You don’t need to be a mountaineer or an adventure seeker to enjoy Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in Malaysia and one of the most prominent peaks in South-east Asia.
From Kinabalu Park in Sabah on the northern end of the island of Borneo, you can get a good view of Mount Kinabalu, which stands tall at 4,095m above sea level. With the help of guides, you can scale the main peak from the Summit Trail at Timpohon Gate, which is about 4km away from the park headquarters.
Mount Kinabalu is just one of the main draws of Kinabalu Park. The park has long been a popular retreat for visitors who come to enjoy the cool climate and explore its interesting ecosystem.
In 2000, the park was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site for its role as one of the most important biological sites on earth. This area is home to a massive variety of flowers and ferns as well as rare plants such as the insectivorous pitcher plants and Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world.
With four climate zones, the park has a comprehensive range of habitats from tropical lowland and hill rainforest to tropical mountain forest and sub-alpine vegetation on higher elevations.
My family and I decided to visit Kinabalu Park to enjoy its tranquil surroundings. From the city centre of Kota Kinabalu, we took about two hours to arrive at Kinabalu Park in the Kundasang area by bus.
The park headquarters is situated on the southern fringes, about halfway up the mountain at an elevation of 1,500m. To enter, visitors pay a fee of RM15 (S$6.30) for non-Malaysians and RM3 for Malaysians. If you are planning to climb the mountain, you need to pay RM100, plus RM7 for insurance, on top of the entrance fee.
The park is well equipped with facilities such as hotels, restaurants and exhibit centres. Our chalet-style accommodation (right) at the Kinabalu Pine Resort offers pleasant and functional rooms with beautiful views of the mountain. Photo opportunities are best early in the morning when the peak is especially clear. At the resort, we soaked in the verdant landscape, which includes lovely pine trees, flowers and plantations at the valleys far below.
Visitors who choose not to scale the peak can go for jungle walks in the vicinity. A map is available at the park’s entrance, and there are signages to guide you. The 2ha Mount Kinabalu Botanical Garden is also a popular attraction where you can learn about the area’s unique flora.
In the main park, the temperature ranges from a pleasant 20 to 25 deg C but it can be cold and windy at night, so do take warm clothing along. A visit to Kinabalu Park will not be complete without visiting the Poring Hot Springs. Poring is a Kadazandusun word for the bamboo species growing in the area.
Situated 40km from the park headquarters, it houses open-air baths or pools whose water — channelled from nearby hot springs with temperature ranging from 50 to 60 deg C — contains sul-phur, which is known for its skin-curative properties.
The natural hot spring is also perfect for soothing aching muscles. Another highlight is the Poring Canopy Walkway, which comprises five suspension bridges built amid tall Mengaris trees.
As the bridges are high and narrow — the highest point from the ground is 41m — you may have to brace yourself beforehand, especially if you are scared of heights.
In between the bridges are jungle tracks which can be slippery and muddy after the rain, so proper walking shoes are necessary.
After our canopy adventure, we headed back to the hot baths to soak our feet and rejuvenate before departing for the city.
If you have time, pop by the nearby butterfly farm or the Poring Orchid Conservation Centre, which has a huge collection of wild orchids unique to this area.
En route to the city, our tour bus stopped at the Rose and Cactus Gardens, home to different species of colourful roses and cacti.
This was followed by a trip to the local market, where we saw natives selling local produce such as cauliflowers, capsicums, beetroots, avocados, sweetpeas and strawberries.
To me, Kinabalu Park is not just a typical holiday but a refreshing getaway that enlivens spirits and revives the soul.
This article was published in The Straits Times' It's All Here, Malaysia Truly Asia Special, produced by the Special Projects Unit, Marketing Division, SPH.
