Sabah, in the north of
Borneo on the world's third largest
island is often referred to as the "Land Below the Wind." It lies below the
typhoon and monsoon belt, a safe heaven for our ancient seafarers. To-day its
year-round sunny and tropical climate make it a heaven for travellers from
around the world who come here in search of pristine rainforests, adventure and
indigenous cultures and traditions, or simply to relax.
Sabah is Malaysia's second largest state, the
largest being its neighbour, Sarawak. Her terrain is rugged and
Mount Kinabalu, at 4,095 meters
dominates the surrounding landscape. Sabah's remaining tropical rainforests are
home to an incredible diversity of flora & fauna. Borneo boasts more plant
and animal species than the whole of Africa!
32 different
indigenous groups speaking as many languages and over 80 dialects make Sabah
their home. They are of different origin and from various spiritual backgrounds,
but they all live in harmony. A warm welcome and hospitality are common to all
of them. The major groups in Sabah are the Kadazandusun, the Bajau and the Paitan. The Chinese are the largest so-called non-indigenous group.
The state capital is
Kota Kinabalu.
With some 400,000 inhabitants it is the modern gateway to the rest of Sabah.
Direct flights between KK (the name by which Kota Kinabalu is fondly called) and
Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, as well as from other regional capitals such as
Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Kaoshiung, Hong Kong, Brunei, Manila and Cebu
make Sabah easily accessible to travellers from anywhere in the world.
KK was largely destroyed during the Second World War. Under a short British
colonial rule it was rebuilt and has since developed into a thriving modern
city. Places of interest include the State Museum, the State Mosque, the Gaya
Street Sunday Tamu (open market) and the Pasar Malam (night market) where you
can polish up your bargaining skills. Nearby are the popular Tanjung Aru Beach,
quaint water villages and idyllic off-shore islandsv
But for many visitors the primary
attractions of Sabah are its outstanding national parks, including Malaysia's
first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the
Kinabalu
National Park with Mt Kinabalu. The head quarters of this park -
and also the starting point for the climb of Mt Kinabalu - can be reached from
KK within two hours.
For those seeking hard core
jungle trekking in the rainforest far away from the beaten track the
Crocker Range National Park and
Mount Trus Madi will certainly be
able to satisfy their thirst for adventure.
The
Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine National Park, some 20 minutes by boat
from KK offers great snorkelling, a wide variety of modern motorised and non-motorised
water sports and great relaxation. Pulau Sipadan,
a a world renown diver's paradise in the epicenter of tropical marine biology
probably does not need further introduction...!
The
Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, the world's largest of
its kind near Sandakan, and the
Kinabatangan River
Floodplains with their easily accessible wildlife are another
major attraction. Careful ecotourism development has ensured that these
destinations remain exclusive.
Click here to read more about Sabah's
destinations, or
click here to let yourself be inspired by some
of our exclusive tour arrangements.