By DANIELLE DE LEON
Ocean Wing Façade of Rasa Ria
MANILA, Philippines -- I travel for a lot of reasons – shopping and sightseeing mostly. But to climb mountains and really sweat it out wasn’t my idea of fun, until my friends planned a Kota Kinabalu or KK trip. I half-heartedly said yes and groaned inside at the prospect of mountain trekking, scuba diving or bird watching, which of course, I don’t do! But much to my surprise, KK turned out to be a totally unexpected travel adventure.
Here are a few fascinating things that I learned about KK:
1. KK as the locals affectionately call it, is the state capital of Sabah. And that it traces its beginnings to 1881, as a tiny British settlement on one of the islands.
2. That Sabah is the world’s third largest island and is also known by the romantic name of “The Land Below the Wind.” It enjoys a sunny tropical climate where it’s summer all year round and I heard that the locals do experience occasional rain showers but no typhoon!!
3. That some of the many attractions you will find are rainforests, mountains and fast-flowing rivers, islands with sandy beaches and coral reefs, contemporary shopping malls, luxurious resorts and spas and golf courses.
4. That Kota Kinabalu and its suburbs are cradled between the forested mountains of the crocker range and the sea.
5. That there are two Shangri-La Hotels, both beautiful world-class seaside resorts. The fabulous Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria resort is less than an hour ride from the city and offers luxurious rooms and spectacular views of the sea and the lush tropical hills. It is hard to think of anywhere better placed for relaxation than the famous Chi Spa, on its own tiny islet at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa, ideally located in the city.
6. That it has its highest mountain in Southeast Asia, the majestic Mt. Kinabalu, and no climbing experience is required to conquer the peak of Borneo.
7. That there are five idyllic islands, making up the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, one of Kota Kinabalu’s greatest treasures. The marine park was created in the '70s to preserve the flora and fauna of the islands and their surrounding waters. Here you can swim, snorkel, jet-ski, scuba dive, parasail or sea walk (a great way to experience the amazing marine life without getting your hair wet).
8. That the busy sparkling white marina, where local and visiting boats find safe harbor is also a departure point for the fifteen-minute boat trips to the islands. What’s amazing is that you will see fishes swimming on the clear water of the marina.
9. That it is the best place in Malaysia for good seafood and local favorites like the Nasi Lemak (which I have learned to love) or the usual chicken and beef satay.
10. That KK is less than two hours air travel from Clark, Pampanga.
Having discovered that KK is okay, I will be going back soon, this time, to climb the awesome peak of Mt. Kinabalu, admire the rafflesia or maybe dive into some of the world’s best underwater wonderlands.
Fly to KK via Air Asia from Clark daily. Check out Air Asia’s most reasonable rates at www.airasia.com.
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