Sun, Sea and Sand: Sabah Borneo

Enjoying nature in Sabah

By AV Latinggam

Our beautiful State, Sabah-Land below the Wind is bountiful in natural resources and beauty. The people live off the resources, of course, but invite guests to witness and enjoy the beauty of nature in its various manifestations.

I have been told many times that I am lucky because I live in a tropical paradise. I know I am and I simply love the sea, sun and sand. I always wish to languish on a deserted beach with the sun and breeze for company. Including my tablet and its assortment of downloaded e-books I must add. Not that I have too many opportunities to do that at the moment. But its there for the doing. 

Well, when in Sabah, our esteemed visitors and friends should do just that. Tablet or no tablet. We have many and various beaches that are just ready to play host to visitors.

One of my all time favourite beach is the one at Simpang Mengayau Kudat. The beach is pristine white and is visited only by a handful of villagers who go there for the cockles. There are a couple of longhouses nearby actually and chalets that offer good accommodation for visitors. 

Just enjoy the white beach stretches as far as the eyes can see and the blue sea actually goes on to the far horizon to meet the equally blue sky. The breeze that keep on blowing is very soothing; so much so that you have to be careful or you may doze off and leave with too much tan on one side and nothing on the other!

How do one get to this site you may ask. Getting to Simpang Mengayau is easy. You just drive right up to Kudat and turn off to the tip of Borneo. It is four hours of scenic drive from Kota Kinabalu. 

But there are other sites near Kota Kinabalu actually.

One other beach that should not be passed up is the one at Dinawan Island, just 20 minutes away from the State Capital. You have to get a boat though.

This island has the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. The front of the island where you land is already a promising site for a mat but wait until you get to the other side. The blue water, the pristine sand and the beautiful scenery are mesmerising-ly amazing. To get to the island, hitch a ride with the boats owned by the Dinawan Island Resort. Great Fun!!

If you like bathing in fresh water, though...there are beautiful bubbling rivers around. The nearest to Kota Kinabalu is the Babagon River. There are some spots along the river, where there are no villages, which can be nice picnic areas. The waters are moderately deep, like two to three feet so children can enjoy swimming. Of course in such places children have to be closely monitored.

Another picnic area that should really be considered is the Kionsom Waterfall, in Inanam. This waterfall is well known for its cool ambiance and popular with picnickers. However, some prefer the areas below the main waterfall as it is more secluded and shady. This waterfall is about 20 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu.

The river just before the Sabah Tea Plantation in Kg Nalapak, Ranau is also a beautiful place to visit. The river flows over a bed that is strewn with smooth rocks and pebbles, its waters sparkling as it gush downstream. The water is a bit chilly especially when the sky is overcast, but this adds to its attraction.

Kota Belud also has its share of beautiful picnic spots along rivers. One such place is the river that flows through Kg Tombulion. The river banks on some areas are gently sloped and strewn with smooth stones and pebbles. These areas are conducive for picnics. Some picnickers actually light a fire and cook their meals nearby the river.

Upstream is Kg Tombotuon. This village is sited almost at the foot of Mt Kinabalu. The river in this village is beautiful. It is so clear that you can see fishes swimming around. I visited this site so fleetingly that I don’t know whether visitors are allowed to enjoy the river but one can always ask the headman. Anyway, the river there is beautiful if a bit cold. I enjoyed splashing there but not too long.

Anyway, not everybody is interested in beaches and rivers banks. Some overseas visitors may even comment that their waterfalls are prettier than ours; however, I believe that each sight of the same thing may be unique in its settings.

For others who wish to see another aspect of nature in Sabah can go jungle trekking and look out for the giant visit Rafflesia flower.

This is a parasitic plant with foul-smelling flowers found in the jungles of Sabah. The species R. arnoldii has the largest flowers among all flowering plants, often measuring up to one meter.

To view this plant in its natural habitat, visit the Rafflesia Information Centre in Tambunan.  It is located at the roadside of the edge of a forest reserve is the Rafflesia Information Centre and it has been set aside for the conservation purposes of the rafflesia flower.

About an hour drive away from Kota Kinabalu, the centre is open to visitors daily from 8am to 3pm.

Information on Rafflesia can be acquired here. However it may be wise to acquire more information on whether they are flowering during your visit.

You can also view the stark beauty of nature by visiting wetlands. A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally, such as swamps, marshes, and bogs, among others.

Wetlands support the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems so they may be host to many types of plants and trees as well as animal life which include frogs and turtles, snakes and crocodiles as well as various types of birds and of course monkeys.

Weston Wetland is one such place to view all these inhabitants of the wild.

A river cruise can enable you to view the Proboscis Monkey, macaques and various types of birds. As night falls, you may be able to see fireflies in abundance. These fascinating little creatures never fails to delight guests especially city dwellers.

Nearer to the city is the The Lok Kawi Wildlife Park located along the Penampang-Papar old road. It consists of two sections, mainly zoological and botanical.

One of the main attraction in the zoo is Borneo Pygmy elephants. They are not easily seen outside of their habitat, the Jungle, so seeing them up close is a treat.

There are also a few Orang Utan, some Proboscis monkeys and a few deer. They are of the wild, so their proximity is a treat to anybody.

There is a trail here that allows people to see the botanical side of the park. It is quite a trail so you will have to sweat it a bit if you wish to go all the way. It is a nice walk though.

These are only a little of what you can see in Sabah. There are many and various sights worth seeing in this beautiful state of ours, you just have to go to the right places.