Introducing Sabah
Most visitors to Sabah come here for one thing: to trek up the mighty Mt Kinabalu. Or is it to dive around the Sipadan reef? Or to see the orang-utans at Sepilok? Or to explore the riverine forest around Sungai Kinabatangan? Or to get lost in the remote Maliau Basin? The trouble is, Borneo’s northernmost state is so rich in treasures that it’s hard to know where to start, and once you get stuck in there’s always just that one more thing you want to see.
As well as its host of natural features, Sabah has an equally fascinating ethnic heritage, visibly distinct from the indigenous peoples further south. The largest group is made up of the Kadazan and Dusun tribes, known as the ‘Latin lovers’ of Borneo thanks to their healthy appetite for music and life in general, and visitors can also enjoy close encounters with friendly Rungus, Murut and Bajau communities around the state.
In order to make the most of your trip, we strongly encourage you to plan ahead. Sabah’s jungles may be wild and untamed, but they’re covered in streamers of red tape. With a bit of patience and a lot of preplanning, you’ll breeze by the permit restrictions and booked beds. Independent travellers may find Sabah a bit frustrating, but we promise that the hoop-jumping is well worth it.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
Sights in Sabah
Activities in Sabah
Kota Kinabalu
We realise you almost certainly didn't come to Sabah for the urban scene, but you have to book permits somewhere, you gotta sleep after climbing Mt Kinabalu/diving in Sipadan/exploring the jungle etc, and you need some place to connect to onward...
Tours in Sabah
Sandakan
Sabah's second city lacks the small cosmopolitan pulse that keeps KK throbbing; in contrast, Sandakan feels like a provincial city with provincial horizons, not to mention a grubby city centre.
Sabah destination guides
Kinabalu National Park
Towering above the coastal plain and what’s left of the lush tropical forests of northern Borneo, Mt Kinabalu is the biggest tourist attraction in Sabah and the centrepiece of the vast 754-sq-km Kinabalu National Park.
Hotels in Sabah
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Sabah
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Sabah
Apartments in Sabah
Around Mt Kinabalu
Kinabalu National Park is home to Borneo's highest mountain and some of the island's best-preserved forest.
Need to know
Entertainment in Sabah
Sungai Kinabatangan
The Kinabatangan River is Sabah's longest: 560km of water so chocolatey brown it would pose a serious safety risk to Augustus Gloop.
Shopping in Sabah