Guide to Sabah Borneo
11-Oct-2010 By AnnabelleJ
Sabah is the second largest state in Malaysia, located in the northern half of Borneo. Sabah is a backpacker and holiday maker’s delight for those seeking a change from the daily grind, catering for those seeking action, adventure and plenty of wildlife.
For the best flight deals fly into the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and then hop onto another plane for a short flight to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, with either Malaysian Airlines or AirAsia (the low cost Asian airline equivalent of Jetstar www.airasia.com). Alternatively from KL you can also fly into Sandakan, the second biggest city in Sabah on the north east coast.
Although you might not want to spend too much time in the cities, if you do decide to spend a few days in KL the Grand Millennium Hotel on Jalan Bukit Bintang is highly recommended. The Grand Millennium offers a very convenient central location (near a fantastic brand spanking new shopping centre), good customer service and is very reasonably priced when converting the Malaysian ringgit (MYR) back to the Aussie dollar. To eat, try Pappa Rich, also on Jalan Bukit Bintang for a vast range of affordable yet tasty local dishes.
Once in Malaysia and Sabah itself, your itinerary can easily be arranged through your hotel or hostel with their affiliate tour company. Be aware this is where you start making a dent on your holiday budget, as some of the tours can be costly so if you have the time and inclination then arranging it all yourself is definitely more cost effective and far more adventurous.
Overall the three highlights of Borneo are:
1. The Orangutans
2. Mount Kinabalu
3. One of the best diving spots in the world
Firstly, the Orangutans (which means ‘wild man of the forest’) are simply fascinating! Unfortunately in recent years the orangutan’s can only be found in the wild in Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia despite in previous years and centuries being found all over Asia. The orangutan’s demise is due to the ever increasing number of Palm Oil plantations which are springing up all over Borneo and rapidly destroying the land and vegetation, which is the main source of food for these amazing creatures.
Spotting an orangutan in the wild is hard, however a visit to Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre located just a short 30mins drive from Sandakan is where you will find the largest orangutan sanctuary in the world. The centre’s sole purpose is to rehabilitate and teach the orphan or “lost” orangutans how to fend for themselves in the wild. The centre was founded in 1964, the site is 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve and today around 60 to 80 orangutan’s are living free in the reserve.
A visit to Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre is a must. Make sure you arrive approximately 45minutes before a scheduled feeding time to ensure you watch the documentary and get a good spot at the feeding platform. It’s a memorable experience standing in the sweltering heat in the hushed whispers of other visitors waiting for the unknown, then all of a sudden someone spots a distant rustle in the jungle and an orange limb appears gracefully swinging through the trees towards the feeding platform. On the platform the orangutan’s feast on bananas and milk before disappearing back into the wild.
Although the orangutans are 96.4% similar to us humans don’t be fooled., However “cute and cuddly” they seem they can rip a human in half with their bare hands, so it’s best to keep your distance despite the temptation to get up close and personal with our furry friends!
Mount Kinabalu (gulp) is a prominent mountain in South East Asia and described by many as “the highest climber friendly mountain” in Asia. Located in the world heritage site Kinabalu National Park, its summit, known as Low’s Peak, reaches 4,095 metres (13,435 ft = really bloody high) above sea level. The mountain and its surroundings are among the most important biological sites in the world, with the most diverse range of flora and fauna, among them the gigantic Rafflesia plants.
Organised tours to climb the mountain can be arranged from your hotel or hostel and advance booking is recommended as there are only limited dorm beds available in the mountain lodge, located three quarters of the way up the mountain. There’s not much to do in the mountain lodge (apart from admire the breathtaking scenery of course) so you may as well enjoy a leisurely climb. Tip: remember to pack some playing cards, they will help you wile away the hours once you’ve take stock of the views. You’ll be pretty exhausted by the time you reach the lodge but will want to stay up for a few hours.
The main peak of Mount Kinabalu (and I quote) can be climbed ‘easily’ by a person with a good physical health and requires no mountaineering BUT make sure you read the official website (http://www.mount-kinabalu-borneo.com/) for useful tips, relevant information and general mountain climbing guidelines. My tip to you is make sure you train for this don’t be fooled - it’s hard and you need to be fight in order to enjoy completing it. Make sure you get an early night, lots of sleep and drink little and often during the walk. The climb on zero sleep is a killer regardless of how many people you have dragging you up the mountain. It’s recommended that you take the climb slowly (very slowly), to prevent altitude sickness. This also gives you a chance to take in the rich vegetation, wildlife and scenery.
Apart from climbing the mountain there are plenty of walks and activities to do in the Kinabalu National Park, like the Poring Hot Springs, the canopy walk and numerous trail walks. And if climbing is your thing then other peaks along the massif can also be climbed but do require rock climbing skills and courage.
On your return to flat, safe, even land if you fancy splashing out on some luxurious accommodation then a few days at the exclusive Shangri La Rasia Ria Resort and Spa are a must. It’s strongly recommended to those who’ve climbed the mountain and can barely walk. Don’t worry, the staff have seen all the tell tale signs of a body in trauma before so no need to feel self conscious as they are use to hobbling guests.
Located approximately 45minutes outside of Kota Kinabalu, the Shangri La is renowned as Borneo’s best hotel, a title it greatly deserves. The on-site nature reserve (where you can also see orangutans, elephants and other wildlife), the facilities, staff and activities offered are simply first class. Not forgetting the choice of culturally diverse food in the numerous restaurants around the resort, the sunset cocktails from the ‘boat’ bar and the private beach means you can easily get lost for a few days. The only catch is that it’s expensive (as you can probably imagine) and you have to pay for everything, so if you’re charging everything to your room you may get a shock when checking out, but oh how it’s worth it!
Borneo hosts numerous diving sites offering an amazingly diverse range of scuba destinations from diving with turtles, hammerhead sharks, and migrating whale sharks to name just a few of the sights you’ll see under the water. The main locations in Sabah include Sipadan, Kapalai and Mabul islands on the south east coast, Layang Layang on the north western tip and Lankayan Island on the north east side in the Sulu Sea. Each destination provides a new and exciting experience, but it’s recommended that you research thoroughly each destination to suit your experience. But the good news is that the dive season runs all year round in Borneo, depending on the location you choose.
Other activities and things to do in and around Sandakan include a visit to ‘Turtle Island’. This trip has to be booked through a tour company. After an hour boat ride (which can be choppy if you are prone to sea sickness) you spend a leisurely afternoon swimming and snorkeling and if you look across the crystal blue waters you see some of the southern Filipino islands. At night the turtles (who are massive) come ashore to lay their eggs. The freshly laid eggs are then very carefully buried about two feet underground in the hatchery alongside a sign recording the date, year and number of eggs buried. The highlight of the trip is watching the release of 100 or so baby turtles, each the size of your palm carefully placed on the beach and guided into the water by one of the wardens with a torch. The newborns stumble into the water and then it’s back to your lodge for an early night.
Another destination in the region is Tabin Wildlife Reserve (http://www.tabinwildlife.com.my). Tabin Wildlife Reserve is an enormous dipterocarp rainforest landscape and was declared a wildlife reserve because of the large numbers of animal species inhabiting its forest, including several which are highly endangered, namely the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Sumatera Rhinoceros and Tembadau. With a protected forest area of 120,500 hectres, Tabin plays an important role as a dedicated ground for the breeding of endangered wildlife and protected mammals in Sabah.
In short Sabah is a must see destination so add it to your list and start saving….
With love, AnnabelJ x
For the best flight deals fly into the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and then hop onto another plane for a short flight to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, with either Malaysian Airlines or AirAsia (the low cost Asian airline equivalent of Jetstar www.airasia.com). Alternatively from KL you can also fly into Sandakan, the second biggest city in Sabah on the north east coast.
Although you might not want to spend too much time in the cities, if you do decide to spend a few days in KL the Grand Millennium Hotel on Jalan Bukit Bintang is highly recommended. The Grand Millennium offers a very convenient central location (near a fantastic brand spanking new shopping centre), good customer service and is very reasonably priced when converting the Malaysian ringgit (MYR) back to the Aussie dollar. To eat, try Pappa Rich, also on Jalan Bukit Bintang for a vast range of affordable yet tasty local dishes.
Once in Malaysia and Sabah itself, your itinerary can easily be arranged through your hotel or hostel with their affiliate tour company. Be aware this is where you start making a dent on your holiday budget, as some of the tours can be costly so if you have the time and inclination then arranging it all yourself is definitely more cost effective and far more adventurous.
Overall the three highlights of Borneo are:
1. The Orangutans
2. Mount Kinabalu
3. One of the best diving spots in the world
Firstly, the Orangutans (which means ‘wild man of the forest’) are simply fascinating! Unfortunately in recent years the orangutan’s can only be found in the wild in Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia despite in previous years and centuries being found all over Asia. The orangutan’s demise is due to the ever increasing number of Palm Oil plantations which are springing up all over Borneo and rapidly destroying the land and vegetation, which is the main source of food for these amazing creatures.
Spotting an orangutan in the wild is hard, however a visit to Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre located just a short 30mins drive from Sandakan is where you will find the largest orangutan sanctuary in the world. The centre’s sole purpose is to rehabilitate and teach the orphan or “lost” orangutans how to fend for themselves in the wild. The centre was founded in 1964, the site is 43 sq km of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve and today around 60 to 80 orangutan’s are living free in the reserve.
A visit to Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre is a must. Make sure you arrive approximately 45minutes before a scheduled feeding time to ensure you watch the documentary and get a good spot at the feeding platform. It’s a memorable experience standing in the sweltering heat in the hushed whispers of other visitors waiting for the unknown, then all of a sudden someone spots a distant rustle in the jungle and an orange limb appears gracefully swinging through the trees towards the feeding platform. On the platform the orangutan’s feast on bananas and milk before disappearing back into the wild.
Although the orangutans are 96.4% similar to us humans don’t be fooled., However “cute and cuddly” they seem they can rip a human in half with their bare hands, so it’s best to keep your distance despite the temptation to get up close and personal with our furry friends!
Mount Kinabalu (gulp) is a prominent mountain in South East Asia and described by many as “the highest climber friendly mountain” in Asia. Located in the world heritage site Kinabalu National Park, its summit, known as Low’s Peak, reaches 4,095 metres (13,435 ft = really bloody high) above sea level. The mountain and its surroundings are among the most important biological sites in the world, with the most diverse range of flora and fauna, among them the gigantic Rafflesia plants.
Organised tours to climb the mountain can be arranged from your hotel or hostel and advance booking is recommended as there are only limited dorm beds available in the mountain lodge, located three quarters of the way up the mountain. There’s not much to do in the mountain lodge (apart from admire the breathtaking scenery of course) so you may as well enjoy a leisurely climb. Tip: remember to pack some playing cards, they will help you wile away the hours once you’ve take stock of the views. You’ll be pretty exhausted by the time you reach the lodge but will want to stay up for a few hours.
The main peak of Mount Kinabalu (and I quote) can be climbed ‘easily’ by a person with a good physical health and requires no mountaineering BUT make sure you read the official website (http://www.mount-kinabalu-borneo.com/) for useful tips, relevant information and general mountain climbing guidelines. My tip to you is make sure you train for this don’t be fooled - it’s hard and you need to be fight in order to enjoy completing it. Make sure you get an early night, lots of sleep and drink little and often during the walk. The climb on zero sleep is a killer regardless of how many people you have dragging you up the mountain. It’s recommended that you take the climb slowly (very slowly), to prevent altitude sickness. This also gives you a chance to take in the rich vegetation, wildlife and scenery.
Apart from climbing the mountain there are plenty of walks and activities to do in the Kinabalu National Park, like the Poring Hot Springs, the canopy walk and numerous trail walks. And if climbing is your thing then other peaks along the massif can also be climbed but do require rock climbing skills and courage.
On your return to flat, safe, even land if you fancy splashing out on some luxurious accommodation then a few days at the exclusive Shangri La Rasia Ria Resort and Spa are a must. It’s strongly recommended to those who’ve climbed the mountain and can barely walk. Don’t worry, the staff have seen all the tell tale signs of a body in trauma before so no need to feel self conscious as they are use to hobbling guests.
Located approximately 45minutes outside of Kota Kinabalu, the Shangri La is renowned as Borneo’s best hotel, a title it greatly deserves. The on-site nature reserve (where you can also see orangutans, elephants and other wildlife), the facilities, staff and activities offered are simply first class. Not forgetting the choice of culturally diverse food in the numerous restaurants around the resort, the sunset cocktails from the ‘boat’ bar and the private beach means you can easily get lost for a few days. The only catch is that it’s expensive (as you can probably imagine) and you have to pay for everything, so if you’re charging everything to your room you may get a shock when checking out, but oh how it’s worth it!
Borneo hosts numerous diving sites offering an amazingly diverse range of scuba destinations from diving with turtles, hammerhead sharks, and migrating whale sharks to name just a few of the sights you’ll see under the water. The main locations in Sabah include Sipadan, Kapalai and Mabul islands on the south east coast, Layang Layang on the north western tip and Lankayan Island on the north east side in the Sulu Sea. Each destination provides a new and exciting experience, but it’s recommended that you research thoroughly each destination to suit your experience. But the good news is that the dive season runs all year round in Borneo, depending on the location you choose.
Other activities and things to do in and around Sandakan include a visit to ‘Turtle Island’. This trip has to be booked through a tour company. After an hour boat ride (which can be choppy if you are prone to sea sickness) you spend a leisurely afternoon swimming and snorkeling and if you look across the crystal blue waters you see some of the southern Filipino islands. At night the turtles (who are massive) come ashore to lay their eggs. The freshly laid eggs are then very carefully buried about two feet underground in the hatchery alongside a sign recording the date, year and number of eggs buried. The highlight of the trip is watching the release of 100 or so baby turtles, each the size of your palm carefully placed on the beach and guided into the water by one of the wardens with a torch. The newborns stumble into the water and then it’s back to your lodge for an early night.
Another destination in the region is Tabin Wildlife Reserve (http://www.tabinwildlife.com.my). Tabin Wildlife Reserve is an enormous dipterocarp rainforest landscape and was declared a wildlife reserve because of the large numbers of animal species inhabiting its forest, including several which are highly endangered, namely the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, Sumatera Rhinoceros and Tembadau. With a protected forest area of 120,500 hectres, Tabin plays an important role as a dedicated ground for the breeding of endangered wildlife and protected mammals in Sabah.
In short Sabah is a must see destination so add it to your list and start saving….
With love, AnnabelJ x
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