Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park

Gunung Kinabalu, as it is known in Malay, is the highest mountain on the world's third-largest island. It is also the highest point between the Himalayas and New Guinea. Rising almost twice as high as its Crocker Range neighbours, and culminating in a crown of wild granite spires, it is a sight to behold. March to August (dry season) is considered to be the best time to climb.

The 4095m Mt Kinabalu may not be a Himalayan sky-poker, but Malaysia's first Unesco World Heritage Site is a major drawcard, attracting thousands of climbers every year. The climb, by no means an easy jaunt, is essentially a long walk up a very steep hill, through jungle then barren moonscapes, with a little scrambling thrown in for good measure. On a clear day you can see the Philippines from the summit; often, though, the mountain is wreathed in cloud.