Tag: Kinabalu Park

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

KK Bro

ALL ABOUT KK

Let us start off by saying there are so many places to cover when you visit Sabah, that we couldn’t even fit all of them in on our Taming Borneo adventure. It can get a little bit frustrating to plan your trip. Like really frustrating. We know what’s on your mind now; should we go explore Kinabalu Park? What is there to do in Kundasang Town? The fish spa in Ranau looks interesting, but is the Sandakan Crocodile Farm really worth the trip? As mentioned before, so many things to do in Sabah, but let’s start with things you can do at the heart of it all, Kota Kinabalu. On it’s own, Kota Kinabalu already has tons of places you should go and visit. But to make it easier for you, we’re going to split it into 3 sections; the city, the woods and the mountains.

IN THE BIG CITY

Being the centre of it all, Kota Kinabalu is your gateway to all things Sabah. It’s main airport, where all international flights land, is located approximately 10 minutes from the main town. Also, strategically located jetties, bus terminals and other forms of transportation is in close vicinity so we had no problem getting around.

Like the quirky charms of Sarawak’s Kuching , we got the same vibrant multicultural vibe from walking through the city. Some of the main attractions to ease your stay in the city in Kota Kinabalu are places like Gaya Street or the KK Waterfront where you can find your typical shopping malls, restaurants, bars and markets.
If you’re up for a bit of an adventure to find the best panoramic view of the city, we recommend the trek up to Signal Hill Observation Point in town, especially during the evening, because that’s the only thing that is between you and one of the best spots to view sunsets in the world.

2

*Hamanahamanahama* Kundasang, Sabah

INTO THE WOODS 

One of the first places we checked out in Sabah was Kinabalu Park. Located about two hours from the city, this is the place for you to experience the beauty of the land. The park covers an area of 754 square feet surrounding Mount Kinabalu. Besides enjoying the surreal beauty that’s surrounding you, there are many attractions like mountain biking, golfing, bird watching, farm tours, hot springs, canopy walks and of course the place itself is a perfect ‘studio’ to practice your photography!

3

4

Will model for food! Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, Sabah/Kampung Morolli Fish Spa

Mainly in Kinabalu Park, you can explore the many short trails which are marked with its distances. You could also trek all the way to the Timpohon Gate to catch a view of the majestic Mount Kinabalu for photos at the park centre.

5

Cows are the new cats! Kundasang, Sabah

UP THE MISTY MOUNTAIN

Last time, we took our hiking gear to Bako National Park, but this time around, we trekked Kinabalu National Park to get to the highly praised mountain view of Sabah. We’ve heard that this is one of the best places in the world to catch the best sunset views. And we’ve got to say, this was where our Taming Borneo adventure peaked. Literally!

6

“I can do this, I can do this”

Some backstory for this part of Sabah; formed about 10 to 35 million years ago, Mount Kinabalu is one of the youngest non-volcanic mountains in the world, and it’s still growing!

But of course, the main attraction of the park is obviously climbing the majestic Mount Kinabalu itself, standing at 4095.2 meters tall, which makes it, you guessed right, the highest mountain in South East Asia! Other than that, there are also activities like alpine rock climbing and paragliding that would satisfy your inner adrenaline junkie.

Quick note, anyone who wishes to climb this awe-inspiring mountain is advised to make reservations 6 months prior, as the number of climbers is limited to 135 pax daily. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
If you have more questions regarding our Taming Borneo adventure, please do leave a comment in the comment section below, or start a discussion; tell us your personal Taming Borneo experience!

Also do follow along our adventure on our social media platforms:

Instagram: @MyTourismChannel or #tamingborneo

Catch up with our Taming Borneo episodes:

Sabah : EP16

Sabah : EP16

Sabah : EP17

Sabah : EP17

Sabah : EP18

Sabah : EP18

 

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

The land below the wind

THE LAND THAT INSPIRED THE MOUSE

If there is one thing we’ve learned from our Taming Borneo adventure in Sarawak, it’s that when in Borneo, always expect the unexpected!
Talking about what’s unexpected, we’ve come to learn that Sabah’s rainforest is in fact the prime inspiration for the environment setting of Disney’s 2016 live remake of The Jungle Book? True story.
So the story is that one of the main VFX artist (Visual effects, fyi) for the movie, Helen Brownell, went on a 10-week expedition trip in Sabah 10 years ago.
10 years later, Helen was instantly transported back into the heart of the Sabahan jungle upon hearing her involvement with The Jungle Book remake. She said;
“I can still vividly remember the sounds, colours and the textures of the Borneo jungle. The gibbon’s constant calls, the constant humming of insects and birds” #tbt
It’s wonderful to think that Helen’s short stint in the Sabahan jungle 10 years ago, could still immensely inspire her when she brought the jungles in The Jungle Book to life. In her words;
“Nothing can compare to the real experience of being in the jungle. But having the challenge of re-creating such an amazing environment in CGI was a real joy. So many things during the project would spark up memories of my Borneo adventure. I was excited to re-create some of the beautiful and unique environments from my trip, and let my adventure influence a lot of the work I did towards the jungle in the film.”
It’s pretty cool that Sabah had contributed its magic of the jungle to the magic of the house of mouse.
So, coming to Sabah, the bar was pretty much set high and we couldn’t wait to see what it was installed for us.

THE ONE WHERE WE MADE IT TO SABAH

Let us start by saying Sabah is home to some of Borneo’s best attractions. Like Sarawak, it’s one of the best places in the world to immerse yourself in the wild and see rare primates like Orangutans, both in vast forest sanctuaries and out in the wild. But Sabah offers so much more than that to keen adventurers like us. So this time, in our blog and video series, we are going to tell you the best of the best that Sabah has to offer.
Situated at the northern tip of Borneo, Sabah is also fondly nicknamed The Land Below the Wind for its relative distance from the typhoon belt. First, let us tell you the 3 initial attractions that gravitated us towards this part of paradise;

1-1-1024x683

*speechless*. Kinabalu Park, Sabah

THE CULTURE

Like Sarawak, the state itself has an impressive diversity of culture, 32 officially recognized indigenous tribes. But comprising of two groups with 40 sub-groups, Kadazan-Dusun is the largest indigenous group in Sabah. Here we got to see the beautiful handicrafts made at the Rungus Longhouse, learn how they harvest honey in Kampung Gombizau and the handcrafted gongs at Kampung Sumangkap. Seriously, if you want to know more about the traditional arts and culture of Borneo, Sabah is your destination.

If you’re following our video series, you’d also be excited to know that Sabah is also home to the Bajau Laut people, some might recognize them as “Sea Gypsies” or “Sea Nomads”, popular for their seaborne lifestyle.

THE BEAUTY

With its national parks, wildlife reserves, and pristine untamed Bornean jungle, Sabah is truly the place to be if you want to root yourself back to mother nature (Besides Bako National Park). Pun intended. There is more than one way to enjoy the tropical beauty of the land. As for us went for a trek on Gunung Kinabalu to see the breathtaking mountain view of the land, but others who might want to have a more laid back trip can go for a gentle cruise on the Kinabatangan river. Other than that, one of the main star attraction here is Canopy Walk at Danum Valley which stretches across the tree canopies where we enveloped ourselves yet again in a sea of green, this time with the view of the jungle wildlife below. Whichever how you choose to view the land, Sabah’s natural beauty will leave you in awe the same.

2

End of the world? Tip of Borneo, Kudat, Sabah

THE WILDLIFE­­

For all birdwatching enthusiasts, Sabah’s Danum Valley is also home to half of the bird species in all of Borneo. That’s approximately find 290 bird species including 8 species of rare Hornbills. But other wildlife lovers would also be satisfied with its 92,400 hectares of virgin forest, that habituates rare and some even endangered animals like Sumatran Rhino, Sun Bear, Benteng and Pygmy Elephants, primates such as Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey, Leaf Monkey, Tarsier, Slow Loris and Macaque, highly secretive cats such as the Sunda Clouded Leopard, Bay Cat and Leopard Cat.

On a last note, we’d really say that Sabah is a haven for all eco and thrill seeking tourists out there so we definitely urge you to plan your trip a head of time to make sure your itinerary is in check and is booked ahead of time. Just so your trip would go as smooth as possible. Trust us, with everything they have here, you’re going to want to turn yourself into a scheduling freak so you’d get the most out of your time here. Cause if you do plan your trip well, it’s going to be an adventure of lifetime!

4

Not worried about piranhas! Sepagaya Reserve Forest, Sabah

If you have more questions regarding our Taming Borneo adventure, please do leave a comment in the comment section below, or start a discussion; tell us your personal Taming Borneo experience!

Also do follow along our adventure on our social media platforms:

Instagram: @MyTourismChannel or #tamingborneo

Catch up with the latest episodes of Taming Borneo by clicking on the thumbnails below:

thumbnail-ep-13-150x150

Sabah: EP13

Sabah: EP14

Sabah: EP14

Sabah: EP15

Sabah: EP15

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Lets go, Borneo!

THE CURIOUS CASE OF WANDERLUST FEVER

Looking back now, waiting to board our plane back home, we still can’t believe that we actually did it!

The journey has been unbelievable to us, after months of planning and restless anticipation, we finally got to pack our travel gear, cameras a really really good powerbank (we’re millennials after all) and headed off for an adventure of a lifetime in Borneo!

For a month, we travelled across the South China Sea, to the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah; to experience the best they have to offer. We sought out the best experiences, to learn new interesting cultures eat tantalizing local cuisines. But, our main purpose was to really immerse ourselves in the adventure that awaited us.

Like you probably are now, we were tired and bored of our 9-5 working lives. Day in and day out of the office, which one of us hasn’t felt like living zombies before? We needed a break from the rat-race, away from the overbearing ambiance of the city. Living in metropolis had exhausted our senses.  A short respite from the never ending sights of cold glass skyscrapers and the screeching sounds of the passing traffic was all that we needed.

Crashing waves, chirping birds, cool sea breezes and warm sandy beaches; what do they all have in common?

Answer: They are all constant in our lunchbreak fantasies. If you won’t admit it, we will!

Bitten by the travel bug, we were your definite stereotypical Wanderlusters.

At first, we were skeptical of curing our wanderlust fever in Sabah and Sarawak. Even as local Malaysians, the two states were still a mystery to us as everything we’ve ever known about them were from school textbooks or local papers. But after reading great reviews online and hearing personal experiences from family members alike, we decided not to skip this one out.

Now that we’ve experienced it, we can say they are truly the hidden gems of Malaysian tourism.

INTO THE WILDS OF BORNEO

IMAGINE THIS.

You are now standing in the middle a 130-million-year old tropical rainforest, while your cityscape fades to the recesses of your mind, let it stay there. It is truly a breathtaking sight; you are surrounded by towering ancient trees while rays of sunlight warm your face through the rustling greens of the canopies. Said to not only have one of the most biodiverse rainforests, it is also one of the most culturally diverse places on the planet. There is so much to be discovered here in Borneo!

Sunset straight out of a dream! Miri, Sarawak

Sunset straight out of a dream! Miri, Sarawak

On our journey, we’ve passed through the enchanting forests of Bako National Park, had a little dance battle in the center of a drum circle at the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, swam in the clear waters of Semporna and trekked the Mountain View in Kinabalu Park, Sabah. Being the beach bums we are, we also hung out at some of the most pristine secluded beaches in Malaysia. That’s just us touching the surface of the water.

All things fresh and rare at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

All things fresh and rare at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

No picture in the world can do justice to Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

No picture in the world can do justice to Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

We saw rare Proboscis Monkeys in the lush greeneries of Danum Valley, and not to mention majestic Hornbills taking flight right in front of our eyes! We even saw the legendary Orangutan at the Matang Wildlife Centre and visited endangered Sunbears at The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. It’s literally the wildest we’ve ever been!

One thing we’ve learned from the trip is that the world has so much more to offer; if you show your interest in it. If there is anything we hope to accomplish with our Taming Borneo series, it is to encourage others to follow in our footsteps, and explore the world beyond the comfort of your front door.

Take action. Plan your trip, and cure that wanderlust fever!

If you have more questions regarding our Taming Borneo adventure, please do leave a comment in the comment section below, or start a discussion; tell us your personal Taming Borneo experience!

Also do follow along our adventure on our social media platforms:

Instagram: @MyTourismChannel or #tamingborneo         

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

LETS GO, BORNEO!

 

THE CURIOUS CASE OF WANDERLUST FEVER

Looking back now, waiting to board our plane back home, we still can’t believe that we actually did it!

The journey has been unbelievable to us, after months of planning and restless anticipation, we finally got to pack our travel gear, cameras a really really good powerbank (we’re millennials after all) and headed off for an adventure of a lifetime in Borneo!

For a month, we travelled across the South China Sea, to the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah; to experience the best they have to offer. We sought out the best experiences, to learn new interesting cultures eat tantalizing local cuisines. But, our main purpose was to really immerse ourselves in the adventure that awaited us.

Like you probably are now, we were tired and bored of our 9-5 working lives. Day in and day out of the office, which one of us hasn’t felt like living zombies before? We needed a break from the rat-race, away from the overbearing ambiance of the city. Living in metropolis had exhausted our senses.  A short respite from the never ending sights of cold glass skyscrapers and the screeching sounds of the passing traffic was all that we needed.

Crashing waves, chirping birds, cool sea breezes and warm sandy beaches; what do they all have in common?

Answer: They are all constants in our lunchbreak fantasies. If you won’t admit it, we will!

Bitten by the travel bug, we were your definite stereotypical Wanderlusters.

At first, we were skeptical of curing our wanderlust fever in Sabah and Sarawak. Even as local Malaysians, the two states were still a mystery to us as everything we’ve ever known about them were from school textbooks or local papers. But after reading great reviews online and hearing personal experiences from family members alike, we decided not to skip this one out.

Now that we’ve experienced it, we can say they are truly the hidden gems of Malaysian tourism.

INTO THE WILDS OF BORNEO

IMAGINE THIS.

You are now standing in the middle a 130-million-year old tropical rainforest, while your cityscape fades to the recesses of your mind, let it stay there. It is truly a breathtaking sight; you are surrounded by towering ancient trees while rays of sunlight warm your face through the rustling greens of the canopies. Said to not only have one of the most biodiverse rainforests, it is also one of the most culturally diverse places on the planet. There is so much to be discovered here in Borneo!

Sunset straight out of a dream! Miri, Sarawak

Sunset straight out of a dream! Miri, Sarawak

On our journey, we’ve passed through the enchanting forests of Bako National Park, had a little dance battle in the center of a drum circle at the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, swam in the clear waters of Semporna and trekked the Mountain View in Kinabalu Park, Sabah. Being the beach bums we are, we also hung out at some of the most pristine secluded beaches in Malaysia. That’s just us touching the surface of the water.

All things fresh and rare at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

All things fresh and rare at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

 

No picture in the world can do justice to Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

No picture in the world can do justice to Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

We saw rare Proboscis Monkeys in the lush greeneries of Danum Valley, and not to mention majestic Hornbills taking flight right in front of our eyes! We even saw the legendary Orangutan at the Matang Wildlife Centre and visited endangered Sunbears at The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. It’s literally the wildest we’ve ever been!

One thing we’ve learned from the trip is that the world has so much more to offer; if you show your interest in it. If there is anything we hope to accomplish with our Taming Borneo series, it is to encourage others to follow in our footsteps, and explore the world beyond the comfort of your front door.

Take action. Plan your trip, and cure that wanderlust fever!

If you have more questions regarding our Taming Borneo adventure, please do leave a comment in the comment section below, or start a discussion; tell us your personal Taming Borneo experience!

Also do follow along our adventure on our social media platforms:

Instagram: @MyTourismChannel or #tamingborneo         

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Soaking in natural hot springs at Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

Soaking in natural hot springs at Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

Located at the foot of Mount Kinabalu, Poring Hot Springs is an open-air sulphur spring with an altitude of about 1600 feet. It is known for its effectiveness in treating skin diseases. The sulphur spas are perfect to refresh you, especially for relieving your sore muscles after the long climb up the peak.

Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in Southeast Asia and the highest peak between the Himalayas and Papua New Guinea. The name ‘Kinabalu’ came from the Kadazan word ‘Aki Nabalu’. The Kadazan are the biggest ethnic group in Sabah. ‘Aki’ refers to ancestors while ‘Nabalu’ means mountain. The Kadazan people believe that spirits from their ancestors live in this mountain.

On the mountain is the Kinabalu National Park, one of the world’s largest wilderness areas. The park itself is bigger than Hong Kong and Kowloon altogether and has more than five thousand kinds of plants (not including mosses) such as orchids, rhododendrons, pitcher plants, oak, and the world’s largest flower Rafflesia. This flower can grow up to one meter in diameter and weight ten kilograms. There are also more than 100 species of mammals, reptiles and 300 species of birds here; numbers that accounting for half of their populations in Borneo. Because of its dense forests, abundant and valuable natural ecosystems, it was listed as a National Park and Reserved in 1964 as an important biological conservation and research center. In 2000 it was officially listed as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

Although many people around the world came to challenge themselves by climbing the peak, about 80 percent of visitors come only to visit the Kinabalu Park and surrounding area. There are several nature walking trails and a canopy walk, waterfalls, a botanical garden, orchid center, entomology museum, dining facilities and also an outdoor hot spring. So after the peak climb, visit the hot spring to chill and relax – that’s what we did.

To reach the hot spring, you take the canopy walk. Pic: Virginia Tam.

To reach the hot spring, you take the canopy walk. Pic: Virginia Tam.

After a three hours drive from Kota Kinabalu city to Kinabalu Park, we arrived at the famous Poring hot spring that produces geothermal heated groundwater from the Earth’s crust. The spring was found by Japanese soldiers during the Second World War and initially the facilities were built only for Japanese soldiers. Hot springs (onsen in Japanese) have long been traditional public bathing places in Japan. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Today, they are mostly developed into spas and for tourism. It seems even during war, they couldn’t live without the hot springs.

Surrounded by luxuriant forests and enchanting hills, the spring is a piece of paradise. Once you go through the entrance you pass stalls selling mountain crystals and other souvenirs and there is even a Japanese bamboo grove but beyond this you will see the spring and how natural it is!

The entrance sign at Poring Hot Spring. Pic: Virginia Tam.

The entrance sign at Poring Hot Spring. Pic: Virginia Tam.

It is divided into four areas: the immersion bath zone, foot soaking pool, cold water pool, and private rooms behind the log cabin. The natural spring water flows from taps into bathtubs – only one person is allowed per bathtub. The morning we went was quiet so there were a few empty tubs to choose from. We got in to soak our tired feet there.

Water from these springs appears a little milky and emits a strong smell of sulphur so be prepared for that. The water temperature also varies from 29 Celsius to 60 degrees depending which spring head you choose. Locals believed the sulphur is excellent for the skin and especially good for curing acne. And the minerals in the water have positive therapeutic effects on skin disease, women’s diseases, asthma, neuralgia, arteriosclerosis, rheumatism, muscles sores and aches.

One person one pool, how cool is that?! Pic: Virginia Tam.

One person one pool, how cool is that?! Pic: Virginia Tam.

What we found truly amazing was the views you could enjoy here of the changing mountain scenery with butterflies and birds flying atop your head. There was also a lovely natural smell from all the plants.

If you are shy to bath in public, you can pay a little more for the private room located in the cabin behind the hot spring. Each room can accommodate two people. Remember to bring your swimsuit as you are not allowed to get naked in public in a Muslim country and a towel, a change of clothes and drinks.

To get there it is definitely good to charter a car or self drive. However if you are traveling alone, you can take the bus to Kundasang Ranau Merdeka at Field long-distance bus station in Kota Kinabalu city. Get off at the entrance of the park. The bus runs daily 07:30-17:30.