Sabah, which is located at northeast corner of Borneo and was named ‘Land Below The Wind’ by maritime traders during the ancient days because it lies below the typoon belt. It is the gateway in East Malaysia to the best eco-tourism spots in this region. Picture yourself in a place where the attractions of natural wonders are as varied as they are excitingly fresh and unspoilt. Uncrowded beaches, tropical islands, colourful marine life, cultural festivals and spectacular countryside. This region is a naturalist’s paradise home to both the world’s largest flower ‘Rafflesia’ measuring a metre across and Orang Utan’s ‘Wild Man of Borneo’ biggest sanctuary. Activities include jungle trek, mount climbing, cave exploration, rafting, expeditions, scuba diving, and snorkeling.

With a delightful mix of 32 ethnic communities, Sabah presents an alluring potpourri of cultural exotica and natural beauty. Mount Kinabalu, which is the icon of Sabah is the highest mountain in Malaysia that is rich in legend, beckons the adventurous.

PLACES OF INTEREST

• Mount Kinabalu Mount Kinabalu, is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia with the height of 4,095.2 meter and located between the peaks of the Himalayas and Wilhelmena in Irian Jaya (New Guinea). It dominates the landscape of the Kinabalu National Park. The highest point is Low’s Peak which is mount climbers utmost challenge.



• Kinabalu National Park Kinabalu National Park with the majestic Mount Kinabalu as its crown is perhaps Sabah’s best reflection of beauty. First gazetted as a National Park in 1964 and now proclaimed as a World Heritage Site in 2001. It is Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site and the park is one of the richest and most diverse ecological and biological areas in the world with flora and fauna ranges from lowland rain-forests to temperate montane oaks and alpine conifers. This brings with it a diverse range of temperature and climate with all its exotic plants, birds and insects with new species found every year. The park covers an area of 754sq. km and since British Colonial Officer, Sir Hugh Low’s famous visit to the park in 1851. Perhaps today, you will visit this revered site and capture the essence of Sabah’s most ancient of beauty – nature at its best. Thousands visit the park every year to climb Mount Kinabalu (4,095 metre) or trek along the nature trails at Park Headquarters.



• Poring Hot Spring It features open-air Japanese-style baths where you can take a dip to ease aching muscles. The water in these baths contains sulphur and is known for its curative properties, especially for skin problems. The sulphurous underground spring offer gentle relief for tired muscles and believed to have therapeutic properties.



• Canopy Walk The canopy walk here is one of the most challenging and rewarding walkway through the lowland rain forest and trails to the bat caves and waterfall. If you are fortunate, you may see a Rafflesia, the world’s largest flower.



• Gaya Street Fair (Sunday Market) An Open street fairs or ‘Tamu’ are held every Sunday in the heart of the city. These fairs gather the traders selling their farm produce, handicraft and foodstuff or even second hand goods. You can find almost anything at the Fair. From local handicrafts, souvenirs and clothing to food, drinks, delicacies and can be purchased for very reasonable prices. It also is a good opportunity to try out your bargaining skills.



• Danum Valley is one of the oldest rainforest in the world and prime example of lowland rain forest habitat. Nestled in the interior of Sabah, this is one of the last remaining preserves of primary lowland rainforest. Its 438 sq km area provides a rare ecological experience of prominent tropical animals such as (Civets, Clouded Leopards, Asian Elephants, Orang Utans, etc) and plant life found only in the forests, rivers and wetlands of Borneo. An extensive network of trails has been established to enable scientific research to be carried out in the forest around the research centre which is also part of ancient burial grounds.



• Danum Valley Conservation Area Danum Field Research Centre is located within the 440sq km forest reserve of Danum Valley to conduct the scientific studies on the richness of wildlife such as rare Sumatran Rhinoceros, orang utan, gibbons, mousedeer, bearded pig and more. Some 270 species of birds have been recorded. This research centre is known among scientist all around the world.



• Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary The world’s largest Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre is located in Sandakan and was established in 1964 to return orphaned Orang-Utans back to the wild. It is a fascinating place where visitors can observe man teaching these apes to live in their natural habitat. At this rehabilitation centre captive animals are retrained for their survival in the jungle. More than 4,500 hectares of virgin jungle have been set aside here as a forest reserves and rehabilitation center for orang utans which have been rescued from captivity or abandoned by their mothers. Visitors can come in close contact with this remarkable “Wild Man of Borneo” and photograph some of the mature females who have gotten so found of human company that they refuse to go back to the wild. There is also a platform to watch the orang utan come in from the forest for their rations of milk and bananas. The Orang Utan will return to the forest when they are able to fend themselves. Sepilok also shelters several species of mammals, birds and variety of wild plants within 5,666 hectares of forest reserve.



• Kinabatangan River Cruise Kinabatangan River is the longest river in Sabah which flows 330 miles eastwards into the Sulu Sea. The Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary is a great place for wildlife and is the largest forest-covered alluvial floodplain containing some of the few remaining examples of endangered freshwater swamp forests. Proboscis monkeys, wild orang utans, Macaques, Asian Elephants, estuarine crocodiles, clouded leopards, wild civet cats, and hornbills are among the most fascinating and extraordinary species to inhabit the lower reaches of the Kinabatangan floodplain. Also bird watching is common here with Kingfishers and egrets and other species of birds.



• Sukau Rainforest Located on the lower Kinabatangan River, the Sukau rainforest is teeming with wildlife, the star attraction being the proboscis monkey. The Sukau area is in fact so rich in species that, in a short stay, you can expect so see an unbelievable abundance of wildlife including primates, all manner of birds, crocodiles, vipers, cobras and other reptiles. Overnight stays can be arranged at riverside chalets and villages along the Kinabatangan River.



• Turtle Islands Park This Park consists of a group of eight islands and the largest island of them is Selingan Island. Green and Hawksbill turtles will come ashore 365 nights a year and will be laying eggs throughout the year, particularly from July - October. The protection of the Green and the Hawksbill turtles is the main reason for the park’s existence. Visitors to the island will guided by the Park rangers to watch the rare glimpse of the turtles laying eggs, process of collecting eggs and re-grouping the eggs for hatchment in a protected area to avoid from poachers and wild animals. The most anxious moment will be the releasing of the baby turtles into the sea.



• Monsopiad Cultural Village The Monsopiad Cultural Village is a historical site and the only cultural village in Sabah. It commemorates the great Kadazan head-hunter Monsopiad, who lived some three centuries ago. The direct descendants of Monsopiad document, revive and keep alive their culture and traditions, and on a tour of the village they will show you Monsopiad’s Headhunting Trophies. Founded in memory of a great Kadazan warrior, this living museum offers an interactive insight into the daily life of the largest ethnic group in Sabah. Visit a traditional house where the daily activities of the Kadazans are enacted, watch tribal performances and get dressed up in indigenous costumes. Here visitors will also have an opportunity to savour local delicacies.



• Gomantong Caves A boat ride across the bay from Sandakan and a landrover ride through jungles will bring you to these caves. Gomantong Caves is the largest and important source of edible bird’s nests in Sabah. Edible bird’s nests are one of the more unusual natural products of Sabah and a delicacy to the Chinese. The birds’ nests trade is believed to have begun since the 18th century, during the British Colonization. Within, swifts build their nests high on cave walls and roofs. Considered a delicacy, these nests fetch a handsome price, and men are willing to risk their lives climbing on tall bamboo poles to retrieve them. Two caves complexes produce different types of nests – the less valuable “black” nests in the more accessible Simud Hitam Cave, and the valuable “white” nests made of pure saliva in the Simud Puteh Cave. These caves which is Simud Hitam Cave and Simud Putih Cave are home to one million swiflets. The black bird’s nests and white bird’s nests are harvested twice a year by licensed collectors for export. It is believed for medicinal values and was much sought for Chinese base traditional medicines.



• Rafflesia Research Centre The largest concentration of Rafflesia buds can be found at the Rafflesia Conservation Area, which was established for the sole purpose of conserving this very rare parasitic plant. There is no particular flowering season for Rafflesia, and the flowers can appear at any time during the year. Nature trails connect all the known sites where Rafflesia buds are found and the Information Centre provides an excellent display on the life cycle of a Rafflesia plant which is the largest flower in the world.



• North Borneo Railway Discover the romance of riding on an old steam train with North Borneo Railway. Experience a journey back to the colonial days of the past through villages, coastal towns, padi fields, rainforests and plantations. And enjoy a tiffin meal highlighting an exotic blend of Asian and Continental cuisine. The North Borneo Railway features the Vulcan, a90-ton mid-centure steam engine with 6 colonial-styled carriages. Experience the Last Steam Train of Borneo.



• Borneo Handicraft Situated at the heart of Kota Kinabalu, is your one-stop-shop for all local handicrafts. If you love shopping for local arts and crafts, “Karamunsing Handicraft Centre” is your shopping paradise. It is a wonderful place to visit for a fantastic assortment of attractive Malaysian Borneo Handicraft such as ethnic textile weaving, batik, bamboo and rattan basketry, ceramics and lots more. Wide varieties of Sabah Borneo Handicrafts are available and take your pick from batik to basketry, handmade souvenirs to pottery and pearls. Handicraft items obtainable here are not only ornamental but also include gorgeous batik wraparound skirts: elegant batik-wear for men, intricate vases and stylish handbags that are all locally made.



• White Water Rafting (Padas River & Kiulu River) White water rafting may be just what you need and the Padas River is one of the most popular spot for this boat-rocking ride. The trip to Padas River is just as exciting a journey as the river ride. A 90 minute travel on road from Kota Kinabalu will take you to the town of Beaufort and from there, another 90-minute ride on an old-fashioned train to the rafting location, on one of the first ever built railway track in Borneo. The track is built alongside the Padas River, so you will be able to have sneak previews of the river and rapids during the train ride and glimpses of the local people’s everyday life. The rapids live up to their reputation and the excitement of riding into them can make you forget that you must row if capsizing is your intention. Rafting down the Padas River takes approximately one hour. Towards the end of your rafting ride, you can “body raft” the rest of the way to the lodge, where later you can enjoy a delicious barbecued meal and relax before your journey back to the hotel.



• Tenom Agriculture Park ‘Garden of Learning’ The 1,500-acre park which is Asia’s largest park boasts an amazing collection of native and introduces plants, beautiful landscaped gardens in the district of Tenom. Tour of the park includes Ornamental Garden, Living Crop Museum, Evolution Garden, Bee Centre, Hoya Garden, Native Orchid, etc. The Bee centre is recognized as one of the best Bee Research Centre in the region and has captured the interest from Europe. From the nine bee species recorded in the world, five species are found in Sabah. As for the Native Orchids Centre, it is recognized worldwide as the major centre for its Borneo Orchids collections. It has 400 of the 1,500 orchids found in the world.



• Rungus Long House (Rungus Tribe) Lies on the northern most tip of Sabah is the home of the Rungus tribe. The Rungus still maintain a strong traditional lifestyle where many continue to live in longhouses and adhere to animistic rituals and traditions.



• Sabah Tea Garden Sabah Tea, nestled into the lush tropical wilderness of Malaysia’s first ever World Heritage Site which is Mount Kinabalu. It endowed with an interesting plant and agriculture resource, Camelia Seninsis. Sabah Tea offers tremendous opportunities for those who yearn for a sense of real adventure and think of the great outdoor such as River Trekking, Fishing, Mountain Biking, Bird Watching and the choice is yours.



• Atkinson Clock Tower One of the most enduring landmarks in Kota Kinabalu, which has stood prominently on the bluff along Signal Hill, is the Kota Kinabalu Clock Tower. It was built as a memorial to Francis George Atkinson, the popular first District Officer of Kota Kinabalu. This memorial has the distinction of being the oldest standing structure in the whole of Sabah that survived the air raids and blitz of World War II.



• Saint Michael Church This beautiful granite church was built in 1893 and after 20 years was completed in 1906 by Father Henry Elton from England and sits on Elton Hill named after him. The Church is the first stone building erected in Sabah. Today, Saint Michael Church is the oldest church in Sabah.



• Hundred Steps By taking on the 100 Steps Walk, you are literally and physically retracing the steps of Sandakan’s historical colourful past for these were the steps that the thriving Chinese communities took to do their business in Sandakan in the early years. When Sandakan became one of the furthest outpost of the British Empire, the British Resident took to building its official residence at the very top of the Steps which Agnes Keith called the ‘finest hilltop in Borneo’ in one of her books.



• Agnes Keith’s House It was the home of Conservator of Forests, Henry George Keith and his American wife, Agnes Keith, a writer from the 1930s until 1942. The present house was rebuilt after the War and it was built upon the destroyed foundation of a previous, almost similar designed house, where the Keith family lived since 1934 until 1942 when the family was captured and imprisoned by the Japanese at Berhala Island. It was the first permanent timber house to be built after the War. Its restored status is a tribute in honour of Henry George Keith who contributed much to forestry in Sabah and to Agnes Keith who wrote charmingly of long ago Borneo in her four books where she has indelibly helped to promote as a tourist destination which is also known as ‘Land Below The Wind’.



• Sandakan Memorial Park (Australian Memorial Park) The Sandakan Memorial Park is dedicated to the Australian and British prisoners of war and local civilians who suffered and died at Sandakan and Ranau during the infamous ‘Death Matches’ in North Borneo during World War II. This memorial is dedicated to some 2,700 Australian prisoners of war and others who died at the Sandakan POW camp. The memorial comprises of three Memorial Cairns within the Park, a Commemorative Pavilion and the Sandakan Memorial. The Memorial Park gives visitors the opportunity to better understand the hardship of war, in the very place where wartime atrocities occurred. This Memorial Park is adjacent to the site of the original Sandakan Prisoner of war camp.



• Tabin Wildlife Reserve This is the latest addition to the many accessible wildlife attractions in Sabah. Tabin Wildlife Reserve is enormous dipterocarp rainforest landscape with a protected forest of 120,500 hectares and plays an important role as a dedicated ground for the breeding of endangered wildlife and protected mammals. The three largest mammals are namely Asian Elephant, Sumatran Rhinocerous and Tembadau are all found in Tabin. Other activities are Bird Watching and experiencing the spectacular of Borneo flora and fauna.



• Crocker Range National Park The park is situated in the rugged Crocker Range that divides the Western coastal plains from the rest of Sabah. Lying more than 300 metres above sea level, it is spread over 139,919 hectares of densely forested terrain. Vegetation is varied and the park plays host to the Rafflesia species, one of the three parasitic Rafflesia species found on Sabah’s mountain ranges. It is also home to primates such as the Orang Utan, Gibbons and furry tarsiers. Long –tailed macaques, bears, civet cats and wild boars also roam the park, while hornbills, pheasants and partridges can be spotted flitting between the dense foliage.



• State Mosque This is a gold-domed state mosque which reflects contemporary Islamic architecture.



• Sabah Museum This museum was built in the longhouse style of the Rungus and Murut tribes. The museum exhibits including wealth of historical and tribal treasures and handicraft of the indigenous people apart from notable ceramics. There also exhibits of life-size traditional houses belonging to six ethnic groups.



• Sabah Foundation Building A 31-storey Sabah Foundation building and is a magnificent and futuristic glass-shrouded tower of 72 sides. It is a striking landmark within the city.



• Mengkabong Water Village This water village is a settlement built on stilts planted into the seabed and the people lives here were once sea gypsies who lived on boats known as Sea Bajau or ‘Bajau Laut’.



• Kota Belud Sunday Market Famous for its weekly Tamu (open market), Kota Belud is a fascinating meeting place to trade local produce ranging from fresh vegetables, seafood, buffaloes and traditional arts and crafts. The indigenous Bajau tribe is well known for their horse-riding skills and gaily dressed ponies which are put on parade during special occasions such as Kota Belud’s annual Tamu Besar (Grand Market).



• And many more exciting places