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Checklist of climbing hills and mountains of Sabah

10 Breathtaking Hills and Mountains of Sabah [Bonus: List of 140+ Hills and Mountains to Climb]

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Sabah is a state of hundred mountains, and the top five highest mountains of Malaysia are located in Sabah, i.e. (1st) Mount Kinabalu, (2nd) Mount Trus Madi, (3rd) Mount Sinsing, (4th) Mount Tambuyukon, (5th) Mount Kaingaran. Climbers and hikers will be spoiled with choices, as every hills and mountains here have different characteristics in terms of geology, landscape and biodiversity. For example, today you can climb a mountain with dense rainforest cover, then tomorrow challenge a limestone pinnacle with bald rockface. The following is a list of 10 most unique hills and mountains in Sabah for a diverse climbing experience. Please note gunung and bukit mean mountain and hill in Malay language respectively.

Location of (1) Mount Kinabalu, (2) Bukit Perahu, (3) Bukit Kokol, (4) Bukit Bongol, (5) Batu Punggul, (6) Mount Silam, (7) Mount Nombuyukong, (8) Bukit Lugas, (9) Bukit Tengkorak, and (10) Maragang Hill

1. Mount Kinabalu

Height: 4,095 Metres (13,435 ft)   Location: Kinabalu Park (GPS: 6.075260, 116.558813)

As the first UNESCO World Heritage Site and the highest mountain of Malaysia, Mount Kinabalu is the No.1 tourist destination of Sabah. Mount Kinabalu is 700 million years old, and a snow-capped mountain during ice age back in 30,000 years ago. Today climbers still can see the ancient traces and jagged peaks carved by glacier near the summit.

Mount Kinabalu is so prominent that you can see her in most parts of Sabah (even Sandakan in East Coast)

But what truly makes Mount Kinabalu special is its cloud forest which is high in plant endemism. On the way up, you would see bright-colored pitcher plant and rare orchid next to the trail. The majestic Mount Kinabalu is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in Malaysia. The climb is about 8.7 Kilometres in distance and usually take 2 days 1 night. More Info…

Conquering Mount Kinabalu is in the bucket list of most Malaysians

2. Ruhiang Hill (Bukit Perahu)

Height: 300 Metres (984 ft)   Location: Tamparuli (GPS: 6.135493, 116.278955)

The locals say there are two ships stranded on the cone-shaped Ruhiang Hill. Actually they are two huge boulders that look like ships. The climb takes less than an hour.

For this view, you need to reach the top of Bukit Perahu before 8am. Mount Kinabalu would be covered in mist after 9pm

Early birds who reach the peak in early morning would be rewarded by the breathtaking view of Mount Kinabalu on a sea of cloud. I can’t help to imagine that I can get on a big ship to sail to Mount Kinabalu on the cloud. After the climb, the bonus is to eat Tamparuli Fried Noodle in Tamparuli town. More Info…

You would find many locals climbing Ruhiang Hill (Bukit Perahu) during weekends. See the ship-like boulder?

3. Bukit Kokol (Kokol Hill)

Height: 800 Metres (2,625 ft)   Location: Menggatal (GPS: 6.007611, 116.207367)

Two cool things draw many visitors to unwind on Kokol Hill. It is the nearest spot to escape the heat of Kota Kinabalu city, and its magnificent sunset view. You can just drive up there without climbing at all. If life is tough, have a cup of hot coffee in cooling breeze of Kokol Hill and enjoy the scenic view of Kota Kinabalu city and islands far away. To really free your mind, try paragliding on Kokol Hill. More Info…

The nice view, cooling temperature and paragliding are the highlight of Kokol Hill (Bukit Hill)

4. Bukit Bongol

Height: 500 Metres (1,730 ft)   Location: Kota Belud (GPS: 6.310287, 116.408424)

Want a fun hike with a group of friends? I heard a lot of praises about Bukit Bongol. The slopes are mostly gentle and the trail is less challenging. The whole hill is carpeted by grass, which is green in wet months and yellowish during drought, a spectacular scenery you all won’t forget. Climb to the high point before 9am and you would be lucky to see Mount Kinabalu, a perfect backdrop for your Instagram shots. More Info…

Bukit Bongol in Kota Belud is the most grassy hill of Sabah

5. Batu Punggul

Height: 244 Metres (800 ft)   Location: Nabawan (GPS: 4.607299, 116.587644)

Located in interior, where Murut headhunters roamed in the past, Batu Punggul is the most mysterious hill of Sabah. Legend says this limestone pinnacle is a longhouse being turned into rock by angry God because the villagers made fun of the animals. At the foothill there is a cave where you can find the “fossilized furniture” such as jar and table. Climbing this vertical 800-feet limestone pinnacle will peak your adrenaline rush, and nobody will question your bravery if you can conquer Batu Punggul. More Info…

Batu Punggul is a 800-feet limestone pinnacle in Sabah interior. Photo (left) by Sticky Rice Travel

6. Mount Silam

Height: 884 Metres (2,900 ft)   Location: Lahad Datu (GPS: 4.956901, 118.165534)

You don’t need to get on a plane to have a bird-eye view of this beautiful land. Just visit the tower of heaven on Mount Silam, where you can see the picturesque scenery of Darvel Bay. The air up there is refreshing and the peak is covered in fog sometimes. Beside the tower is a nature trail that leads you to an alien world filled with mossy forest, forest crabs, rare orchid, pitcher plant, etc. More Info…

The view of Darvel Bay, mossy forest and Tower of Heaven on Mount Silam

7. Mount Nombuyukong

Height: 1,603.57 Metres (5,261 ft)   Location: Kota Marudu (GPS: 6.275650, 116.687114)

Mount Nombuyukong is another mountain in north of Kinabalu Park. Its pointy peak kind of triggering my insect-like instinct that motivates me to crawl to its tip. The climb is quite challenging but takes only half a day. This is a forested mountain for nature lovers who appreciate the fauna and flora in tropical rainforest of Borneo. You won’t be disappointed when you see so many interesting fungus, flowers, trees, and birds along the way. More Info…

Mount Nombuyukong is one of the mountains in Kinabalu Park (Serinsim Substation, Kota Marudu)

8. Bukit Lugas

Height: 600 Metres (1,965 feet) above sea level   Location: Tambunan (GPS: 5.506507, 116.277218)

This is a great example to inspire a person that he doesn’t need to be tall to be attractive, if he has awesome characteristics. Bukit Lugas is just a small hill, but it has an impressive ridge that looks like dragon spine. Though the narrow path is a nightmare for people with acrophobia, they still want to try it. Anyway, it is safer than it seems. This hidden dragon is exposed when its pictures went viral a few years ago. More Info…

Ridge walk on Bukit Lugas

9. Bukit Tengkorak (Skull Hill)

Height: 183 Metres (597 ft)   Location: Semporna (GPS: 4.438507, 118.619756)

Bukit Tengkorak is part of an ancient volcanic rim (about 2 KM in diameter) and the largest pottery making site in Southeast Asia during the Neolithic period (about 3,000 years ago). It is estimated that more than 6 million prehistoric potsherds found on this hill, and you would see hundred of pottery potsherds on the way up.

Beautiful grassland on Bukit Tengkorak (Skull Hill)

On top of this hill, you can have a panoramic view of Semporna town and islands. You can go further behind to explore the grassy knolls dotted with black volcanic rocks, to bag some amazing profile photos. More Info…

Black volcanic rocks on Bukit Tengkorak (Skull Hill)

10. Maragang Hill

Height: 2,232 Metres (7,323 ft)   Location: Mesilau (GPS: 6.039138, 116.585750)

The distance between the peaks of Mount Kinabalu and Maragang Hill is only 5 Kilometres! This makes Maragang Hill the best viewpoint for the highest mountain of Malaysia. The viewing platform on the peak allows you to capture Mount Kinabalu, lush montane forest and blue sky in one frame.

Looking at Mount Kinabalu from Maragang Hill

The 4-Kilometre climb is fairly easy and takes only an hour. A camping site is available nearby for those who want to stay back for stargazing. More Info…

View of Mount Kinabalu from cockpit. Photos courtesy of Allan Koay

List of Hills and Mountains in Sabah

The list doesn’t end here. The following is a list of over 140 hills / mountains grouped by city and towns. Please note that not all of them are tourist-ready. Some destinations would require you to hire a guide or apply an entry permit. I try to link them to some useful websites (informative articles are so hard to come by nowadays). Please note the height is measured from sea level (above sea level or asl).

Beaufort

  1. Bukit Balibata

Keningau and Sook

  1. Gunung Alab (2,050 Metres / 6,726 ft)
  2. Bukit Donguan: Facebook
  3. Bukit Janda
  4. Bukit Kosimbut (534 Metres / 1752 ft): Facebook, video
  5. Bukit Kulanga: Facebook, video
  6. Bukit Naundarangan: video
  7. Bukit Malik
  8. Bukit Matanoi: Facebook
  9. Bukit Selomitha: Facebook
  10. Bukit Sigup
  11. Bukit Soborong
  12. Bukit Trig Apin-Apin (574 Metres / 1,883 ft)
  13. Chanang Hill
  14. Bukit Durian: Facebook
  15. Nulu Gundi: Facebook
  16. Bukit Bandukan
  17. Bukit Baverly Kikiran
  18. Bukit Gonipis
  19. Bukit Kara
  20. Bukit Kawah
  21. Bukit Masin
  22. Bukit Silui Mandanan
  23. Bukit Sumbiling Kikiran
  24. Puncak Dimie (Mile 16 Jalan Kimanis – Keningau)
Peak of Mount Nopungguk (1,430 Metres / 4,692 ft) in Kota Belud

Kota Belud

  1. Mount Nopungguk (1,430 Metres / 4,692 ft)
  2. Bukit Bongol (527 Metres / 1,730 ft)
  3. Mount Nungkok (1,652 Metres / 5,420 ft): article 1, article 2, video
  4. Puncak Donggiranuk (736 Metres / 2414 ft): Facebook
  5. Bukit Bendera: video 1, video 2
  6. Bukit Budu Sundu (599 Metres / 1,965 ft)
  7. Bukit Garas (690 Metres / 2,264 ft)
  8. Bukit Pakis (184 Metres / 604 ft): video
  9. Bukit Tinjau (video)
  10. Bukit Tunggul (video)
  11. Bukit Singkug
  12. Gunung Minodtuhan (2,360 Metres / 7,743 ft): video
  13. Bukit Pinontungan (1,119.6 Metres / 3,673 ft)
  14. Bukit Bogung via purak ogis (866 Metres / 2841 ft)
  15. Bukit Karak: video
  16. Bukit Kowatuan (986 Metres / 3,235 ft): Facebook
  17. Bukit Kolumpisau (1,033 Metres / 3,389 ft)
  18. Dulu Hill: video, Facebook
  19. Nandal Hill: video
  20. Nulu Koimayaan: Facebook
  21. Gunung Sadok
  22. Bukit Bagong via narinang
  23. Bukit Kujau
  24. Bukit Mogilin
  25. Bukit Trinity Kg Pandat
Bukit Botak / Bukit Gundul in Sepanggar is named after its bald top

Kota Kinabalu (KK)

  1. Bukit Kokol / Kokol Hill
  2. Bonduk Hill (Bukit Gundul / Bukit Botak)
  3. Bukit Padang, famous jogging park of KK people
  4. Bukit Helang (at Kg. Kebagu, Sepanggar): Facebook, video
  5. Bukit Janggut (300 Metres / 984 ft): video 1, video 2
  6. Bukit Kopungit
  7. Bukit Tuah (660 Metres / 2,165 ft)
  8. Kolonutan Hill (575 Metres / 1,886 ft): Facebook
  9. Signal Hill
  10. Sinundu Hill: video 1, video 2
  11. UMS Peak (190 Metres / 623 ft): video
  12. Bukit Bubuk
  13. Bukit Lumpugou

Kota Marudu

  1. Gunung Nombuyukong (1,603.57 Metres / 5,261 ft)
  2. Gunung Minitinduk (1,059 Metres / 3,474 ft): video
  3. Bukit Cinta
  4. Bukit Pancaran /TV
  5. Bukit Doa
  6. Bukit Lotong
  7. Bukit Mundan: Facebook, video
  8. Bukit Tagaroh
  9. Rumun Kondiu Hill (715 Metres / 2,347 ft): Facebook, video
  10. Sagang Hill: Facebook, video
  11. Mt. Cochrane (580 Metres / 1,903 ft): video
You can see Philippines from the top of Senambung Hill, Banggi Island

Kudat

  1. Gumantung Hill (405 Metres / 1,329 ft), Matunggong: Facebook, Video
  2. Senambung / Sinambung Hill (529 Metres / 1,736 ft), Banggi Island: Video

Kunak

  1. Bukit Madai, edible bird nest mountain
  2. Bukit Tongkat Ali
  3. Bukit Pidung
  4. Bukit Tisop (Madai Cave): video
Pyramid Hills of Kundasang

Kundasang and Ranau

  1. Mount Kinabalu (4,095 Metres / 13,435 ft), the highest mountain of Malaysia
  2. Mount Tambuyukon (2,579 Metres / 8,461 ft), the 4th highest mountain of Malaysia (tough!)
  3. Mount Mantapok (1,481 Metres / 4,959 ft): Facebook, video
  4. Maragang Hill (2,232 Metres / 7,323 ft): Facebook, Video
  5. Bukit Lugas Kg Waang Ranau (1,215 Metres / 3,986 ft): Facebook
  6. Sosodikon Hill / Bukit Pyramid (1,465 Metres / 4,806 ft): Facebook, video
  7. Bukit Dompurungon
  8. Bukit Hampuan Forest Reserve
  9. Bukit Kamunsu, Sabah Tea Garden
  10. Bukit Kimondou, Kg. Kibbas (899 Metres / 2,950 ft): video, Facebook
  11. Tinorindak Hill (2,330 Metres / 7,644 ft)
  12. Bukit Babi (Swine or Pig Hill)
Mountain range of Mount Tambuyukon, the third highest mountain of Malaysia. You can tell it is hard to climb.

Lahad Datu

  1. Mount Silam
  2. Bukit Piton: Facebook
  3. Bukit Belacon: video 1, video 2
  4. Bukit Klasik (Classic Hill): video
  5. Taruakan Hill, Pulau Sakar: Facebook, video
  6. Mount Danum (1,093 Metres / 3,586 ft)

Long Pasia

  1. Bukit Botoii: video

Membakut

  1. Bukit Samudera
There are many unnamed hills in Sabah, like those in Balambangan Island

Papar / Kinarut

  1. Bukit Bendera
  2. Bukit Boya, Outward Bound School
  3. Kinandukan Hill / Bukit Kinandukan Kelanahan (135 Metres / 443 ft): Facebook, video
  4. Bukit Kuburan
  5. Bukit Lumagas

Pitas

  1. Morovidu Hill: video
  2. Piniapat Hill (141 Metres / 463 ft): Facebook, Video
  3. Mondou Hill (Bukit Mondou) (<80 Metres)
  4. Bukit Tudturan
Batu Tulug Hill in Kinabatangan. Its caves are ancient burial site with 125 wooden coffins of 200 to 250 years old

Sandakan / Kinabatangan

  1. Batu Tulug, the coffin hill (ancient burial site)
  2. Berhala Island (Peak 1: Menara Api, Peak 2: Bohey Dulang)
  3. Bukit Leila
  4. Bukit Mawar
  5. Bukit Sim Sim
  6. Bukit Sundang
  7. Bukit Trig
  8. Bukit Seguntor or IOI Peak (305 Metres / 1,001 ft): video 1, video 2
  9. Mount Walker
  10. Bukit Melanta
  11. Bukit Nenas
  12. Bukit Sapa Taring

Sapulut

  1. Batu Punggul (244 Metres / 800 ft)

Semporna

  1. Bukit Tengkorak / Skull Hill (183 Metres / 597 ft)
  2. Bohey Dulang, beautiful sea view of Semporna Islands Park
  3. Bukit Kemiri
  4. Bukit Parapat: video
  5. Bukit Pokas
  6. Mount Conner (368 Metres / 1,207 ft): video
Bohey Dulang Island of Tun Sakaran Marine Park, Semporna. The sea view on top of these hills is super awesome

Sipitang

  1. Mount Lumaku (1,900 Metres / 6,234 ft)
  2. Mount Rimau / Senipung Hill (2,025 Metres / 6,644 ft), Long Pasia
  3. Gunung Muruk Miau
  4. Bukit Tampalagas: video
Hanging garden of Mount Trus Madi. Can you spot the climbers?

Tambunan

  1. Mount Trus Madi (2,642 Metres / 8,668 ft), the second highest mountain of Malaysia
  2. Gunung Wakid (1,372 Metres / 4,501 ft)
  3. Gunung Sinsing (2,586 Metres / 8,484 ft) and Gunung Kaingaran (2,468 Metres / 8,097 ft): article 1, article 2, video
  4. Bukit Dandab / Dandab Hill (Tambunan Viewing Point or Sinurambi)
  5. Bukit Lugas
  6. Bukit Dampasak (950 Metres / 3,117 ft)
  7. Bukit Kolindasan (1,130 Metres / 3,707 ft)
  8. Bukit Kalas (Kg Tontolob)
  9. Bukit Kimbolung
Gunung Wakid in Tambunan

Tamparuli

  1. Ruhiang Hill / Bukit Perahu (300 Metres / 984 ft)
  2. Bukit Kusai
  3. Bukit Mayang
  4. Mara Kara Hill (641 Metres / 2,103 ft): Facebook, Videos (part 1, part 2)
  5. Malba Trig Hill
  6. Nomburungui Hill
  7. Bukit Talantang (332 Metres / 1,089 ft)
  8. Bukit Sinagang
  9. Bukit Kulintangan

Tawau

  1. Bombalai Hill (530 Metres / 1,089 ft), ancient volcano rim
  2. Mount Lucia (1,240 Metres / 4,068 ft) & Mount Magdalena (1,312 Metres / 4,304 ft): video (part 1, 2, 3, 4)
  3. Mount Wullersdorf, Balung: Facebook, video
  4. Mount Lutong (1,675 Metres / 5,436 ft): highest point of Maliau Basin
  5. Bukit Pancang (Bukit Tinagat) (398 Metres / 1,306 ft): video
  6. Bukit Gemok (428 Metres / 1,404 ft)
  7. Bukit 38
  8. Bukit Akar: video
  9. Bukit Cinta (276 Metres / 906 ft): video
  10. Bukit Hero: video
  11. Bukit Kayawan: video
  12. Bukit King Kong (Batu Payung): video 1, video 2
  13. Bukit Lim Man Kui: video
  14. Bukit Lipan
  15. Bukit Middle
  16. Bukit Sungai Udin
  17. Bukit Tiger (407.9 Metres / 1,338 ft)
  18. Bukit Tukok, Kalabakan
  19. Lion Hill
  20. Gunung Maria
  21. Mount Mostyn (495 Metres / 1,624 ft)
  22. Bukit Batu Hitam
  23. Bukit Lika / Bukit Botak
  24. Bukit Sumundu
Bukit Tirig in Telipok. Behind is the mangrove forest

Telipok

  1. Bukit Nulu Kebayau
  2. Bukit Tirig, Kg. Lapasan
  3. Bukit Binaong
  4. Bukit Kayu Madang
  5. Bukit Malawa
  6. Bukit Payung

Tenom

  1. Bukit Layang-Layang
  2. Bukit Rukud (281 Metres / 922 ft): video

Telupid

  1. Mount Meliau (1,336 Metres / 4,383 ft): video
  2. Bukit Doji
  3. Bukit Microwave

Tongod

  1. Bukit RISM (Gunung Tinkar) (584.2 Metres / 1,917 ft), Centre of Sabah
Bukit RISM in the Centre of Sabah. This monument is built by Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM)

Tuaran & Kiulu

  1. Bukit Nuluh Lapai
  2. Bukit Kapur
  3. Bukit Ketam, Tenghilan Tuaran: video 1, video 2
  4. Bukit Merlin / Morokolingn
  5. Bukit Merah, Karambunai
  6. Bukit Purak Mato, Kiulu (720 Metres / 2,362 ft)
  7. Bukit Tompinangan / Gray Hill
  8. Bukit Tungkalingan
  9. Dapako Hill, Kiulu (598 Metres / 1,961 ft): Facebook, video
  10. Kokobuan Trig Hill (950 Metres / 3117 ft): Facebook, video
  11. Sangod Hill: Facebook
  12. The Peak of Hope

It would take you almost 3 years to conquer all of them, even if you climb a new one every week, and there are probably hundred more new mountains to be added to this list in future. For every mountain that we conquer, it’s like making a new friend and you will always want to go back again. Stay safe and happy climbing!

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

How to Climb Mount Kinabalu and How Much it Cost? [Year 2024]

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Standing majestically at 4,095 Meters (13,435 feet), Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain of Malaysia. Mt. Kinabalu derives its name from the Kadazan word, Aki Nabalu, meaning ‘the revered place of the dead’. It is one of the most conquerable peaks in the world. This guide will help you to reach the summit of Mount Kinabalu, with some info that travel agents don’t want you to know.

Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain of Borneo and Malaysia and part of Kinabalu Park. Kinabalu Park is now a Unesco Global Geopark.
  1. The maximum number of climbers (daily quota) is 165 climbers per day.
  2. Climb Permit fee is now RM400 for foreigner; RM100 for Malaysian. Half price if the climber is below 18 years old.
  3. Child under 16 must be accompanied by a dedicated Mountain Guide. Each Mountain Guide can only take up to 2 children (or up to 5 adult climbers).
  4. Mountain Guide who takes care of children will not guide adult climber. For example, if your group has 3 adult and a child (below 16) climbers, you must hire two mountain guides (one to take care of adults, another one for child only).
  5. The rate of mountain guide service (mandatory) is RM350.
  6. Porter service (optional) costs RM14 per Kilogram (Kg).
  7. You may follow the Facebook of Sabah Parks for latest news and promotion.

Mount Kinabalu’s specialty lies in its location at a renowned World Heritage Site – Kinabalu Park. Nature lovers will be delighted to be able to witness the many variations of flora and fauna that are to be found on the mountain at different altitudes.

1. How much does it cost?

Quick Answer: The lowest budget for climbing Mount Kinabalu is about RM1,019 (≈USD237) for Non-Malaysian Tourist and RM444 for Malaysian (Based on the rates of year 2023, for adult climber who shares guide fee with others). The cost includes accommodation (at Panalaban), meals, shared mountain guide fee, conservation fee, climb permit, and insurance. Please download the Excel file to see the itemized budget.

  1. The Best Time to climb Mt. Kinabalu is between March and August, which are the dry seasons of Sabah. The peak season is Apr to Jun.
  2. You can climb in other months, but try to avoid Dec and Jan, which are the wettest months, due to the North-East Monsoon
  3. The mountain accommodation area (known as Panalaban), where Laban Rata Rest House and hostels located, is 2.72 KM before the summit of Mt. Kinabalu. Most climbers overnight here before conquering Mt. Kinabalu in next morning.
  4. If you are not allowed to climb to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu due to bad weather, there is No Refund.
Panalaban is the area where mountain accommodations located. It’s called Laban Rata previously.

How to Book a Climb Package

Booking the one-night Accommodation at Panalaban (formerly Laban Rata) is the FIRST step. You can’t climb Mt. Kinabalu if you haven’t reserved any room on the mountain. Camping on the mountain is not allowed.

Important notes:

  1. You must book at least 6 months in advance. The park allows only 80 climbers to climb per day, due to conservation and limited rooms, so the accommodation is always fully booked.
  2. Never, I repeat, never book with any individual who claims that he is a guide and can offer you very low price. Many tourists have been scammed and lost their money. Only book with licensed travel agents and legitimate operators (i.e. Sutera Sanctuary Lodge and Sabah Parks).
  3. Conquering Mt. Kinabalu requires only 2 days 1 night.
  4. However, to let climbers to get used to high altitude, Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (management of Laban Rata Resthouse) usually sells you 3-day-2-night accommodation (with 1 extra night at Kinabalu Park, foothill of Mt. Kinabalu).
  5. The cheaper accommodations, Panar Laban Hut, Waras Hut, Panalaban Hostels and Lemaing Hostel are next to Laban Rata Resthouse.
  6. All accommodation package is inclusive of full meals (buffet style).

There are four ways to book the climb package:

1. Book with Travel Agent

If you can afford, just book the tour package with licensed tour agents of Sabah. Though you will pay more, they will take care of everything, from transportation, registration, to the end of climb. This is the Best option.

2. Book with Sabah Parks

Next to Laban Rata Resthouse, Lemaing Hostel and Panalaban Hostels are new (and cheaper) accommodation available to climbers. Lemaing Hostel is only open to Malaysian climbers, and Panalaban Hostels is open to both Malaysian and international climbers. You can book the accommodation directly with Sabah Parks, the management of these hostels. Please note you need to to pay other mandatory fees such as climb permit, insurance and guide fee, besides the meals and accommodation there.

Accommodations on Mount Kinabalu (Panalaban). Mokodou and Kinotoki are under Panalaban Hostels. Photo courtesy of Sabah Parks.

A) Lemaing Hostel (for Malaysian only)

Open in 2014, this hostel has 75 bunk beds . (RM is Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). USD1.00 can exchange about RM4.20)
Accommodation & Meals: RM340
Insurance: RM10
Climb Permit: RM100 (adult), RM50 (below 18)

Left: Bunk Beds of Lemaing Hostel. Right: Beds of Panalaban Hostels. Both hostels have shared bathroom and toilet. Latest check-out time is 10:30am.

B) Panalaban Hostels (for Malaysian and Foreigner)

Open in 2019, Panalaban Hostels (Kinotoki and Mokodou) can accommodate 50 climbers.
Accommodation & Meals: RM430
Insurance: RM10
Climb Permit: (Malaysian rate) RM100 (adult), RM50 (below 18); (Foreigner Rate) RM400 (adult), RM200 (below 18)

Climbing and accommodation fees (year 2023) of Panalaban (left) and Lemaing (right) Hostels. Note: Lemaing Hostel is open for Malaysians only.

Sabah Parks Contact:

You can visit Sabah Parks office located in KK Times Square (Kota Kinabalu City) to book room and make payment:
Opening Hour: 8:00AM – 5:00PM, Mon-Fri (closed on Sat, Sun & Public Holiday)
Phone: +60 88-523531 / +60 88-523572
E-mail: reservation2023@sabahparks.org.my, sabahparks@gmail.com
Website: www.sabahparks.org.my
Facebook: SbhParks
Booking Website: reservation.sabahparks.org.my (Phone: +60 88-273238, E-mail: contactus@terazglobal.com.my)

Left: Lemaing Hostel, Right: Panalaban Hostel (Mokodou & Kinotoki). Photo Credit: Sabah Parks

3. Book with Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (SSL)

SSL is the management of accommodation in Kinabalu Park and Laban Rata Resthouse. For booking, you can contact them at:
E-mail: info@suterasanctuarylodges.com.my
Tel: +60 88 308 914 / 308 915 / 308 916
Website: www.suterasanctuarylodges.com.my
Facebook: SuteraSanctuary
Address: B-G-9, Block B, Ground Floor, Sutera Avenue, Lorong Lebuh Sutera, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. (see location map)
Business Hours: 9am-5pm (Mon-Fri), 9am-1pm (Sat), close on Sun & Public Holiday

Online Booking is available in website of Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. You may drop by the office of SSL, which is located in ground floor of Sutera Avenue. Besides booking, the friendly staffs can answer all your questions on the spot. They can arrange full transport service for you too (the fees are quite high though).

4. Mountain TORQ

You can join the Via Ferrata tour by Mountain TORQ (Facebook: @MountainTorqGroup), which has a rock climbing training centre and accommodation (Pendant Hut) at Panalaban. However, you need to be really fit.

Trail map to the summit of Mount Kinabalu. There are two summit routes, Ranau Trail and Kota Belud Trail, and both start from Panalaban. Ranau trail is the default route as it’s easier to climb.

Itinerary of the Climb

Below is a run-down of the 3-day-2-night climbing tour in brief.

Day 1

Check-in to overnight at Kinabalu Park (see location map), which is 88 KM away from Kota Kinabalu (KK). The extra night helps your body to adapt to the height so you will be less vulnerable to Altitude Sickness (acute mountain sickness) in the climb next day. Here is a list of accommodations near Kinabalu Park.

Day 2

9am: Bring your ID card (e.g. MyKad), invoice and QR Code of confirmed booking. Register and pay fees (climb permit, insurance, guide, etc.) by cash to Sabah Parks at Kinabalu Park HQ. Collect your name tag (climb permit) and packed lunch (usually consists of sandwiches, candy bar and a fruit, with a small bottle of drinking water), then meet your guide and porter (if hired). You also can arrange the return transport (by shuttle van) there to transfer you between gate and park for a fee. Be there before 10:30am or they won’t allow you to climb.
9:30am: Transfer to Timpohon Gate, the starting point of the climb.
10am: Start of Climb, after briefing by guide!
4pm: Reach Panalaban after 6 KM. Usually it takes 6 to 8 hours, depend on your fitness.
– Dinner buffet at Laban Rata Rest House (closed by 7:30pm)
– Overnight at the rest house or hostels of Panalaban

Left: Registration, fee payment, return transport and hiring of guide / porter are done at the left side of Kinabalu Park HQ (see yellow arrow). Right: climbers meet their mountain guide, and hand over part of their baggage to the porters.

Day 3

2am: Gather and having breakfast at Laban Rata Rest House, then head to the summit (2.75 KM one way).
(The park may not allow you to climb in bad weather)
6am: Reaching the summit (Low’s Peak) of Mount Kinabalu
7am: Descending to Panalaban
10am: Check-out and descend to Kinabalu Park
2:00pm: Back to Kota Kinabalu City

This can be you. Just imagine.

Photo Walk-through

Below are the photo walk-through of the 2-day climb in chronological order. Standard climb will use the Ranau summit trail (open on 1 Dec 2015). Note: The starting point is in Kinabalu Park, not Ranau town! Or you can watch the video below:

Day 1: Climbing to Panalaban

The standard trail starts from the Timpohon Gate (1,800m / 5,906 ft) which is about 4 KM away from the Kinabalu Park Headquarters. The climb from Timpohon Gate to Panalaban (Laban Rata) normally takes 6 to 8 hours (for 6 KM). You can buy basic supply such as snacks, drink and raincoat in the small shop inside the building.

Left: Timpohon Gate, the starting point of the climb. Right: public toilet 50 Metres before Timpohon Gate

There is a signage or trail marker every 0.5 or 1 KM to show you how far you climb. Use them to motivate yourself.

Left: You will see the small Carson Waterfall fairly soon. Middle & Right: Signage and trail marker along the trail.

Before reaching Panalaban (3,273m / 10,738 ft above sea level), climbers can stop and rest at seven shelters (pondok) along the way — Pondok Kandis, Pondok Ubah, Pondok Lowii, Pondok Mempening, Layang-Layang, Pondok Villosa, and Pondok Paka.

There is a shelter every 1 KM, where you can take a break, refill water (untreated spring water), use the toilet and dump your trash. Around noon time, most climbers are half-way up there and have their lunch at Mempening or Layang-Layang Shelter. The cute and friendly Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel (Dremomys everetti) would approach you for food. Please don’t feed them!

The trails to Panalaban look like these most of the time.

The 6-Kilometre trail to Panalaban is clear and in moderate steepness most of the time. All steep sections have support such as hand rail and stairway. You will feel more like walking on endless staircase than climbing. Just go slow and enjoy the scenic view. As you move higher, you can feel the drop of temperature and the surrounding is getting more and more foggy. The ground is covered with green mosses and many trees and shrubs have epiphytes and lichens on them. What you experience is a walk in the cloud forest (montane forest), which grows above 1,800 Metres above sea level.

Some interesting plant along the summit trail of Kinabalu Park. The pink flower is Kinabalu Balsam (Impatiens kinabaluensis), which is endemic to Borneo and quite common in first 2 KM of summit trail. The highlight is the pitcher plant (Nepenthes villosa).

Along the trails, be sure to keep your eyes open for the plenteous interesting vegetation to check out. The unique ecology is what makes Kinabalu Park the UNESCO World Heritage Site, not just the Mt. Kinabalu. Kinabalu Park has the highest density of orchid species in the world. Climbers could spot blooming orchid and rhododendron next to the trail. After 4 KM, pay attention to your left and look for the big and bright-color Nepenthes villosa pitcher plant in the shrubs. This species is endemic to Kinabalu Park of Sabah.

The rocks on the “yellow path” are ancient old rocks.

Between 4 and 5 KM is a long section of trail in yellow colour. These yellowish rocks are 40-million-year-old ultrabasic or ultramafic rocks. This area is dominated by dwarf and crooked trees (Leptospermum recurvum), some are over a hundred years old. This tree is one of the few plant that can adapt to the toxic ultrabasic soil.

If you reach the trail with many big granite boulders laying around, you are near to Panalaban.

When you see many big dark-grey boulders on the trail, congratulations! Though Panalaban is only a Kilometre away now, the trail is quite steep from now on. These boulders are slippery after rain so watch your steps. A walking pole will help you to balance.

Panalaban is the ending point of your climb on day 1. The building at the left is Laban Rata Resthouse.

Hooray! You are now 3,272 metres above sea level. This is the place where climbers spend a night. The restaurant of Laban Rata Resthouse is where you claim your warm buffet meals. You better reach Panalaban before the restaurant closes at 7:30pm. Ala carte meals are available too.

Restaurant in Laban Rata Resthouse (Opening Hours: 7:30am-7:30pm and 2:00am-3:30am)

The scenery at Panalaban is fantastic! Just enjoy the view with a cup of coffee at the balcony, and look at the dense cloud under your feet. The sunset view at Panalaban is one of the best in Sabah. There is a small shop in the restaurant that sells items such as snacks, instant noodle, drink, poncho, medicines, postcards, etc. but at a higher price.

Left: sending postcards from the highest postbox in Malaysia. Right: amazing sunset at Panalaban

FYI, you can send postcard from the highest post box of Malaysia, which is located next to Pendant Hut in Panalaban. There are overnight accommodations provided for climbers on the mountain (Laban Rata Rest House, Waras Hut, Lemaing Hostel and Panalaban Hostels). The rooms are humbly decorated but are comfortably equipped thick blankets, bunk beds, as well as clean drinking water.

Left: bunk bed of Lemaing Hostel. Right: It’s cold at Panalaban.

The temperature at Panalaban can drop below 10°C (50°F) and a windy day makes it worse. Except some premium rooms in Laban Rata Resthouse, most rooms don’t have any heater. The water heater doesn’t always work. Tell you a secret. Many climbers skip shower because it’s too cold.

Good Night! Sleep earlier because you need to wake up very early next day.

“Though perhaps not the highest mountain in the world, it is of immense height” (captain Alexander Dalrymple, 1769)

Please note this walk-through only covers the standard summit trail named Ranau Trail. If you want to know more about another new summit trail, which is more challenging, please read this page about Kota Belud Trail.

Day 2: Conquering Mount Kinabalu

The climb to the summit resumes at 2am the next morning. The climb from Panalaban to the summit is about 2.72 KM and normally takes 4 to 5 hours. To cut down weight, you can leave the unnecessary stuffs in your room. There is no water point on the way (except Sayat-Sayat checkpoint). Carrying 1 Litre of water is quite enough as you won’t feel really thirsty under cold temperature. You also need torchlight (or LED headlamp), warm clothing and poncho.

Left: In Ranau Trail, you can see the night view of Ranau town. Right: Boardwalk of Ranau trail

After briefing by your mountain guide, the ascend will start with nearly two hours of steep staircase climbing in the dark. The only way is up. You can see long line of torchlight of other climbers. You will be tired, stop and gasping for air for many times. Without air and light pollution, the sky is full of stars, a beautiful view you will never forget.

Ranau trail of Mount Kinabalu, not difficult but tiring.
Left: The rope section. Right: Sayat-Sayat Checkpoint

Then you will come to the rope section, the most challenging part that requires you to hold onto a rope to move up for a few hundreds metres. Soon you will be happy to see the Sayat-Sayat checkpoint. Climbers can rest there for a while and use the last toilet on the mountain trail.

Left: Rockface path. Right: The bald surface on Mount Kinabalu

After Sayat-Sayat, the trail will be mainly rock surface with 15 to 20 degrees of inclination. The dense vegetation is replaced by scarce summit plant on the bald granite ground.

Left: South Peak in the RM100 bill of Malaysia. Right: friendly climbers from Peninsular Malaysia

Anyway, the scenery just gets better at this point. In fact, it’s one of the most beautiful places in Malaysia. You are like wandering in another planet and admire the jagged peaks around you. The most photogenic peaks are the Donkey Ears Peak and South Peak.

Left: Signage at 8th KM. Right: Wishing Pool under Low’s Peak, always filled with coins

The air on the mountain is 20% thinner near the top of Mount Kinabalu. You will feel that your body is heavy and every move takes a lot of energy. Due to exhaustion, nine out of ten climbers would start to curse and say “why am I doing here?”. Though they complain, after the climb they will miss this mountain and come back again lol.

Low’s Peak, the highest peak of Mount Kinabalu, and the final ending point of the climb

After the 8 KM signage, the summit on Low’s Peak is less than a Kilometre away. Your goal is simple, just keep moving slowly in steady pace. The last two hundreds of rope climbing to this highest peak will drain your last energy reserve. The sweet reward is reserved to those who persist. Conquering Mount Kinabalu is once in a lifetime experience and must be in your bucket list.

Tasting the victory: spectacular view on the summit of Mount Kinabalu. Bonus: If you reach the peak before 6am, you will be rewarded by the beautiful sunrise view on the highest mountain of Borneo.

About 50,000 climbers leaves their footsteps on Mount Kinabalu annually. Despite the struggle, none of them shows the face of regret on the top. You have only an hour to enjoy the moment of your sweet victory, because the guide will ask you to leave the summit before 8am, before the mountain covered in dense fog (poor visibility).

Left: sub-alpine vegetation on Mount Kinabalu. Right: Aki View Platform

When you hike back to your hostel in Panalaban, do slow down a bit to appreciate the unique plant and flowers during the descend. Without daylight in night climb, you didn’t realise that you were surrounded by the most valuable eco-treasures of Borneo.

Left: Old man’s beard Fruticose lichen (Usnea) on the trees. Right: Kinabalu Park is a garden rich of plant species

Lastly, don’t forget to collect your certificate (for a fee) at Kinabalu Park office as a proof of your successful climb.

Tips and Advice

  1. Pack Light. Don’t carry more than 6 Kg of weight for the climb. Those bringing huge backpacks can hire a porter (for a fee) to reduce the burden. Your porter will head straight to Panalaban in great speed and won’t be walking next to the slow you, so do not let them carry your water and raincoat.
  2. The climate is cool with an average temperature range of 15°C to 24°C (59°F to 75°F) at the Kinabalu Park Headquarters and 6°C to 10°C (42°F to 50°F) on the mountain. It can even go down to freezing point in coldest months (Nov-Dec). Climbers are recommended to wear breathable cotton clothing and comfortable pair of hiking shoes.
  3. Climbers are also reminded to be ready with torch lights, raincoats and warm clothes in case it rains and the temperature drops.
  4. Descending stresses your knee and muscle more than ascending. Try to descend slowly to avoid serious joint and muscle pain later.
  5. Trail can be slippery after rain. Wear comfortable trekking or hiking shoes with good grip (best if it’s waterproof).
  6. Stay with your group and Mountain Guide at all times. Never walk off trail.
  7. Don’t climb if you have ailments such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and other sickness that severely affects your fitness.
  8. Always book the tour with licensed tour agent. There have been many cases tourists cheated by unlicensed agents.
  9. Mt. Kinabalu is the Sacred Mountain (resting place of the deceased) of Sabah. Please be respectful and refrain from doing anything offensive such as taking nude photo.
  10. Follow the social media of Sabah Parks for latest update on travel restriction. Currently, only our locals can climb the mountain.
Climbing outfit: Day 1 vs Day 2. You don’t need thick clothing for climbing on day 1, but pack a warm jacket in your bag. On day 2, you need to prepare for near freezing point temperature. You must have poncho or water resistant clothing in case it rains.

Things to Bring

  • Passport / MyKad (for registration)
  • Proof of Accommodation Booking and Payment
  • Cash (most transactions are by cash)
  • Drinking Water (in Refillable 1 Litre water bottle)
  • LED Headlamp (head torch)
  • Energy Bars / Chocolate Bars
  • Light Backpack (preferably with rain cover)
  • Raincoat / Poncho (Murphy’s Law says it’ll rain if you don’t bring one)
  • Toiletries (e.g. toilet paper, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste)
  • Warm Clothing (e.g. Wind breaker, Fleece, Jacket)
  • Extra clothing and socks
  • Gloves (to keep warm and rope climbing)
  • Ear Warmer
  • Towel
  • Camera and spare Battery
  • Medication such as painkiller, headache or altitude sickness tablet
  • Plastic bags: to store rubbish and soiled clothes
  • Optional: walking pole, sunblock lotion, sunglasses, portable charger

I hope you find this guide useful. Please feel free to comment or ask any question in the Comment section below.

Photos taken in Kinabalu Park and Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

7 Things People often get WRONG about Mount Kinabalu

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Mount Kinabalu (Gunung Kinabalu in Malay language) is the icon of Sabah. It’s dearly loved by the locals as a grandfather mountain and tourists as a climbing destination. However, this magnificent mountain is not being well understood. Please allow me to point out seven most common mistakes.

1. Mount Kinabalu is not Mount KK!

KK is the abbreviation of Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah. Mount Kinabalu is a mountain which is about 55 Kilometres away from KK. KK city is not located on Mount Kinabalu, so what’s Mount KK? You tell me.

Credit: Comic by Kendy. Please follow his Instagram @kendylife88 for more cool artworks.

This wrong name is probably invented by people from West Malaysia. Oh please be respectful and stop calling our sacred mountain Mount KK. It makes our eyes rolled every time we hear the words Mount KK. What would you feel if I call KL as Kota Lumpur?

2. South Peak is not the highest peak of Mount Kinabalu

The pointy South Peak is the most photogenic and popular peak of Mount Kinabalu. This peak appears in our RM100 note and a lot of travel advertisements. Therefore, I don’t blame people for mistaking it as the highest peak.

Left: South Peak and its picture in RM100 Malaysian money. Right: The low profile Low’s Peak is the highest peak of Mount Kinabalu

The highest peak of Mount Kinabalu is Low’s Peak at 4,095 Metres (13,435 ft). The height of South Peak is 3,900 Metres (12,795 ft), which is not even listed in the 20 highest peaks of Mount Kinabalu.

South Peak in an airline advertisement. Probably she really wants to climb South Peak. Good luck then lol

3. Hugh Low is not the first climber reached the highest peak of Mount Kinabalu

Even though Low’s Peak (the highest peak) is named after Sir Hugh Low, who first climbed Mount Kinabalu in March 1851, he only reached the summit plateau. Anyway, it’s the first recorded ascent of Mount Kinabalu.

Left: John Whitehead is the first documented person who stood on the highest peak of Mount Kinabalu. Right: blind people led by helper to climb Mount Kinabalu. Climbing Mount Kinabalu was used to be a tough expedition. Now Mount Kinabalu is so accessible and visited by all walks of life (e.g. 82-year-old woman, intellectual disability group, 3-year-old toddler, disabled man with no leg)

John Whitehead, an English explorer, is the first documented person who climbed to the top of Mount Kinabalu in 1888. FYI, Lilian Gibbs, a woman botanist from England, was the first woman to climb Mount Kinabalu. The villagers of Kampung Kiau (at the foothill of Mount Kinabalu) believe that their ancestors may have conquered the mountain before these westerners, but it’s not documented.

4. Mount Kinabalu is not a volcano

Mount Kinabalu is a huge granite dome (pluton in geography term) that was uplifted above the surface about 7 to 8 million years ago, due to the Magma intrusion and collision from the crustal plate movements. This non-volcanic mountain was not formed by puking smoke and lava.

Climbers can see the 1,000-metre-deep misty Low’s Gully from the summit. No wonder some people thought Mount Kinabalu is a volcano.

In fact, the birth of Mount Kinabalu is a result of long, dramatic and complex geological processes in different stages, which began about 40 million years ago. You can read the interview with geologist Professor Dr. Felix Tongkul for more in-depth story.

Diagram on formation of Mount Kinabalu. Source: The Geology of Mount Kinabalu (PDF file)

5. Mount Kinabalu is not the highest mountain in South-East Asia

The 5,881-meter-tall Kagabu Razi in Myanmar is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia. Currently Mount Kinabalu is ranked 29th highest mountain in Southasia Asia. It’s definitely the highest mountain of Malaysia and Borneo Island, and the 20th most prominent mountain in the world by topographic prominence.

Sometimes even mainstream media publishes the wrong information about Mount Kinabalu

6. The official height of Mount Kinabalu is 4,095 Metres (13,435 feet)

Before a re-survey by satellite technology in 1997 that confirmed the height of Low’s Peak as 4,095 metres (13,435 ft) above sea level, all geography books said Mount Kinabalu is 4,101 m (13,455 ft) tall. After 20 years, most textbook and media have gotten the information right now. However, you still can find the outdated figure around.

It took an airline company more than 10 years to correct the outdated information of Mount Kinabalu in its flight magazine.

Mount Kinabalu is standing tall at 4,095 Metres, for NOW, because its height will change over time. Mount Kinabalu is still uplifted by earth movement so this young mountain is growing at 5mm a year. However, Mount Kinabalu can lose or gain a few centimetres after a major earthquake.

You can see Mount Kinabalu from Sandakan! I took this photo on Lankayan Island off Sandakan City.

Do you know that Mount Kinabalu was probably several hundred metres higher than today over 100,000 years ago? In the past Mount Kinabalu was an ice-capped mountain and covered with sedimentary rock on top. Then a combination of weathering and glacial action in the last 2 million years gradually eroded its top and exposed the granite.

Formation of Mount Kinabalu jagged top by weather and glacier erosion

7. Mount Kinabalu does not like tourists

Tourists pay a lot of money to climb Mount Kinabalu and think Mount Kinabalu should welcome them with open arms. Well, indigenous people of Sabah believe that Mount Kinabalu is the revered place of the dead, not a playground for tourists. In old days the villagers viewed the summit as a sacred place and climbing it would disturb the spirits and brought misfortune. After Sir Hugh Low climbed Mount Kinabalu, the villagers in the vicinity were mad because their harvest turned terrible.

Left: some locals believe the 2015 Sabah earthquake is linked to the disrespectful tourists who were stripping naked and urinating on Mount Kinabalu. Right: a warning by Sabah Parks about climbers’ behaviour. The photos below show the offering to appease the mountain in a ritual.

Even nowadays, a traditional Kadazandusun ritual (called Monolob) to appease the mountain spirits is performed every year, to ensure a safe journey for the climbers. No matter you believe in spiritual world or not, please be respectful during the climb. It saddens us whenever we hear news of tourists doing stupid things up there.

Mount Kinabalu is seen as a living sacred temple for the Kadazandusun to communicate with its divinity care-taker couple Akinabalu and Odusinudu.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Ruhiang Hill (Bukit Perahu) and Ship Rocks

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Does Noah’s ark really exist? I don’t know, but I was told that near Tamparuli town, there are rocks that resemble a vessel stranded on a hill named Bukit Perahu (also known as Ruhiang Hill). I guess that’s how Bukit Perahu got its name, as Perahu means Boat and Bukit means Hill in Malay language.

Bukit Perahu (or Ruhiang Hill) is next to Tamparuli town (left)

Many also say the top of Bukit Perahu has one of the most spectacular views of Mt. Kinabalu (the highest mountain of Malaysia).

Majestic Mount Kinabalu and Bukit Perahu (lower left)

One day I finally managed to get up early in the morning, headed to Tamparuli, which was 30 KM away from Kota Kinabalu City, then climbed up to the peak of Bukit Perahu.

The beautiful sea of cloud will disperse after the sun comes up, so you better reach the peak as early as possible.
Hikers relax and enjoy the morning view on Bukit Perahu

What they said was true. The scenery is so exceptional that I climbed it again the following week with my drone to photograph some aerial shots.

The friends of this family want to climb Bukit Perahu after they see this awesome shot

During good weather in early morning, you would see Mt. Kinabalu like floating on sea of cloud. Someone come very early to catch the sunrise around 6am for the best view. If you go late, say after 8:30am, the sea of cloud would disperse and envelope Mt. Kinabalu.

This family photo tells you that the climb is not overly challenging.

Bukit Perahu is only 300 Metres high. The hiking distance to the top is about 800 Metres and normally takes about 35 minutes, depend on your fitness. Some sections of the trail is a little steep. Overall the climb isn’t challenging.

The total distance to the peak is about 800 Meters

The Climb

The starting point of the climb is near to the roadside in Tamparuli (later I tell you how to get there). It’s a public area and you aren’t required to pay any entrance fee. The trail is well-marked and there are many hikers around in the morning, so you won’t lose your way.

Bukit Perahu is also one of the best paragliding sites.

Looking from far away, Bukit Perahu is a cone shaped hill with gentle slope, but the route is a bit steeper than we think. The 800-Metre trail is fully paved by cement from the start to the end (peak), so no more slippery soil trail after rain.

The trail to the peak of Bukit Perahu is now fully (100%!) paved by cement now. The photo at the left was taken in year 2017.

Note: The photos that show nature trail here are the old photos, the peak can be reached by stairway now. Do expect some human traffic during weekends, as everyone uses the same trail for ascend and descend.

Roman Catholic uses the route to the peak as the Way of the Cross (or Stations of the Cross). You will see 14 crosses along the way, with photo and description about the suffering of Jesus Christ carrying a cross to his crucifixion.

The local Catholics make this trail the Station of the Cross (or Way of Sorrows). Along the trail you will see a total of 14 cross signage with picture and text depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion.

Most of the time you walk under the shade.

Most of the time the dense trees shaded me from sunlight, and the cool morning breeze stopped me from overheat, so it’s quite a pleasant walk.

Very green surrounding around the peak

The stairway prevents climbers and hikers from walking on the slippery trail and boulders. However, someone say that the new cemented path is losing a bit of touch with nature.

The stairway makes the climb less challenging but a bit more tiring.

After moving higher up, I could see Tamparuli town and surrounding hills with lush forest, the more I ascended, the nicer the view.

Gazebo in the midway

I took a short break in a gazebo next to cross No. 10. I was halfway there.

Last 200 Meters to the peak
When you see the 14th cross and the big cross, you are only 200 Meters away from the peak

After the last cross, I reached an open area with soil trail pounded solid by thousands of footsteps of hikers.

Almost reaching the hilltop
The view on top of Bukit Perahu

On the hilltop were some relaxing hikers enjoyed the panoramic view of Tamparuli town, rolling green hills and Mt. Kinabalu.

Hikers enjoying the scenic view
The hawkers sell stuffs from early morning to 9 or 10am on the peak

Hungry? Thirsty? A few hawkers were selling drink, snacks and fruit (the prices are higher, consider the labour work to carry these things up to the hill, e.g. a tin of 100Plus sold for RM3.00).

You can buy some drink, snack, chips and fruit on the hill
You can have a bird eye view of Tamparuli from the top of the hill
The only shade you can find on hilltop.

The Boat Rocks

I tried to locate the two boat rocks that earn Bukit Perahu the name. Please note the trails to the rocks may not be well-maintained and covered by dense grass.

Looking for the boat rock

The smaller one is nearer and the entrance is at the left hand side (when you face Mt. Kinabalu).

On the way to the smaller boat rock

It’s quite an easy walk on a small trail and I saw the boat rock within 10 minutes. It really looks like the front of ship (bow).

This rock looks like a sinking ship

The bigger one is another story. The entrance is at the right. When I asked the locals for direction, they looked concern, as if it’s a bad idea. They warned me that the trail is not in good condition.

Azlan clearing the bush that blocks the trail

I just proceeded anyway and walked into the wood, just after 15 Metres a dense bush was in my way, I was stuck. Luckily, Azlan, a local from Tamparuli, came to “rescue” by using his machete to clear the trail.

On the way to the biggest boat rock

I followed Azlan to pass through the dense wood and narrow steep trail. Azlan climbs this hill regularly so he knows the place really well. In fact, he is the one who opens the trail to the big boat rock. He said he had cleared the trail in Jan but the undergrowth flourished again.

Azlan is the one who opens the trail to the huge boat rock.

After 23 minutes of painfully slow move on steep and slippery trail, Azlan stopped at a big rock and said “It’s here.” I didn’t see any boat rock. He added, “You are on top of the boat rock. You need to descend to the side to have a better look.”

Big boat rock

He is right. At one side, the boat rock looks like the hull of a cargo ship. I don’t really recommend you visit this rock due to safety. If you must go, bring insect repellant.

This boat rock is really huge. Did you see the “snake head rock”?

Then we descend to another side. From this angle, the rock really looks like a ship that has 3 layers of decks. Two ladies, Zoom and Farah were following us, I included them in the photos so you can see the scale.

Closer look of the boat rock

Azlan is a civil servant working in Tuaran. Though he is 52 years old, he remains very fit and climb Bukit Perahu up and down 5 times to train for climbathon (mountain race).

How to get there

When you reach Tamparuli town, which is about 30 minutes by car from Kota Kinabalu City, turn to Jalan Tamparuli Togop Road (see Street View map) beside the police station.

The starting point of the hike is next to the road. Note the signage that reads Puncak St. Veronica

Just follow the road for about 300 Metres, the starting point will be at at your left (see Street View map, GPS Coordinate: 6.131424, 116.273830). If you come in the morning during weekends, you would see many cars parked at the roadside.

At the starting point, there is a sign that reads “Laluan Jalan Salip ke Puncak St. Veronica” (translated as: Way of the Cross to St. Veronica Peak). There is a house there so be quiet. There is no toilet at Bukit Perahu so you better relieve yourself somewhere else before the climb.

Photos taken in Tamparuli, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Why You Should Climb Maragang Hill

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Can you believe that you only need to hike 1.6 Kilometers (about a mile) to the peak of Maragang Hill, for one of the most spectacular views of Mount Kinabalu (the highest mountain of Malaysia)? I felt a bit guilty when I conquered Maragang Hill, so easy that it’s like cheating. The closer you are to Mount Kinabalu, the more stunning her scenery, and Maragang Hill is probably the hill nearest to Mount Kinabalu.

The peaks of the Eastern Plateau of Mount Kinabalu can be seen on Maragang Hill, which is named after the Red (or Maroon) Leaf Monkey endemic to Borneo.

With a height of 2,232 Metres (7,323 Feet) and located in Mesilau (of Kundasang, Sabah), Maragang Hill is a gigantic stairway for climbers to meet our giant mountain up-close. Maragang is the Dusun (Sabah’s native) name of Red or Maroon Leaf Monkey (Scientific Name: Presbytis rubicunda), an elusive monkey endemic to Borneo. You can see Red Leaf Monkey as a “hill monkey”. Unlike other primates which avoid high altitude, Red Leaf Monkey is adapted to the highland habitats. In Jan 2021, four Maragang were spotted in Panalaban (3,272 Metres above sea level!!!) of Mount Kinabalu and the discovery went viral.

Maragang Hill is near the border (light green line) of Kinabalu National Park. The distance between the highest peak of Mount Kinabalu and Maragang Peak is only 5 KM!

About the Climb

Climbing Maragang Hill requires very little preparation and the trip takes only half-day. You only need to book the tour in advance. The hiking distance to the peak of Maragang Hill is only 1.6 Kilometer one way. You can reach the summit in an hour if you are really fit. Normally most people take 1.5 hours to reach the top. Yes, 2,232 Meters sounds high, but the climb starts at 1,835 Metres above sea level, so you only need to move up 397 Meters to conquer Maragang Hill.

The height of Maragang Hall is 2,232 Meters (7,323 Feet), and the climb starts at 1,835 Meters above sea level.

Time Table

The following is the standard schedule of the climb:

  • 6:00am Registration at the admin office (in Mesilau)
  • 6:30am Transfer to the starting point
  • 6:45am Safety briefing by your guide
  • 7:00am Start climbing
  • 8:30am Reach the peak of Maragang Hill
  • 10:00am Descend to the starting point
  • 11:30am End of climb

Sunrise Hike starts at 3:00am but the flow is the same.

My Climbing Experience

I was climbing Maragang Hill with 4 friends last month. We didn’t want to drive 3 hours in midnight to rush from Kota Kinabalu (KK) to Mesilau, so we spent a night in Kundasang, which is only 15 minutes away from Mesilau by car. Next day we waked up around 5am to prepare for the climb. It was so windy and chilling in the morning. Though it’s only 20°C (68°F), I wore three layers of clothing (two T-shirt and a jacket) to keep warm. You can watch the walkthrough video below if you don’t want to read further.

We arrived the registration center (admin office) of Maragang Hill in Kampung Mesilou before 6am. After parking our car in the village, we registered, made payment, met our guide, and signed the indemnity form. Funny thing is, it wasn’t windy at Mesilau.

Registration Center and Admin Office (orange building) for climbing Maragang Hill, with Mount Kinabalu at the background.

The paper work only took us a few minutes. Then we and our guide were transferred by a 4-wheel drive to the starting point about 4 KM away. On the back of the truck, we had an open view of the scenic mountain and countryside views along the way. We passed through Mount Kinabalu Golf Club and the lovely pine tree road.

We were transferred by 4-wheel drive to the starting point of the climb for Maragang Hill.

Our vehicle reached the starting point of our climb within 15 minutes. The place is not far away from Mitraville Meditation Centre (慈观法林). There is a toilet for climbers. A mountain guide is assigned to my group because nobody is allowed to climb without a local guide, for your safety. A guide can take care up to 5 climbers.

Moving to the starting point of the climb and reached a viewpoint in one minute.

After a short briefing by our guide, we started our 1.6-KM hike at 6:23am. We reached the peak at 8:10am, after 1 hours and 47 minutes, slightly longer than the average 1.5 hours. This is because we went slow and stopped many times to take pictures.

The trail is a bit steep in the beginning, but don’t worry, only a few sections are slightly challenging.

The first 200 Meters of the climb is quite steep but not difficult. In fact, I prefer to call this as hiking, as there was almost no climbing at all. There are support such as boardwalk, ropes and wooden steps at some steep sections. It is not tough, even to people who are lack of exercise.

We can see Mitraville Meditation Centre from the higher ground (note the white stupa).

Most of the time we walked under the cover of canopy, which protected us from harsh sunlight. The cooling temperature reduced the fatigue and dehydration of our overheat muscles. 500ML of drinking water is sufficient, which is half the amount of my hike in lowland.

We reached the 200-Meter trail marker after 15 minutes.

After 500 Meters of hiking, our bodies were getting warm, so everyone took off their jacket. There was no leech (pacat) in our trail. But my sweat attracted a few buzzing and annoying blood sucker, deer flies. They hovered around me, trying to land on my skin for a feast. They lost interest and left when I stopped sweating profusely.

We walked under the shade of dense trees most of the time.

At 6:56am, we took a short break at a gazebo, which has a toilet behind it. You can refill your drinking bottle with untreated water from the big water tank there (not recommended though).

About 20% of the summit trail to Maragang Hill is relatively flat.

In general it’s an undulating terrain, with flat ground in between. Whenever I was about to get exhausted, a gentle slope or ridge would come next and allowed me to catch my breath.

It took us less than 30 minutes to reach the 500-Meter mark.

We reached trail markers labelled with 200 M, 500 M, 1 KM, and 1.3 KM, which show the distance we have covered, at 6:38am, 6:51am, 7:21am and 7:51am respectively. For me, they are morale boosters.

The resting gazebo after 500 Meters. There is a squat toilet hut behind it.

The vegetation on Maragang Hill is tropical montane cloud forest, similar to the high altitude forest of Kinabalu park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its plant diversity. Most trees in montane forest are shorter than 15 Meters. It’s also known as cloud forest because it’s frequented by mist, and characterized by tree trunks and branches blanketed with ferns, mosses, liverworts, epiphytes and other moist-loving plant.

Group photo in Tropical Montane Forest of Maragang Hill. I’m the uncle in blue short-sleeve T-Shirt lol.
The tropical montane forest (or cloud forest) near the peak of Maragang Hill looks like a garden.

To be specific, Maragang Hall is dominated by Ericaceous Forest thrives between 1,800 and 2,400 Meters. Red Leaf Monkey loves to feed on the nuts from the oak trees here. The gnarled and stunted forms of Leptospermum and Dacrydium plant turn the forest into a strange garden. If it’s flowering season, you would see native orchids and wild rhododendron blooming along the trail.

Pengimpaan Point is translated as Imagination Point.

Occasionally we stopped to give way to the descending climbers who return from their sunrise hike, which started at 3am. I was told that the sunrise hike was fully booked (40 slots) and it’s more popular than standard day hike, which had only 11 climbers that day. We already plan to do sunrise hike in the future before we finish our normal hike.

We met other climbers returning from sunrise hike. One of them carried a toddler on the back.

At 7:47am, we came to a long boardwalk that looked like red carpet. A few minutes later we passed by the 1.3 KM marker, and finally we reached the peak after another 20 more minutes. We walked out of the dense bush and greeted by the majestic Mount Kinabalu.

Passing by the 1 Kilometers marker, the peak of Maragang Hill is only 600 Metres ahead.

All of us rushed to the platform and took selfie with Mount Kinabalu like crazy, as if we saw a superstar. What a brilliant idea to build 2-Meter raised platform above the summit shrubs, so there is no tall shrub obstructs our 360 degree view.

The longest boardwalk is after 1 KM. Look like a red carpet to the peak.
The 1.3-Kilometer trail mark tells us that there are only 300 Meters left. “Dekat Sudah” means “Almost there” in Malay language.

There are three platforms connected to one another by 20 Meters of boardwalk, forming a U-shape walkway. Each platform offers different viewpoint of the mountain and its vast landscape. The second platform gives us a panoramic view of Mesilau and Kundasang from Maragang Hill.

Reaching the peak of Maragang Hill after 1.5 hours of climbing

Only on Maragang Hill, climbers can have a good look of the jagged peaks on Eastern Plateau such as Red Rock Peak, Lion Head Peak, King Edward Peak, Mesilau Peak, and Mesilau Pinnacles. Red Rock Peak is the most prominent due to its crown shape.

Hiking only 1.6 Kilometers to get this view? It’s a steal!

It’s a sea of green carpets the foothill of Mount Kinabalu. The lush rolling hills are dotted with flowering trees. I noticed some exposed rockface in the forested slopes, the scars left by landslide in earthquake of 2015. Sad but our mother mountain will recover.

The raised platform on the peak of Maragang Hill gives you a 360 degree unobstructed view of the surrounding mountains and forest.

To have better chance of seeing Mount Kinabalu in clear view, it’s advisable to reach the peak of Maragang Hill before 8:30am. In most days, the mountain would be enveloped in dense fog after 9am. Probably that’s why many climbers opt for sunrise hike, so they can get up here as early as possible, and the starry sky is also a bonus view.

We are lucky to have this nice group photo because of the clear day and no other climbers around.

You can fly a drone on the peak as long as it doesn’t fly inside the boundary of Kinabalu Park administered by Sabah Parks. Maragang Hill is managed by Mesilou Ecotourism Association (META) of the local community. They claim Maragang Hill is the highest community nature reserve in Malaysia.

View of the third platform. The signage says “Maragang Hill 2,232M. The best view comes after the hardest climb”.

Loop Trail

In most cases, climbers choose to descend from the same trail. To explore more, we went for the loop trail (Ascending 1.6 KM to the peak and Descending 2.7 KM via different route), which is more challenging and longer than the ascending trail.

Descending route of the loop trail, which is about 2.7 Kilometers

The descending trail is less pristine and looks like a regenerated secondary forest in good condition. The trail is steeper and narrower, with many rope support. Some interesting flora and fauna are spotted on the way down, for example, mushroom and fungus, liana vines, trilobite beetles (Duliticola sp.) feeding on rotten wood. We heard calling of montane birds such as Crested Yuhina, white-throated fantail, Mountain Barbet, Barber and Trogon, and also a wreathed hornbill flied over the canopy.

Interesting flora and fauna on the descending (loop) trail of Maragang Hill. The crimson fruits in top left are earth figs (Ficus malayana). This species is one of the most common figs in the mountain forest of Kinabalu Park and Crocker Range. The dark fungus in lower left is Dead Man’s Finger (species: Xylaria polymorpha). Lower Right: We saw many trilobite beetles (Duliticola sp) feeding on rotting wood.

Our guide asked us to watch out for Fire-lipped Keelback (Scientific name: Rhabdophis murudensis), a rare snake endemic to Sabah. When threatened, it can exude a white milky venom from the back of its neck as a defensive mechanism. I wished to see one though.

A clean and cold river in loop trail of Maragang Hill.

My group descended at 9:16am and arrived the ending point at 11:54am. 800 Meters before the ending point, you will cross a small and crystal clean river and exit through D’La Sri Cottage after 15 more minutes.

The loop trail of Maragang Hill hiking ends at D’La Sri Cottage.

A few advices to those who want to try loop trail:

  • Carry at least 1 Litre of drinking water to stay comfortable and hydrated.
  • Bring some energy snacks with you. You will need these.
  • Loop trail is not suitable for climbers with knee problem.
  • You will use rope to descend a lot so gloves are necessary for soft skin.
  • Hiking pole can help you to move down easier.

How to Book

Maragang Hill is highly rated and should be in the bucket list of Mount Kinabalu fans. Walk-in is not advisable, especially during weekends, as the daily limited slots of 80 to 200 climbers can be fully booked. You can book the tour in advance at maraganghill.com.my or text / Whatsapp them at +60 17-8952753.

There are two types of hikes:

  1. Day Hike (starts at 6am)
  2. Sunrise Hike (starts at 3am)

The starting price for Day and Sunrise Hike are RM115 (about USD27) and RM155 (about USD36) respectively. FYI, you can save a lot more by group booking. You can have up to 5 climbers per group (to share the same guide), and you only top up RM15 for each climber. For example, if you climb alone in Day Hike, you pay RM115. But if you have 5 climbers in your group, the total price is RM175 per group, after dividing the cost among yourselves, each of you only pay RM35.

The boardwalk on Maragang Hill is well-maintained. There are about 150 Metres of them in different spots.

Besides guiding service, the price has included return transfer (usually by 4-wheel drive) for moving climbers between registration office and starting point. Certificate is optional and cost RM5.

A 4-wheel drive picked us up at the ending point

You need to pay RM30 deposit to secure your booking (and settle the rest in registration office before climbing). However, currently their website doesn’t accept payment by credit card and Paypal. You need a bank account (e.g. Maybank, RHB, CIMB, AmBank, UOB) to bank-in the deposit via FPX.

The descending route of loop trail is long and steep

Booking Loop Trail

By default, climbers use the same 1.6-KM trail for ascending and descending (they call it Normal Trail). You can request for Loop Trail when you check-in at their registration office before the climb. There will be an additional fee of RM30 to RM70 per group, depending on the group size. You can check out the price in their website.

Campsite near the peak of Maragang Hill (Picture from the Facebook of Maragang Hill)

Lastly, they have a campsite with basic amenities near the peak, in case you want to camp on the hill for stargazing. You can message the operator via their Facebook page (@MaragangHill) if you need more information.

Things to Bring

  • Cash
  • Mykad / Passport / Identification document
  • Face masks
  • Warm Clothing (e.g. windbreaker, jacket). Temperature ranges from 15°C to 22°C (59°F to 72°F).
  • Extra clothing for change after climb
  • Sunscreen
  • Hiking outfit & gears (e.g. hiking pole, gloves, hat, hiking shoes)
  • Backpack (best with rain cover)
  • Drinking water and energy snacks
  • Raincoat
  • Camera
  • Phone & power bank
  • Toilet paper
  • Personal medicines if any
  • Optional: LED headlamp (for sunrise hike), sunglasses, selfie stick, tripod

How to get there

Book the climb in advance. Before you climb, you need to report to the registration office of Maragang Hill (GPS: 6.012919616415158, 116.59744029807099 [see Location Map]) in Kg. Mesilou, which is 97 KM away from Kota Kinabalu city (KK). This location is highly accessible by highway and paved road.

Climbers can find many great spots to take photos with the beautiful montane trees.

If you don’t want to drive nearly 3 hours in early morning from KK to Mesilau, you can spend a night in Mesilau or Kundasang, which offers variety of accommodation. The accommodation nearest to the registration office is Sulap. After registration, they will provide the return transportation to the starting point (GPS: 6.033364907654647, 116.58989023443904 [see Location Map]).

If you love climbing and hiking, you may check out my article on 10 Breathtaking Hills and Mountains of Sabah.

Photos taken in Mesilau, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Mount Nungkok, the Child of Mount Kinabalu

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Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain of Malaysia and Borneo. One of its legend says a woman was turned into Mount Kinabalu by her grief because after many years of waiting, her Chinese husband never returned, thus another nickname for Mount Kinabalu is China widow mountain. The story doesn’t end there. After she becomes rock, another mountain born in her village. That’s Mount Nungkok (Gunung Nungkok in local language), which is also known as Anak Kinabalu, means the Child of Kinabalu.

The distance between Mount Nungkok and Mount Kinabalu is less than 9 Kilometres.

Standing at less than half the height of Mount Kinabalu which is less than 9 Kilometres away, Mount Nungkok does look like a baby sitting at the feet of majestic Mount Kinabalu. Looking from the angle of Kota Belud, the ancient gateway to climb Mount Kinabalu, these two mountains are positioned side by side like twin mountains. No wonder people think they are parent and kid. When Mount Kinabalu is hidden in the cloud, Nungkok is sometimes mistaken as Kinabalu by non-locals.

Mount Nungkok is also part of Kinabalu Park, the first UNESCO Natural Heritage of Malaysia.

However, Mount Nungkok is not as famous as its parent and still a mysterious mountain. Same as Mount Kinabalu, Mount Nungkok is also part of Kinabalu National Park and have its flora and fauna fully protected by conservation laws. Climbers would spot blooming rafflesia flower, exotic orchid and endemic pitcher plant on this mountain, as well as wildlife such as deer and binturong bearcat. In the past someone mined gold in this mountain. I was told by village folk that there is a bat cave in Mount Nungkok too.

Mount Nungkok is located on the western side Mount Kinabalu near Kota Belud, so it is not visible in Kundasang and Ranau town at the east side.

Viewpoints for Mount Nungkok

The most interesting feature of Mount Nungkok is – it differs in shape if viewed from different locations, as shown in the time-lapse video below (I used over 1,200 photos to create this 4K video so please watch):

You don’t need to travel more than two hours to have a spectacular view of Anak Kinabalu. You have better chance of seeing it before 8am during fair weather, both mountains covered in dense mist after 9am in most days.

Mount Kinabalu and Mount Nungkok lit up by the afternoon sunlight. The mountains would turn reddish during sunset.

1. Kota Belud

The view of Mount Nungkok is the most prominent in Kota Belud district, especially at Kampung Tambatuon village, where you can see both mountains up-close. There are dozens of homestay and camping ground around Kota Belud, in case you love mountain and countryside view so much.

Mount Nungkok (Gunung Nungkok) is also known as Anak Kinabalu (Child of Kinabalu). Note the couple taking selfie on the hanging bridge of Tambatuon Village.

In Tambatuon, Mount Nungkok looks like a pyramid mountain with pointy peak. I always imagine that I stand on that tip, it must be a great feeling up there.

View of Mount Nungkok at Tegudon Tourism Village (Kota Belud)

You also can have a clear view of Mount Nungkok at Tegudon Tourism Village and Kampung Kiau.

2. Kota Kinabalu-Tamparuli-Ranau Highway

This is the most convenient option and can be a fun stop for your road trip to Kinabalu Park, Nabalu or Kundasang. For only an hour of driving on a paved road that connects Kota Kinabalu (KK) to Ranau town, you can see Mount Kinabalu and Mount Nungkok from inside your car.

In clear day, you can see Mount Kinabalu and Mount Nungkok from the KK-Ranau highway.

The best viewpoint is along the road about 38 to 42 Kilometres before Ranau town. However, most of the time the view is obstructed by trees and knolls, you can park at one of three toilet stops listed below and use their platforms for an open view. They open from 6:30am to 5pm. The fee to use their toilet is RM0.50. Snacks and drink are available for sale.

The milestone used in Sabah road. For example, this milestone shows the remaining distance to Ranau town is 50 Kilometres. I’m using this to mark the locations and section of the KK-Ranau main road.

1. Quintin Enterprise

Location: 42 KM before Ranau (GPS: 6.088557883280411, 116.43687023602439, see Location Map)

View Point at Quintin Enterprise shop about 42 Kilometres before Ranau town

Besides toilet and a grocery store, this stop has a decorated and Instagramable platform (entry fee is RM1 per person) for a wide and nice open view of Mount Kinabalu and Nungkok. This platform is great for launching and landing my drone safely too.

View point platform of Quintin Enterprise. You can get yourself a cup of hot coffee and sit there to appreciate the view.
Tourists enjoy the twin mountains view on the platform

2. Peranggi View Point

Location: 40 KM before Ranau (GPS: 6.076247258484695, 116.44161145366436, see Location Map)

Toilet stop and grocery shop at Peranggi View Point (in Kampung Kaung Lapai) about 40 Kilometres before Ranau town

Peranggi View Point is a bigger area with many parking lots. They have small grocery store and canteen that sell snacks, buns and drink.

The viewpoint platform of Peranggi View Point

3. Gerai Anna

Location: 38 KM before Ranau (GPS: 6.054505309728095, 116.4479594934989, see Location Map)

Toilet stop of Gerai Anna and Kitchen De Aman about 38 Kilometres before Ranau town. You can enjoy the nice view of Mount Nungkok while dining at Kitchen De Aman.

This site has a restaurant where you can order simple dishes such as chicken rice and fried noodle. The picturesque mountain view at dining area is a bonus.

My favourite spot is near the Kota Belud to Ranau junction (GPS: 6.104156379447983, 116.42378880340594, see Location Map), where both mountains are aligned in center and seem really near to each other.

The KK-Ranau road section about 38 to 42 Kilometres before Ranau offers a good view of Mount Nungkok.

As the KK-Ranau main road is on the highland, you will have a bird’s-eye view of both mountains. From this side, Mount Nungkok is a forested mountain with blunt top. You can see the exposed granite near its top, a result of the landslides caused by earthquake in 2015.

Climbing Mount Nungkok

Mount Nungkok was used to be off-limit to the public as it’s a fully-protected park managed by Sabah Parks. Started in 2017, climbing is allowed for visitors with a permit and licensed guides from the Park. Only up to 15 climbers are allowed per day.

View of Mount Nungkok at Kampung Kiau Nuluh village

Even though Mount Nungkok is about 1,652 Metres (5,420 feet) tall and far lower than Mount Kinabalu (4,095 Metres / 13,435 feet), the climb is more challenging due to its steepness, even to experienced hikers.

Mount Kinabalu and Mount Nungkok, like parent and child. View from Kota Belud junction on KK-Ranau road.

Based on what I found on the Internet, there are three peaks on Mount Nungkok. The highest peak is not open to climbers. There are two climbing routes that started from two different locations in Kota Belud and lead to the other two peaks. You can book the climb with the homestay operators in the villages.

Route No.1: Tambatuon

This is the more popular choice and it can be a day trip. The starting point is in Kampung Tambatuon village about 6.2 KM away from Mount Nungkok. Climbers who are not in a rush would spend a night in the local homestay operated by Tambatuon Eco Tourism Community and start the climb in next morning.

View of Mount Kinabalu (left) and Mount Nungkok (right) at Kampung Tambatuon village of Kota Belud

First the climbers will be transferred by 4-wheel drive to the starting point about 3 KM away around 5am. The summit trail is about 3.43 KM one way, and you can reach the peak at 1,652 Metres (5,420 feet) after 4 to 8 hours, depends on your fitness. For more details, you may check out the blog here and there, and the video of the climb.

Route No.2: Lobong-Lobong

This route takes 2 days 1 night and the total climbing distance is 8.8 KM one way. In day 1, climbers start their climb from Kampung Lobong-Lobong village (or Tanak Nabalu) to reach base camp about 4.4 KM away. After camping there for a night, they continue to climb another 4.4 KM to reach the peak at 1,574 Metres (5,164 feet).

Location of Kampung Lobong-Lobong, one of the starting points to climb Mount Nungkok.

The Lobong-Lobong route takes longer time but it offers more nature experience. For more info, you can watch the walk-through videos (4-minute and 14-minute versions).

Hope I will climb Mount Nungkok one day and blog more about its natural treasures. For now, I just admire its beauty from a distance.

Photos taken in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Amazing Sunrise at Nuluh Lapai Hill

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You are a lucky one if you wake up every morning excited about going to work. Well I can’t offer you a dream job, but I can share a gorgeous sunrise view that is worth waking up for. Make an appointment with Nuluh Lapai, a small hill of only 186 Meters (610 ft) high in Tuaran. In Sabah native language, Nuluh means hill, and Lapai means going up and down.

Misty forest of Tuaran in the morning

Nuluh Lapai is easy to hike, the only difficulty is to get off your bed early in the morning, before sun does. As Nuluh Lapai viewpoint is facing the morning sun, everything in front of you will be painted golden by sun ray during sunrise. For now, only some locals and photographers know about Nuluh Lapai, so it is not a tourist attraction yet.

The sunrise view of Mount Kinabalu from Nuluh Lapai hilltop

(Note: some articles say Nuluh Lapai is 1,164 Meters (3,819 ft) in height. That’s definitely incorrect. No normal human can conquer a 1,000-Meter peak in 30 minutes.)

Fun hike to Nuluh Lapai with friends. The guy in red shirt is me. (Photo by Chin Lee Ling)

Best Time for Sunrise Viewing

In Tuaran district, sunrise begins between 5:58am and 6:32am. You can find out the exact time of sunrise in this web site or your favorite weather forecast apps. 30 minutes before the sunrise, the horizon already starts to light up, so you are better be there as early as possible so you won’t miss the beginning of the magic moment.

The rolling hills near Mount Kinabalu

Nuluh Lapai is a 32-minute drive away from Kota Kinabalu City (KK), and you need about 30 to 40 minutes to hike to the peak. To catch the sunrise (assume it starts at 6am), you have to depart from KK before 5am, reach Nuluh Lapai entrance by 5:30am, then walk up to the peak for another 30 minutes. For those who don’t want to work out or wake up too early, Mengkabong Bridge, which is only 3.8 KM away from Nuluh Lapai, is an alternative spot for a breathtaking sunrise view (no hiking required).

Group photo with tyre landmark of Nuluh Lapai (Photo by Chin Lee Ling)

“Climb up on some hill at sunrise. Everybody needs perspective once in a while, and you’ll find it there.” – Robb Sagendorph

Trails

Depend on your fitness, it takes about 30 to 40 minutes to reach the top of Nuluh Lapai. There are two jungle trails lead to the peak:

  1. Short Trail at the left, only 980 Meters, shorter but steeper
  2. Long Trail at the right (behind the hut), 1.2 Kilometers, farther but easier
Trail mark of Nuluh Lapai. Left is the short but steep route (980 Meters), right is the long and easy route (1.2 Kilometer)

You can have more fun exploring by doing loop trail, i.e. ascend and descend via different trail. The trail is narrow soil path flanked by dense shrubs, trees, and fern. You will pass by some rubber and fruit trees and hear loud 3D surround sound by cicada. There are more morning hikers during weekends if you need more people around to feel safe. No leech (pacat) is present in the trails.

The hiking trail of Nuluh Lapai

The steep sections are just tiring instead of challenging. The overall feeling is like climbing the staircase of a 30-floor building, but with flat ground in between. A pair of good hiking shoes will help. You will sweat a lot so carry a bottle of drinking water with you.

The peak of Nuluh Lapai

LED Headlamp or torchlight is a must for the sunrise hike in the dark. Hands-free headlamp is convenient but the light would attract bugs flying to your face and mouth. You would need insect repellent, as mosquitoes are active during dawn. The walk-through video below will show you everything in detail.

The Peak of Nuluh Lapai

Once you reach the clear area on the peak, you will forget about your tiredness, and enjoy the peaceful morning and fresh air. In good days, Mount Kinabalu will show her face. Slowly the cloud catches the warm-orange rays of the rising sun. The honeyed light casts long tree shadows in the flowing morning mist.

Watching sunrise over Mount Kinabalu from Nuluh Lapai
The local community plants some flowers on the peak, making Nuluh Lapai a beautiful viewpoint.

It’s a victorious feeling to enjoy one of the best sunrise views in Sabah, while others are still snoring on their beds. However, stunning sight is not guaranteed. A rainy or really cloudy day (90%+ cloud cover) could screw the scenery. Anyway, you have nothing to lose, just treat this trip as an exercise, and try again next time.

A triangulation station (or trig point) on top of Nuluh Lapai. This structure is commonly seen on the hills of Sabah and is used for surveying.
An arcus cloud, or a roll cloud at the Dalit Beach of Tuaran

There are some wooden benches and an atap hut shelter for visitors to rest and relax. A primitive squat toilet is available near the peak. The local community also plants some flowers such as frangipani, cosmo, periwinkle and marigold on the hilltop, turning this area into a small garden decorated with pink, yellow, purple, orange and white colors.

Friendly hawker and her sleeping dogs
A nice resting hut after the hike. Even dog enjoys the peaceful morning on Nuluh Lapai. The dogs around there are accustomed to hikers.

To cure your thirst and hunger, you can buy light snacks or drink from a bamboo stall there, which opens from 6:30am to 10am on weekends. These hawkers also help to keep the flowers bloom and free from overgrown weeds. You don’t need to pay any entry fee for Nuluh Lapai, but you can show your support by buying something from them, or put some money in their donation box. Or you can follow their Facebook page @NuluhLapai.

Survey markers on Nuluh Lapai
Hikers enjoy the sunrise view of Mount Kinabalu

For such a wonderful sunrise, what I really want are a cup of hot coffee and sunny-side up egg as breakfast lol.

How to get there

Nuluh Lapai is 25 Kilometers from KK and is highly accessible by highway. The entrance of Nuluh Lapai is just next to the Jalan Sulaman road in Tuaran and opposite to Gayang Seafood Restaurant (GPS Coordinates: 6.1148512700105275, 116.15705236503005, see Location Map).

Entrance of Nuluh Lapai (see arrow) is just opposite to Gayang Seafood Restaurant
Starting point of the hiking trails to Nuluh Lapai

Note: Part of the highway in Tuaran is currently under construction, so watch out for bumps and potholes when you drive in the dark. Parking lot is not available, but you can park your car at the roadside. Please note that the road from Tuaran to KK is quite congested from 7am to 9am during weekdays.

Morning light beams through the trees of Nuluh Lapai (Photo by Chin Lee Ling)

Next time, give a big smile when someone say “Good Morning” to you, because morning is such a beautiful thing.

Hiking girls from Sepanggar, which is near to Nuluh Lapai

Photos taken in Tuaran, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Highway to Mount Kinabalu? My half-day trip to Tempasuk Plains

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Mount Kinabalu is splendid but it is so high and so challenging to climb. I bet sometimes Sabah people think, “isn’t it nice if we can drive all the way up to its peak?” No way this gonna to happen but you can imagine such thing somewhere in Kota Belud. Check out the photo below. The road looks like a highway straight to Mount Kinabalu (Of course it won’t lead you to the top).

900-Meter-long straight road to Mount Kinabalu

This scenery is so astonishing and clean, but rare, because there is no utility pole and building around. Many are impressed by this view on social media and eager to find out the location of this 900-Metre-long straight road, but got no clear direction. Allow me to reveal the exact spot. It is at Jalan Tempasuk Sangkir (Tempasuk Sangkir Road) of Kota Belud and its GPS is 6.406023, 116.456794 (View Location Map or Street View). This is not a busy road, so you can stand in the middle to take photo, but please always keep an eye for the incoming traffic.

Lonely me walking on the road.

However, for the Mount Kinabalu view, you need to be there by 8am or earlier (it takes me around 80 minutes to get there from Kota Kinabalu City). The mountain would be totally hidden in dense cloud after 10am unless you are lucky.

The road at Tempasuk Plains is a hot spot for cycling

I reached there around 7am. To my surprise, the road was full of joggers and cyclists who enjoyed the scenic view while they were working out. Some local farmers started their busy day in paddy fields too, so there were many cars parked along the road.

You have higher chance of seeing Mount Kinabalu in early morning
Joggers enjoy the nice view of paddy fields and Mount Kinabalu

Note to Photographers: Most of them would leave when the place getting warm after 8:30am. Useful to know if you want your photos stay clear of people and cars. The sunrise is next to the mountain, so your photos would get back-light if you face the mountain. You can get more balanced exposure around 4pm, and pray that Mount Kinabalu is still visible (about 25% chance).

Aerial shot of the road to Mt. Kinabalu

This area is called Tempasuk Plains, a pleasant location to drive or walk around to appreciate the beautiful countryside and paddy fields of Sabah. Please note this big plain offers little shade. Do bring water and umbrella if you plan to take a stroll there.

Tempasuk Plains is also a great photography site for countryside of Sabah

Wait, it doesn’t end here. Tempasuk Plains has another spectacular sight!

Birdwatching at Tempasuk Plains

Bring a binocular! When you approach Tempasuk Plains, it’s hard not to notice that there are hundred of birds foraging in paddy fields and wetlands there. In fact, Tempasuk Plains is the best place in Borneo to see migrant waterbirds and raptors from October to April, according to the book “Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo” written by Quentin Phillipps and Karen Phillipps, the best selling bird-watching guide book on Borneo birds.

Tempasuk Plains is an important wetland and stopover for migrant birds

To escape the cold, a total of 244 migrant bird species and about 15 millions of them fly thousand of miles from Siberia and North East Asia (e.g. Russia, China, Japan, Korea) to Borneo when it’s winter in Northern Hemisphere. Nearly 100 species land and rest in Tempasuk Plains, where they find abundant food, for example, fishes and insects, turning Tempasuk Plains into a busy airport (probably the birds think that long road is an airstrip, just kidding). They will fly home once the cold season in their homeland is over.

Ten of thousands of migrant birds from North East Asia visit Tempasuk Plains every year

The special migrant birds at Tempasuk include raptors such as Peregrine, Mash Harrier, Black-winged Kite and Kestrel, and rare visitors like wild ducks, Pratincoles, Hoopoe, Ruddy Kingfisher, Black Drongo. In Dec 2021, a rare Black-faced spoonbill was spotted here. Avid birders will look for Grass Owl and skulking warblers too. Other common migrant birds like Egrets, Sandpipers, long-toed stint, Whiskered tern, Black-winged Stilt, and Greenshank are just everywhere. The high diversity of birds makes this plain one of the favourite spots of bird photographers.

Tempasuk Plains offers variety of habitat for birds, for example, paddy fields, swamps, lake, rivers, grassland, low hills.

Tempasuk Plains is part of Kota Belud Bird Sanctuary, which is approximately 12,200 ha (about 122 Square Kilometres) in size, a stopover for half a million migrant birds, and house 127 bird species in different habitats such as swamps, mudflats, coastal grassland, paddy field, mangrove, low hills, and open countryside in Kota Belud.

Countryside view of Tempasuk Plains


To spot more exciting bird species, you could explore this sanctuary with a bird guide. Personally I recommend Jason and Ceekay, both are my friends who have over 20 years of birding experience.

Some resident birds at Tempasuk Plains

Even during non-peak months for migrant birds, birders still can find many resident birds in Tempasuk, to name a few, White-breasted Waterhen, Dusky Munia, spotted Dove, Oriental Darter, Swamphern, Striated Grassbird, Common Moorhen, and Heron. Some migrant birds have become resident too, e.g. great egret, honey buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Ruddy Kingfisher and Brown Flycatcher. Beginner birders will be overjoyed to write off a long list of birds from their bucket list.

Instead of taking only a few photos there, now you have more reasons to visit Tempasuk. Would you bring a binocular or bicycle?

Many locals cycle and jog around Tempasuk Plains in the morning hence many cars parked along the road

Photos taken in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo