Sabah is filled with luscious jungles, mountains and breathtakingly beautiful beaches. It sits at the tip of Borneo, the world's third largest island. Its coastline of 1,440 km, faces the South China Sea on the West and the Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea on the East. The entire island spans 74,500 square kilometers’. In addition, the island is soaked with rich culture of the different tribes that make Sabah even more unique. Some claim that Sabah is a nature-lover's paradise and once you step foot onto its soil, you will understand why!

Sabah is not known as a nature's paradise for nothing! If conquering MountKinabalu proves to be too much, there are many other nature driven activities you can immerse yourself in.

Ground Adventures

Lok KawiWildlifePark

If you dismiss this as something "for the kids", you are in for quite a surprise. This wildlife park is definitely a treat for all! This relatively new wildlife park was opened to the public in 2007 and it contains a zoo and a botanical garden. The zoo contains loads of fun animals that will both delight and intrigue. You can see the Malayan Sun Bear, Clouded Leopard, Sambar Deer, Sumantran Rhinoceros, Greater Bird of Paradise, Barking deer, Chital and much more! You can also find rare animals such as the Borneon Elephant, the smallest elephant in the world and the Proboscis Monkey, which is only found in Borneo. There are also elephant rides but those are only available on weekends and public holidays. The Greater Bird of Paradise is a must-see and the myth surrounding these birds is fascinating. It was believed that the birds spent all their life on wings, like angels, falling to earth only when they die! While you are there, remember to drop by the Aviary for an up close and personal encounter with the hornbill and the stork. The hornbill is particularly friendly so don't get shocked when it comes over to say hello!

One of the highlights of the park and a must-see is the animal show. Make sure you attend the show because it's a ball of fun. Without spoiling it for you, let's just say that audience participation makes it so much better!

Kota KinabaluNational Park

The KotaKinabaluNational Park is actually the entrance to MountKinabalu and it is located at 1,585 metres above sea level and is the starting point for the summit trail that leads to the top of MountKinabalu. It covers an area of 754 sq km and is made up of MountKinabalu, MountTambayukon and the foothills.

If you are not up to conquering MountKinabalu, the good news is that the park itself has several shorter trails, which showcase the local plant life, and some animal life. You will enjoy the brisk walk as you soak in the beautiful rainforest and the heady fresh air! The area is rich in diverse bird species and quite popular among the ornithology community. Several smaller mammals also roam free in the area, amongst them Asia's smallest deer, the Kancil. Do speak to one of the many, well-informed naturalists that staff the Park as you will be fascinated by their vast knowledge and experience with wildlife. You will discover they all have a passion for nature and are always willing to help.

Poring Hot Springs

If you adore soaking in a hot tub then you would fall in love with Poring Hot Springs! Located 39 kilometers northward is the Park's station at Poring Hot Springs. You can soak yourself in hot sulphur bath that contains skin-curative properties, or take the various trails leading through rich lowland forest, mountain streams and waterfalls. A must-do is the famous canopy walk! Witness life in the treetops as you walk along the 100 feet high Canopy Walkway. For those who have an immense fear of heights, you might want to give this a skip. It is a 30-minutes uphill trek to get to the canopy walkway so is prepared for a brisk, refreshing walk before the exciting canopy walk! At the Poring Hot Springs, if you are lucky, you may see a Rafflesia, the world's largest flower, in bloom! But it is a pretty rare occasion so check with a local guide for timing. You can also visit the Orchid garden that contains a wide selection of the local species, some of which are endemic to the area and very rare.

Tunku AbdulRahmanPark

If you want some water action, then search no further than the TunkuAbdulRahmanPark! This marine park is a cluster of islands comprising Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and Pulau Sulug, all about 10 to 20 minutes speedboat ride from the city. Shallow waters characterize the five islands of the MarinePark and all of them boast of sumptuous coral gardens and splendid white sandy beaches! You can practically spend a whole day or several days out here just exploring the different islands. The reefs lie in shallow waters with little current, making it the ideal location for snorkelers and novice divers. You will have a blast looking at the diverse rare marine creatures! This will be a paradise for experienced divers and underwater photographers. On the sandy seabed, a good variety of marine life can be found, such as scorpion fish, blue-spotted rays, mantis shrimps and the occasional hawksbill turtle.

Tanjung AruBeach

Tanjung Aru derives its name from the abundance of tall casuarinas (Aru) trees that grace the shoreline. This is a beautiful place to stay indeed! There are three beaches in the area namely PrincePhilipParkBeach, FirstBeach and ZeroBeach. The incredibly endearing sidewalk restaurants by the beach will put a smile on anyone's face. Add in the nice relaxing sing-a-long tunes with your tropical beverage while looking at the sea - it simply spells perfection! By the way, the sunsets are beyond words, so make sure you catch it.

Taman Air Terjun Ulu Kionsom

This is a famous local hang-out place. Go for a dip and get refreshed by the cool water or simply enjoy the nice sight of the majestic waterfall! There's a market during weekends and it's a sight to behold as locals and tourists gather for some shopping and bargaining.

Culture & Heritage

Mari Mari Cultural Village

This is a definite must-do when you are in Sabah! The MariMariCulturalVillage is interactive learning at its best. Upon arrival at the entrance of the village, you will be ushered to the warmth of different homes of the ethnicities of Sabah. Each home is built by descendants of the tribes they represent and offers you a truly genuine experience of their culture. Seeing everything in and around the village takes you back in time. Not only does this village portray the five tribes through the architectural genius of their traditional houses, but also through a range of simulated lives of the olden epoch by the residents of the village. Acquaint yourself with each tribe as they let you into their home and get a better understanding of their simple yet intricate lives. Experience for yourself how each tribe lives! You can even have a go at cooking a meal the traditional way and learn how to make a tree bark jacket. It's truly an exciting learning experience!

As you traverse the village, you will find demonstration huts along the main houses in which daily activities of old times come to life! For example, the making of blowpipes, starting a fire from bamboo, tattoo-making and games that the tribes engage in. You will find the Lundayeh Tribe House a chilling experience as this tribe is known for their head-hunting activities. In fact, the warriors keep their enemy's skull at their home because they are looked upon as trophies. There's also a replica of the crocodile at the outside of their house to signify a warrior's house. The Murut Tribe's house visit is particularly interesting, as they are known to be the most aggressive tribe. It's a very interesting experience because there's a surprise enactment of how they stopped strangers from entering their village. This is truly a very exciting cultural village, so make sure you don't miss this!

Signal Hill

It used to act as a lighthouse of sorts. Its for signaling ships but in this case they used flags, thus the name in Malay - Bukit Bendera. Its as high as a 20-storey building, offering you a bird eye's view of Kota Kinabalu. This is a must-stop for the city tour.

Arkinson Clock Tower

Built in 1903, this all-wood, no-nails structure was built in memory of Francis George Atkinson - the popular first District Officer of Jesselton. This Clock Tower has the distinction of being the oldest standing structure in the whole of Sabah that survived the destruction of Jesselton town during World War II. Till today, it still serves to keep the city's time.

The Handicraft Market

This is a bargain shoppers' heaven! You can find all sorts of Borneo handicraft here at a great price and it's the perfect place to get gifts for friends and family. Next to it is a fantastic night market filled with all kinds of delicious hawker food. You are in for a treat if you are a seafood fan! The waterfront is a nice sidewalk where you can find decent dining places too. You will be dining by the sea and if you are lucky, you can catch the spectacular sunset!

1 Borneo

If you itch for more shopping then head on to 1 Borneo. This much-hyped-about biggest hyper mall on the island of Borneo at 4.8 million square foot complex is indeed something to shout about and it's definitely a retail therapy heaven!