A guided sightseeing tour introduces one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic metropolises, where remnants of past tradition – in Little India, China Town and the Colonial District crowned by famous Raffles Hotel – contrast with the glitz of Orchard Road and futuristic Marina Bay. Take in the Gardens by the Bay and the UNESCO-listed Botanic Gardens, where the National Orchid Centre is a breathtaking sight, and this afternoon, explore under your own steam, perhaps visiting Marina Bay.

Today you're free to perhaps take a cable car to colourful Sentosa Island, explore historic Collyer Quay and Clifford Pier, visit the city’s wonderful museums, enjoy the culinary delights of the famous hawker centres, or a Singapore Sling in Raffles’ world-famous Long Bar.

Transfer back to Changi Airport to board the flight to Kota Kinabalu, capital of Malaysian Borneo’s Sabah state, and your gateway to the rain-forested national park that lies beneath towering Mount Kinabalu, the country’s highest peak. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in the bustling, friendly city, overlooking the South China Sea.

Board the coach and journey into UNESCO-listed Kinabalu National Park, a forest paradise that's home to several unique species of orchid. Pause at the park’s headquarters, with its beautiful Mountain Garden Collection, before continuing to famous Poring Hot Springs. Enjoy lunch before an afternoon at the springs where, in addition to the chance to take a dip in the therapeutic waters, you can explore a jungle trail of walkways that runs through the rainforest canopy. At the end of a wonderful day, head to the welcoming Sabah Tea Resort for dinner and an overnight stay.

Spend a wonderful morning exploring the plantation, and learning about the production of rainforest tea, before travelling east to Sandakan, the former capital of British Borneo. Beautifully set upon its bay, Sandakan is a bustling jungle gateway with beautiful Buddhist temples and some elegant colonial buildings. Rest and relax in your comfortable hotel, a 10-minute walk from the town.

The world-renowned Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is dedicated to the protection of the "old man of the forest". Watch the resident apes being fed, find out how the Centre's work protects the orangutan population, and stroll through the forest on the marked trails, before heading to the equally fascinating Sun Bear Conservation Centre, where the smallest of the world’s bear species are cared for. After your visit, we'll head further into the jungle for a two-night stay on the banks of the Kinabatangan River, at the Borneo Natural Bilit Resort, with its hardwood walkways and its riverside cabins. Enjoy lunch, then join your guide for a sunset cruise, looking out for birds and wildlife hidden in the dense vegetation, and perhaps witnessing the extraordinary phenomenon of congregating fireflies as darkness falls. Rest and relax, perhaps wandering the boardwalks through the canopy and spotting wildlife.

Let the amazing sounds of a jungle morning wake you for another wonderful day. Cruise to Pitas Oxbow Lake to watch pygmy elephants and monkeys at play, and later enjoy an exciting sunset cruise.

Journey back to Sandakan and, after lunch, fly back to Kota Kinabalu for a three-night stay on the shores of the South China Sea, the perfect place for rest and relaxation after your tour. Spend your first evening enjoying the comforts of the resort, which overlooks a stunning, white-sand beach.

Make the most of two idyllic days, perhaps spent lazing by the pool or on the beach, indulging in a spa treatment, or enjoying water sports or golf (activities payable locally). A selection of dining options and the attractions of Kota Kinabalu, half an hour away, add to the pleasure of your stay.

After a final morning free, transfer back to Kota Kinabalu to check in for your overnight flight home via Singapore.

Arrive back in the UK, at the end of a marvellous south-east Asian adventure tour.