Sabah (Northeast Borneo)

Sabah in East Malaysia lies in the north-east corner of Borneo and was known as the 'Land Below The Wind' by maritime traders during ancient times, because it lies below the typhoon belt.

Its people are from 32 different indigenous groups. Amongst them are Kadazans, Muruts, Bajausk, Kedayans, Sulu, Bisaya, Rumanau, Minokok and Rungus.

Its mountains are covered with jungles, for Sabah has one of the world's largest rainforests. Its colourful native culture and natural attractions make it an important tourist mecca.

The skyline of the capital, Kota Kinabalu, is dominated by a gold-domed state mosque, a resplendent structure with gold inlay motifs. The Sabah Museum offers a rich collection of artefacts reflecting the state's cultural and anthropological history, including a collection of tools used by prehistoric man. Also on display are some of Sabah's unique animals, birds, reptiles and fish.

At Gaya Street on Sunday mornings is an open-air market known as 'Tamu'. Here people gather to buy and sell their handicrafts, traditional wares and food items. A mile from the town is Tanjung Aru Beach lined with palm and casuarina trees, and further down the road is the Mengkabong Water Village where the houses are built on stilts over the sea.

Other villages worth a visit are Kota Belud; Penampang with its Kadazan lifestyle: Kudat, home of the colourful Rungus tribe; and Sandakan, a busy port with a forestry exhibition and crocodile farm with some 1,000 crocodiles of varying sizes.

A favourite with tourists is the world's largest Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre located at Sepilok, 20 minutes from Sandakan. An area of 11,000 acres of virgin jungle, it has been set aside for forest reserve and as a home for the orang-utan.

While at Sandakan, take a boat ride across the bay, then a land rover on a 16 kilometre journey through jungles to Gomantong Caves. These are home to swifts whose nests are considered a delicacy.

A popular marine park is the Tuanku Abdul Rahman National Park comprising five islands. These are Gaya, Sapi, Mamutik, Manken and Suluk about 25 minutes from Kota Kinabalu by speedboat. Coral formations and colourful marine life teems in the waters surrounding the islands, especially Mamutik and Suluk where rare corals can be found. The islands are ideal spots for picnicking, diving and snorkelling.

At Pulau Layang-Layang, located 165 miles north-west of Kota Kinabalu, a coral atoll has been built with soil from the mainland and sand pumped from the sea bed. Today the island attracts scuba divers and anglers, for it has a 5,000 foot drop all around the reef making it an excellent diving site.

The vegetation on the mountain goes from rich lowland through montane oak, rhododendron and conifer forests to alpine meadow plants and stunted bushes at the summit zone. Visitors can reach the summit in three days, then relax in the nearby Poring Hot Springs.

The slopes of Kinabalu are the home of the hill tribes of Dusuns or Kadazans who believe the mountain is a resting place for the spirits of their departed, and thus it is sacred to them. Their villages are scattered throughout the area and they are the registered guides tourists must hire before climbing the mountain.

A final delight in Sabah is Sipadan Island which is shaped like a shitake mushroom. It draws diving enthusiasts due to its exceptional water clarity and beautiful marine life.