KINABALU PARK - Malaysian 1st World Heritage

The Kinabalu Park covers a staggering area of 754 sq. km, from the park HQ area all the way to Poring Hot Spring 40km away northwards to Mandalon, almost reaching the Kudat highway. It is bigger than Singapore island! Established as a state park in 1964, this botanical paradise is blessed with an astonishing variety of flora and fauna that ranges over 4 climates zones, from the rich lowland dipterocarp forest through the montane oak, rhododendron; the coniferous forest, to the alpine meadow plants.... and to the stunted bushesof the summit zone. Kinabalu Park has probably one of the richest flora collection in the world.

Highways and sealed roads have made the Park easily accessible. it's an easy 2 hours scenic drive from Kota Kinabalu and is popular gateway from the hustle and bustle of the city where visitors can enjoy the cool invigorating air. In 2004, more than 415,360 visited the Park with more than 43,430 climbers. While the focus of the Park is the mountain, about 80% of visitors don't climb all the way to the peak but come simply to enjoy the serenity of this place....

 

Kinabalu Park HQ is situated on the southern boundary, at an elevation of 1,563m. Most of the Park's facilities are located here including visitor's accommodations, restaurants, exhibit centres, Park offices where overnight visitors and climbers must register.

  A minimal entrance fee is imposed at the entrance of the Kinabalu Park.

BAKO NATIONAL PARK

A national park since 1957, Bako offers the perfect introduction to Sarawak's forests and wildlife. The Park covers the northern tip of Muara Tebas peninsula, an area of 27 sq km. Despite its seemingly small size, Bako contains a wide range of vegetation - swamp forest, scrub like padang vegetation, mangrove forest, dipterocarp forest, delicate cliff vegetation and more. In fact, at Bako it is possible to see almost every type of vegetation found in borneo. Bako also contains a rich variety of wildlife and coastline covered with small bays, coves and beaches.

The park has a number of well-marked trails offering interesting walks ranging from short pleasant strolls to serious full-day hikes. Unlike some national parks, visitors to Bako are almost guaranteed to see wildlife. Long-tailed macaque monkeys and silver leaf monkey are ever present, wild boar are often found rummaging around the park HQ, squirrels and monitor lizards are also common. There is every chance of seeing the rare and unusual proboscis monkeys on trails such as Telok Paku and Telok Delima, particularly if you go late afternoon. You are more likely to see wildlife if you quietly follow the trails and keep listening. For example, you'll probably hear the crash of vegetation before you are able to locate a proboscis monkey high up in the forest canopy.

Bako's plant life is both beautiful, and readily accessible. All the trails have a great variety of vegetation, from  mighty 80 metre dipterocarps to dense mangrove forest. Carnivorous pitcher plants are found on the Lintang  Trail. 

Bako also have some good white sand beaches that provide perfect resting spots between jungle treks. Telok Pandan Kecil is perhaps Bako's best beach. After an hour or so the Telok Pandan Kecil trail comes to a rocky headland. The view down to a beautiful secluded bay, and the thought of a swim in the cool waters, has a magical on tired calf muscles. the following 20 minutes descent suddenly becomes more enjoyable. All of the beaches are bordered by limestone and sandstone cliff, and the actionof the sea has left some remarkable rock formations, such as the famous Sea Stack.

If your take a stroll at sunset on Telok Assam beach near the park HQ, you will see hundreds of swifts hovering around their nests at the rocks at the far end of the beach. Don't leave the beach after the sun disappears behind Mount Santubong. Wait another 20 minutes as the sky's colours often changes dramatically, providing a colourful backdrop to the mountain.