Sabah, with its astonishing diversity of animals, plants and people, occupies the far North of Borneo.

Dominating the landscape, the 4,095-metre Mount Kinabalu is reverted by Kadazandusun as the sacred resting place of souls of their departed. To this day, a ritual sacrifice of seven white chickens is performed every year on the summit plateau. Visitors, however, come to the mountain to marvel at the richest and most varied assemblage of plants in the world, or to scale the awesome Summit of Borneo, the region’s tallest peak.

Kota Kinabalu, the capital, is a microcosm of Sabah, where more than 30 different ethnic groups maintain their colourful cultural traditions.

Whether they are the Kadazandusun, Murut, Bajau, Suluk and Chinese, Sabah’s people share a common warmth and genuine friendliness.

Sabah’s east cost is a veritable encyclopedia of rare species from both the plant and animal kingdoms.

The great ape found only in Borneo and Sumatra can be seen at Sepilok at the world’s largest orang utan rehabilitation centre. Nearby, in the freshwater swamps of the Kinabatangan River, the bizarre endemic proboscis monkey and a host of brilliant birds can be observed from the comfort of a small boat.

The Danum Valley Conservation Area, a 438-square kilometer reserve of virgin tropical rainforest, gives shelter to all of Sabah’s mammals; among them the rare Sumatran rhino, orang utan, gibbon and mouse deer, as well as more than 270 species of birds including all of Borneo’s species of hornbills.

Not all of Sabah’s natural treasures are found on land. With one of the top five diving spots in the world, Sabah offers an underwater world that is just extraordinary.

Sparkling blue waters abound with unspoiled marine life.

With undersea caverns, fantastically colorful hard and soft corals, sea turtles, schools of barracudas, basking sharks and a constantly moving kaleidoscope of tropical fish, Sabah offers a remarkable range of diving experiences.

How to get there

Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia, Malindo air, Thai Airways, Chinese Airlines, etc operates regular scheduled flights to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA – IATA airport code: BKI) from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, China, etc.

Express boats are available to service the network of rivers and the main towns along their banks.

Bus companies also operate regular services within the town centres and certain rural areas. However, it is advisable to arrange your visit to the various beaches and resorts through local travel agent.

Airlines flying to Kota Kinabalu

• AirAsia
• Malaysia Airlines
• MASwings
• Malindo Air
• Air Seoul
• American Airlines
• Asiana Airlines
• Cathay Dragon
• Cebu Pacific
• China Eastern Airlines
• China Southern Airlines
• Eastar Jet
• Emirates
• JAL
• Jeju Air
• Jin Air
• Korean Air
• Lion Air
• Lucky Air
• Oman Air
• Philippine Airlines
• Royal Brunei Airlines
• Shanghai Airlines
• SilkAir
• Spring Airlines
• Thai Airways
• XiamenAir

Flag of Sabah