ADVENTURE

Glamping with a conscience on a hideaway Borneo island

Accessible and eco-friendly, solar-powered Ara Dinawan offers a combination of carefully corralled carbon and comfort — with a hint of aircon — to keep cautious neo-conservationists happy and informed.

by Nova Renata

June 2026

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Eco-friendly glamping in Borneo with an easy conscience is highly accessible at the sustainable Ara Dinawan Island retreat. The hop off is at Kinarut on the Sabah coast around 25km south of Kota Kinabalu/ photo: hotel

ASPIRING to be a wise wanderer I’m keen on destinations that offer quality relaxation — at various levels — but minus the guilty carbon footprint. In addition to choosing holiday escapes based on their eco-sustainable features, I am also in the habit of checking if they employ local staff and give back to the community. I’d like to think that whatever one spends on personal ‘healing’ should also trickle back into the community, helping the economy in whatever small way.

 So while I pondered the benefits of ‘community-based tourism’ the beautiful and laid back Ara Dinawan Island Retreat came to mind. The resort is located just a 15-minute boat ride from Apai jetty on the beach-draped Kinarut coast 25km south of Kota Kinabalu. You can park at the Beringgis Riverside Seafood Restaurant. As you cruise away from the jetty, the chaotic buzz of KK fades, to be taken over by the rhythmic hum of rolling waves. This is the welcome awaiting visitors at the private Ara Dinawan Island Retreat (www.ara-dinawanisland.my) that stands out as a pioneering Sabah glamping haven.

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Named after its oldest resident — a magnificent, 40-foot Ara (Banyan) tree that has stood sentry on the island since World War I — the retreat serves as an example of how low-impact tourism can help preserve Borneo’s vulnerable ecosystem.

Where standard island developments typically destroy shorelines to install heavy concrete infrastructure, Ara Dinawan chose a different blueprint: adaptation. Resort Manager Johnny Ong notes that the choice of glamping was intentional, allowing the retreat to meticulously weave its design around roots and branches.

The resort caps its daily footprint at just 30 guests, ensuring that the island's tranquil spirit remains unsullied by the pressures of mass tourism. Of course, this means slightly higher rates but not unaffordable.

Luxury camping in Sabah at Ara Dinawan Island Retreat features comfortable tents with ensuite toilets — and hot water. This is glamping with just enough creature comforts to give guests a sense of natural Borneo/ photos: hotel

For Ara Dinawan, being eco-ethical isn't just a marketing tagline, but is something incorporated directly into the daily operation.

From 9am to 3pm, the resort’s kitchen, clubhouse, and essential facilities run entirely on solar energy to cut carbon emission. The 14 comfortable elevated tent villas and communal spaces are also fashioned almost entirely from local and upcycled materials, blending seamlessly into the tropical jungle backdrop.

Unlike most isolated escapes, Ara Dinawan is connected to a freshwater pipeline from the mainland, drastically reducing the environmental toll of local extraction. This is paired with an extensive rainwater harvesting system used for maintaining the grounds and rinsing equipment.

In addition, all refuse is strictly categorised at the source — glass, paper, and plastic — and shipped back to recycling hubs in Kota Kinabalu. Food waste is also collected for composting.

Stepping into one of the 14 safari-style tents feels less like traditional camping and more like outdoors indulgence. Set on solid raised wooden platforms, each tent is spacious, boasting comfy beds, private ensuite bathroom, heated shower, and eco-friendly toiletries carrying the Ara Dinawan brand name. It’s a natural stab at ‘luxe’ and manages to combine comfort with that rustic in-the-wild feel.

The tent design allows the cool South China Sea breezes to act as a natural climate control throughout the day, although modern air-conditioning allows for a comfortable night’s rest. Now this is luxury! Outside your canvas door, a private deck faces the shoreline, offering front-row seats to breathtaking sunrises.

It was my first glamping experience, and the team at Ara Dinawan made sure that I had the best time. While electricity in the tents doesn’t get switched on until 3pm, I was still able to lounge comfortably at the reception and dining area with a free flow of coffee, country music and cool sea breeze.

On the island, a short boat ride from Kinarut, enjoy snorkelling off the reef (left, photo: hotel), freshly grilled smoky satay or let the kids splash at the small freshwater wading pool/ photos: Nova Renata

There is no WiFi at Ara Dinawan, but guests can still catch solid 5G coverage on most mobile networks. At the end of the day, who needs WiFi when there is a gorgeous white sand beach to enjoy?

The true luxury of a low-density private island is the space it grants you to disconnect. The shallow coral reefs flanking the shore are teeming with marine life and easy to explore on kayaks. Wade-in snorkelling is an option too.

For those looking to keep their feet dry, grassy, untampered paths cut through the centre of the island where, weather permitting, you can go on a short stroll to the other side of the island to catch Borneo’s fiery sunsets.

More importantly, the retreat bridges the gap between leisure and active conservation. Through collaborations with local institutions like Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), guests can engage in educational conservation programmes, including monitoring local coral restoration projects and learning about the island’s seasonal sea turtle nesting sites.

Unlike other island resorts that offer plenty of activities, Ara Dinawan is truly meant for rest and relaxation. If you feel that a night’s stay here is too much of a commitment, you can also opt for a day trip with snorkelling, kayaking, lunch and tea before heading back to the mainland. While you’re in these parts, you may also enjoy the Papar Tamu traditional open-air market that runs every Sunday from 6am to noon.

Ultimately, Ara Dinawan demonstrates that premium hospitality does not require the erasure of natural heritage. By restricting guest volume, keeping its community ties close, and carbon footprint light, this quiet sanctuary offers travellers a glimpse of Borneo exactly as it was meant to be experienced — unspoiled and peaceful, as nature intended.

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