Some of us might get bitten by leeches when we trek in the Malaysia forest. Leeches don’t kill but they are extremely irritating and disgusting blood suckers. I was first bitten by the forest leech when I was on the way to Poring waterfall. I still hate leech bite, so I never stop asking the experienced trekkers how to avoid leech bite. Below are some of the tips that I’ve collected so far.
Above: Tiger leech gets its name from its orange stripes
Above: a fully-fed happy brown leech
6 Ways to Prevent Leech Bite
1. Anti-Leech Socks
Anti-Leech sock is the MOST effective way of preventing leech bite. It does not contain any chemical to drive away the leech. Basically it is just an oversized sock that you wear it over your trousers as outer layer to cover the opening of your sock and jean. If a leech crawls on your leech sock, then you can spot it and get rid of it. FYI, you can buy anti-leech socks online shop such as Shopee (search by keywords “leech socks”).
Left & Middle: anti-leech socks cover the opening of your trousers. Right: Herb that can stop the bleeding caused by leech bite.
Tobacco can kill leech in minutes. Spend a few dollars to buy some grinded tobacco leaves from the tamu or pasar (local market). Put it in a container and soak it in water (but not too much). Soak the socks in the tobacco water overnight. Leave the socks dry up next day. If you wear the sock, leech may crawl on it but it’ll halt moving after a while due to the poisoning by tobacco.
To see if tobacco can kill leech, I sprinkled some tobacco leaves on a leech and it died within a minute.
3. Dettol
Heard this from the villagers in Long Pasia. During World War II, people were wondering how the Japanese soldiers bear the leech bites in jungle warfare. Later they learn that the army applied Dettol on their hands, necks and legs. The strong smell kept the leeches away. However, if you go for wildlife watching, I won’t advise you to do this because your smell will scare away all the wildlife hundred feet away.
Above: the body size of leech can double or even triple after sucking blood. One full meal can last it for several months.
4. Lady’s Stockings
I heard from someone that there is a scientist in Danum Valley, who enters the forest frequently for research and seldom got leech bite, though he wears short pant. His secret is to wear the stockings (yes, the pantyhose used by lady).
5. Insecticide Socks
I got this tip from a friend who works for a lumbering company. Just got a pair of long soccer socks, like the one wore by ah pak (old uncles) for jogging. Wear it all the way up to your knee (also cover the opening of your jean). Then spray Baygon brand insecticide on the sock and shoe. FYI, other brands such as Ridsect does not work well. The leech dies almost instantly the moment it touches your shoe or sock.
Pic: Baygon insect (pest) spray, only some supermarkets or stores selling it.
6. Insect Repellent
The easiest way is to buy a bottle of Mosi-Guard at Guardian (also available in other local pharmacy / drugstore) and spray it on your shoes and socks. It is an insect repellent but its eucalyptus extract can prevent mosquito, as well as leech attack up to 6 hours. Insect repellent with DEET is also effective but it is very hard to find here (probably local restriction on such chemical). You may click the picture below to read the article:
Above: Mosi-Guard insect repellent also can repel leeches. You can find it in many pharmacy shops in Sabah.
I spray Mosi-Guard insect repellent on my shoes and anti-leech socks, and I almost got 0 leech bite during jungle trekking in most leech-infested area of Borneo. This repellent only makes you smell terrible to the leeches. A few stubborn leeches still want to get on your shoes but most of them won’t move on.
More Useful Facts
1. Leeches live in humid area. So you can expect more leeches near the river and during the rainy session. The forest that has more wildlife tend to have more leeches too. Leeches not only hide on the ground, you also can find them on the leaves and twigs of low shrub. Leech is the most abundant in lowland forest. I encounter leeches in altitude of 800 Meters above sea level, but the number is a lot lesser. However, in drought season, you may not see a single leech in the forest.
Above: tiger leech can attack you from any direction.
2. Some says, if you walk in group, the people at the front have less chance of getting leech bite, most victims are people at the back. Leech is sensitive to body heat and vibration. The first person passing by will “wake” them up, making them active and look for the next comers. Well, based on my experience, everyone has equal chance. In fact, first person gets very high chance of leech bite because he always has to stop to wait for the slow movers behind, giving leeches more time to crawl onto his body.
3. Leech is blind and likes to bite warmer area (due to thinner skin) such as armpit, skin between toes and butt. That’s why I hate it. It loves sensitive spots. You better wear long sleeve and tuck in your t-shirt. How does it gain access to your butt? For example, fashionable girls who like low cut jean, or you do your no.2 in the forest. Whatever, just don’t bite my balls.
4. Some may tell you that leech can leap / jump to you. It’s just an exaggeration from people who are so afraid of leeches so their imagination goes wild. Leeches only can crawl. That’s it. I have walked hundred of Kilometers of forest trail and never see any leech that can jump.
5. Someone even say if you cut a leech into half. Each half will grow into a new leech. It’s bullshit. I tried that before. The leech just turned pale and died.
6. I don’t believe the widely circulated non-sense + scary leech stories such as leeches grow in your brain. But I do believe that if you let leech got into your nose, it will live inside permanently due to free flow of food supply. My mom personally saw this happened to one of her dogs. Avoid washing your face in forest stream and don’t swim in still water.
Pic: fully-fed tiger leech sleeping on a twig
I was bitten by leech. What should I do? OH NO, Help!!! I’m going to die!
Don’t panic, don’t scream. It’s just a bug as weak as mosquito. If you are bitten by a leech, do not try to pull it away by force. This would leave permanent scar on your perfect skin. You can apply salt, tobacco, eucalyptus oil, lime fruit juice, tiger balm or medicated oil (e.g. Minyak Kapak or 驱风油) on it and it will shrivel and drop. Or just let it finishes its meal and drop off itself. The last resort is to put your finger on your skin next to its oral sucker, then gently (but firmly) slide your fingernail toward its mouth to detach it from your skin.
Above: bleeding caused by leech bites. Look scary, but from their smiles, you know it is no big deal. Just treat it as a leech therapy. You won’t bleed to dead anyway. Leech also doesn’t carry any disease and poison.
Due to anticoagulant to facilitate blood flowing, leech bite will cause your wound to bleed for hour but it will stop eventually. A guide taught me to stick a small pieces of paper on the wound to speed up the clotting and it works! Apply anti-septic cream on the wound to prevent infection and you will be fine. Keep your wound dry and clean. It will itch for a few days before fully healed, but don’t scratch it.
Types of Forest Leeches
There are 2 types of leeches in Borneo rainforest, namely, tiger leech (species: Haemadipsa picta) and brown leech (species: Haemadipsa zeylanica). The Tiger Leech can extend its body more than 6cm long, while Brown (ground) Leech is much more smaller, only about 2 cm. The bite of tiger leech is sharp & painful (like 5 mosquitoes bite you on same spot). If brown leech bites you, you may not feel anything at all, due to the anesthetic chemical in its saliva.
The 130-million-year rainforest of Borneo is older than Amazon, but there is one small bug that scares its visitors. Like other rainforest in South East Asia, the best lowland forest of Malaysia is always infested with forest leeches, the little wiggling and slimy blood suckers, which are extremely persistent to crawl onto your naked skin for a feast.
Their bite is nothing more than a minor cut, but the anti-clotting agent in their saliva causes you to bleed profusely for hour, some find the bloody view a terrifying experience. I was always shocked by the screaming of the girls who find leech on their skin, so I decide to write this guide.
Leech sucks, so how to prevent being leeched? The MOST EFFECTIVE way to prevent leech bite is by wearing anti-leech socks or leech-proof socks (leech socks in short), as shown in the photo above. Leech socks have become a standard part of the outfit for jungle trekking in Borneo.
So you want a leech sock huh?
There are 4 types of leech socks (see following photo). In most cases, you only need to pick type no.1 or 2. Type 3 and 4 are less common and listed here FYI only: Please see photo above for numbering. No.1: Elastic-strap leech socks – most commonly used. No.2: “Deluxe” leech socks – expensive but the best. No.3: String leech socks – old fashion but still in use. No.4: Long leech socks – same as No.1 but longer.
Though look different, all of them employ the same simple mechanism to keep leeches at bay. Basically they are just oversized socks for you wear over the trousers, to block leeches from accessing your skin from the opening of your trousers.
1. Elastic-strap Leech Socks
A pair costs RM18 to RM24 (USD5-USD6.50) and made of cotton cloth. It is the most commonly used. If you don’t want to read further, just buy this one.
Most common type of anti-leech socks
FYI, you can buy anti-leech socks at online shop such as Shopee (search by keywords “leech socks”).
To use it (it is easier to wear it in sitting position), (1) wear it like socks all the way up but at outer layer, so you can cover the opening of your pant. (2) Then pull the elastic strap to tighten and seal the opening. (3) Note the adjustment knot to control the tightness of the strap. (4) repeat the steps for another foot and put on your hiking boot or shoes.
Keep your legs comfortable, an extremely strong tight is not necessary. I know you worry that leech might sneak in through the sealed opening but that’s very unlikely. The closed loop of the strap always hooks on something in forest, so you may want to hide it behind the socks.
Below is a 1-min video to show you how to wear this anti-leech sock:
The Good: reasonable price and comfortable to wear.
The Bad: during long walk, the socks will slide down gradually. You have to pull it up regularly. It is made of cotton cloth, so it gets wet easily during rain or if the trail is muddy.
2. Deluxe Leech Socks (Water Resistant)
A pair costs RM38 (USD11.50) and made of nylon material (upper part) and linen cloth (lower part). I call it “Deluxe” because it is very expensive.
Water resistant anti-leech socks
Just wear it like other leech sock. This leech sock has internal elastic grip on top and bottom of the nylon (blue part), so you don’t need to tie any string. But I find it a bit tight though. Maybe it’s new.
Above: close-up of Deluxe Leech Socks
You may watch the 1-min video below to see Deluxe Leech Socks:
Personally, I think this is the BEST leech sock, due to the reasons below. The Good: The materials are more water-resistant and durable. That means the socks can be cleaned (e.g. mud) and dried quickly. This is important for long period of jungle trip, because wet sock is very hard to dry up in humid forest of Borneo. The double grip points also keep the leech sock in position.
The Bad: the most expensive type. For that price, you can buy two pairs of other leech socks.
3. String Leech Socks
A pair costs RM15 (?USD4.50) and made of cotton cloth too. This design is phasing out and replaced by Elastic-strap Leech Socks.
String leech socks
The design is similar to other cotton leech socks. Since it has no elastic grip, you need to tie a noose on the cord to seal the opening, like how you tie shoe lace.
The Good: cheaper. If you know the right technique to tie the knot, the socks won’t slide down.
The Bad: The strap is not elastic so you have to tighten it stronger to hold the sock in place. However, this causes extra stress and discomfort to my skin. After long day of jungle trekking, it will leave thin lines of bruises on my skin at the strap area.
4. Long Leech Socks
A pair costs RM34 (?USD9) and made of cotton cloth.
In general, it is same as Elastic-strap Leech Socks, but it is a few inches longer and have two elastic straps.
To compare the difference, I wear both long and short leech socks, as shown in photo above. I think it’s for people who wear short pants.
The funny thing is – leech sock is for leech-phobia tourists. Our local people don’t wear leech socks. Those villagers who always go in and out forest normally wear long soccer socks, less effective (60-70% leech proof) but costs only a few dollars. In fact, most of them don’t really bother about leeches.
If you can’t find any leech socks for sale, you can use soccer socks instead, which is readily available and cheap. Make sure you get the long one with very tight weaving that leaves no tiny seam for leech to wiggle its way in. The soft-bodied leech only needs a loose hole as tiny as pencil tip to puncture your skin for blood.
Does anti-leech sock make me 100% leech-proof?
Good question! The answer is NO. But it’s 90% leech-proof and does make a big difference. To understand why, you need to know how leeches “attack”.
There are 2 types of leeches in Borneo jungle, namely, Tiger Leech and Brown Leech. Brown leeches are smaller and usually active on ground level with wet leaf litter. Occasionally you may see it crawling on grass. When it crawls on your leech socks, you can just flick it off. Brown leech can be fend off easily by leech socks.
However, for tiger leech which is bigger and active from ground to waist level, you have to be vigilant all the time. Especially in wet season, tiger leeches will hide and wait in the leaves and twigs of shrubs along the trail. If your body touches the bushes, you will pick up tiger leeches on your legs or waist. The leeches will crawl up and look for exposed skin on upper part of your body, for example, armpit, neck and belly. Leech socks won’t work in this case. So you need to keep an eye on your body (or ask your buddy to check regularly). Anyway, just avoid contacting any low shrub and you shall be safe.
When leeches crawl to your leech socks, 90% of them will go inside your shoes. Leech dislikes dry surface so the dry cloth of leech sock deters them slightly. You will find half-death leeches in your shoes. But it is different story when it rains and your leech sock is wet.
Where to buy leech socks?
You can buy them in online shops such as Shopee and Lazada (search by keywords: “leech socks”).
There are also a few places in Kota Kinabalu where you can find anti-leech socks. I only name two shops here. When you buy leech sock, check the sewing and make sure there is no hole on the socks.
Montanic Adventure Store
Montanic Adventure Store is on the second floor of Suria Sabah shopping mall (in Kota Kinabalu City).
Montanic Adventure Store in Suria Sabah Shopping Mall and the anti-leech socks (Elastic-strap Leech Socks and Long Leech Socks) they sell.
Below is their contact: Address: 2-78, 2nd Floor Suria Sabah Shopping Mall, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: +60 88-274538 Facebook:@MontanicSuria
Some popular nature destinations such as Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Danum Valley also sell leech socks in their souvenir shops, but at higher price. Please share with us here if you know any other shop selling leech socks.
30% of Sabah is in wilderness, and there are something that we should watch out for, or they will remind us that they deserve our respect. My eyes roll whenever I hear tourists say something ignorant like, “Oh dear, the orangutan / elephant / monkey is so cute!!!” Wildlife is not our house pet. They don’t like human so don’t expect they welcome us (though they may look or act friendly).
1. Elephants
Bornean Pygmy elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) is the biggest mammal in Sabah, and there are less than 1,500 of them left. With 2.5 Metres in height and body weight in tons, you know you can’t afford to trust this giant babe.
Above: the habitat of our elephants is destroyed by logging and oil palm plantation. Read more here…
Due to oil palm plantation, logging and land clearing for farmland, the loss of lowland forest has brought the elephants into more contact and conflict with people. Bornean Pygmy Elephant is timid but a very protective parent. The overexcited tourists, who come too close to the herd that has calf around, would find themselves in danger.
Pic: Memorial stone for Jenna O’Grady Donley
In 2011, a Australian tourist, Jenna O’Grady Donley, was stabbed to death by a bull elephant in Tabin Wildlife Reserve. She was an animal lover and sadly she was too close to a bull elephant which was said to be mentally unstable. Rest in peace Jenna. On 25 Dec 2022, a Borneo pygmy elephant gored its handler to death at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, when he was tending a wounded calf.
Above: the elephants are in stress even at this distance. They round up to protect the calf. Photo of Kinabatangan.
In the video below, you can see that an elephant was agitated when we were too close to them:
2. Crocodiles
Saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest crocodiles in the world and they are found in rivers and swampy areas of Sabah. Crocodile is the master of sneak attack, so it is a threat to the villagers who wash their cloth and fish in the rivers.
Basically there is no hope for survival when we are grabbed by the powerful jaws of this 4-Metres aggressive monster. Sometimes people see them having sun bathe in unlikely places such as Tuaran and Papar.
On 1 Dec 2022, a crocodile attacked a father and a one-year-old son who were rowing a boat on the river of Lahad Datu. Unfortunately, the boy was killed. Between 2020 and 2022, there are a total of 12 crocodile attacks reported in Lahad Datu, out of which eight were fatal.
3. Snakes
One drop of venom from the banded sea krait or yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrine) can kill three adult and there is no antidote. Sea snakes are trapped in the fishing net occasionally. When the unlucky fisherman is busy sorting out the fishes, he might be bitten by sea snake without knowing it, due to the anesthetic effect of the venom. The poison will dissolve the muscles of his body and his urine will turn into cola red color. At last, he dies in enormous suffering. Good news is – sea snakes are not aggressive unless threatened, though all sea snake species are highly venomous. Sometimes they approach scuba divers just out of curiosity but they mean no harm.
The most dangerous snakes in Borneo forest are pit vipers and king cobra. You would encounter a viper if you hike in jungle that is frequented by small animals such as rodents and frogs. King Cobra is known for aggressively guarding its nest. The locals believe that carrying a Kayu Tas wood can drive the snakes away.
Above: sea snake is more poisonous than cobra but it’s not aggressive. Photo from Banggi Island
Above: reticulated python can eat a human if it is big enough
4. Jellyfish
This passive little semi-transparent marine life lurks in the sea, but can kill the unfortunate swimmers by its deadly touch. The two dangerous species found in our water are the Box Jellyfish or Chironex fleckeri, whose toxin could kill victims in less than five minutes, and Ubur-ubur merah.
The application of vinegar, which contains acetic acid, can disable the jellyfish’s nematocysts that have not yet been discharged into the bloodstream. After the death of a few tourists, vinegar is always available for such first aid in islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. If you are stung, look for the lifeguard on the beach immediately, they know what to do.
5. Hornet and Bee
If one stung is painful, 100 stung will be a painful death, so terrible that nobody would want to commit suicide by intentionally provoking the hornets, especially Lesser Banded Hornet (Vespa affinis). If you are allergic to bee sting, a few jabs can cause anaphylactic shock that is potentially fatal. It is also advisable not to agitate a hornet near a nest, as the distress signal will trigger the entire hive to attack. If that happens, submerge into the water is probably the only way to save you. For your info, perfumes can be mistaken as the pheromone of hornets and set off the attack too. The same advices go to giant honey bee (Apis dorsata), which is far more aggressive than other honey bee species.
Hornet also likes to build nest under the roof and water tank of houses. The nest may be as small as a tennis ball in the beginning. But if you don’t eliminate it in early stage, it will grow to the size of sandbag and pose a serious threat to the residents. By that time, only Fire Department can help you to remove the huge nest safely.
If you are too close to a bee hive, the patrolling bees will come and buzzing around you to investigate if you are a threat. It’s very important that you stay still and don’t agitate them (with sudden move or swatting them). After the guard bees leave, move slowly away from their territory. In contrast to honeybee, a hornet can sting multiple times. If a child has anaphylactic reaction to bee sting, attack by one hornet is deadly enough.
6. Mosquito
Finally the last one but not the least is mosquito. If one mosquito gets into your room, you know you will have problem sleeping whole night long. Anyway, causing bad sleep is not how mosquito kills hundred of people every year. Mosquito is deadliest disease vector which spreads infectious diseases such as Malaria, Dengue and Yellow Fever. Parts of Sabah are the red zone for Malaria. Therefore, please make sure your house is free of stagnant water that serves as a breeding ground for them.
Pic: Among all mosquito species, Aedes aegypti (locally known as Nyamuk Aedes) is the most dangerous, as it can spread diseases such as dengue fever and yellow fever. It is easily recognized by white stripes on its legs and body.
7. Cattle / Cow
The domesticated cattle of Kota Belud town always roam in middle of the road. You will need to be extra careful when you drive in the countryside. Do not honk them, otherwise the group will disperse and running like mad cow in all directions on the road, causing danger to other motorists. Well, I will not pay a single cent of compensation for accidentally knocking down a cattle, because it is illegal to let them wander around in the first place. But do you know what’s more dangerous? The angry villagers who don’t reason with you.
8. Wild Boar
In contrast to their domesticated cousin (pig), wild boars are agile and the favourite target of hunting game because they are difficult to catch. Wild boars are elusive and prefer to flee from our sight in most cases, so it is hard to believe that they have the record of killing bears and tigers in battle. Wild boars rarely attack but they can pose a danger to people who act like a threat to their piglets. Jungle trekkers are best to move away quietly and leave them alone.
Above: adult wild boar has long tusk that can kill.
There is no tiger in Borneo, in case you wonder why it isn’t on the list. As you may see by now, dangerous animal is not necessary a man eater or a big animal. Even if it can look friendly and adorable, wildlife is wild, never treat it like a pet. Most of the time, those wildlife look timid and afraid of human, and tourists can get away most of the time. But you need only one incident to lose your life.
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 morningJoggers 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
Kinabalu Park (Local Name: Taman Kinabalu) or Kinabalu National Park is the No.1 choice if you ask tour agents what’s the most recommended attraction in Sabah. Standing at 4,095.2 Metres (13,435 Feet) in Kinabalu Park, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain of Malaysia and in travel list of Malaysia climbers. Besides being a must-visit destination of Sabah, the pleasing temperature from 15°C to 24°C (60°F – 78°F) already draws a lot of tourists to this highland park in Kundasang / Ranau district.
Location of Kinabalu Park and its Headquarter
To get the best experience from this UNESCO World Heritage Site (and UNESCO Global Geopark), here is a complete travel guide to show you the top things to do in Kinabalu National Park.
Mount Kinabalu is part of Kinabalu National Park, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site of Malaysia
About Kinabalu Park
Kinabalu National Park covers an area of 754 square kilometres and became Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 2000 for its outstanding universal values in terms of biodiversity. Kinabalu National Park is out of the world because of its many unique features not found in other parts of Malaysia.
Subalphine scrubs on Mount Kinabalu. Only in Sabah!
10 Cool Things about Kinabalu Park
Mount Kinabalu is one of the most beautiful nature attractions of Malaysia and an icon of Sabah.
Kinabalu Park is hotspot of Borneo megadiversity that hosts more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna. Some are not documented.
About 1,000 orchid species are found here, and over 12% are endemic species.
Located at 3,272 metres above sea level, Panalaban (Laban Rata) has the highest accommodation and highest post box in Malaysia.
Rafflesia keithii, which can grow up to one metre in diameter, is the largest flower of Sabah.
Mount Kinabalu has distinct vegetation zones in different altitude, for example, lowland dipterocarp forest, montane forest and subalpine zone (only found in Sabah).
Kinabalu Park is a top birdwatching site.
Many interesting Borneo wildlife live in Kinabalu Park, to list a few, Wallace’s Flying Frog, Ninja Slug that shoots love darts.
“Kinabalu is a scenic wonder, a test for mountaineers from the amateur to the skilled rock climber, a holiday from the hot lowlands, and botanically a paradise.” — E.J.H. Corner
Kinabalu Park Headquarter
The starting point of all activities in Kinabalu Park is its Sabah Parks headquarters in southern boundary, situated at 1,563 metres (5,128 feet) above sea level in Kundasang. It is accessible by driving nearly 2 hours for about 89 Kilometres, from Kota Kinabalu on the road in good condition. You can walk to most facilities and accommodation from the headquarter, or drive inside the park.
Administration building (left) and ticket booth (right) at the entrance of Kinabalu Park
Next to the ticket booth at the entrance, the administration building consists of reception counter for guests to check-in to their accommodation in Kinabalu Park, and registration counters for climbers to register and make payment. In early morning, you would see climbers gather around this area to meet their mountain guides and porters for final preparation, before they are transferred by vehicle to Timpohon Gate, the starting point of the climb about 5 KM away.
Entrance and parking area of Kinabalu Park
There are two restaurants, Liwagu Restaurant and Balsam Cafe, which serve western and oriental food, in buffet and ala carte style. The food is great but a bit expensive. More economic choices are available just outside the park.
Top Activities at Kinabalu Park
Besides Mt. Kinabalu, the recreational and accommodation zones inside the park offer a wide range of nature-based activities to nature lovers, whether they want something leisure or adventurous.
1. Climbing Mount Kinabalu (Gunung Kinabalu)
Conquering Mount Kinabalu is the highlight. More than 45,000 tourists climb this granite mountain every year, and most of them love the scenery and challenge. The view along the summit trail is breathtaking. Imagine the feeling you stand above the cloud like the king of the world. It’s really a once in a lifetime experience.
Climbing Mount Kinabalu is the most popular activity of Kinabalu Park
Normally the climb takes two days and one night. In day one, you ascend 6 KM to Panalaban (previously known as Laban Rata), where you spend a night, then continue the last 2.7-Kilometre climb to the summit at 2am next morning. The accommodation on the mountain is always full, so you must book 6 months in advance. For Sabahans, they can register with Sabah Parks. For other climbers, they can book the climb with Sutera Sanctuary Lodges.
On the summit (Low’s Peak) of Mount Kinabalu. Behind us is the Low’s Gully.
Kinabalu Park is more than just Mount Kinabalu. What makes Kinabalu Park truly shines are the eco-treasure in its forest. There are 326 bird and around 100 mammal species live in Kinabalu Park. In the vicinity of Kinabalu Park Headquarter is dense lower montane forest, a mossy cloud jungle which looks like an alien world.
Jungle trekking in mountain forest of Kinabalu National Park
Walk into this playground of naturalist and plant enthusiasts and you would spot animals such as mountain squirrel, gliding lizard, lantern bug, pitcher plant, rhinoceros beetle and trilobite; and endemic plant such as pink Kinabalu Balsam, gigantic tree fern, snowy white Borneo Rhododendron and jewel orchid.
Nature Trails of Kinabalu Park
You are free to explore the nine nature trails in Kinabalu Park HQ, which take 15 minutes to three hours one way. For a casual walk, Personally I recommend Silau-Silau trail that starts from Multi-Purpose Hall. Liwagu Trail (5.5 KM one way) is the longest but the most rewarding. If you want the shortest trail, Bundu Tuhan View Trail is only 224 metres one way.
Layout and trail map of Kinabalu Park Complex
A few trails such as Bukit Ular has leeches, in case you mind. Hire a knowledgeable tour guide to go with you, they are good at spotting birds and critters. » Read more about Jungle Trekking in Kinabalu Park
Bird Watching
Kinabalu National Park is internationally recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA), especially for mountainous (montane) birds, a total of 58 species with 17 are endemic, and 262 of other residents bird species. Take a binocular and walk in Silau-Silau and Bukit Tupai trails in the morning, you would spot special birds such as Bornean Treepie and Chestnut-crested Yuhina. Sometimes you would find a group of Crimson-headed Partridge (wild chicken) forages next to you.
Wildlife of Kinabalu Park
High on the bucket list of birdwatchers is sighting of endemic birds like Sunda Whistling Thrush, iridescent green Whitehead’s Broadbill, Whitehead’s Trogon, Mountain Serpent-eagle and Bornean Green Magpie. The best birdwatching location of Kinabalu Park is along the road towards Sabah Electricity Board’s Power Station at 1,800 M (6,000 feet).
3. Mount Kinabalu Botanical Garden
This garden behind Liwagu Restaurant is really underrated. Kinabalu Park has more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna and many are endemic to this park only. A visit to Kinabalu National Park is incomplete if you can’t even name 3 special plant there.
Nepenthes rajah is the largest pitcher plant in the world and only found in Kinabalu Park
Mount Kinabalu Botanical Garden has very interesting and representative collection of plant, flowers and herbs from Kinabalu Park. The garden offers daily guided tours at 9am, 12pm and 3pm (for a small fee). The guide (can speak English and Malay) will share some cool stories on selected plant.
Rothschild slipper orchid (left) is also known as Gold of Kinabalu, and “Santa Claus” orchid (right)
The accommodation inside Kinabalu Park Headquarter is managed by a private company called Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. You can choose different type of rooms, from chalet, villa, lodge to hostel, depends on your budget. The price ranges from RM125 for a hostel room to RM14,400 for the most lavished Rajah Lodge.
Variety of accommodation in Kinabalu Park. Photo Credit: Sutera Sanctuary Lodges
You can book the room in their booking website. Just key in the date and it will show you the availability and rate of the accommodation. Below is a quick look of the price range (Room / Lodge for 2 to 6 guests). Prices may vary depend on season.
If you are very cost conscious, there are dozens of affordable accommodation very near to Kinabalu Park. With rich variety of choices like hotels, hostels, resorts, hill lodges around Kundasang, Ranau and Mesilau, you can pick the one that gives more bang for your bucks. Many even have better Mount Kinabalu view. My personal favourite is Kinabalu Pine Resort.
Park Fees & Opening Hours
Kinabalu Park opens from 7am to 7pm daily. You need to purchase ticket at the entrance at the following rates:
Malaysian
18 years old and above
RM10.00
Below 18
RM5.00
Below 12 years old / Above 60 / Handicapped
Free
Non-Malaysian
18 years old and above
RM50.00
Below 18
RM25.00
Conservation Fee (ticket) with effect from 1 Jan 2023
Tip: You can reuse the ticket in Poring Hot Springs on the same day.
Kinabalu National Park (Taman Nasional Kinabalu)
What to Bring
For non-climbers, bring jacket, poncho / umbrella, drinking water, cash and MyKad (or Passport), and wear comfortable walking shoes. Temperature in Kinabalu Park can drop below 16°C sometimes.
How to get there
Drive there yourself is the best option. It’ll be so easy with navigation apps like Waze (Where to: Kinabalu Park or see Location Map). You can park your car inside or outside the park. You will pass by Tamparuli town on the way. Do stop by for a breakfast and try the famous Tamparuli Mee (noodle).
Mini-bus station near Padang Merdeka Field in Kota Kinabalu City Centre
By Bus: take a mini-bus that goes to Ranau from bus station near Padang Merdeka Field in Kota Kinabalu City Centre. The fee costs about RM20 one way. The mini-bus will move once it’s full with passengers. Be there as early as 7am because first departure fills up faster. Ask the bus driver to drop you in front of Kinabalu Park. 5 or 6-seat Limo is also available on sharing basis for around RM35 one way.
Taxi / Grab: If you plan to visit other places in Kundasang besides Kinabalu Park, you better charter a taxi or Grab to save time.
Nearby Attractions
A visit to Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Springs is enough to keep you busy for a day trip, which is what most tourists do. However, to have a more enjoyable and relax trip, I advise you to spend a night or two around Kinabalu Park to cover more places of interest mentioned below.
1. Poring Hot Spring, Canopy Walk
About 40 KM away from Kinabalu Park Headquarter, Poring is also part of Kinabalu Park. You can reuse the Kinabalu Park ticket to visit Poring on the same day. Poring is above 400 Metres above sea level, so it’s warmer than Kinabalu Park. The popular activities there are soaking in their sulphurous hot springs and a thrilling walk on the 40-metre-high canopy walkway.
Poring Hot SpringsCanopy Walk and Langanan Waterfall in Poring
2. Rafflesia Flower
On your way to Poring Hot Springs, keep an eye on roadside. In lucky day, you would see banner that announces the blooming of rafflesia. Rafflesia is a parasitic huge flower without root, leaf and stem. The blooming is rare and lasts only 6 days. The flower looks best in second and third day of blooming and starts to turn dark after that.
Roadside notice of blooming rafflesia flowerBlooming rafflesia (species: Rafflesia keithii), the largest flower of Sabah
Stop for the rafflesia site where tourist bus parks because travel agents always pick the site with the most beautiful bloom. The entry fee is about RM20 (negotiable) and camera fee will add another RM10.
3. DESA Cattle Farm in Mesilau
This is a family-friendly destination. Your kids will love it. Go to Mesilau to see milk cows feeding on green pasture under Mount Kinabalu. You would think that you are in New Zealand.
DESA Cattle Farm in MesilauFeeding little lamb and trying the ice cream in DESA Cattle Farm
DESA is the producer of Sabah cow (and goat) milk. You must try their gelato or yogurt ice cream, and check out the milking station. After that, go to the barn to milk or hand feeding the cute baby cows and little lambs. » Read more about DESA Cattle Farm
4. Kundasang War Memorial
Even if you are not a history buff, you will appreciate the beautiful gardens of Kundasang War Memorial. During World War II, 1,787 Australian and 641 British prisoners of war died when they were forced by Japanese to walk 265 KM from Sandakan to Ranau, an infamous event called Death March.
Beautiful garden of Kundasang War Memorial
To commemorate the soldiers, Kundasang War Memorial is built with four garden themes, namely, Australian Garden, English Rose Garden, Borneo Garden and the Contemplation Garden. Visitors can stroll in this memorial to learn and feel the historic past of the Death March, and leave with a deeper appreciation of peace and freedom.
5. Nabalu Town
It’s hard not to notice this busy town packed with tourists, when you are 12 KM before Kinabalu Park. Most people like to stop briefly in this town for a short (toilet) break after a long drive.
Mount Kinabalu viewing platform of Nabalu TownShopping in local market of Nabalu Town
At the end is an observatory platform for visitors to selfie with Mount Kinabalu. There is a long house piled with tons of souvenirs for you to shop and bargain. The little fruit and vegetables market there also draws many people to sample some local fruits such as tarap and langsat. » Read more about Nabalu
6. Paragliding in Lohan
Need some adrenaline rush to feel great being alive? Paragliding at Lohan is for you then. At the junction to Poring Hot Springs, you can turn to Lohan Hill for an exciting ride. Pay around RM200+ for a 5 to 7 minute tandem ride to fly like a bird and enjoy the wonderful aerial view of hilly countryside. You need to book the flight in advance. » Read more about Paragliding in Lohan
Paragliding in Lohan near Ranau town
7. Climbing Maragang Hill
Located in Mesilau (near Kundasang), Maragang Hill is 2,232 Meters high and a new climbing destination that is gaining popularity really fast. The climb is an easy 1.6-Kilometer hike to the peak and takes only half-day. On the peak of Maragang Hill, you can have one of the closest and most magnificent view of Mount Kinabalu. » Read more about Climbing Maragang Hill
Hiking only 1.6 Kilometers to get this view? It’s a steal!
8. Kundasang fruit and vegetables market
This one is the favourite part of mothers. On the way back to Kota Kinabalu, stop by the Kundasang market to buy some fresh fruits and vegetables. Local snacks are popular buy too. You know it’s the right place to shop when you see so many mom around.
9. Climbing Sosodikon Hill
Sosodikon Hill in Kundasang is only 70 Metres tall. Climbing to its peak takes less than 15 minutes and you can have a breathtaking panoramic view of Kundasang Valley from the top. » Read more about Climbing Sosodikon Hill
Climbing to the peak of Sosodikon Hill takes less than 15 minutes and everyone can do it.
Do you fancy a holiday in Borneo rainforest? The top choice is to stay in Danum Valley of Sabah, which is located inside a 130-million-year-old virgin rainforest. The world famous Borneo Rainforest Lodge is a high-end resort in Danum Valley, luxurious accommodation but comes with 5-star price. Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge nearby offers the similar nature experience at a budget price and is considered as the second best choice.
About Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge (KDRL)
Built in 2014, Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge is a jungle lodge located in the buffer zone (edge) of the Danum Valley Conservation Area and part of 242,000-ha Ulu Segama Malua Forest Reserve (classified as Fully Protected Forest).
The accommodation of Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge
KDRL offers basic but comfortable chalet style accommodation and has 10 standard rooms (fan) and 10 deluxe rooms (air-conditioning) for tourists. 24-hour electricity is available in the lodge.
Dining hall of Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge
Kawag means cursed place. Locals believe that the forest there is resided by Bunian people, the elf-like supernatural beings usually live in remote forest or mountain. People who went there would have weird dream or gone missing. Don’t worry. Nowadays Kawag is a tourist-friendly destination.
Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge is located in the buffer zone of the Danum Valley
The rooms of Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge
One of Kawag’s highlight is good chance of seeing the highly endangered Bornean pygmy elephants. I saw a herd of them at the roadside while I was on the way to KDRL. When our van approached, the adult elephants formed a defensive circle with the calf in centre. Too bad I didn’t see any orangutan, which said to be abundant in Malua forest.
A group of elephants near Kawag. Note there is one with satellite collar for tracking of migration
During my stay I saw a wild bearded boar named Rudy foraged around the lodge, and a Malay civet hunted insects attracted by the light. Everything there reminds visitors that they are in the wild.
Meal served at restaurant of Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge
Nature-Based Activities
Though this lodge is surrounded by secondary forest, the forest is regenerated well and thick enough to house rich variety of flora and fauna. Kawag rainforest is characterised by younger trees and denser undergrowth but have almost everything a typical primary rainforest offers.
Crazy people lol. Photo says it all.
Therefore, you can have fun with many nature adventures such as jungle trekking, night safari, bird watching and river tubing, to fully experience the jungle. I really enjoyed my 3 days 2 night stay with KDRL. Thanks to their in-house guides, Mr. Donny and Ms Hana, for sharing the interesting stories of every animal and plant in Kawag.
1. Exploring Jungle
Birds and wildlife are thriving in Kawag. In day one, after lunch at the lodge, we went for a short guided walk at 3pm on the Kawag trail. We looked at the biggest tree in Kawag, which is a 80 to 100 years old Seraya tree (species: Shorea johorensis), a popular timber.
What we saw in hiking: Lantern bug, pygmy squirrel, Serpent Eagle and 3-color tree
Then we found a 3-in-1 trees, i.e. Kayu Malam, Seraya and Jati trees grow like they are hugging one another. The guide showed us a Bayur tree that produces salty sap, which was once used by villagers for cooking during the World War II, salt was scarce that period because Japanese seized from them. Sometimes deer chews the bark for salt supplement (a behavior called Salt Lick).
Locally known as Belian (means Diamond in local language), Borneo ironwood is one of the hardest and most valuable timbers. There is one that stands over 120 years in Kawag.
Some would be excited to see these, while other probably don’t.
Iconic Borneo wildlife such as gibbon, elephants, banteng (wild cattle), orangutan, deer and leopard cat have been sighted on the Kawag trail.
Herd of elephants in Danum Valley
During my two hiking, I spotted Trogon bird, Black & Yellow Broadbill, pygmy squirrel, giant orchid, Goshen Hawk, Barbler, and long tailed macaques. We also heard Great Argus not far away.
My friend in front bumped into an albino mouse deer (Kancil) before it ran away. Too bad I missed it. I was told that a limestone cave next to the trail has white bat. I didn’t see it but found some white tractor millipedes. This added more sense of mystery to this forest.
After dinner, we climbed up to the back of a pick-up truck for a night safari tour. The car drove slowly along the road. The guide used spotlight to scan the forest and bushes at roadside for nocturnal animals. It’s a very relaxing activity, we enjoyed the breeze and amazed by blue and green light fireflies pass-by occasionally.
Malay Civet spotted in night safari
Our guide did the hardwork of searching and found us sleeping Prinia, Ashy Tailor bird, flying Colugo, slow loris, etc. The jackpot is western tarsier, an odd looking small primate which has eyes bigger than its brain, and can turn its head almost 360 degrees. No wonder locals call it Ghost Monkey.
I saw Western Tarsier in my second visit to Kawag
The next morning, we walked to the higher ground to see sunrise shined over the misty forest. The trail condition of Kawag is ok overall, but a bit slippery after rain. And always watch out for leeches and fire ants.
Climb up to a hill to see the misty forest during sunrise
2. Bird Watching
In the morning you can walk to a 15-Meter-high observatory tower near the lodge. From the top, I saw Bornean Forktail, Serpeant Eagle and leaf bird, and heard loud morning call of Gibbon.
The 50-feet observatory tower in Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge
Based on a Bird Survey 2015 in Kawag Forest Scientific Expedition, over 100 species of birds can be found here. Just to list some cool ones, Great Argus, Scarlet-rumped trogon, fish owl, babbler, White-Crowned Shama, green leaf bird, black and red broadbill, sunbird, bulbul, crested hawk, oriental darter, oriole, and hornbill. 5 species of Pitta, the most colorful birds of Borneo, can be spotted in Kawag.
This observatory tower is a good spot for bird watching
Jason, my professional bird guide friend found Raptors, Hornbills, migratory Dark-sided Flycatcher, and Large Frogmouth in Kawag. You may check out his birdwatching blog.
Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge in the morning
If you are interested in bugs too, you would be happy to see Mantidfly, Hornet / wasp like praying mantis, strange looking goat moth, Rajah Brooke’s birdwing butterfly, endemic Borneo damselfly, and lantern bug. (Thanks Dr Arthur for the info)
3. Ali Baba Waterfall
Borneo forest is a warm and humid place, so a bath at their Ali Baba Waterfall is very welcomed. The 2.4-Kilometre walk to this waterfall takes about 1.5 hours.
Jungle trekking to the Ali Baba Waterfall
Fresh elephant dungs in the forest
We saw some fresh elephant dung along the trail. The trail was quite flat so it didn’t take much effort to reach Ali Baba Waterfall.
The gazebo next to Ali Baba Waterfall
The water of Ali Baba Waterfall is from the unpolluted rainforest
The tea color of Ali Baba Waterfall is from the tannin of rainforest plant
It’s dry season so this waterfall pond wasn’t deep for a swim but good enough for a dip. Do you know gold can be found in river of Danum Valley? I tried to see through the clear water hoping to find a gold nugget or two. The water appears golden color because of natural tannin from the plant rot in water.
Playing Tarzan lol
With me was a friendly European couple. The guy stood in the water and started giggling hysterically. Thinking that he found gold, I walked closer and found that he was actually excited with the small fishes nibbling his feet like giving a fish massage.
Something cute nibbling the feet of tourist
Fish massage in the pond of Ali Baba Waterfall
Different fish species in the water of Ali Baba Waterfall
We climbed up the cascading waterfall and saw two more waterfall ponds. One of them is 4 Meters deep. The handsome man is keen to be my model to play Tarzan in my photos. Thank you friend.
The waterfall pond of Ali Baba Waterfall
The waterfall pond of Ali Baba Waterfall is a bit deep. Note the safety rope in the water.
Tourist enjoys running stream of Ali Baba Waterfall
You can swim in the waterfall pond
How to get there
KDRL is located in Lahad Datu district, east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. No walk-in tourist to the lodge allowed. Without a permit for you and your vehicle, you will be blocked from entering this protected forest. You must book the accommodation with the operator Borneo Refugia in advance. Below is contact information and more details for you to find out more:
A 3-day-2-night full board tour package costs around MYR2,000 per person (about USD480), which includes accommodation, return transfer (between Lahad Datu Airport and KDRL), meals, guiding service, and permit. Check their Facebook before booking, sometimes they have deep discount promotion.
Long boardwalk to Kawag Danum Rainforest Lodge (KDRL). Sometimes elephants walk under it.
They will pick you up at Lahad Datu airport, and drive 1 hour 45 minutes on 52-Kilometre gravel road to the lodge. You need to get your own flight ticket (from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu) via MASwings airlines, which is available every day.
I guess the little black bees (see photo below) are no strangers to you, as they are so common in Sabah. They seem to nest anywhere that has cavity, like tree hollow, even wooden houses. They usually make a wax-like exit tunnel for the hive. When I was a naughty boy, I just couldn’t help to pinch the tunnel to close the exit, though they are gentle and harmless.
In one occasion, I was told that they are “stingless bees” (Trigona spp). FYI, they are locally known as Kelulut, and Chinese calls it Mi Zai (蜜仔). When stingless bees got agitated, they don’t sting. Instead, they secrete something sticky and make my hair stick together. I didn’t pay much attention to them, because they are so ordinary and abundant.
Stingless Bee Farming
One day I passed by a house in Kiau Nuluh Village and saw a few log, each with a small opening.
Another closer look of the log. Actually they are hollow log (usually coconut trunk) for bee farming. The locals call this empty log “Gelodog”. Beekeepers keep the stingless bees in their original log hive or transfer them into a wooden box. Some put it in bamboos, flowerpots, coconut shells, and other recycled containers such as water jug.
However, to my surprise, they are not farming honey bees, they farm stingless bees instead. It was early in the morning and most villagers have gone to work in their plantation, so I could not turn to anyone for answer. I wonder why they rear such a small bee species. Aren’t larger honey bees more productive?
Stingless bee hives in Kiulu (noted the bamboo logs being pointed to by green arrow)
Later I met a bee expert, Mr. Salim Tingek, who is one of the authors for the book “Honey Bees of Borneo”. He told me that the honey produced by stingless bee is sour and even bittern in taste, but its honey has better medical values, with functions still not being well-known to most researchers.
As stingless bees are a lot smaller than honey bees, they may have access to smaller flowers such as herb. His studies are mainly focus on commercial honey bees, so he advised me to ask the locals for more details.
Searching on the Internet, I found a bit of info from a propolis bee farm at the Penang Botanical Garden. They breeds stingless bees (in fact only Malaysia doing this) to get the propolis which can “promote healing and regeneration of tissues. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory functions and protect the body from oxygen free radical damage, …useful as healing agent and application for home remedies such as honey, soap and balm”. In Sabah, the State Agriculture Department and Koperasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) provide consultancy and training courses for villagers in stingless bee farming.
Last month in a jungle trek in Gaya Island, I saw hunderds of stingless bees gathered on a small tree, which is next to their hive.
It was quite an interesting phenomena, but I have no idea what they were doing. This specie has every big exit tunnel.
Due to the forest fire caused by drought, many bees lose their home. Above is a photo of stingless bee rebuilding its home on a burnt tree.
Thanks to Dr. Arthur Chung, I learn that the honey of stingless bee is much sought-after because it contains more antioxidant properties than honey bee. It contains less sugar, with phenolic compounds, which is a superfood good for health. Geniotrigona thoracica and Heterotrigona itama are preferred stingless bee species for commercial honey production in Malaysia.
Preferred Host Plants for Stingless Bees
Flowering creepers, such as “Honolulu Creeper” (Antigonon leptopus) and passion fruit.
Ornamentals, such as Turnera subulata.
Fruit trees, such as star fruit and rambutan.
Acacias and other flowering forest trees.
Honey Bees of Sabah
Talking about honey bees, probably I can share something I learn from the honey bee experts (Nikolaus Koeniger, Gudrun Koeniger and Salim Tingek). There are five species of honey bees in Borneo. One of them is Apis nuluensis (nulu means Mountain in Dusun language), a new species endemic to Sabah. They found its nest in a tree hollow near Laban Rata. There are 9 species of Apis honey bees in the world. The dominant honey bee species of Sabah is Apis koschevnikovi.
Apis cerana is the most common honey bee species being farmed (domesticated) in Sabah. In Kudat you can find many bee farms around and they have become tourist attraction of villages. The most famous honey bee farm of Sabah is located in Kampung Gombizau.
The “Gelodog” (hollow log) bee farming method is destructive, as you may damage the bee hive when you open the cover to collect the honey. The more sustainable method is by using Movable Frame Hive (like photo above).
Apis cerana honey bee is an Asian bee species, and it is not as famous as the European bee such as Apis Mellifera. We pay RM40, 50 to buy a small bottle of imported honey, even though our local honey bees also produce high-quality honey. Our environment is cleaner and more nature than the western countries. By right, our honey is better. We only don’t package our honey and turn it into a $ound brand.
Pic: a small bottle of Sabah honey (right) can cost MYR25 (≈USD8.33), expensive, but still cheaper than imported honey.
Photo above: unwelcome guest detected by honey bees. Many natural predators and thieves are eyeing for the sweet honey and want to get a share. Besides stinging, honey bees have many ways to deal with enemies. Like the “sticky ring” next to the hive of Apis andreniformis bees, ants and other bugs who want to approach the hive will be glued. The powerful mandible of drone (soldier bee) can chew off their heads too.
Here comes the most famous bee of Sabah, Apis Dorsata. This largest wild honey bee of Sabah is not only famous for its honey, but also its aggressiveness. Chinese calls it “Ba Gong Mi” (八公蜜) and this bee means horror. Stealing honey from these bees brings death penalty. I sweated when a bee expert showed a photo of her only 2 feet away from the dorsata swarm. She says it is ok, because the swarm is looking for a nesting site so the bees are not in the mood of protecting honey. I can’t read bee language so I will never dare to try that. I advise you not to too..
Apis dorsata specie is not a suitable candidate for bee farming, as they are not cavity dwellers. For safety and easier navigation, they love to build their hives high on tree, especially tall Menggaris tree. But my God, this bee seems to love to nest on Rambutan fruit tree too. Village kids like to throw stone to pluck Rambutan and that’s how they hit the jackpot by accident. Some locals hunt for their honeycomb and very likely the wild honey you buy in local market is from A. dorsata (or Apis cerana). The bee larvae is also edible. My mom tried it before and say it tastes like milk. Very healthy food I suppose.
Other Bess
The big black bee in photos above are Carpenter Bees, which were used to be the bee I feared the most. Later I found that it is very gentle and rarely attacks people. The only thing I know about it is this bee likes to drill a hole on the wood and nest inside, and it doesn’t live in group. Now I find it very cute. Oh Bee-Bee…
Ok, this one is a hornet (Lesser Banded Hornet), not a bee. If you see a rat corpse without eyes, that’s the work of this hornet. So far I haven’t seen any of them harvesting nectar, so I assume they like rotten meat. For those who do fishing in the wild, you better cover the fishes and bait, otherwise you will find many hornets come and feast on them. Anyway, it is quite safe to get near to them, as long as its nest is not somewhere nearby. Chinese calls it Tiger Head Bee (虎头蜂 in Chinese. Scientific name: vespa affinis). Its bright orange stripe is a clear warning. Everyone, who was stung by this hornet, says it scores 10 of 10 out of pain scale and the wound may leave a permanent scar. Imagine if you are stung by hundreds of them. The only way to escape the attack from swarm of hornets is to jump into the water, no matter you know how to swim or not. It is far more better to drown rather than being stung to death by hundreds of hornets.
Honey bees die if they sting, because they detach the sting that is linked to vital organs, this is not the case for hornets. Many even call them killer bees. Hornet hives are very common on the trees of countryside. If you come too near, they will send a few patrolling hornets to check on you. It is important that you slowly walk away from their hive and don’t do anything stupid that makes them perceive you as a threat.
Hornets like to nest on the tree, inside the shrub, under the roof and cliff. Their nests are very beautiful. However, after some days, the nest will grow from fist size to size of sandbag (or even bigger!). That’s how they get another name, i.e. Sandbag bee (泥包蜂 in Chinese). If you see their nest, don’t try to chase them away by boxing their hive like sandbag or fight them with mosquito insecticide. Just call the Fire Department, they know about to eliminate the nest (and it is a free service).
Can’t believe I can write so much about bees, hope you enjoy reading this…
As Tip of Borneo is one of the most visited attractions in Sabah, “Center of Sabah” could be the next popular destination. In theory, if you thread a string through the center of a cut-out cardboard map of Sabah, the cardboard should hang flat in the balance. However, the work to pinpoint the exact Center of Sabah is far more complicated and takes years to find out. Since 2006, Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) had been collecting reading from 18,600 points along the Sabah coastline to calculate the Center.
The coordinates of the geographical Centre of Sabah is determined at Latitude 117°7’01.8″ East and Longitude 5°+20’38.4″ North (N 5°20’38.4″ E 117°7’01.8″), which is on the top of RISM Hill (Bukit RISM) in the Pinangah Forest Reserve near Telupid (about 280 Kilometers away from Kota Kinabalu city).
For the launching of the Center of Sabah, RISM organized an expedition team of 54 members, comprised of people from RISM, Sabah Surveying and Mapping Department, Sabah Land and Survey Department, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Tourism Board and media, to visit the Center of Sabah. The flag-off ceremony was carried out in Tun Fuad Stephens Park at 8:35am on 30 Sep 2011.
We departed in a convoy of more than 10 4-wheel drive. We stopped by Nabalu town briefly for breakfast.
Our expedition team also had lunch at Telupid town around 2pm.
Then we entered a dusty, rocky and gravel road at a junction after Telupid at 2:45pm. The ride was bumpy and we saw oil palm plantation most of the time. We also saw a few logging trucks on the way.
Above: passing by Tongod. It’s a remote area of Sabah.
Millian Forestry Center
Above: reaching Pinangah Forest Reserve, where poaching is strictly prohibited.
Our group reached Millian Forestry Centre around 4pm. We spent a night here, before departing to the Center of Sabah in next day.
The accommodation of Millian Forestry Center is basic but quite comfortable. Electricity supply is available (though there was a blackout of 30 minutes). For a shared room like photo above (with air-conditioning and attached bathroom), it’s only RM40 (about USD12) per person per night. For VIP room, it’s RM60 (about USD19).
You can ask them to prepare meal for you (RM20-RM25 per head). They have a nice dining room too. I’m not the fussy kind of tourist who would complain about food not serving on hot plate. With such facilities in forest, it’s better than what I expect. You may contact Yayasan Sabah for booking of room.
Because Millian Forestry Center is in the wilderness, it’s nothing to do at night, so I just took a night walk to explore the jungle nearby.
Anyone knows what is the name of the insect above?
Day 2
After a nice breakfast in next morning, we checked out at 6:30am and headed to the base camp of Pinangah Forest Reserve, which is about 35-minute drive away and the starting point of the trail to the Center of Sabah.
On the way, most are excited about the trip but also a bit worried about the leeches, the little blood suckers in rainforest of Borneo.
The base camp is only a big open space. We parked our 4-wheel drives there and ready for the climb.
Above: marking attendance and briefing before the climb.
The Center of Sabah is located on top of RISM Hill (Bukit RISM), with a height of 584.2 Meters above the mean-sea-level and inaccessible by car, so we have to walk 3.6 Kilometers of jungle trail in Pinangah forest to reach the Center. Personally I like it because it is like an adventure.
We crossed 3 rivers along the way. We also pass by a small waterfall and the water is so clean and refreshing.
The “fern path” at the beginning is a nice view. Very soon we entered the dense and humid secondary forest. A recce team had marked the trail with white paper the day before, so we wouldn’t lose our way. The trail is nature and have no support such as boardwalk, rope and ladder. Some little brown leeches are lurking in the damp forest ground, creating panic among the ladies, fortunately not too many leeches around today.
Above: take a break in halfway
As hunting is not allowed here, we can see the traces of wild animals living happily here, like the wallow of wild boar shown in photo above.
After an hour, a guide shows us his GPS device and tells us the Center is only 500 Meters ahead, as if it is only a few minutes away. We are motivated to move faster, only to find that we are still an hour away from the destination!
The trail is mostly ascending and about 15° in inclination, with 50° for the steepest part. I’m experienced in jungle trekking so I would call this a hiking instead of climbing. The only problem is the crawling plant on the floor that we would trip over.
To reach the Center before noon, I was in a hurry and didn’t actively look for interesting flora and fauna. Anyway, I spot tractor millipede, centipede, ginger and some fungus. Someone even saw a small snake being eaten by a centipede. Too bad I miss that.
Reaching the Center of Sabah
Even though the climb is not overly challenging, the hike is still taxing. Finally I arrived the Center at 9:30am.
The climb usually takes 2 to 3 hours, depending on how fit you are. Most of us reached the Center before 10am.
Of course we won’t miss the opportunity to photograph the victorious moment. More climbers come and all of us make it!
With the special permission of the Sabah Forestry Department, for more accurate GPS reading and better view, the hilltop had been cleared so that we get an unobstructed panoramic view of the surrounding hills from the Center of Sabah. We can even see our cars from the hill (see photo above). Can’t believe we make it that far.
The surrounding view of the Center on RISM Hill is mainly forest and mountain range, a lovely sight.
The day is getting hot, so most of us take shelter under a makeshift camp built on a helipad. This helipad was constructed to facilitate helicopter landings. 4 tons of building materials such as cement was brought to the top by helicopter.
When everyone has arrived, we have a simple unveiling ceremony of Center of Sabah Monument.
Above: we are right in the middle of Sabah!!!
Above: there is a logo embedded at each side of the monument, which acknowledges the 4 organizations that make this project a success. The official launching of the Center of Sabah coincides with the 50th anniversary celebration of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) in year 2011.
The Centre of Sabah is marked with a survey control point named M500 – Bukit RISM planted at the peak by JUPEM.
There is a toposcope on the monument that shows the direction and distance to the popular attractions in other parts of Sabah, for example, Kota Kinabalu, Tenom, Ranau, Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Beluran, Beaufort, Long Pasia and Semporna.
Above: a group photo to conclude the end of our expedition.
You may watch the 3-minute video below to see the overall Expedition:
How to get there
As there is no travel agent selling tour package to Centre of Sabah, you will need to arrange your transport, meals, entry permit and guide on your own. It’s not difficult, but you have to communicate with a few parties back and forth. Basically, there are three main tasks:
1. Get a Permit
Because Centre of Sabah is located inside a protected forest reserve (Pinangah), you need to apply an entry permit from Sabah Forestry Department (SFD). Just write to the Director of SFD in Sandakan HQ to request for permission. In your letter, please state:
Number of people going (include your driver too), with details such as Name, ID and Nationality
Date of your visit
Purpose of your visit (i.e. visit Centre of Sabah)
Your contact (phone, H/P, fax, e-mail)
You may request for a guide. I’m sure they will send forest ranger(s) to go with you anyway
*SFD may collect permit or guide fee
Look for general phone number of SFD in Sandakan in their website. Ask for the correct fax number or mailing address to fax / send your letter. They are very efficient and usually get your application processed on next day, but I advise you to apply at least one or two week earlier, because you may need to do paperwork and make payment.
2. Booking the Accommodation
You may spend a night in Millian Forestry Centre (of Yayasan Sabah Group), which is near to the starting point of your climb. Below is the price list of their accommodation and services (rates of Year 2014/2015), and the phone numbers for booking.
Pic: please note you need to add 6% GST Tax on top of final amount
Besides booking a room, you also can pre-book your meals with them. You also find more details at the Facebook of the Centre of Sabah.
3. Other Things
For example, if you don’t have a 4-Wheel Drive, you will need to rent one. You better buy insurance for your trip. Here are some recommended things to bring: backpack (with rain cover), raincoat / poncho, mosquito repellent, anti-leech socks, drinking water, energy bar, GPS device, extra clothing / socks, toiletries.
