"Up the AWESOME Mountains, Down the... " a State of Sabah Travel Page by bkoon

Accompanied By : 3 girl friends (Chantel, Meng and Wee Wee)
Duration : 25 - 31 March 2004
Destinations : Mount Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu, Kota Belud, Kampung Bavanggazo, Kudat, Manukan Island
(There are so much to do and see in Sabah. My page may not be comprehensive enough. So, if you need more details on certain areas or places in Sabah, let me know and I can help you find out.)

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Day 1 : Arrival in KK. Went up to the foot of the mountain at the KK Park HQ. Stayed in the hostel there.
Day 2 : Started our trek in the morning. We took the Mesilau Trail. Reached Laban Rata in the late afternoon. Overnight in Laban Rata.
Day 3 : As early as 2.30am, we were on our way up to the Summit. Reached summit just in time for the beautiful sunrise. Went back down to KK Park HQ via the Timphohon Trail. Overnight at KK Park HQ hostel.
Day 4 : Took a taxi to Bavanggazo Longhouse but first went to Kota Belud and Kudat for a visit. Homestay at Bavanggazo Longhouse.
Day 5 : Left Bavanggazo and arrived at KK to go to the islands (Tengku Abdul Rahman National Park). Overnight at Manukan Island.
Day 6 : Explored the KK Town, had lotsa food and shopping. Overnight in KK Town.
Day 7 : Home Sweet Home

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I conquered Mount Kinabalu on 27 March 2004. It was not an easy hike. Luckily I trained a bit before the hike. However, it was still tedious and physically demanding. Hiked for hours with short rest-stops.

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"TAMU" - THE SUNDAY MARKET
There are "tamus", Sunday Markets in most of the towns in Sabah. I chose to visit the one at Kota Belud. Kota Belud is primarily a Bajau settlement. The Bajaus are one of the 30 over minority groups in Sabah. There are good in handling horses.

THE CITY OF KOTA KINABALU
It was hot and humid when I was there. The weather was almost unbearable. Kota Kinabalu, KK in short, is a nice place for shopping, eating and some visiting. Getting the taste of the seafood from the ocean at Sabah is a must-do if you are there. Walking along the waterfront at Sinsuran in the evening was a memorable experience.

KAMPUNG BAVANGGAZO - RUNGUS COMMUNITY
I stayed in the Rungus Longhouse. It was fun. Living among the locals was interesting.

KUDAT
Situated at the northern tip of Sabah. A smallish little town. Nice view of the sea from the Promoenade. Seafood available at the newly contructed Promenade. It becomes a dead town on Sundays.

MANUKAN ISLAND
One of the islands in the Tengku Abdul Rahman National Marine Park. Manukan is rather toursity with lotsa day-trippers. Chalet-type accommodation available. Island-hopping is possible too. Well, basking under the sun at the beach would be marvellous.

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UNUSUAL ENCOUNTER

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When we were in the Kota Kinabalu town, a TV Travel Show Director approached us to be interviewed. We were very shy but we still did it. However, one of my friends just refused to be filmed. Anyway, we had a great time. That guy followed us, filming along the way, for the subsequent 3 hours (we shopped, ate, walked around, etc). It was such an unusual encounter. It was FUN though.