National Park and Mount Kinabalu

Mount Kinabalu National Park offers a walk through the jungle over 20 m high suspension bridges to visit salutary hot springs and waterfalls. It is home to the endemic 70 cm long giant worms! The world’s largest flower, the stunning Rafflesia, boasts with its size up to 1 m and weight up to 10 kg, located in the Mt Kinabalu Botanic Garden.

Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Southeast Asia (4,095 m), is made of the solid granite, once extruded through the Earth crust over the surface. In the historic Ice Age, the ongoing glaciers had been grinding the rough granite surface while the jagged peaks, being higher than the glaciers’ ice level, had been left untouched and preserved their sharp outlines. Usually the climbing to the mountain summit takes two days, while no experience is required!

The Sabah south uncovers the Danum Valley Conservation, the world’s leading research center of tropical rainforests. Here you can stay in the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, the top ecology oriented resort in Sabah.

Wildlife

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre gives you an opportunity to see the monkeys in their natural habitat. The Centre is established for the rehabilitation of young and parentless orangutans. The center sets them free as soon as they are ready for the wildlife in jungle.

Located 1,5 km away from the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, there is the Rainforest Discovery Centre, the botanical garden, which exhibits various tropical plants with the detailed description for each plant.

The Kinabatangan river floodplain is a well-known Kinabatang Wildlife Sanctuary with many exotic animals. The river safari secures the best way to discover interesting ecosystem and the Kinabatangan river abundant wildlife.

The Tabin Wildlife Reserve is home to Borneo’s pygmy elephants, Sumatran rhinoceros and many other animals as well as 220 bird species. Its territory is an area for active ​​mud volcanoes, rich in minerals. Here is the Tabin Wildlife Resort offering jungle safari tours, night walks, observation of the wild nature, and so forth.

Islands

During the World War II, the Labuan Island (Pulau Labuan) was in the center of sea battles. Till now many warship are still lie on the seabed here, so the island has become a special popular site among wreck-diving thrill-seekers.

Near the Simporna town, there is the Sipadan Island (Pulau Sipadan). This is the best diving site in Malaysia. Sipadan is often compared to the Galapagos Islands since it has more than 70 coral species and 200 fish species.

Located 300 km away from Kota Kinabalu, the Layang-Layang Island (Pulau Layang-Layang) boasts as the second most popular diving site in Malaysia. The waters around the island abound with sponges, gorgonians, black, red and white solid corals, while turtles, manta rays, sharks, tuna, parrot fish and barracuda are often visitors here. Some species of the unique marine life have not yet been studied by biologists and even have no any scientific names.

Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park spreads over 5 islands. The exploration of the park’s underwater world can be even done by the untrained divers. In addition to the rich underwater world, the islands offer the tropical jungle walk giving opportunity to see a variety of animals and birds.

The Sulu Sea islands uncover the Turtle Islands National Park. Right here, in the coastal waters, turtles are in abundance to come ashore to desert island beach to lay eggs.

Entertainment

Near to Kota Kinabalu, the Mari Mari Cultural Village is a museum analogue of Borneo local culture, demonstrating history, culture and traditions of the island. Visiting the village gives you an opportunity to learn the culture of 5 indigenous ethnic Borneo tribes such as farmers, hunters, fishermen, shepherds, sea gypsies.

Also near to Kota Kinabalu, there is another Monsopiad Cultural Village which shows the of the traditional life of Kadazan, the one of the ethnic groups in the island of Borneo, and tells the story of Monsopiad, the brave warrior who killed 42 enemies who attacked his village.

Take a ride on the historic steam train, trimmed with interior of colonial times, by North Borneo Railway, to relive nostalgic 1900s of the British North Borneo. The ride includes the Tiffin-styled breakfast and dinner.