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| Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort/ photo: hotel |
THE ANIMALS may not all be soft and cuddly, but Borneo is a bunny-huggers’ paradise. The lovable orangutan, the big-nosed, potbellied proboscis monkey and the tiny mouse deer are just a few of the state’s 40 mammals. And the more hugging the better – for Sabah’s once-remote rainforests are sadly disappearing in the relentless wake of loggers and agriculture, putting many of its creatures under severe threat. The world’s biggest flower, the Rafflesia, continues to bloom, elusively, at the Tambunan Rafflesia Centre, an hour’s drive from Kota Kinabalu. The once-feared headhunters have changed their ways and their longhouses are vanishing, but Sabah remains a rainforests and diving cocktail, with a little pool-side pampering before you undertake the ultimate thrill: climbing mist-enshrouded Mount Kinabalu.
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Our Sabah guide kicks off in the capital city, Kota Kinabalu, or KK, from where you can take a short flight to a more far-flung destination, stay put in one of the Kota Kinabalu luxury resorts for some rest and relaxation, or set off over land for the thrill of your choice. Taxis are often not run by meter – you’ll pay about RM15 from the airport to Kota Kinabalu town and watch out for the after-midnight surcharge that could double your fare.
Kota Kinabalu hotels and resorts
After a 10-minute drive from the city centre, you’ll find a cheery welcome at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa, set in 25 acres of landscaped gardens by the sea. Its large reception area with cooling overhead fans augur well for the rest of your stay. It’s a big resort – there are 492 rooms, eight restaurants and enough activities to keep boredom at bay – from plant tours around the resort and scuba diving, to Malaysian cuisine cooking demonstrations and traditional rice wine tasting. There’s a kids club too. All rooms have private balconies and come with Broadband Internet access, large safes, multi-plug data ports, tea-and-coffee-making and ironing facilities. A speedboat day-trip to one of the nearby offshore islands for swimming or snorkelling along the coral reefs is well worth it.
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| The Shangri-la's Tanjung Aru/ photo: hotel |
Taking advantage of sea views, bathrooms even get a glimpse of the ocean. For guests wanting a little more pampering, try one of the eight private villas located at CHI, The Spa, on an island connected by walkway to the main resort. The “spa within a spa” concept features private treatment rooms, lounging areas, steam rooms and gardens. Three are designed especially for couples. Apart from the extensive range of treatments available, the yoga pavilion is a highlight – try a sun salutation or five with an unobstructed outlook to the South China Sea. Sportsters can sharpen their skills on the nine-hole putting course or on one of the four tennis courts. Soccer matches are held daily for all budding Ronaldos. When it comes to wining and dining, there are eight options, indoor with a view, beside the pool, on the beach…spoilt for choice. This is one of the top choices on our Kota Kinabalu resorts review and it is also one of the plusher Sabah spa resorts.
Bang in the centre of town, around 20 minutes from the airport, is Warisan Square, home to a 102,677sq ft complex of hotels and shopping malls that will amply exercise your shoes. The Novotel Kota Kinabalu 1Borneo and Mercure Kota Kinabalu are joined at the hip, with direct links to the sprawling ‘lifestyle’ mall – one of the largest shopping and entertainment complexes in Sabah. Both of the hotels are suited to shoppers in need of a quick fix, or business travellers wanting easy access to the city. Novotel Kota Kinabalu’s 263 rooms are fitted out with TVs as well as VCRs, WiFi, safes, minibar, and tea-and-coffee-making facilities. Standard rooms are spacious enough for two adults and children. Novotel’s meeting and function facilities accommodate large-scale events – the grand ballroom fits up to 1,200 people. There is also a fitness centre and an outdoor pool.
Sister property Mercure Kota Kinabalu has 338 rooms and suites, and is one of the only hotels in the area with rooftop meeting rooms. It’s well set up for work – there are computers and mobile phones available for hire, secretarial services, WiFi throughout the hotel and a translating service. There is one restaurant and bar, or you could pop next door to the mall for a cheap bite.
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| Le Meridien room / photo: hotel |
Other choices from Warisan Square include the Imperial Boutec Waterfront Hotel Kota Kinabalu (previously known as Radius International). ‘Boutec’ refers to the boutique-styled rooms with a futuristic edge; these are small but well-appointed and decorated with splashes of bright orange.
A cut-price option in the same area is the 163-room Tune Hotel Kota Kinabalu, one of a chain of budget hotels from Tony Fernandes, who brought budget airline AirAsia on to the scene. Rates can be as low as RM9.99 – that converts to a ridiculously cheap US$3. Pay extra for amenities such as airconditioning, towels and WiFi.
The five-star Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu, with 306 guest rooms, is located in downtown KK, within walking distance of the city’s wet market and waterfront. The Deluxe guest rooms, meeting rooms (with natural light) and outdoor pool all have sea views. Rooms are modern and decked out with amenities that include 68cm flatscreen TV, DVD, electronic safe, Broadband Internet access (RM46 per day), large work desk and a spacious bathroom. A shoe-shining service is complimentary. Guests in Le Royal Club rooms get extra benefits and access to a private lounge with express check-in and a daily breakfast buffet.
Another city-based option is The Jesselton Hotel, a “boutique” property built back in 1954 but completely refurbished about ten years ago. It has 31 guest rooms and one suite, which, intriguingly, features a small fishpond.
Also in the city, next to the Merdeka shopping centre is the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, which commenced upgrades mid 2009. Rooms are spacious with small balconies (some with a sea view) and feature Broadband Internet access, TVs, three telephones, large work desks and good sized bathrooms.
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| Hyatt Regency/ photo: hotel |
A major facelift to the rooms will see balconies disappear making the rooms even more spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows added and amenities upgraded. At Hyatt, there is a fitness centre, a spa and an outdoor pool. Regency Club guests enjoy access to a private lounge that serve up breakfast and evening cocktails. Head to Shenanigans, still one of Kota Kinabalu’s most popular drinking holes, for some pub fun with live bands.
Child-friendly Sabah resorts for the family
Tanjung-Aru's sister resort, Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort, is a family-friendly place about a 45-minute drive from the airport (taxi RM90 one way). It is set between tropical vegetation and a long beach, where cows will sometimes wander first thing in the morning. The resort’s charm is its lack of neighbours – the sense of space is even more enhanced by its jungle backdrop and open sea views.
It also houses a 64-acre nature reserve, a conservation effort between the resort and Sabah Wildlife Department, with the only rehabilitation programme for orangutans on the west coast of Sabah. You can help the primates’ diminishing population by fostering one.
The new Ocean Wing offers luxurious surrounds with 90sq m Premier rooms where you can swing a cat and more by the tail. Huge balconies include a private soaking tub for couples. The Ocean Wing has a separate entrance from the main hotel, as well as its own pool. The Garden Wing meanwhile has 330 rooms and suites, all spacious and also with their own balconies. Expect TVs, Broadband Internet access, safe, tea-and-coffee-making facilities, decent-sized bathroom, hairdryer, and iron and ironing board. This is one of the best Sabah family resorts with great child-friendly features.
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| Beachside at Rasa Ria/ photo: Vijay Verghese |
Next to the resort, the Dalit Bay Golf Club has a challenging 18-hole golf course. The club also houses The Spa at Dalit Bay, where all treatments begin with a “purifying foot ritual”. There is a shuttle to take guests to and from the spa and golf course; otherwise it’s a pleasant five-minute stroll. Bicycles are available free and are a lovely (albeit hot) way to see some of the surrounding village life.
The sprawling Sutera Harbour Resort with a mind-boggling 956 rooms and suites, 15 restaurants and bars and an Olympic-sized swimming pool, is closer to town, near the Tanjung Aru. The whole resort comprises two ‘mini’ resorts; The Pacific Sutera with 500 rooms, catering for business travellers, and the more up-market resort-style Magellan Sutera with 456 rooms, for families, honeymooners and leisure travellers.
Other facilities include several more pools, a 100-seat movie theatre, a wide range of water and other sports and the 104-berth Sutera Harbour Marina. Golfers can swing out at the 27-hole day and night golf course and 41-bay driving range. The resort has two select spas. Body Senses by Mandara is aimed at business travellers, while the Mandara spa is geared towards couples and women craving “exotic indulgence”.
The resort also runs several Sutera Sanctuary Lodges in five eco-destinations; at Kinabalu Park, Mesilau Nature Resort at the foot of Mount Kinabalu, Laban Rata (where Mount Kinabalu climbers break after the first day’s hike up the mountain), Poring hot springs and Manukan Island (the second largest island forming part of the Abdul Rahman Marine National Park).
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| Sutera Harbour Resort/ photo: hotel |
About 30km from the city, the luxurious and sprawling Nexus Resort Karambunai has a 6km sandy beach, lush gardens and yet another championship golf course, the 18-hole Karambunai Resorts Golf Club. The Borneo Spa is perhaps a less taxing place to be. Or take a dip in one of three pools. All of the 236 rooms have terraces, views of the ocean and modern amenities to suit both business and leisure travellers. Look out for the new wing with luxury villas and suites. The two-bedroom Pool Villas have lap pools, separate living rooms that open to private patios and fully-equipped kitchenettes. Spa Suites, also in the new wing are serviced by private lifts and come with a Jacuzzi, steam baths and, of course, balconies with sea views. There are eight restaurants and bars, but should the city lights beckon, there’s a regular shuttle to Kota Kinabalu. This is a popular child friendly Sabah resort.
Farther up the coast from Karambunai is the Tuaran Beach Resort, an unfussy and simple affair with a large free-form pool, and a lovely stretch of sand. There are 115 rooms and chalets – only the chalets have balconies. Expect tea and coffee-making facilities, TV and minibar. Yes, the resort offers karaoke.
Sabah guide to shopping, nightlife, dining
Kota Kinabalu is an attractive city, and well worth a day trip for sightseeing. The tranquil Poh Toh Tze temple is alive with bougainvillaea and greenery. Kota Kinabalu shopping malls are nothing to write home about, but browsers and bargain hunters will enjoy the Handicraft Market, more commonly known as the “Filipino market”. Also take a wander in the Central Market, open daily until 5pm selling food, vegetables and essential items. If it’s antiques, batik, pottery, or even pets that you’re after, the Gaya Street Sunday Market – also a great place to sample local dishes and snacks – is the place for you. Come early – it’s all over by noon.
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| Nexus family resort / photo: Jessica Ng |
As any Sabah guide will tell you, it’s not all beaches and sun and surf. For atmosphere and Kota Kinabalu nightlife, the new City Waterfront (Anjung Samudra) is the spot to be seen, with a plethora of pubs, clubs, bars and dining. B.E.D (Best Entertainment Destination) serves up warehouse-style décor and spaces, large crowds with live bands or an in-house DJ. The Loft is more of a classy affair and a great place to watch the sun setting over the South China Sea. For good food, try the buzzing Port View seafood restaurant (tel: 242-875), which has a reputation as one of the best in town. Make sure you book ahead. Kohinoor was the first, and some say still the finest for Indian cuisine, at the waterfront (tel: 409-500). You can also shop for souvenirs at the Borneo Trading Post or simply promenade amongst the idiosyncratic dolphin and fish statues that dot the City Waterfront Esplanade (Anjung Senja). Nightlife bops until 2am on a weekend and 1am on weekdays, reminding you that not so long ago, Kota Kinabalu was just another sleepy backwater.
Sabah is known for its delicious seafood, but Chinese food dominates the more informal restaurants. Try Ocean Seafood Restaurant, and Kampung Nelayan, which also offers cultural performances while you dine. Jothy’s Banana Leaf Restaurant near the waterfront has had rave reviews from travellers. The South Indian dishes, at round RM4 each, come highly recommended if you’re looking for a cut-price meal. For good barbecued seafood, there’s Chuan Hin on Jalan Kolam (next to Cottage pub, Luyang, tel: 235-960; meals between RM15 and RM50).
River rafting, treks, trains, apes and climbs
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| On the Kiulu River/ photo: Vijay Verghese |
Seeking an adrenaline rush? Head to the Padas River for a half-day of rafting. (Set aside a full day, though, as it’s about a three-hour journey by road and rail to the starting point.) There are many tour and travel operators in Kota Kinabalu, with desks at all the major hotels, so it’s easy to arrange the trip, but word on the ground is that you should try not to pay much more than RM120 per person for the excursion (usually including a “buffet” lunch). There’s also rafting on two other rivers, the Kiulu and, lately, also on the Papar, but Padas is still regarded as the best for rapids and accompanying thrills.
At 4,095m, soaring Mount Kinabalu is Southeast Asia's highest peak and perhaps Sabah’s most famous tourist attraction. You can arrange permits, guides and porters through Sabah Parks (www.sabah.gov.my/parks). The entrance fee to Kinabalu Park is RM15 for a non-Malaysian adult (RM3 if you are Malaysian), the mountain guide fee from RM70 per trip (one to three climbers), and the climbing permit RM100 for a non-Malaysian. Add to that insurance (RM7 per person), and RM10 for your certificate at the end. The porter fee (to the summit) is RM100 for 10kg.
If you are fit and healthy, you shouldn’t have a problem getting to the summit in two days, but take warm clothing (including extra socks, gloves and a warm hat; temperatures fall rapidly as you ascend), high-energy snacks such as chocolates and nuts, sunblock, a raincoat and mosquito repellent. The climb is tougher than some might expect – I spoke to a young fit Australian couple who thought it would be a walk in the park, but almost didn’t make the summit due to a combination of altitude sickness and poor weather.
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| North Borneo Railway's steam chugger |
The aforementioned Sutera Harbour Resort also runs the North Borneo Railway (www.northborneorailway.com.my/nbr), a staple of any Sabah guide, featuring a British Vulcan steam locomotive and six restored steam train carriages, running through the main stations of Tanjung Aru, Papar, Bongawan, Beaufort and Tenom. The railway is temporarily closed for maintenance work until further notice, so watch this space. There’s yet more to the Sutera portfolio. The exclusive marine leisure charter, North Borneo Yachting (www.northborneoyachting.com.my) consists of luxury yachts for seafarers wanting a touch of comfort. The boats are available for executive meetings, functions, diving and fishing trips, island hops and tailor-made cruises for honeymooners.
Tour companies such as Tanjung Aru Tours & Travel (tel: 222-210, www.go2borneo.com) also arrange climbs – a two-day, one-night package that includes entrance fees, permits, mountain guide, accommodation and food costs RM950 per person. Or book a two-night Mount Kinabalu package (rooms and meals) for RM501 per person (double) through Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. This includes a night’s stay at Kinabalu Park and a night’s stay at Laban Rata with meals, but you have to organise the rest (permits, guides, insurance fees and so on) yourself.
If you prefer to stay on terra firma, the Kinabalu Park World Heritage Site is 754sq km of rugged mountain covered with pristine jungle. The dramatic, densely forested Crocker Range divides the coastal plains from the rest of Sabah. It takes about 90 minutes to get to the park by car from Kota Kinabalu (three hours by coach). At the park, you can go on guided walks to see exotic Borneo tree orchids and wild ginger plants. The temperature here is cooler and less humid than in Kota Kinabalu. The park supports lowland, mountain and alpine vegetation.
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| Big drives/ photo: Vijay Verghese |
About 39km from Kinabalu Park, the Poring hot springs and nature reserve in Ranau has Japanese-style open-air baths and sulphurous hot water said to have curative properties. It sounds appealing, but high season crowds and the physical appearance of the baths can be off-putting. The entrance fee to the springs in RM15 (non-Malaysian adults); RM3 (Malaysian adults). More appealing was the 20-minute hike to the canopy walkway, 41m from the forest floor. Apart from the entrance fee (RM5), you have to pay to take in your camera (RM5 per camera) or video equipment (RM30). In Kudat, about two-and-a-half hours north of Kota Kinabalu, visitors have a chance to explore the traditional communal longhouses of the Rungus tribe.
But if what really brought you to Sabah are the orangutans, you need to go closer into their remaining natural habitat. A quick 45-minute flight from Kota Kinabalu is sleepy Sandakan, on the east coast of Sabah, from where you can set off for the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre (www.sabah.gov.my/jhl/Sepilok.htm; entry for non-Malaysian adults about RM10, plus RM10 for camera equipment). Except for the reserve at the Rasa Ria resort, this is the main sanctuary for orphaned baby orangutans, who are cared for and rehabilitated here. It is also a safe haven for wild orangutans, and houses an enclosure where you can see another rare Sabah local, the endangered Sumatran rhinoceros.
The centre is located at the entrance of Sepilok Forest Reserves, and while you don’t actually really see the primates “in the wild”, you can watch them being fed on a wooden platform in the forest twice a day. Orangutans’ natural habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate as logging claims increasing sections of the remaining Borneo rainforests. Stay overnight at the nearby wooden bungalows at the Sepilok Nature Resort (www.sepilok.com), which is also a good starting point for excursions on the Kinabatangan River and the surrounding Sukau area.
Sandakan hotels and eco lodges, wildlife
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| CHI, The Spa at Tanjung Aru/ photo: hotel |
Back in Sandakan, the Sabah Hotel Sandakan is a five-star hotel nestled in lush foliage, and the only “international class” hotel in the town. The atmosphere is mellow and the people friendly. There is a pool, fitness centre, tennis courts, as well as a sauna, steam room and children’s playground. There are four restaurants and bars – one of which hosts a live band every night.
Sandakan is also your springboard to explore the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, a forest-covered alluvial floodplain with some of the last remaining freshwater swamp forests. The Sukau rainforest, about a two-hour drive from Sandakan, teems with wildlife. Arrange your trip and a stay in a jungle lodge through a travel agent, as public transport is virtually non-existent in this area. One option is the 20-room, eco-friendly Sukau Rainforest Lodge (www.sukau.com), which has had regular upgrades to its facilities since 2001. Additions include bird and wildlife viewing decks and a 1,500ft-long ‘Hornbill Boardwalk’, including two elephant passes to accommodate their regular migration at the back of the property. Electricity at the lodge is supplied by acoustic generators and hot water by solar heaters.
The Sukau River Lodge in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and the rustic Borneo Rainforest Lodge (www.borneorainforestlodge.com), which accommodates 60 people at most, in the Danum Valley Conservation Area (for which you need a permit) offer jungle treks and bird watching. Get here by flying to the town of Lahad Datu, the gateway to Danum Valley, from Kota Kinabalu. The Borneo Rainforest Lodge is a two-hour drive from Lahad Datu.
The Labuk Bay Proboscis Sanctuary (www.proboscis.cc) is perhaps the only place in the world where you can see the odd-looking and very shy proboscis monkeys in their natural habitat from fairly close by. The sanctuary has an observation platform, where they can be watched when they come for their meals twice a day, at 11.30am and 4.30pm. The sanctuary is about an hour from the airport along gravel roads and through plantation estates.
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| Shangri-La Rasa Ria/ photo: hotel |
There are three types of accommodation available at the sanctuary. Bangkatan House, directly linked to the observation platform, has six rooms with private bathrooms and one long shared balcony. Nipah Lodge with eight semi-detached chalets is a five minute walk away. For groups of ten or more, consider the Nipah Dormitory which has shared bathrooms – only some of the dorm rooms have aircon.
Sabah dive resorts, Sipadan
The islands near Kota Kinabalu are well worth a day visit (the closer of the five islands of the protected Tungku Abdul Rahman Marine Park are 15 minutes by boat from Kota Kinabalu jetty), but they are tame compared to the pristine beauty of the waters further afield. A divers’ paradise is the small rainforest-covered island of Sipadan, reached by taking a flight to Tawau, followed by a land transfer to Semporna. Sipadan is reached by boat from Semporna jetty and requires an official permit for diving. The Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort, built on stilts and resembling a village built on the water, is about 15 minutes from the island. The resort can take care of dive permits for foreigners. The place may be remote, but it does have Internet and a satellite phone. Guests stay in wooden chalets with private balconies and bathrooms, all linked by walkways. Book your accommodation in advance through Pulau Sipadan Resort & Tours (tel: [60-89] 765-200), which also operates the Lankayan Island Resort on the virtually uninhabited Lankayan Island in the Sulu Seas.
Sipadan is in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, the Indo-Pacific basin with more than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species.
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| Nexus Resort/ photo: hotel |
The Sipadan Water Village Resort on Mabul Island, a 35-minute boat ride from Semporna, has elegant water cottages built on wooden stilts, with private sundecks. The resort also has a diving centre.
Typhoon-free Sabah was called “the land below the wind” by the early seafarers. To them, it was a sanctuary from the fierce Southeast Asian tropical storms. Today, the state with its friendly people offers a different kind of refuge – a break from skyscrapers and the corporate rat race. Prefer to kick back, or raring to go? It’s your call entirely.
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