Paganakan Dii Tropical Retreat

Very simple jungle stay near Sepilok. Staff is nice and helpful, food is also good but no daily cleaning of rooms (even after mentioning that lots of leaves blew into outdoor shower after a storm). Insects can easily enter your room and there are mice on the roofs making noise at night. I recommend taking the superior rooms (not available on Trip.com when we booked) because they have a much better view and are not covered by trees which I assume means fewer mice.

What I liked a lot: Well situated to visit main attractions in Sepilok: Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre/Sunbear centre/Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), free shuttle bus to the main attractions (09h-14h-16) which was really great. Also offer tours at reasonable prices e.g. Mangroves & Firefly Cruise (recommended). Free water dispenser. To note: rooms are very basic (there is airco), we had some ants in the room, bathroom is outside. Breakfast was limited and minimal. When we were there internet was not functional, luckily we had taken local simcard before with unlimited data so for us, this was not a big issue. Before coming to the hotel, I had sent a mail to have info about tours they offered, but never received a reply therefore I had booked tours with an agency which in the end was more expensive then when I would have it booked with Paganakan Dii Tropical Retreat. Possible to book tours on the spot (no need to reserve before coming) but I did not know this in advance.

A truly unique and fantastic experience. If you are used to 5* luxury then maybe this is not for you; you are living in the rainforest, so will be living with the wildlife the comes with it- we saw a few lizards in our dorm and in the toilet, and could hear the rainforest come alive with cicadas and other creatures at night, however this is all part of the experience being in nature. It was very social and we got chatting to lots of lovely people. The staff were lovely and served breakfast, lunch, and dinner which were really tasty and at a good price. They have a water dispenser so you can bring a water bottle and fill it up whenever you need for no extra cost. They also had a free shuttle bus going to the key tourist spots which is a great perk, and were really good at recommending where to go. The views from the property were also absolutely breathtaking. In the dorms, you are given a locker and they also provide a towel. Could not recommend this place more!

The place was absolutely fantastic, not one single fault! The staff were incredibly friendly and accommodating, the beds were comfy, the facilities were all really good and the food was spot on! You also get to wake up to the sound of the forest, who doesn’t want that! The location was perfect for both the orangutang rehabilitation centre and Proboscis monkeys sanctuary. The place offers free shuttle to the orangutan's, and organises a shuttle to the Proboscis monkeys too! All in all one of our favourite stays yet, couldn’t recommend it any more!!

We booked the Kinabatangan River tour through Paganakan Dii, paying RM 300 per person in cash, without receiving any receipt. Unfortunately, the experience was deeply disappointing and far from what was promised. The driver who was supposed to pick us up arrived 30 minutes late and kept burping loudly and repeatedly throughout the journey, which was extremely unpleasant. On top of that, he drove recklessly, overtaking cars even when trucks were coming from the opposite direction, putting everyone's safety at risk. The boat trip did not go through real wildlife areas but instead through palm oil plantations and degraded landscapes. The guide was completely unqualified: he shouted at the only few monkeys we saw and provided no information during the tour. The boat had no roof, wooden board for seating, and lacked any kind of comfort or proper facilities. We were so dissatisfied that we asked to return early and skipped the included dinner due to poor hygiene and lack of trust in the service. Having to tip to use a poorly maintained toilet at the starting point, after paying such a high price, only added to the sense of being scammed. This tour did not deliver on any of its promises and was absolutely not worth the high price we paid. We do not recommend it under any circumstances. We tried to speak to a woman at the retreat who claimed to be the manager, but she was extremely unpleasant, treated us as if we were fools, refused to take any responsibility, and made no effort to resolve the situation. We strongly advise against dealing with her in any way. We urge other travelers to make sure they book with reliable, reputable operators who offer clear guarantees and professional service. This was a regrettable experience we would not want others to go through. To make things worse, there were cats and dogs that were clearly neglected, some visibly sick or suffering from infections, with no signs of receiving proper care. It was heartbreaking to see and added to the overall sense of neglect and lack of ethics in the place.

Best lodge in Sepilok/sandakan area! The staff are very nice, views are really great (ask for A1 room, we stayed here you get the best views of the jungle) free transfers to sepilok, couldn’t ask for more. However it’s not luxury but personally I like rustic/basic places more so if you’re that type of person maybe don’t come here. Also, way less “touristy” than the places right next to the orangutans+ sun bears and also cheaper. Couldn’t recommend this place enough :)