Snippets of tourist hotspots in Sabah

 

Kinabalu Park or Poring Hotsprings
Kinabalu Park, now proclaimed as a World Heritage Site,covering an area 754 sq.km possesses the Highest mountain in South East asia.This brings with it a diverse range of temperature and climate with all its exotic plants,birds and insects, with new species found every year. Thousands visit the park every year to climb Mount Kinabalu(4095 m) or walk along the nature trails at the Park headquarters, which is a favourite among bird watchers.

Poring Hot Springs lies on the southern boundary of the park. Open-air bathtubs fed by sulphurous underground springs offer gentle relief for tired muscles and believed to have therapeutic properties. For those with energy to spare, there's a canopy walkway through the lowland rain forest and trails to the bat caves and Langanan waterfalls.

Kota Belud
Famous for its weekly tamu(open markets). Kota Belud is a fasinating meeting place to trade local produce ranging from fresh vegetables,seafood,buffaloes and traditional arts and crafts. The indigenous Bajau tribe is well known for the their horse riding skills and gaily dressed ponies which are put on parade during special occasions such as Kota Belud's annual Tamu Besar(Grand Market)

Kudat
Kudat peninsula lies on the northern most tip of Sabah and is home of the Rungus tribe. The Rungus still maintain a strong traditional lifestyle where many continue to live in long houses and observe age-old customs. The beaches and dive sites off Kudat offer attractive options for visitors in this area.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehab Centre
The centre provides the easiest opportunity to see the orangutan primates up close in their natural habitat. A boardwalk leads to the gallery and feeding platform where the orangutans are fed twice a day. Long tailed and pig tailed macaques are also regularly seen during feeding times. The centre is situated in Kabili-Sepilok Forest reserve which highlights some excellent examples lowland rain forest tree species

Kinabatangan Floodplain
The Kinabatangan river is the longest river in Sabah and a biodiversity hotspot rich in mammal and bird life. Proboscis monkeys, wild orangutans, Asian elephants, estuarine crocodiles, wild cats and horn bills are among the most fascinating and extraordinary species to inhabit the lower reaches of the floodplain. Historical sites found in the plain are the Gomantong caves where the harvesting of birds nests began centuries ago and Batu Tulug where hardwood coffins were discovered and are now being displayed in a lime stone hill.

Sipadan
Sipadan is the only oceanic island in Sabah and rises from an incredible depth of 600 m from the Pacific ocean floor. The island's described as one of the best in the world with myriad species including barracudas,white tip sharks,lionfish,parrotfish,green and hawksbill turtles. Skeletal remains of turtles can be found in the watery tomb of Turtle Cavern.

Rafflesia Conservation Area
The Rafflesia plant which the flower is well known to be biggest in the world but rarely found elsewhere is being conserved at the Rafflesia Conservation Area in Tambunan. A pungent smelling flower but worth your while catch a glimpse of awesome beautiful giant.

Tenom
The tenom Agriculture Park and Gardens is an expansive complex highlighting native and introduced species of plants that are of agricultural and ornamental value. Of significant interest are the native Borneo orchid collection,living crop museum and ornamental gardens. tenom is accessible by road from Kota kinabalu although visitors can opt to travel by train on the historical North Borneo Railway.The railway between Beaufort and Tenom meanders along the Padas river where white water rafting is popular.

Danum Valley
The Danum Valley conservation is prime example of lowland rain forest habitat with an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. Civets,cloud leopards,Asian elephants,orangutans and birds are prominent wildlife attractions at Danum. An extensive network of trails has been established to enable scientific research to be carried out in the forest around the research centre.Other trails leads to ancient burial grounds closeby.

Pulau Tiga
Pulau Tiga is world famous for the first venue of the reality television series 'Survivor', is a three-island park. For those who enjoy walking, there are trails made around the islands and revisit the challenges made to the 'survivors' and if you don't fear snakes,one of the three islands is full of them happen to so named after the crawling critters.