Seaweed Species

130

Coral Species

Shellfish Species

Sea Snail Species

Shark Species

Turtle Species

Dolphin Species

Dugong Species

Your Villa Above the Tides

Eight canopy villas frame horizon-to-horizon sunsets. Each suite pairs handcrafted bamboo interiors with contemporary comforts and scientific instruments for curious minds.

Interior of canopy panorama suite with open deck

Canopy Panorama Suites

King beds dressed in organic linens, rainwater-fed soaking tubs, and wrap-around decks floating above the treetops.

Plunge pool overlooking coral reef flats

Tidal Observatory

Private plunge pools overlooking reef shelves, with in-room scopes, field guides, and tide charts curated by our scientists.

Plant-forward Culinary Studio

Seasonal menus spotlight D200 Black Thorn, D197 Musang King, and D214 Tupai King durian with Kampung and wild Durio flights, paired with mangosteen, papaya, banana, pineapple, sea greens, and native herbs.

Lounge with vinyl turntable and rainforest view

Listening Library

Immerse in rainforest soundscapes, research dispatches, and indigenous oral histories curated for mindful evenings.

Impact That Scales With Every Stay

Together with Sabah Parks and Reef Check Malaysia, we are accelerating coral resilience, supporting coastal families, and restoring food forests.

Coral Fragments Planted

12,840

Juvenile Fish Return

320%

Organic Trees Under Stewardship

300

A Day at Borneo Reserve

From dawn reef dives to firefly-lit farm dinners

Slow travel itineraries pair research immersion with deep rest.

Sunrise

Tidal Deck Awakening

Begin with guided yoga as the Sulu Sea brightens, then join reef check snorkels beside our marine team to plant resilient coral fragments.

Midday

Orchard Tasting Atelier

Savor curated flights contrasting D200 Black Thorn, D197 Musang King, and D214 Tupai King with Kampung durian and wild Durio dulcis, Durio kutejensis, and Durio graveolens, poured with chilled torch ginger and pandan infusions.

Afternoon

Mangrove Steward Patrol

Glide through mangrove channels logging juvenile coral recruitment while hornbills arc overhead and ranger skiffs relay data to the lab deck.

Golden Hour

Canopy Aperitivos

Sip pandan and calamansi cocktails on the observation boardwalk as raptors circle and the lagoon shifts to molten gold.

Evening

Degustation Under Stars

Dine on durian, mangosteen, coastal greens, and sea herbs in a five-course progression that finishes with Kampung and red durian spoon tastings beneath a canopy of fireflies and constellations.

Stories from the Reserve

Field updates, resident scientist journals, and recipes from our kitchen.

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