The Majestic Mt. Kinabalu: Fourth Highest in Southeast Asia

Mount Kinabalu

The tallest mountain in Malaysia is Mt Kinabalu. It is located in Sabah, also famously known as "The Land Below the Wind" as geographically, it is located below the typhoon belt, and it also is part of the Borneo islands. Standing at 4,095 Meters, Mt Kinabalu is not only the highest mountain in the country but also the 4th highest in Southeast Asia. It is home to a rich and diversified flora and fauna which are unique and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Climbing Mount Kinabalu is one of the most fulfilling activities. Many local and international tourists do not want to miss the opportunity to climb this mountain when they visit Sabah. 

View of Mt Kinabalu from Kundasang

The best Mt Kinabalu view is before 10am on a bright sunny day

Mt. Kinabalu is actually the peak of the Crocker Range. It is a non-volcanic mountain, deemed to be one of the youngest in the world. The wide climatic range in the mountain is the main factor that contributes to the fertile growth of numerous and rare flora and fauna. It is home to more than half of the flowering plants in the world. It has more than 500 species of ferns, 700 species of orchids, and some unique animals that are native to the land such as Kinabalu shrews and pygmy squirrels. It also has the world's largest plant, the Nepethes Rajah; and home to over 24 species of Rhododendrons. Seventeen of the 29 species of birds endemic to Borneo live in this part of the world. The red-breasted tree partridge and crimson-headed wood can also be found here. Mt Kinabalu, already listed in UNESCO World Heritage record, is a favourite destination for both amateur and professional climbers as it not only offers climbing adventure, the wide range of botanical and biological species attract nature lovers as well as scientists from all over the world.

 

It only takes 2 to 3 days to conquer Mount Kinabalu. Climbers do not need to have any climbing experiences. However, it is advisable for anyone, individual or group, before they climb the mountain to plan ahead. They should check the weather conditions as Sabah often experiences heavy rainfalls and also be physically prepared by doing some exercises before the Kinabalu climb. You don't even need a strenuous exercise regime. Just concentrate on being healthy and fit.

The best start for anyone who is thinking of climbing Mt Kinabalu is to sign up for the mountain climbing package with an experienced and reliable tour agency. You need help from a tour agency to guarantee a smooth, enjoyable, and trouble-free climb. The Kinabalu climbing package is usually an all-in-one package which includes accommodation, meals, transportation, park entrance, transfer, climbing permit, and mountain guide fees. Package rate is quite reasonable and can also be customized according to client's preference. 

24-Hours Guarding

Entrance to Kinabalu Park

Kinabalu Park Office - Here is where you register yourself before you climb

Climbers start their Mt Kinabalu trip at the foothills by registering themselves at the park's office. Then they can stay for a night at one of the nearby accomodations to rest and enjoy a full day sighseeing at Kinabalu Park World Heritage Site. On day two, climbers will gather at the Timpohon Gate to start the first phase of their trekking. On the third day, from Panar Laban, they will wake-up at at 3'oclock in the morning and start their journey to the summit so that they can reach on time to enjoy the beautiful colours of the morning sunrise. The peak is at its most exquisite during the sunrise time.

This rare scenery of swirling mists and rich flora and fauna await climbers and thrill-seekers from all over the world.

Please contact: inquiry@kotakinabalutourism.com to inquire about our Kinabalu climbing package.

Leisure Walking at Poring's Treetop Canopy Walkway

I've heard about my friends' and other people's experiences at Poring canopy walkway, how they said it's an experience not for the faint-hearted and height-phobia people. One friend even told me how once a weak hearted lady almost suffered a heart-attack when a squirrel jumped on her head while she was concentrating on crossing the walkway. Before, I tried to imagine and picture myself, tried to feel what it would be like  walking on a walkway that is about 421 meters above sea-level and could feel my hair rising and my goosebumps getting goosebumps. At the time everything about Poring canopy walkway just sounded really scary. 

My friends dared me when we made a trip to Poring but I balked, telling them I was not ready and would rather spend time enjoying myself dipping in the sulfuric mineral bath. But just recently, on a lovely Friday, there I was with my family, wearing a T.shirt and a skirt and carrying a handbag...which makes me look more like joy walking than preparing for a 'live or die' experience. Funny, this time all the scary stories did not bother me at all. I was just, you know, feeling more relaxed and although I was not at my fittest condition (yea, thanks to no exercise, I've gained weight and I panted almost all the way up and stopped a few times, probably every 10 minutes or so, even rested at one of the the gazebos there) I was, I think, ready for the experience amid going there in a very unsuitable gear.

Nabalu Lodge

We started our journey from Nabalu Lodge, our lodging at Kundasang, at about 12.00 noon time. On the way to Poring, we passed by some very well known resorts such as the Kinabalu Pine Resort and Mountain Kinabalu Heritage Resort (used to be Perkasa Hotel), Sabah Tea Garden, the Luanti Fish Spa, Ranau town and we also noticed many new homestays along the way. We arrived at Poring about 45 minutes later. 

The Poring canopy walkway is a visit not to be missed by anyone especially foreigners who are first-time visitors in Poring Hot Springs. Just take a stroll amidst the lush canopy of the Menggaris tree, the tree which is known as 'king of the forest'. The walkway is about 157.8 meters long. It took us about one and a half hour to complete our canopy trip, starting from the bathing center and then back to there.

Signboard...Choose where you want to go

Trek to the Canopy Walkway...fairly easy ehhh

If you feel comfortable trekking in skirt...why not huhu

Beware of any falling things...branch, fruit, animals etc

Menggaris tree

Resting at one of the gazebos

I was not the only one who needed a rest...

Pondok Manggas is the starting point of the Canopy Walkway

Canopy Walkway

We're on a suspension bridge under the Menggaris Canopy

Menggaris is a huge tree...see if you can wrap your hands around it

Yahuuu...can't wait to dive-in the sulfuric bath!!

Of course, when we arrived at the sulfur bathing center, we wouldn't in the world miss the opportunity to dip our achy legs in the hot sulfuric baths. We chose the enclosed bathtub and spent about one and a half hour dipping and relaxing to soothe our achy muscles, also hoping for the sulfur to work its miracles on our skin (they say the sulfur kills all the harmful germs on your skin). The rate is RM20.00 per hour for a deluxe size bathtub which includes a jacuzzi and RM15.00 per hour for a standard size bathtub. It is on  first come first serve basis, you cannot pre-book the enclosed bathtubs.

Enclosed bathtub - standard type

Poring Hot Springs' daily opening hours is from 7am to 6pm. The conservation fee is RM5.00 for adult and RM3.00 for students (below 18 years-old). There is also an additional fee of RM5.00 for every camera and video that you bring with you.

Borneo Pygmy Elephant

Borneon Pygmy Elephant

When the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) carried out a DNA analysis in the year 2003 on the pygmy elephants, it was proven that pygmy elephants are distinct from elephants in other parts of Asia and therefore was recognized as a subspecies. However, scientists are still doubting if the Borneo Pygmy elephant is an animal endemic to Borneo island. They made a speculation that these elephants could originate from Java which they believed was abandoned by the Sultan Sulu in the seventeen century. The Javan elephants has long been extinct on the island of Java.

Borneo pygmy elephants are smaller and are significantly less hostile than other Asian elephants. The males may grow no more than 8.2 feet, while other elephants grow up to 9.8 feet. They have rounder faces, bigger ears, and tails that reach nearly to the ground and are more rotund.

Before WWF came to Borneo, no one had ever carried out a study on the pygmy elephant. When their habitat becomes smaller, they get into more recurrent confrontations with people over land and food.

In June and July 2005, Dr. Christy Williams and Raymond Alfred led a study on this elephant, a joint venture study carried out by Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy proggramme and WWF Malaysia. They succeeded in attaching satellite collars to five pygmy elephants in different herds in Sabah. This was a ground-breaking challenge to understand more about the elephants and their habitat.

The collaring is part of the first scientific study ever made on this little-understood population. The preliminary data has already given information about the activity of these elephants and their use of the forests in Sabah. The information is critical in helping officials in Malaysia make land-use decisions.

Just last month (March 12), a corridor project to connect fragmented forests in Sabah to help in the survival of the elephants was announced by the state government. The 50 meter forest corridor strip, also called the Melapi Elephant Corridor in Sukau is making a huge difference in the survival of the Bornean pygmy elephants.

The elephants can now pass through the land using this corridor to travel from one key habitat to another. Before, it was a very narrow bottleneck and the elephant suffered a lot. This introduction of the corridor will also be able to greatly reduce the potential human-and-elephant conflict which happens mainly in villages and plantation.

Tarsier, the Unique Nocturnal Primate

Lad, seen here eating insects - picture via Bernama

A palm sized male tarsier (Tarsius Syrichta), a nocturnal primate, was rescued early last month, (March 7). It was found in a new oil palm plantation, on the land owned by villagers who live in the Gomantong (Sandakan district) area.

Saroto Payar, who is the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) field research assistant brought the tarsier to the centre. In order to learn about its home range, it was fitted with a radio collar.

Cardiff University student Alice Miles, who is the head of a project on the ecology of tarsier and slow loris at the DGFC, said the rescued animal was placed in a cage for a day and was given insects before it was set free into the jungle.

“We fitted him with a radio-collar and put him back into the wild. We call him Lad which is short for “ladang” or plantation in Bahasa Melayu, and which also means male in English."

“The next night, we returned to the forest and searched for him with the help of our telemetry equipment."

“Lad was seen at about 150 to 200 metres from where he was freed, looking for food on the ground”, Miles said."

Dr Benoit Goossens, the director of DGFC, said knowing the habitat needs, diet and social organisation of tarsiers is critical to developing conservation policies for tarsiers.

“We have so far, besides Lad, collared another four tarsiers in the area of the field centre in Lot 6 of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary."

“A short while ago, two females were fitted with radio collars allowing us to discover their sleeping sites and map their home range. We hope that Lad will meet one of these two females in the near future,” Goossens said.

He said the nocturnal primate project at DGFC is funded by three American zoos — Columbus, Cleveland and Phoenix.

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/03/12/rescued-tarsier-to-provide-info-on-home-range/#ixzz1sMdynITQ

Sabah More Than 50percent Forested

The State Forestry Department Director, Datuk Sam Mannan said that after the introduction of agriculture to counter the over-reliance on timber, Sabah is still about 60 percent forested. 

Between 1970 and 2010, the percentage of deforestation was about 0.5 per cent a year. The height of deforestation happened between 1990 and 2000 during the booming of oil palm industry and this also saw the increase in the number of Orang Utans sent to the rehabilitation centre in Sepilok. 

Speaking at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, also during the time of Sultan Brunei's visit to Sandakan early this month, he said about four million hectares in Sabah remain under forest reserves, parks and wildlife sanctuaries and great effort is being made to expand the forest reserve system. 

Sabah Rhino Via Save the Sabah Rhino

Mannan said that despite countless acts of random madness in the past, the rainforests have managed to recover, with considerable biological assets remain untouched, and only one species, the Sabah Rhino, is found to be close to extinction.

The RDC is now taking steps to try to save the Sabah Rhino by means of captive breeding. Launched in 2007, the RDC is created to create awareness on conservation and care for the environment. The state government of Sabah also actively supports and promotes ecotourism and recreation, education and research and development.

Source -  http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=80868