Kinabalu Park and a Wild Boar Sidetrip

Kinabalu Park is Malaysia's first world heritage site by UNESCO for its outstanding biological attributes. With a huge area of 75,400 hectares, it is actually larger than Singapore. This is also the first State Park in Sabah (1964).

The region was designated as a national park in 1964. British colonial administrator and naturalist Hugh Low led an expedition from Tuaran to the region in 1895. He also became the first recorded man to reach the peak of Mount Kinabalu The highest peak of the mountain was later named after him—Low's Peak.

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Poring Hot Springs - Kota Kinabalu Attractions (Sabah, Malaysia)

40 minutes from Pekan Nabalu, we arrived at the Poring Hot Springs area. Our guide bought us tickets and we went in. Toured us around and explained some stuff. By some, I mean, him, pointing out that the water is natural and came from the mountains. Our guide doesn't talk much. He showed us where the public and private bath is. We also walk passed the butterfly farm until we arrived at the canopy walk starting point.

Poring is situated in the lowlands -- a contrast to the parks HQ and a tourist resort in Sabah, Malaysia. This is one of the recommended place to go to when in Kota Kinabalu. After going to Gerai Pekan Nabalu, this route is on the way up to the Mount Kinabalu Park which is 40km away. The word "Poring" came from a bamboo species found in the area.

Photo source: Sabah tourism website

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Pekan Nabalu Lookout Point - Kota Kinabalu

Pekan Nabalu - Kota Kinabalu Day 02
After having breakfast at the hotel, our tour van picked us up and off we go on a 2-hour journey up to see Mount Kinabalu (from afar). According to our tour guide, "Kina" means witch and "Balu" means mountain. Before, Mount Kinabalu was called Mount Api-Api. It was believed that the souls of the dead go up that mountain and thus, respect must be exercised when climbing Mount Kinabalu. Same as climbing other mountains.

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