Introducing Malaysian Borneo – 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.
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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.
Last updated: Feb 26, 2010
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Malaysian Borneo – Sabah
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Malaysian Borneo – Sabah Overview
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Our Top Picks For Malaysian Borneo – Sabah
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1 Kota Kinabalu
Hoof it over pitcher plants and granite moonscapes for the ultimate summit sunrise
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2 Sungai Kinabatangan
Watch wildlife, from the water or close up, in the jungle heartland
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3 Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Get ape close and personal with orang-utans
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4 Danum Valley
Enjoy vistas of green as far as the eye can see in the protected old-growth forest
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5 Semporna Archipelago
Smile in your scuba mask while doing the backstroke past tranquil turtles, slippery sharks and technicolour coral
Our favourite Malaysian Borneo – Sabah Blogs (beta)
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A Different Kind of Palm Desert
Blog: ContemporaryNomad - 26 July 2011
“Wow, Sabah is so beautiful. There are so many palm trees everywhere,” the Dutch tourist blurted out as she walked into the restaurant opposite Sukau Greenview. Tony and I looked at each other, jaws dropping. Our eyes said it all. How can you come all the way here and not realize that massive deforestation and [...]
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The Kinabatangan River
Blog: ContemporaryNomad - 23 July 2011
The Kinabatangan River is tragic and miraculous at the same time. One of Sabah’s premier attractions, the river flows through a stretch of surviving secondary and tertiary forest sandwiched between the industrial-scale palm plantations of the Kinabatangan region. Perhaps the strongest testament to wildlife’s ability to survive and adapt under desperate conditions, I can personally [...]
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Après-Dive
Blog: ContemporaryNomad - 21 July 2011
What did you say, Tony? Your mango-sago ice blend looks like a frogfish? Clearly, too much diving. I guess the nitrogen must have gotten to you…
