Sabah, Malaysia

Borneo Holidays Destinations: Sabah

Sabah, along with the sister state Sarawak, is located at the northern part of the Borneo island. With well developed Sabah tourism industry, Sabah is the ideal place for your Borneo holidays. It is famous for its wildlife conservation attractions, magnificence Mount Kinabalu, 800 to 900 miles of heavily indented coastline with white sandy beaches, excellent diving site at Sipadan Island as well as friendly people. The thick and pristine tropical rain forests is home to many protected rare mammals, such as Orang Utan, Proboscis monkeys which are endemic to Borneo; the endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros and 8 species of rare horn bills. All these has made Sabah the Malayisa's premier nature adventure destination for Borneo holidays. Sabah is one of the best places in Malaysia. 

Sabah Tourism City: Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu is the capital city of Sabah, and the 4th largest city of Malaysia. This modern suburb sits on the edge of the South China Sea overlooking a cluster of coral-fringed island, and with Crocker Range as a backdrop. It has contributed greatly to Sabah tourism industry as it is the gateway to Sabah various Borneo holidays destinations like Mount Kinabalu and Sepilok OrangUtan Rehabilation Center.

Famous Sabah Tourism Attractions

Kinabalu National Park

Kinabalu Park, one of the must visit destination for Borneo holidays trip, is situated at around 80 km from the State capital, Kota Kinabalu. There are wide range of habitats, from rich tropical lowland and hill rainforest to tropical mountain forest, sub-alpine forest and scrub on the higher elevations. Plants representatives from more than half of all flowering plants families are available here. The part also houses majority of Borneo's mammals, birds, amphibians and invertebrates which many of them are vulnerable and threatened species. With amazingly abundance of flora and fauna, Kinabalu Park is a true botanical paradise of South East Asia and a bright spot of Sabah tourism which has been awarded as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2002.

Mount Kinabalu

Another must visit Borneo holidays destination on Sabah tourism map. Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak yet most accessible mountain in South East Asia, which towers 4,095m (13,445ft) above the Kinabalu Park. It is the pride and soul of Sabah. This imposing, snow free and bald top granite massif is one of the easiest to climb mountains. There are average 170,000 people of all ages and fitness levels from all over the world climb Mount Kinabalu each year.

Climbing to the Peak of South East Asia

Climbing to Mount Kinabalu peak is the key target for most visitors Borneo holidays plan and the recommended activity by Sabah tourism. To climb to the summit, it is compulsory for you to hire a local Kadazan tour guide which charge around RM60 a day. The trips to the summit usually will take two days. Most people will stay at Laban Rata Resthouse before continue their journey at 3am the next day, and reach the summit at dawn to watch the sunrise at 6am. Temperature at higher elevations is refreshingly cool at 20 degrees Celsius during daytime, but it could drop to freezing above 3500m, therefore remember to wear warm clothes like jackets, woolen hat and gloves. Most people will start to heading down the mountain at around 10am, after enjoying the spectacular sunrise and taking photos at the peak. Make this one of your activities in your Sabah tourism map. Mount Kinabalu, a superb Borneo holidays destination.

Pulau Sipadan Island

Sipadan island is located off the town of Semporna on the East Coast of Sabah. No lodging is allowed at this island since 2005 as the Malaysian Government and Sabah Tourism Board want to protect and maintain a balanced marine and eco-system on Sipadan island. Pulau Sipadan is an oceanic island that perched on the pinnacle of a steep underwater limestone mountain that rises vertically from an abyss of 600 meters. It is fringed with a beautiful white sand beach and has the largest variety of fascinating soft corals structures in the world. You must not exclude this destination from your Borneo holidays trip.

With very clear visibility of more than 100 feet around the Sipadan Island water, it is easy to see giant turtles that swim and frolic freely here, and sometimes you even have the chance for a close encounter with lobster, coral fishes, barracudas as well as small sharks here. It is voted as one of the world top 10 diving spot by diving enthusiasts from around the world and has been the proud of Sabah Tourism Board. The best scuba diving spot is down the near vertical wall called Hanging Gardens, as well as other spots like Barracuda Point, Coral Gardens, Turtle Patch and South Point.

Pulau Sipadan Island also has wonderful sandy beaches with a densely wooded central core that is perfect for sunning, swimming and enjoying spectacular sunsets. Besides that, it is a stop-over point for the Nicobar pigeon which flies from China during winter as well as a bird sanctuary where you can observe many frigates, sea eagles, terns and sea gulls that glide across the clear skies. Sipadan Island is indeed a perfect holiday heaven for visitors who are looking for amazing Borneo holidays getaway. Include Sipadan Island in your Sabah tourism map.

Pulau Layang Layang

Located about 300km northwest of KKPulau Layang Layang is a tiny artificial island surrounded by an atolls 14sq.km in diameter and jutting 2000 metres from the ocean depth.

One of the proud of Sabah tourism, the diving is excellent at the 2000 metres wall where you can see large shoals of pelagic, including large group of barracuda, tuna, jacks and the hammerhead shark as well as some awesome schools of hammerhead sharks numbering a hundred regularly. Other spectacular marine creature like Manta rays with fin spans of over 10 feet, Napoleon Wrasse, Hawksbill turtles, Dog tooth tuna, Giant hammerhead wrasse and the White tip reef sharks are just some regular residents at this water. Include this destination in your Borneo holidays planning.

Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre

The Orang-utan (means Man of the Jungle) is one of the most appealing animals in the world; it is cute, adorable and disturbingly humanlike. Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre which is located at 25km northeast of Sandakan is the best place to see this fascinating Red Ape in the world and is a popular attraction for Borneo holidays.

This centre is the most popular tourist attraction because visitors are guaranteed to see the adorable Orang Utans here. This centre has contributed greatly to Sabah tourism industry. Orphaned or injured Orang Utans are brought here for rehabilitation and trained before returning to the jungles. Young Orang Utans are placed in nurseries while the bigger ones are let to roam freely around the rainforest and find their jungles food themselves. Some of them may come out during the feeding time twice a day to get more food. This is the best time to see the Orang Utan. If not, visitors can walk around the wooden walkway or even the walking trails leading deep into the jungle to have a better chance to see the Orang Utans that play around the trees. Do not miss out this from your Sabah tourism map for a unique Borneo holidays experience.

 

Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve Centre

Another must see wonder for your Borneo holidays trip. The Rafflesia is the world's largest flower ever registered in Guiness Book of Records, measuring up to 1m (3 feet) in diameter, 19mm thick and weighed 7kg. Its lineage is dates back to 100 million years to the Cretaceous Period, (last act of the Age of Dinosaurs).

The Rafflesia is actually a parasite that grows within the stems of jungle vines. This flower has no roots, no stem and no leaves, and blooms as a single flower and produce only one seed which can only germinate if it succeeds in lodging itself in the tissue of one particular vine host known as Tetrastigma. The Rafflesia is emitting a stench of rotting flesh and heat, mimicking a newly dead animal, this will attracts carrion flies that help in pollination. Sabah's Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve Centre is the best place to see this floral wonder. It is another proud present of Sabah Tourism Board, with an 386 acres area, located in a forest reserve about 58km from Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah: An Excellent Borneo Holiday Destination

Richly blessed with natural diversity, lush primary rainforests, beautiful beaches, vibrant coral reefs, mysterious indigenous and unique cultures and fantastic cuisines, Sabah tourism industry offers all kind of activities for a wonderful Borneo holidays. From mountaineering at highest mountain in South East Asia, Mount Kinabalu, to exploring the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia and scuba diving at one of the world's best dive sites, Sipadan Island, Sabah is the must visit holiday destination that promises you with an unforgettable sweet memory that could last for a lifetime.