Sabah - Home of the Kinabalu Mountains

SABAH - Places of Interest

Orang Utan Sanctuary
Located at the virgin forest reserve in Sepilok, this is the one of the only tour orang utan sanctuaries in the world. It is accessible after a 25-km drive from Sandakan. Orphaned and injured Orang Utans are brought to Sepilok to be rehabilitated to return to forest life. These gentle great apes are very appealing. Trained orang utans may be cuddled for a memorable snapshot.




Sabah State Mosque, Kota Kinabalu

This resplendent structure, with its majestic dome s and gold inlay motifs, is a spectacular sight,ideally located as a place of worship for Kota Kinabalu's Muslim inhabitants and visitors.

Sabah Foundation Building, Kota Kinabalu
The 30-story circular glass building, supported by high tensile steel rods emanating from a central building, is an architectural and engineering feat. It is one of only four such buildings in the world.

Kota Belud
Kota Belud is a small town located 77 km from Kota Kinabalu. Every Sunday it comes alive in a scene of blazing, riotous colour when the "Tamu," or open market, takes place.

Tuaran
Tuaran is the location of the region's agricultural station. Nearby is Mengkabong, a Bajau village built over water. Also close by is Tamparuli, a town specializing in the production of local handicrafts.

Penampang
Another village that offers an insight into Sabah's varied ethnic groups, Penampang is home to the Kadazan people. The village is located 13 km south of Kota Kinabalu.

Sipadan Island
a diving paradise, Sipadan Island is some 30 km off the coast of Semporna, a small town in the southeast coast of Sabah. The mushroom-shaped Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Malaysia, offering myriads of colourful tropical fish and corals in its crystal clear waters.

Kinabalu Park And Mt Kinabalu
The journey by road to the Kinabalu Park takes some 11 and half hours. It is a natural haven for
a variety of plant and animal species and a must for nature lovers. The mighty Mount Kinabalu
at 4095.2 meters is within the park. This is the biggest tourist attraction in Sabah, luring flocks
of mountaineers to scale to the summit. There is a thermal —pool system at Poring Hot
Springs to offer a Japanese- style hot spring bath in the open air.




Sandakan
Sandakan is busy port on the Sulu Sea, about 386 km from Kota Kinabalu. The forestry exhibition in Sandakan showcases the astounding variety of flowers and plants found in Sabah; the Sandakan Orchid House has a collection of rare orchids. Along the Labuk Road from Sandakan is a crocodile farm, housing about 1,000 crocodiles of various sizes.

Gomantong Caves
situated at 32 km south of Sandakan, the marvelous Gomantong Caves are the home to hundreds of thousands of swifts. They build their nests high on cave walls and roofs. Twice a year, nest collectors come to the caves and climb on tall bamboo poles to collect the nests, which are considered a delicacy. Besides swifts, the caves are also inhabited by millions of bats, which have become a spectacular sight to many tourists.

Semporna
Located on the southeast coast of Sabah, Semporna is the jumping-off point for Pulau Sipadan, a diving paradise, and Pulau Gaya, the island where Sabah pearls are cultured.

Kudat
A long way from Kota Kinabalu (238 km), Kudat is, nevertheless, worth a visit, as it is home to the colourful Rungus tribe. The journey to the village is an attraction in its own right, winding through the region's varied terrain of mountains, valleys, and jungles.

Kota Kinabalu
The State capital of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu has a population of 300,000. The town was built from the ruins of the Second World War.

Sabah State Museum
located in Kota Kinabalu, the Sabah Museum boasts good collections of tribal and historical artifacts of the ancient people of Borneo and exhibits of flora and fauna, including rare birds, reptiles, animals and fish only found in Sabah.

Mengkabong Water Village
about some half an hour drive from Kota Kinabalu, is the famous Mengkabong Water Village where houses are built on stilt and linked by a maze of rickety plankwalks. An ever increasing population has seen the water village gradually expanding into the sea.

Tanjung Arau Beach
the scenic Tanjung Arau Beach is lined with palm trees and masson pine.