Take Advantage of Royal Brunei’s New Regional Service Within Borneo

Royal Brunei has recently launched more flights as part of its new RB Link service, offering passengers a gateway to Brunei, Borneo and beyond. Read on to find out more…

Royal Brunei launched its new innovative RB Link service this summer in partnership with Malindo Air, expanding its network reach and connecting Brunei with 4 new destinations on the island of Borneo: Sandakan, Bintulu, Tawau and Sibu plus the two existing routes of Kota Kinabalu and Kuching in Malaysia.

The RB Link flights will be served by the brand new ATR 72-600 aircraft in association with Malindo Air which offers Royal Brunei’s signature on-board service, food and drinks on flights over one hour, the Muhibah in-flight magazine and entertainment on personal electronic devices.

These regional routes are ideal for a stopover if you’re flying into Australia, as you can break up your trip and enjoy two separate getaways. The baggage allowance for these flights is 30kgs if you are departing from the UK. Here’s our top destination recommendations which make for exciting stopovers in Borneo…

Tawau
Tawau is the colourful capital of the Tawau district in the Malaysian state of Sabah, renowned for its incredible culinary scene with some of the most delicious seafood in the state and lots of cosy cafes. Tawau is one of the world’s largest cocoa producers and is considered as the gateway to the lush Tawau Hills Park, which has abundant plants and wildlife. Royal Brunei will commence operations to Tawau as part of its RB Link service from 11th November 2019.

Kota Kinabalu
This exotic Malaysian city was Royal Brunei’s first Malaysian route which the airline begun operations to on its first day back in 1975. It’s the capital city of Sabah which is one of the most popular destinations on the airline’s network with beautiful coastlines, bustling local markets and breath-taking natural wonders including Manukan Island and Kinabalu Park which is home to Mount Kinabalu. The locals are friendly here and the sunsets are breath-taking. Kota Kinabalu also boasts a booming arts scene, mega malls and charming waterfront restaurants.

Kuching
Kuching is the capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak with sacred temples, colonial buildings, museums and the scenic Sarawak River offering sampan rides that pass traditional Malay villages and historic architectural wonders. Kuching has quite an unusual name which translates as cat in Malay. The city is actually home to the world’s first cat museum - the Kuching Cat Museum so cat lovers rejoice! There are photos, feline artworks, cat-themed souvenirs and exhibits to admire here. Kuching was added to the RB Link service on 1st August 2019.

Sandakan
Sandakan is Sabah’s second city which is a key destination for encountering Orangutans. The internationally famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is located here which rescues and rehabilitates orphaned orangutans; there are currently around 60-80 of these fascinating apes living here freely in their natural habitat. Sandakan also has a very rich history; it was the former capital of North Borneo until the end of World War II and has several sightseeing landmarks that are important to this key period in Borneo history.

Royal Brunei Airlines is Brunei’s national airline operating to Asia, Australia and New Zealand via its hub in Brunei. The airline offers a guaranteed Dreamliner service from the UK to Brunei and onwards to Melbourne, Australia. Last year Royal Brunei launched the world’s first ever non-stop flight to Brunei from London Heathrow which takes just under 14 hours; the airline currently operates one daily direct flight between the two cities.