Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NORTHWESTERN SABAH
The northern edge of Sabah manages to compact, into a relatively small space, much of the
geographic and cultural minutiae that makes Borneo so special. The ocean? Lapping at
miles of sandy beach, sky blue to stormy grey, and concealing superlative dive sites. The
people? Kadazan-Dusun, Rungus, rice farmers, mountain hunters, ship builders and deep-
sea fishermen. And then, of course, 'the' mountain: Gunung Kinabalu, or Mt Kinabalu, the
focal point of the island's altitude, trekkers, folklore and spiritual energy. For generations,
the people of Sabah have been drawn to the mountain; don't be surprised when you fall un-
der its spell too.
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
Gunung Kinabalu, as it is known in Malay, is more than the highest thing on the world's
third largest island. And it is more than scenery. Mt Kinabalu is ubiquitous in Sabah to the
point of being inextricable. It graces the state's flag and is a constant presence at the edge
of your eyes, catching the clouds and shading the valleys. It is only when you give the
mountain your full attention that you realise how special this peak, the region's biggest
tourist attraction, truly is.
The 4095m peak of Mt Kinabalu may not be a Himalayan sky-poker, but Malaysia's first
Unesco World Heritage site is by no means an easy jaunt. The main trail up is essentially a
very long walk up a very steep hill, past alpine jungle and sunlit moonscapes, with a little
scrabbling thrown in for good measure. If you don't feel up to reaching the mountain top,
its base has some worthy attractions, including a large network of nature trails.
That said, the main detriment to climbing is not the physical challenge, but the cost. Th-
ings are expensive within Mt Kinabalu National Park. Bottled water costs four or five times
what it goes for in KK and Sutera Sanctuary Lodges has a monopoly on accommodation.
You'll have to decide if you want to accept these fees because they are basically the cost of
climbing the mountain.
Amazingly, the mountain is still growing: researchers have found it increases in height
by about 5mm a year. On a clear day you can see the Philippines from the summit; usually,
though, the mountain is thoroughly wreathed in fog by midmorning.
 
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