Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SOUTHWESTERN SABAH
The Crocker Range is the backbone of southwestern Sabah, separating coastal lowlands
from the wild tracts of jungle in the east. Honey-tinged beaches scallop the shores from KK
down to the border, passing the turbid rivers of the Beaufort Division. Offshore you'll find
Pulau Tiga, forever etched in the collective consciousness as the genesis site for the
eponymous reality show
Survivor,
and Pulau Labuan, centre of the region's oil industry and
the transfer point for ferries heading onto Sarawak and Brunei.
The Interior
Sabah's interior constitutes some of the wildest territory in the state, and the best place for
accessing this largely unexplored hinterland is via the southwest part of the state.
The landscape is dominated by the
Crocker Range
, which rises near Tenom in the
south and runs north to Mt Kinabalu. The range forms a formidable barrier to the interior of
the state and dominates the eastern skyline from Kota Kinabalu down to Sipitang. Once
across the Crocker Range, you descend into the green valley of the Sungai Pegalan that
runs from Keningau in the south and to Ranau in the north. The heart of the
Pegalan Val-
ley
is the small town of
Tambunan
, around which you'll find a few low-key attractions.
CROCKER RANGE NATIONAL PARK
Much of the Crocker Range has been gazetted as Crocker Range National Park. The main
means of accessing this landscape by foot is via the
Salt Trail
(Salt Trails;
088-553500;
www.sabahparks.org.my/eng/crocker_range_park/salt_trail.asp
)
, a series of
four treks that trace the path of traditional trade routes across the mountains. At their
shortest the trails can be completed in half a day; the longest route, the
Inobong-Terian-
Buayan-Kionop-Tikolod trail
, takes three days to finish (if you're fit!). At the time of
writing the tourism infrastructure around the salt trails was quite minimal, making this an
excellent adventure for DIY trekkers who want to get off Sabah's package tourism trail.
You'll need to get in touch with Crocker Range National Park to organise guides.
Even if you're not trekking, the Crocker Range and Pegalan Valley make a nice jaunt in-
to rural Sabah for those with rental vehicles. As you make your way over the range
between KK and Tambunan, you'll be treated to brilliant views back to the South China
Sea and onward to Mt Trus Madi.
