Kundasang War Memorial
Kundasang
Kundasang
A must-visit in Kundasang is the Kundasang
War Memorial. Established in 1962, this was one of the first memorials
to commemorate the brave Australian and British Prisoners of War who
died in Sandakan and during the infamous death marches to Ranau during World War II. The memorial also remembers the people of North Borneo who risked their lives to help the POWs.
The Memorial is made up of four beautiful gardens - the Australian
Garden, the English Garden, the Borneo Garden and the Contemplation
Garden and Pool - to represent the different nationalities. With its
towering pine trees and blooming roses, a walk in the gardens is
reminiscent to that of a stroll in a quaint English garden. The scent of
roses lingers in the air and the serene atmosphere makes the Kundasang
War Memorial an ideal place to contemplate and remember the heroes of
the war. Visitors can also opt to view a brief video on the history of
the Sandakan Death March.
Getting There
Kundasang is located 90km, about 2 hrs driving from Kota Kinabalu and only 10 minutes driving from Kinabalu Park. Take a bus from the Jalan Padang Bus Terminal to Kundasang or Ranau for approximately RM17.00 per person. A taxi from the Ranau Taxi Stand (located beside the Merdeka Field) or from your hotel should cost around RM160.00 to RM300.00 per taxi.
Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary
Sandakan
The
Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre was set up in 1964 to
rehabilitate orphaned baby orang utan. Set in the lush 4,300-hectare
Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, the Centre under the administration of
the Wildlife Department of Sabah attracts tourists and researchers
alike, giving them the opportunity to watch the orang utan up close in
their natural habitat. A boardwalk leads you to a viewing gallery and
feeding platform where the apes are fed milk and bananas twice a day at
10.00am and 3.00pm by rangers. Feeding time also attracts long-tailed
macaques to the area.
While orang utan rehabilitation is still the primary goal at Sepilok, it also focuses on public education on conservation, research and assistance on other endangered species such as the rhinoceros.
Visitors are restricted to walkways. Some orang utan have become familiar with people but touching them is strongly discouraged, and while the apes are naturally shy and gentle, the more mischievous ones may try to grab your camera or hat, in which case you should call for a ranger as trying to wrestle the 200 pound apes may not be a good idea.
The
Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre was set up in 1964 to
rehabilitate orphaned baby orang utan. Set in the lush 4,300-hectare
Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, the Centre under the administration of
the Wildlife Department of Sabah attracts tourists and researchers
alike, giving them the opportunity to watch the orang utan up close in
their natural habitat. A boardwalk leads you to a viewing gallery and
feeding platform where the apes are fed milk and bananas twice a day at
10.00am and 3.00pm by rangers. Feeding time also attracts long-tailed
macaques to the area. While orang utan rehabilitation is still the primary goal at Sepilok, it also focuses on public education on conservation, research and assistance on other endangered species such as the rhinoceros.
Visitors are restricted to walkways. Some orang utan have become familiar with people but touching them is strongly discouraged, and while the apes are naturally shy and gentle, the more mischievous ones may try to grab your camera or hat, in which case you should call for a ranger as trying to wrestle the 200 pound apes may not be a good idea.
For the more adventurous, there is trekking through mangrove forest.
As this is under the Forestry Department, you will have to get a permit
from them before trekking the 5km trail which runs through Sepilok Laut.
You can also arrange for a boat return or accommodation in chalets in
the forest.
Getting There
If you are not on any tour, public buses and taxis are available from Sandakan town. The Labuk Road Bus Company vehicles depart from the front of the Sandakan Town Council (Majlis Perbandaran Sandakan
or MPS) from 6.00 am onwards. Fares are RM2.10 one way, but it will
only stop at the junction to the Centre. You will have to walk about one
and a half km in. You can hire a taxi for a return trip for about
RM100.00 negotiable. The distance between town and the Centre is
approximately 23km.
Opening Hours
Security Gate: Daily from 8.00am till 5.00pm
Reception & Ticketing Counter: Daily from 9.00am till 11.00am and 2.00pm till 3.30pm
Exhibition Hall: Daily (except Fridays) from 9.00am till 4.30pm
Centre: Daily from 9.00am till 12.00pm and 2.00pm till 4.00pm Fridays 9.00am till 11.00am, 2.00pm till 4.00pm
Reception & Ticketing Counter: Daily from 9.00am till 11.00am and 2.00pm till 3.30pm
Exhibition Hall: Daily (except Fridays) from 9.00am till 4.30pm
Centre: Daily from 9.00am till 12.00pm and 2.00pm till 4.00pm Fridays 9.00am till 11.00am, 2.00pm till 4.00pm
Mabul Island
Semporna
Mention Mabul
Island and visions of swaying coconut trees and idyllic water villages
come to mind. And that’s just above the water. Located only about 15
minutes by speedboat from the famous Sipadan Island, Mabul
has gained its own recognition as one of the best muck-diving (a term
used to describe limited visibility dives at shallow sites with usually
sandy bottoms) sites in the world.
Mabul
is a small oval shaped island fringed by sandy beaches and perched on
the northwest corner of a larger 200-hectare reef. The reef is on the
edge of the continental shelf and the seabed surrounding the reef slopes
out to 25–30m deep.
Mabul
is also renowned for its amazing array of macrolife, making it an
underwater photographer’s dream location to capture some of the rarest
ecological species on film. Flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopus,
spike-fin gobies, frogfish and moray eels are just some of the
spectacular critters you will encounter beneath the waters of Mabul.
Although all the excitement is underwater, you can always set your scuba gear aside for a day to laze on Mabul’s soft sand to work on your tan.
Where to stay
When in Mabul, opt to stay in any one of these excellent resorts:
- Borneo Divers & Sea Sports (Sabah) Sdn Bhd
- Explore Asia Tours Sdn Bhd (Sipadan-Mabul Resort)
- Seaventures Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd
- Sipadan Water Village Resort Sdn Bhd
* Resort rates may vary
How to get there
From Kota Kinabalu, take a 55-minute flight to Tawau and enjoy an hour’s drive to Semporna. From here, Mabul is another 45 minutes by speedboat. Be sure to pre-arrange transportation with your respective resort/dive operator.
Kelambu Beach
Kudat
For beach lovers who opt for a more reclusive and less mainstream beach vacation, Kelambu Beach is the ultimate place to be.
Though less known, Kelambu Beach is indeed one of the best beaches in Sabah with its clear aquamarine sea and beautiful white sand engulfed by astounding verdant islands.
The inviting clear waters offer a variety of activities such as speed boating, water skiing, swimming, and snorkelling. The wonderful beach, on the other hand; is a perfect spot for family picnics, romantic strolls by the beach, seashells collecting or simply to enjoy a gorgeous sunset.
On the way to Kudat, be sure to make a detour to Kelambu Beach where you can sit back and delight in the beauty of nature’s best!
Though less known, Kelambu Beach is indeed one of the best beaches in Sabah with its clear aquamarine sea and beautiful white sand engulfed by astounding verdant islands.
The inviting clear waters offer a variety of activities such as speed boating, water skiing, swimming, and snorkelling. The wonderful beach, on the other hand; is a perfect spot for family picnics, romantic strolls by the beach, seashells collecting or simply to enjoy a gorgeous sunset.
On the way to Kudat, be sure to make a detour to Kelambu Beach where you can sit back and delight in the beauty of nature’s best!
The Tip of Borneo - Tanjung Simpang Mengayau
Kudat
This dramatic headland is situated in the northern-most tip of BORNEO, the third largest island in the world, after Greenland and New Guinea. It is located in the KudatKota Kinabalu City.
Peninsula, about three and a half hours (or 215 kilometres) drive from
Simpang Mengayau means 'lingering junction'
as it is here that the South China Sea lingers and meets the Sulu Seas
flowing from the east ... Enjoy the stunning view. The sunsets and full
moons are just beautiful ... The Pulau Kalampunian
lighthouse is a reminder of treacherous coastline and past shipwrecks.
On the left is the beautiful beach of Pantai Kalampunian.
It's a lovely easy stroll to the flagpole, the Globe and the rocky outcrop that forms the "Tip of Borneo".
Facilities:
There is a cafe, souvenir shop and washrooms.
Admission is free.
Getting there (from Kota Kinabalu)
You can go by taxi, self-drive or with a tour agent. Four-wheel drives and saloon cars with permits are stationed near the Indian Restaurant opposite the Health Clinic in Kampung Air.
You can go by taxi, self-drive or with a tour agent. Four-wheel drives and saloon cars with permits are stationed near the Indian Restaurant opposite the Health Clinic in Kampung Air.
Four-wheel drives can take
between 7-8 passengers at RM20.00 - RM25.00 per pax return, while saloon
cars take up to 4 passengers and charge RM240.00 for a return trip to
Simpang Mengayau. Check with the Car Rental services for their charges.
Layang-Layang Island
Kota Kinabalu (Capital City)
Layang-Layang, known as "Swallows Reef" is an atoll situated in the South China Sea 300km north-west of Kota Kinabalu. The island is man-made and was constructed for the Malaysian Navy and later developed for the only dive resort, Layang-Layang Island Resort.
The island location offers absolute isolation, luckily there is an airstrip with regular flights from Kota Kinabalu,
which is the only mode of transport for guests visiting Layang-Layang.
The extreme location of Layang-Layang, the pristine reefs, excellent
visibility, steep walls down to 2000km and regular sightings of pelagic
has given Layang-Layang a much deserved reputation of being one of the
top ten dive locations in the world.
With resident schools of barracuda and big-eye trevally and
frequently seen green and hawksbill are plentiful and healthy with sea
fans stretching to more than three meters across that filter plankton
from the passing currents.
The 20m deep lagoon has some great macro creatures to be found
including seahorses, cuttlefish and pipefish but it is the pelagic
visiting the outer walls that truly excite divers. Schools of scalloped
hammerhead sharks, grey reef sharks, leopard sharks and the occasional
threshers and silvertip sharks can all be seen.
Stingrays are also regular visitors including manta rays, pygmy devil
rays, marbled rays and eagle rays. Rare sightings such as whale sharks,
orcas and melon headed whales have all been seen over the last few
years. Spinner and bottlenose dolphins frequently follow the dive boats
to each location and divers are sometimes rewarded with snorkeling and
diverse fish life and visiting pelagic marine life.
Tanjung Aru Beach
Kota Kinabalu (Capital City)
Located
at the end of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman and about 6 kilometres from KK
City, this place is closest to the hearts of the locals, and just one
visit to the beach will tell you why. Taking its name from the
casuarinas or aru trees that fringe the fine sands, this is where one
might get a ringside seat to the greatest sunset on earth every evening
when the crimson sun dips slowly into the horizon, leaving the vast
skies a brilliant red..
Foodstalls serving local food and drinks are open till late at night.
Enjoy coconut and sugarcane juice, chicken or beef satay and steamed
peanuts and corn, or indulge in a full-course dinner at the seafood
restaurant located there.
The Tanjung Aru beach is also home to Shangri-la's Tanjung Aru Resort, the Kinabalu Golf Club and the Kinabalu Yacht Club.
Getting There
From KK City Centre, take the No 16 bus towards Tanjung Aru from the bus stations in front of City Hall or Wawasan Plaza and let the driver know of your destination. Bus fare is RM1.50. You can also go by taxi, at RM15 per taxi (up to four persons).
The Tanjung Aru beach is also home to Shangri-la's Tanjung Aru Resort, the Kinabalu Golf Club and the Kinabalu Yacht Club.
Getting There
From KK City Centre, take the No 16 bus towards Tanjung Aru from the bus stations in front of City Hall or Wawasan Plaza and let the driver know of your destination. Bus fare is RM1.50. You can also go by taxi, at RM15 per taxi (up to four persons).
