Jennifer Welker escapes the concrete jungle for an authentic encounter with nature in Sabah. Along the way, she made some new friends who are on the endangered list.
Do I love you? My, oh my
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you, would I cry
Oh how I love you KK, KK, KK, KK! (A Sabah remake of Tina Turner’s River Deep Mountain High)
When I landed in Kota Kinabalu (KK for short), my first reaction was to abandon the idea of writing about it. Selfishly, I wanted to keep this piece of paradise all to myself, as I come from a part of the world that seems to be eternally overcast, and where blue sky mornings are becoming increasingly rare.
Within just a few hours of my arrival in KK, I was standing with my feet buried in soft sand and my eyes drawn to a canvas of puffy clouds and streaks of pink and purple across the horizon as a fiery orange sun set over the sea. I could feel a gentle rain tapping my shoulder. I turned around, looked up and saw not just one, but two splendid rainbows arched above the resort. Then, it struck me – how could I not share this?
While KK does make for a wonderful romantic retreat, if you have a family, your kids (even the so-called “Emo teens”) will be blown away by all of the different discoveries they can make here. Just one exhilarating experience teenagers might enjoy is driving an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) across the beach and splashing through a rocky swampland.
You can choose to stay close to the city centre or about 45 minutes away from downtown. Either way, you will have plenty of nature to explore – and bring home very different experiences.
Further out from the city are Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort and the Nexus Resort Karambunai. Both properties have plenty of activities to offer families who wish to do more than just relax at the pool or beach.
Right next to Rasa Ria, you can experience face-to-face encounters with one of our closest cousins, the baby orangutan. During my visit, I was fortunate to spot several of these playful creatures – Joey, Siti and Yoda – swinging off tree branches and hanging off the legs of rangers. Tony, one of the nature reserve’s rangers, says baby orangutans are brought here for their first stage of rehabilitation and then, they are taken to the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre where they are kept until they are fully ready to be released back into the rainforest.
Orangutan in Malay means “man of the forest” and these little men of the forest were right on the verge of extinction by aggressive deforestation. There used to be as many as 500,000 orangutans roaming the forests. In 1996, that number dwindled to just 30,000 to 35,000. Thanks to rehabilitation centres like Sepilok, they are given a new lease on life.
“We now have seven babies here with us and I am happy to say we have helped release 22 orangutans back into the wild successfully since 1996,” Tony says. Visitors can help give back to this programme by fostering orangutans or other animals in the reserve if they wish.
You can actually be a “ranger for the day” to learn about the temperament, habits and food preferences of different animals and work with real rangers. Children can also join in and help prepare food for the animals that need supplementary feeding.
Beyond the orangutans, you can spend time wandering through the reserve with a guide who will explain the medicinal values of the plants around you and point out wildlife along the way. For the more adventurous, there is a watershed of watersports on offer – white-water rafting, diving, scuba diving, parasailing, snorkelling, wake boarding, kneeboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, tube rides and jet skiing either in and around the resort, or at other locations.
Survivor fans will know that Palau Tiga Park – 35 nautical miles southwest of KK – has rich marine life and is a great place for diving. Around the three islands here, you will come across nudibranchs (colourful, shell-less sea slugs), bamboo sharks, cuttlefish and marbled stingray, and at the nearby Snake Island you will encounter banded sea snakes. The surrounding reefs are shallow with healthy coral and water visibility ranging up to 20m. To dive, you must contact a local dive centre which offers PADI courses.
Another accessible area for watersports – the five islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park – is closer to Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Sutera Harbour Resort. From the Beach Bums Jetty, you can hop on a boat to Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Mamutik or Sulug. Mamutik island is said to be the best for diving, while Manukan and Sapi are ideal for snorkelling.
While snorkelling near Sapi island, I encountered schools of parrot fish and many more varieties of marine life flashed before my eyes while I tried to capture them on camera. If you are lucky, you will see scorpion fish, blue-spotted rays, cuttlefish, mantis shrimps and green or hawksbill turtles. With the help of local dive guides, you might also find harlequin ghost pipefish and mandarin fish. One unfortunate part of being so close to the city is that you might encounter a plastic bag or two in the waters near the islands.
A climb up above the clouds to the summit of Mount Kinabalu is definitely worth your while, if you can spare three days during your stay in KK. Second-time climber John Robertson made the journey up the mountain earlier this year, 10 years after his first climb at the age of 16. He plans to make the climb again, perhaps in another decade.
“You feel absolutely elated when you reach the top, even if it’s still dark and cold and you’ve got a while to wait before sunrise,” Robertson says. “I’ll admit there’s a large element of self-satisfaction and egotism involved, but the overall feeling makes every exhausting step along the way worth it. Then there’s the sunrise you see from up there, which is another big payoff. I don’t remember it being half as amazing the first time I went up. It’s a sublime sensation – more than just a visual experience if you’ve been waiting in the dark for a good while, as the sun immediately melts the cold off you as soon as it comes out.”
You can choose from the Timpohon or Mesilau trails and must make the ascent with a guide. Robertson chose the standard route along the Timpohon trail, climbing 7km the first day to Laban Rata (a dorm-style hostel), where he spent half the night before awakening at 2am to climb the final 3km to reach the summit before sunrise. Make sure you wear thermal underwear as the temperature dips to around zero near the summit, bring a torch (preferably one that wraps around your head) and a few candy bars, Robertson advises.
“I’d definitely recommend the Timpohon,” he says. “Not only does it give you some excellent scenic views, but it’s very accessible for first-time mountain climbers while also offering a challenging physical workout. If you’re in decent shape and do a bit of stamina training beforehand, you shouldn’t have much difficulty going up, so long as you set your own pace. What makes Mt Kinabalu so popular is that it’s the one internationally recognised peak that non-mountaineers can safely and easily get under their belt.”
You can do the climb in two days, but if you give yourself three, you can acclimatise to the altitude and enjoy the rich, biological diversity along the way. This is the best time of year to do the climb, as the rainy season is from October to February. And for those who are up to the challenge, you can compete in the world’s toughest mountain race this August – Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon (climbathon.sabahtourism.com/2008). Competitors try to complete this 21-kilometre run in under three hours.
If you can’t afford the time, or the climb might be too tough, spend a day exploring Kinabalu Park, a Unesco World Heritage site home to 1,200 species of orchids, 26 species of rhododendrons, nine species of Nepenthes pitcher plants, 80 species of fig trees, 60 species of oaks and chestnut trees, 100 species of mammals and more than 320 species of bird. Make sure to explore the Poring Canopy Walkway, and walk under a canopy of Menggaris trees. Along the way, you just might encounter the world’s largest flower – the Raffleasia. This rare flower takes 15 months to bud and stays in bloom for a week. You can also relax in the hot springs of Poring. Poring is the name of the type of bamboo growing in the area.
If you have young children and prefer to stay in, the Kids’ Club at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru really knows how to cater to them. Late Friday is Kids’ Party night with pre-organised fun activities. Staff watch over kids at the playground and covered pool. Children under 12 can enjoy complimentary buffet meals when dining with their parents.
So whether or not you are travelling with a young family or teenagers, you can be sure there is plenty to do. You will have learned about Sabah’s natural flora, marine life and of course, the baby orangutan.
NEVER A DULL MOMENT
FIVE ISLAND CRUISE
Begins at Beach Bums Jetty, just a short walk from the Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort. The cruise departs at 0900 (be at the pier by 0845). Charges are RM190 (US$60) for adults and RM95 (US$30) for children. Includes a BBQ lunch, snorkelling gear, beach mat, fishing hand line, bait, bottom fishing and snorkelling.
CONTACT: Tanjung Aru Tours and Travel, tel 60 88 222 210, www.go2borneo.com
DAILY DIVE PACKAGES
For RM300 (US$95) including rental equipment and park fee, you can take up to three dives a day. Per dive: RM120 (US$38) without equipment; RM150 (US$47) with equipment. Night dive: RM140 (US$44) without equipment; RM180 (US$57) with equipment.
CONTACT: www.abscuba.com
DIVING COURSES
- PADI Discover Scuba Diving, RM300 (US$95) three hours
- PADI Scuba Diver, RM850 (US$270) for two days
- PADI Open Water Diver, RM1,250 (US$398) for three days
- PADI Adventure Diver, RM600 (US$191) for one day, three dives
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, RM900 (US$286) for two days, five dives
- PADI Digital Underwater Photography, RM750 (US$239) for one day, two dives
- Diving courses come with course manual, gear and certification upon successful completion
WHERE TO STAY
SHANGRI-LA'S RASA RIA RESORT
This is certainly the place to escape to. Reaching there, after a 40-minute drive from the airport, you won’t want to go anywhere else. Especially once you’re ensconced in a guestroom in either the Ocean Wing or Garden Wing.
The new Ocean Wing is ideal for couples and honeymooners craving privacy and plenty of pampering. Each of the 90 Premier Rooms comes with a view of the South China Sea, spacious private terraces and oversized bathtubs for two. The rooms aren’t small at 90sqm, and their warm earth tones remind you of where you are – Sabah’s capital. Ocean Wing guests also have access to their very own swimming pool.
Next door, the Garden Wing has 330 rooms and suites catering mostly for families and groups. These are categorised as Rainforest, Garden or Sea View Rooms. While you may be in the middle of nowhere, you can still count on being constantly wired – free broadband connectivity is available.
The sheer number of outdoor activities at Rasa Ria is enough to keep people of all ages entertained. The Nature Reserve and 18-hole golf course are just next door, and there are plenty of water sport activities. Romantic weddings, corporate events or horseback riding can be done on the soft, sandy beach at dusk when the sun sets slowly over the South China Sea, and if you are lucky, you just might catch a glimpse of a rainbow.
In the evenings, the cosy atmosphere at Coast Restaurant & Bar is a great place for drinks. Naan is a must for those who enjoy Indian cuisine. Come here to enjoy Lobster Masala, Murg Makhan Masala and the stuffed prawns with seafood, spring onions, dill and lemon zest.
The Coffee Terrace is an indoor-outdoor café serving international dishes and yummy buffets.
PRICE: Ocean Wing Rooms start from US$270, while Garden Wing Rooms are from US$146.
CONTACT: Pantai Dalit Beach, 89208 Tuaran, Sabah, Malaysia, tel 60 88 792 888, www.shangri-la.com
SHANGRI-LA'S TANJUNG ARU RESORT & SPA
Very different from its sister property at Pantai Dalit Beach, the 492-room Tanjung Aru is a resort in the city, with just a slice of beach. And it has its very own man-made “island Chi spa”. The rooms of Tanjung and the newly refurbished Kinabalu wings overlook the leafy gardens of the resort, the ocean and nearby islands.
You’ll never run out of things to do in and around the resort. The Chi Spa with a yoga pavilion facing the sea features eight villas of private treatment rooms. Three of the villas are exclusively designed for couples with private outdoor bathing areas. Signature treatments include the Himalayan Healing Stone Massage and Aroma Vitality.
Just next door is the Beach Bums Jetty, where you can hop on a boat and head for one of the five islands that make up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. The shallow waters around these islands make them ideal for snorkelling and diving.
Back at the resort, wine and dine at the indoor-outdoor Café Tatu which serves international cuisines and buffets; Shang Palace for Chinese; Peppino for Italian or Coco-Joe’s by the pool for snacks and drinks. At dusk, head for the Sunset bar for a front-row seat along the waterfront to watch the sun go down.
Children under 12 can stay for free with their parents and get an extra bed at no extra charge. The Kids’ Club is so popular, most of them don’t want to leave! Friday night is party night for the children, while their parents can celebrate on their own elsewhere at the resort.
While Tanjung Aru welcomes the leisure crowd, it is also a place where serious business gets done with regular corporate meetings, events and incentives.
PRICE: Rooms from US$210.
CONTACT: 20 Jalan Aru, Tanjung Aru, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, tel 60 88 327 888, www.shangri-la.com
HYATT REGENCY KINABALU
The 288-room Hyatt Regency Kinabalu is perfect for business travellers who want to stay in the centre of KK. The glass-panelled ceilings of the seven-storey atrium lobby allow for plenty of natural light. It’s a perfect place for pre-dinner drinks in the early evenings, while the Tanjung Ria Café serves international dishes and buffets.
Just outside the hotel, you can rub shoulders with the locals at the colourful handicraft and wet markets or Hindu temples.
PRICE: Rooms from US$130.
CONTACT: Jalan Datuk Salleh Sulong, 88991 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, tel 60 88 221 234, www.hyatt.com
NEXUS RESORT KARAMBUNAI
Away from the city centre, Nexus Resort is surrounded by lush greenery and sandy white beaches. Each of the 485 guestrooms, suites and six villas has a private balcony with views of the sea, gardens, golf course or rainforest.
Water sports at Lagoon Park, the 18-hole golf course and Nexie Club for kids will entertain the whole family, while the Borneo Spa is a relaxing retreat for those who would prefer to just chill. Nexus also caters for corporate events and incentives.
PRICE: Rooms from US$150.
CONTACT: Off Jalan Sepangar Bay, Locked Bag 100, 88993 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, tel 60 88 411 222, www.nexusresort.com
SUTERA HARBOUR RESORT
This is KK’s biggest city-resort, boasting 956 rooms, categorised as the Magellan Sutera or Pacific Sutera Rooms. The Magellan Sutera Rooms have their own balconies and overlook either the garden or the South China Sea. The Pacific Sutera Rooms face the islands or golf course.
This is definitely the place to bring the family. The recreation never ends with a 27-hole golf course, two Mandara spas, bowling alley, mini theatre, four swimming pools, spa, kids’ club, helicopter rides, steam locomotive and private cruise for charters. Or you can go island hopping, snorkelling, diving, fly fishing, wake boarding and more. The resort also has 14 dining outlets and plenty of facilities for corporate meetings and incentives.
PRICE: Rooms from US$264.
CONTACT: 1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, tel 60 88 318 888, www.suteraharbour.com
