By Rosheen Fatima

The natural wonders of Sabah are abundant, especially so in its capital of Kota Kinabalu. Rosheen Fatima explores the natural wonders of the land beneath the winds.

You know that N*Sync song (and though it shames me to admit that I know it), ‘God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You’? Well it never really resonated with me until I went to Kota Kinabalu. You see, if you think about the world as a high school cafeteria (just bear with me), KK is like the beautiful girl, who just happens to be a straight A student as well as being completely down to earth.

The one you can’t really be jealous of because she’s so darned nice. That to me, sums up KK because let’s face it, KK is one lucky state. When God was giving out the natural beauties, he clearly was biased in KK’s favour – because KK has it all. From mountains to beaches, clear skies and lush green jungles; Kota Kinabalu is the epitome of a tropical paradise. And being a nature lover, I adored it.

My first visit was to the popular Poring Park, which is a small park in the middle of lowland rainforest in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu, Poring takes its name from the Kadazandusun word for a large species of bamboo found in the area, a clump of which greets visitors to the park. A steady current of locals and tourists flows through the park due to the Poring Hot Springs (088 878 801), which have been channeled to flow into the specially constructed public baths.

But for those who prefer to soak in the waters in private, there are private baths available to rent (RM15-20 per hour). So, we booked one, then proceeded to the Poring Canopy Walk (RM3 with MyKad, RM15 for others). The walkway is 41 metres above the ground and has you walking amidst the lush canopy of the Menggaris tree, also known as Tualang. Even if you don’t have a fear of heights, it can rattle your nerves as the walkway sways with each step. But the surreal feeling of being up in the treetops soon blocks out your nerves and leaves you in awe. After the canopy walk, we returned to the hot springs where I relaxed in a bathtub full of the sulphurous water which has healing properties and helps skin ailments. The park is also home to a butterfly farm, an orchid conservation centre, tropical gardens, waterfalls and – depending on the season – the largest flower in the world: the Rafflesia.

From Poring, we drove 40km to Kinabalu Park (088 211 881/www.sabahparks.org.my). No visit to Kota Kinabalu is complete without a visit to the iconic Mount Kinabalu. If you don’t climb the mountain, at least visit the base where the cool, crisp air carries with it a freshness which is unheard of in any major city. Not prepared for the arduous climb to the peak (which stands at 4095.2 metres), we lazy folk decided to take a casual stroll around the Mount Kinabalu Botanical Garden, a 5 acre garden which showcases the different plant life available in the park, including a vast amount of wild orchids. The 754 square kilometer park, has four different climate zones as well as a huge variety of lowland and highland flora and fauna and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the natural attractions that most appeal to tourists is Sabah’s islands, which are world famous for their clean sandy beaches, clear blue water, beautiful coral and marine life. The more popular islands are located on the eastern tip of Sabah, but Kota Kinabalu has many beautiful island in its surrounding waters. The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (RM3 for locals, RM10 for tourists. Boat fare varies between RM23 and RM25, island hopping fares are also available. 088 212 121/tinyurl.com/ye8pb87) is home to five islands; Sulug, Gaya, Manukan, Mamutik and Sapi. We went to Sapi, which is one of the closer islands and is about a 15 minute boat ride from the city.

The island proved to be very popular with families as well as the adult tourist and is a hub of activity providing equipment rental for snorkeling and scuba diving. It is also here that you’d find Seawalking (Borneo Seawalking. 088 249 115/www.borneoseawalking.com), a fascinating underwater experience where you don a helmet that lets you breathe and walk underwater for up to 30 minutes. Even if you don’t have any scuba training, you still get to discover the abundant reefs without getting your hair wet.

A lesser known natural treasure of Kota Kinabalu is the Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary (Off Jalan Bukit Bendera Upper, Likas. 088 246 955/www.sabahwetlands.org), a 24 hectare mangrove forest that is no longer part of the coast due the reclaimed land beyond it. A state cultural heritage site, the sanctuary is a birdwatcher’s paradise, having recorded over 80 different species of birds over the years, the most sought after being the purple herons. Other than birds, there are also crabs, snakes, mudskippers and seashells, which thrive in the rich mangrove mud.