According to the World Tourism Organisation, modern travellers are looking for ‘activity-based’ attractions as opposed to ‘destination’ travel. Borneo has always been a destination for nature, culture and adventure tourism; there are many areas in Borneo which have been designated for the protection and preservation of flora and fauna.
Sabah, Malaysian Borneo is the second largest state in Malaysia and has pristine tropical forests, fascinating landscape, rich and complex marine life and intriguing tribal indigenous communities. Sabah, Malaysian Borneo is located on the northern part of Borneo, the third largest island in the world.
Adventure-seekers will find that Sabah, Malaysian Borneo as the most ideal nature playground; it has a tropical climate and holds a rich and diverse biological repository of flora and fauna, with over 15,000 species of flowering plants, 3,000 species of trees, 221 species of terrestrial mammals and 420 species of birds.
Sabah, Malaysian Borneo has fascinating landscape where it has the three highest mountains in Malaysia, namely; Mount Kinabalu (4093m), Mount Trusmadi (2642m) and Mount Tambuyukon (2579m) offer sufficient challenges for novice hikers, trekkers, scramblers and rock-climbers. Such mountainous range in Sabah also offers excellent sites for bird-watching, white water rafting, paragliding, etc.
For nature-lovers, Sabah has 130 million years old rainforest and posses a great diversity of plants, which make Sabah, Malaysian Borneo a botanical paradise. With over half the species growing above 900 metres, the walking trails enable adventurers to enjoy the lush diterocarp rainforest, housing spectacular flowers including orchids, rhododendruns, the insect eating Nepenthes and the enormous rafflesia.
Sabah, Malaysian Borneo also has several easily accessible world-class national parks and reserves such as Maliau Basin (Sabah’s Lost World), Danum Valley (Research Centre), Tabin Wildlife Sanctuary, Crocker Range National Park, Kinabatangan Floodplain, Kinabalu World Heritage Park, Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, etc. – undoubtedly the last remaining natural habitat and they are home to some highly endangered wildlife in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo such as the gentle great red-ape, the Orang-Utan and other endangered species like the Sumatran Rhino, Clouded Leopard and Asian Elephant, to name a few.
Gomantong Hill is the largest limestone outcrop in the Lower Kinabatangan area, and contains at least nine caves. For centuries, the Gomantong Caves have been renowned for the valuable edible birds' nests made by two of the four species of swiftlets that roost in the caves. During the harvesting months, visitors may be able to witness the birds' nest collectors in action. This is an age-old tradition and the trade history of bird nest spans several hundreds of years. more...
Covering 754 square kilometres, Kinabalu Park is one of the greatest attractions of Sabah, East Malaysia. Within its boundaries are found the lowland rainforest of the tropical zone as its lower level, the montane oaks and fig trees, the rhododendron shrubs and wild berries of the temperate zone at its medium level, and the conifers and other alpine-like associations of the summit zone at its upper level. Where else in the world can you find a complete climatic succession such as this, compacted in one small area? It is no wonder that a good number of its visitors are nature lovers eager to study, record and enjoy its richly varied natural resources. more...
"Happiness is...curling up in a comfy deck chair on the balcony and relishing an aerial ballet performance by a troupe of graceful egrets. The virgin forest's lush, lofty trees serve as the backdrop, and the sounds of gurgling stream, chirping birds and hornbill calls make up nature's symphony orchestra..." more...
Those who have been on safari in the grasslands of Africa know about the "Big Five" must see animals such as the big cats and the elephant. Any trip to Sabah must include a similar safari tour to look for the animals of the rainforest. The best and most enjoyable way to see the wildlife is to go on a night samore...
Proboscis Monkeys have long fascinated the imagination of travellers. This is a monkey with a formidable snout and large belly and was playfully regarded by locals as being the "white man" of the forest. These monkeys are also special as they do not occur outside of the more...
