By Rashi Sen
A 2.5-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, with daily connections by Batik Air, Air Asia and Malaysian Airlines, lies the naturally gifted region of Sabah, located within Malaysian Borneo.The third-largest island in the world, Borneo is shared by the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesian Kalimantan and the tiny nation of Brunei. Kota Kinabalu is the gateway to North Borneo and our carefully planned trip with the island’s destination specialists, Borneo Escapades, helped unlock this destination, known for its beaches and ancient, biodiverse rainforest, home to wildlife including orangutans and clouded leopards.
Gaya Street Sunday Market in the heart of Sabah’s state capital Kota Kinabalu is a great place to start – as here you truly mix with the locals. This is where you can haggle with a smile with the islanders, learn of their craft and taste some delicious hand-made delights. We found a kaleidoscope of batik sarongs at a bargain, an exotic array of fruit – freshly cut to please the palate, and several corners of curious souvenirs – this is where the first and lasting impressions are made.
Kinabalu Park is next on the list, and guests are advised to go prepared for a good one to two hour hike, wear light clothes and comfortable footwear to make the most of the forest walk at this UNESCO World Heritage site. This is after all, a protected area, home to over 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 bird species and around 100 mammal species. We learn that even the Amazonian forests are not as old as this stretch of Borneo and felt privileged to sight a dazzling array of plants and flowers in their natural habitat, with a sighting of the snow-peaked Mount Kinabalu, the tallest on the island at 4,095 metres.
Next up, Mari Mari Culture village brings to life, quite literally the ways of the islanders going back thousands of years – how the indigenous tribes lived, cooked and hunted. What were their social customs and how did they go about it, their cultural expressions be it songs, art or dance – all these are brough to life by actors who are natives. They showcase to visitors through storytelling, song and dance performance to present an immersive trip around the village –visitors may truly feel they have time travelled into a different era. We are confronted by a tribal chief in regal attire, and even if their exchange was make-belief, it set up for a memory that will last a long time. Mari Mari culture village immersion ends on a feast where Borneo’s local cuisine buffet is served for the global guests to enjoy. If there’s one place families should head to, this one is top of the list.
Sabah Tourism Board is keen to work with travel partners from the Middle East, and tour organisers would do well to work with in-bound experts like Borneo Escapades to unlock the potential of this mesmerising destination.