Exciting Sabah – All You Need To Know About Borneo’s Mystical North!
What comes to your mind when you hear the word 'Borneo'? Is it untamed rainforests, elusive Orang-Utans, ancient head-hunter tribes, amazing dive sites or Asia's highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu? The federal state of Sabah in Borneo's north is home to all of these natural and cultural highlights. Even though the Malaysian side of Borneo only occupies one-third of the island, they made sure they got the best part! Join us today as we get to know the ins and outs of Sabah and explore the state's capital Kota Kinabalu. Thanks to lovely Joanne from Downbelow Adventures, we have once again a local to take us around and show us the best things to do in the area!
Today, we venture from Malaysia’s capital KL to Sabah’s capital Kota Kinabalu or short KK! If you have missed last weeks post, Fascinating Kuala Lumpur – Where Thrilling Modern Life Meets Ancient Tradition, have a quick read and get up to speed!
Kota Kinabalu and Sabah hold a very special place in my heart! It was the last place I travelled to for work in February 2020, just before the world fell apart due to Corona. I had the best time, met some amazing people and I got to see some of the most breathtaking places Sabah has to offer. In return, I feel obliged to let more people know what an excellent destination Borneo really is.
About Sabah
Malaysia’s federal state of Sabah occupies the very northern tip of Borneo with a population of about 3.5 million people. Culturally, Sabah is home to over 30 different ethnic groups which are vastly different from each other, from head hunter tribes to sea gypsy communities.
Sabah’s capital city Kota Kinabalu is located on the West Coast of Borneo. Even though it’s the state capital, Kota Kinabalu is a small and relaxed town surrounded by rainforest and the South China Sea. You find remnants of KK’s British colonial history all over town as well as the many multicultural influences predominant in Malaysia. From KK’s waterfront and promenade, you see the many small beautiful islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Therefore, an island-hopping trip in this stunning marine park is a Must when visiting the city!
Sabah's Highlights
Asia’s highest mountain, the impressive Mount Kinabalu lies only about a 2-hour drive north-east of Kota Kinabalu. The area around the mountain is truly breathtaking with thick green rainforest and small villages dotted along the way. If you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the notoriously shy mountain. Most of the time the peak is hidden behind a veil of clouds. The Mount Kinabalu National Park invites you to explore the area on different hiking trails and if you are fit enough, you can summit the mountain during a 2-day trek.
Surrounded by the warm tropical waters of the South China Sea, some islands of the Philippines are so close you can see them with the naked eye. In the east of Borneo, you find Sipadan and Mabul, some of the best diving destinations in the world.
Eastern Sabah in a Nutshell
The eastern city of Sandakan is the ideal base to visit the remote Turtle Island, a sanctuary for the endangered sea turtles to lay their eggs. Visitors have the chance to stay on the island for a night to support the protection of these beautiful creatures.
Just a few kilometres outside Sandakan, you find the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. It is Borneo’s first official rehabilitation project, which opened in 1964. The centre is dedicated to rescued orphaned baby orangutans from logging sites, plantations, illegal hunting or being kept as pets. The orangutans live here in relative freedom in a confined jungle area where wooden walkways lead visitors through their habitat. Right next door to the orangutans, a sanctuary for the endangered sun bears has been set up. Please make sure to visit the sun bears as well, as the sanctuary needs all the support it can get.
Borneo's Wildlife Areas
A little further inland from Sandakan, the mighty Kinabatangan River cuts through the century-old rainforests of the island. Here you can find some of the most unique indigenous animals such as the Borneo pygmy elephant, proboscis monkeys, orangutans, sun bears and clouded leopards to name just a few. Stay for a few nights in one of the beautiful river lodges and spend your days with safaris by boat to try and catch a glimpse of the elusive wildlife. It’s a stunning area and one of the best wildlife experiences in Borneo.
Apart from Kinabatangan, there are several other important wildlife and nature sanctuaries like the Deramakot Forest Reserve or the Danum Valley Conservation area, to name just a few. Please make sure to spend some time in one of the conservation areas in Sabah to catch a glimpse of the unique native wildlife. I can’t think of another place where the impact of human settlement is as painfully visible as here. Huge palm oil plantations cover the biggest part of the island while the natural rainforest habitat for Borneo’s wildlife gets scarily small. Unfortunately, this is also one of Sabah’s realities that need to be addressed.
About Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu has the charm of a small country town. Nestled between the lush rainforests of the Crocker Mountain Range and the stunning blue of the South China Sea, the city simply has a very relaxed vibe about it. Even though it has a population of about 563,000, KK just lacks the frantic hustle and bustle of most other Asian cities. The traffic is calm and orderly, with the crazy hooting, pollution and noise. The city centre can be easily tackled on foot since nothing is really too far away from each other.
The first proper settlement of what KK is today has been established by the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) in 1899. The settlement was initially called Jesselton, after Sir Charles Jessel, vice-chairman of the BNBC. After the formation of Malaysia, Jesselton was renamed Kota Kinabalu in 1967. You still see many remnants of British history all over town, like the ferry port called Jesselton Point or the Atkinson Clocktower, named in honour of Francis George Atkinson, the former District Officer of Jesselton.
Not-To-Miss Sights in KK!
I love KK & the Giant Swordfish
KK has a great promenade to walk along the sea and take in the stunning views. It is definitely the best place to see the breathtaking sunsets the city has to offer. The heart piece of the promenade area is the ‘I love KK’ sign, a selfie-favourite for any tourist. Right in front of the ‘I love KK’ sign, you find a traffic circle with a giant swordfish statue as a centrepiece. I still don’t know the meaning of the swordfish, but I love it regardless.
There are several pubs and bars in the area, a few with a terrace overlooking the street and the sea. Definitely a good spot to re-hydrate in the heat.
The Night Seafood Market & Waterfront Area
A few hundred metres further down from the Giant Swordfish you’ll come to the Night Seafood Market. The market opens from 5.30 pm with countless street food stalls, most of which selling fresh seafood. You walk past the stalls and choose one of the freshly caught fish or seafood. You then choose how you would like it done – grilled, fried or steamed. The vendor will then prepare and serve your dish to you at one of the long communal tables. It’s not only delicious but a great local experience too. Choose a freshly squeezed juice or a local dessert to make the experience complete. Afterwards, continue to peruse the other side of the market for exotic local spices, clothes or other typical Sabah delicacies.
The KK Waterfront lies yet another few hundred metres further down the road and is a conglomerate of – more or less – fancy bars and pubs along the sea. Here, you find more western cuisine as well as wine and beers from all over the world. Alcohol is generally not cheap in Malaysia, so if you are aiming for a big night out at the waterfront, plan for a bit higher budget.
Gaya Street
Located right in the city centre is Gaya Street, the little Chinatown of KK. You find many typical Chinese shops and restaurants here as well as backpacker accommodation and local travel shops to book your trips around Borneo! Make sure to stop by the souvenir shops to buy some of the typical Sabah delicacies and knick-knacks. Apart from tasty authentic Chinese meals, you can get some of the best local Laksa, a spicy noodle soup, in this area. Take a wander around and soak in the exotic flair! If you are in town on a Sunday, visit the Gaya Street Sunday Market! The market opens early at 6.30 am and runs until about midday. It is definitely worth a visit! You can peruse the stalls for clothes, local delicacies and more souvenirs!
Signal Hill and the Atkinson Clocktower
For some history and great views, take a walk to the Atkinson Clocktower and have a look. It is the oldest building in Kota Kinabalu as most of the other historic buildings have been destroyed during World War II. The tower dates back to 1905 and is one of the main landmarks of the city. Walk up the scenic hill to get a closer look. From here, it’s less than a kilometre to reach the Signal Hill Observatory. The viewing platform offers some of the best views over the city, the mountains and the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
Funny story – the first time I came to KK, I planned to soak in the views from the Observation Deck of Signal Hill. Clearly, my google maps game wasn’t strong, which made the Signal Hill Observation Deck seem pretty far away. To make life easier, I found a taxi to get me there and haggled like a king for a reasonable fare for the ride. After some longwinded negotiations, I finally got into the taxi and made myself comfortable for the ride. After short a 3-minute drive, the taxi stops and we have reached the Observatory. DOH! Don’t be like me – just walk up the hill! It’s right there!
Visit the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque
Last but not least, visit the impressive Kota Kinabalu City Mosque. Located on the outskirts of the city centre, the City Mosque is the largest and – without a doubt – the most beautiful in Sabah. The building is surrounded by a lagoon which makes it seem like it’s floating. It’s an impressive piece of architecture and a cornerstone of the local culture. Since it is located outside the city centre, I would, in this case, recommend taking a taxi or Uber for your visit. Dress appropriately when visiting the mosque and make sure you come outside the prayer time to be able to enter.
About Joanne & Downbelow Adventures
I met Joanne from Downbelow Adventures during my last trip to KK in February 2020. I attended the PATA Travel Mart, a trade show for international tourism professionals to connect and find new business partners from Borneo. After a long day of meetings, I was lucky enough to be invited by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges and Downbelow Adventures to a sunset sailing trip to Manukan Island. Sometimes you get lucky in life! The Sutera Sanctuary Lodges provide the only accommodation on this beautiful island. We got taken around the stunning luxury guest villas located by the beach and in the lush hills overlooking the amazing scenery. Downbelow Adventures has a dive centre based on the premises, providing the guests with unique experiences above and below water level. We got spoilt rotten at a lavish dinner on the beach and I had the best time chatting to Joanne, learning more about their business and life in Kota Kinabalu! It was definitely an unforgettable evening getting to know the best parts of KK and the people behind the local businesses here.
How it all started...
Joanne and her husband Richard are both from the UK and have always been passionate divers. In July 1999, they took their first trip to Sabah, having read about the fantastic dives sites in Sipadan. Once in Sabah, they soon discovered the unbelievable underwater world of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park at the shores of Kota Kinabalu and got hooked.
During the same period, Joanne and Richard had just started their company Dive Downbelow UK. Their newly born PADI Dive Centre was operating seasonal during the UK summer, from April to October. This left plenty of time for them to travel from October to March. What a life! Given their travel experience and contacts on the ground, they additionally started to offer outbound trips overseas to their UK customers. While growing the company at home, they would return regularly to Sabah, discovering more of this stunning region. By October 2005, Joanne and Richard made the decision to move all their worldly goods as well as their dive company to Kota Kinabalu permanently!
How it's all going...
After their move to KK, Joanne and Richard re-established their Dive Downbelow PADI 5 STAR IDC Centre, earning money with their passion for diving. They soon realised though that their dive customers were keen on experiencing more in Sabah than just dive sites. Therefore, the idea was born to establish the travel centre to complement the dive business! Knowing the country inside out, Joanne and Richard made it their mission to show their customers the best off-the-beaten-track sights of Sabah – both underwater and on land. It took a few attempts to tie the new name for the travel centre to Downbelow, finally resulting in Adventures in Borneo!
What's on Offer?
As we have learned from our previous ex-pat entrepreneurs in Thailand – you always do best what you love the most.
Joanne and Richard decided for their travel business to base their offered trips around their passions. Since both love nature and the great outdoors, they offer small group adventures specialised in hiking, camping, wildlife safaris, diving and wellness. Apart from their standard trips, they are experienced in putting together special interest trips, for example, running camps, yoga & wellness retreats, wildlife safaris or birding trips!
Diving is, of course, still the centrepiece of their business with different dive trips, ranging from casual one-day dive experiences to multi-day dive safaris with base in KK or Gaya Island. Downbelow Adventures is probably best known for the education side of diving, offering PADI courses from beginner to instructor level.
What is the Current Situation during COVID?
The last 18 months have been hard on anyone working in and being dependent on tourism. With tourism being one of the largest industries in Malaysia, there is a lot of pressure to open the country rather sooner than later. While no official announcements have been made, everyone hopes for international borders to open by December 2021. Domestic borders are set to open by October 2021, given the target of having 60% of the Malaysian population double vaccinated will be reached.
Downbelow Adventures managed to keep its core team employed during the COVID restrictions. Thanks to the Adventure Shop business and the local scuba diving operations, Downbelow managed to hang on during these past 18 months. They are prepared and poised to welcome travellers back on their tours into Sabah.
Joanne's Recommendations
Being a local over the past 16 years, Joanne knows Kota Kinabalu and its surroundings like no other! She was kind enough to share her personal favourite things to do in and around the city.
#1 - Overnight Hiking Trips into the Crocker Range
One of Joanne’s favourite things to do over weekends is getting out of the hot city and into the cooler elevations of the Crocker Range. This stunning mountain range stretches all around the majestic Mount Kinabalu. It’s the best area for trail running and hiking. Especially the cool highland area around Kundasang, a 2-hour drive from KK, is ideal to explore along some stunning hiking routes. While you are trekking through the native rainforest, there are many rivers and superb waterfalls to take a break and cool off.
During a hiking trip, you not only get to know the unique nature of the Crocker Range you also have the chance to get close to the locals. Ideally, make it a two-day hiking trip with an overnight at a homestay in a local village. It is such a once-in-a-lifetime experience getting to know and being part of the village community. The hospitality here is unrivalled and you are far away from the usual tourist hustle and bustle. For dinner, your hosts cook up their local produce, which usually includes typical vegetables from the region, tempeh and for dessert fresh mangoes and pineapple. There is no better way to experience the ‘real’ Sabah than getting out into the countryside.
Knowing the locals and the trails like the back of their hand, Downbelow Adventures offers several overnight hikes as small group tours as well. If you would like to get more details on this, have a look here!
#2 - Scuba Diving or Snorkelling at Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
Being addicted to diving for more than 20 years, it’s no surprise that Joanne loves to get into the water off the coast of KK. Especially if you are a beginner or even a first-time diver, the calm, warm waters of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park are the ideal place to get started. The marine life here is unrivalled, which easily gets you hooked for more.
If scuba diving is simply not for you, make sure to go at least snorkelling during an island-hopping day trip around Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. It is definitely one of the Must-Do experiences when you come to KK.
For experienced divers, there is no way around visiting the two world-class dive sites Sipadan and Layang Layang on Sabah’s east coast! You won’t find more spectacular dive sites anywhere in the world.
#3 - Wildlife Safari at Deramakot Forest Reserve
Sabah is the best place in Borneo for wildlife experiences. Most wildlife areas are however located closer to Sandakan or Lahad Datu on the east coast of Sabah. Joanne’s favourite wildlife area is the Deramakot Forest Reserve since it’s one of the not so well-trodden parks. Its hidden inland location, far from any major city, makes it harder to reach yet has some of the best wildlife experiences. The drive from KK takes about 7 hours, which still gets you there early enough for an afternoon 4×4 safari in search of clouded leopards, gibbons and pygmy elephants. Deramakot is one of the richest wildlife resorts in Borneo, one of the few places to find all 5 Borneo cat species and the best place to come across gibbons and orangutans. With natural habitats for wildlife in Borneo shrinking, Deramakot is worth the journey! If you are interested in more information on the reserve and how to get there, have a look here.
#4 - Try some Local Delicacies at Teh Tarik
After all the big-ticket items outside the city, it’s time for some foodie recommendations in KK! One of Joanne’s go-to places is Teh Tarik, a typical Malay coffee shop and restaurant serving authentic local delicacies. Joanne’s favourite menu item is the Teh Tarik Special, the typical Malay tea poured the traditional way. Try some of the delicious curry dishes like the Nasi Kandar or go for a Goreng Special.
If you want to experience authentic Malay hospitality, give Teh Tarik a try. It’s a lovely, no-frills kind of place having you sit shoulder to shoulder with the locals! A great experience!
#5 - Catch a KK Sunset
Kota Kinabalu was voted number 8 in the Huffington Post’s Best Ocean Sunsets in the world. You can catch the stunning sunsets from anywhere along the promenade overlooking the islands. It really is a sight to be seen, so make sure you find a spot to your liking to watch this natural spectacle. Personally, I always love a good cocktail with my sundowner, but that is, of course, optional. Don’t they always say – the best things in life are free?
This brings us to the end of the first part of our journey around Sabah. Join us again next week to delve deeper into the ultimate experiences in Borneo!
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Have a great week ahead and until next time!
