Day 1 Sabah Road Trip Kota Kinabalu Kundasang Kota Belud
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 03-04-2021
Route Summary Seen as one of the most beautiful provinces in Malaysia, Sabah is known for its scenic landscape with spectacular mountains, beautiful beaches, surreal sunsets, rich culture, friendliest people, winding roads, tall waterfalls, national parks and much more!
The roads in Malaysia are generally in good condition, but beware; there are also parts where the asphalt is poor and there can be potholes in the road surface. This can be dangerous, so caution is advised. During the rainy season (September-December) the roads can be slippery. Traffic in Malaysia drives on the left side of the road.
You can rent a motorcycle in Malaysia, but these are usually lighter models and often scooters. You can spend the night in hotels, B & Bs or campsites, which can easily be booked via the website in the review or via booking.com.
I rate this route with 5 ***** stars because of the beautiful roads, the beautiful nature, sights and activities that you can undertake.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
9h 42m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
200.48 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review We leave Kota Kinabalu and our final destination is Kota Belud, along the way there are several sights that we can visit;
RP6 Tuaran Crocodile Farm
RP9 Sabandar Cowboy Town and Sabandar Mangrove Park
RP14 Pagoda Ling San (Tuaran)
RP17 Upside Down House (Tamparuli)
RP19 Kiulu River White Water Rafting (Tamparuli)
RP20 The Activity Center and Borneo Zip Line (Kiulu Valley)
RP24 Desa Cattle Farm (kundasang)
RP25 Kinabalu War Memorial (kundasang)
The first stop is planned at the Tuaran Crocodile Farm (RP6). Opened in 2004, this crocodile farm is a sanctuary for approximately 5,000 crocodiles. Crocodile species include the Buaya Tembaga (Crocodylus Porosus) which can live in both fresh and salt water, the Nile crocodile, the Aqua crocodile (bisexual crocodile) and the Gharial crocodile.
The 11-acre farm is also home to a variety of other animals, such as two Borneo Anacondas, Binturong bear cats, ostriches, deer, and ponds with catfish and koi fish.
The second stop is scheduled at Sabandar Cowboy Town (RP9), located in the small town of Tuaran. This Western town is a dream for fans of the Wild West. One of the main attraction is the horseback riding, performed by Sabandar Leisure Rides. You can ride a horse in the locked horse box or on the nearby beach. Nature lovers can walk on landscaped trails through the 6-acre Mangrove Park. Food and drinks are available in the Bamboo Restaurant or in the Cowboy Bar and Grill Lodge. Other attractions include ATV riding, handicrafts and batik printing or a Firefly Cruise in the evening and of course relaxing on the nearby beach.
The third shorter stop is at the Upside Down House in Tamparuli (RP17). Rumah Terbalik is the first upside-down house in Malaysia. It is a traditional Sabah kampung house, fully equipped with kitchen, living room, bedrooms, toilet, veranda and garden, view in a new perspective; upside down! Even the parked car is hanging upside down.
As part of the Tuaran Craft Villages you can also do gift shop shopping.
Next stop is at Kiulu River White Water Rafting in Tamparuli (RP19), here you can go rafting on the 15 kilometer long Kiulu River! The rafting activity lasts approximately 1h30, depending on the rapids and the condition of the river. Don't miss the amazing sights of the tropical rainforest as you cruise through The Wall Rapid and Holy Smoke Rapid. You can even do Body Rafting if you fancy a different challenge!
In Kiulu Valley you can choose to visit “The Activity Center” and “Borneo Zip Line” (RP20). Zoom down the Kiulu River and back again on Borneo's largest Zip Line! Start by climbing our hair-raising 18-meter tower before diving into the jungle. You will then take a second flight and make your way back to the adventure center after 320 meters of cable car! Here you can also plan an overnight stay and split the route.
We continue to Kundasang about 100 km north of Kota Kinabalu, on the picturesque foothills of Mount Kinabalu. Here we visit the Desa Cattle Farm (RP24), in Malay “Ladang Tenusu Desa Cattle”, where pure bread Holstein Friesian cows from Australia and New Zealand (mostly black and white in color) are kept. These cows produce the freshest quality milk.
Visitors are welcome to see how cows are milked and how the milk is processed and packaged. Visitors can purchase the Desa Fresh Milk and a range of souvenirs at the shop.
On the way back there is the possibility to visit the Kundasang War Memorial, in Malay: Tugu Peringatan Perang Kundasang (RP25). This is a memorial dedicated to the British and Australian soldiers who died in Sandakan POW camp during their death marches to Ranau. In addition, it also commemorates the suffering and sacrifice of the indigenous people of Sabah.
After this last stop we drive the scenic road back to the final destination Polumpung Melangkap View Camp Site in Kota Belud on the Panataran river with a beautiful view of Mount Kinabalu. The facilities include a cafe, grocery store, prayer room, toilets, changing rooms and showers. You can also participate in activities such as; swimming, river tubing, BBQ, games, scavenger hunt, etc., but you can also choose to relax by a campfire for the next day. You can book an overnight stay via the website in this review.
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Sabah
About this region
Sabah (Malay pronunciation: [saˈbah]) is a state of Malaysia located on the northern portion of Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's Kalimantan region to the south. The Federal Territory of Labuan is an island just off the Sabah coast. Sabah shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the west and the Philippines to the north and east. Kota Kinabalu is the state capital city, the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sabah state government. Other major towns in Sabah include Sandakan and Tawau. The 2015 census recorded a population of 3,543,500 in the state, and in 2019 it was estimated to have grown to over 3.9 million. Sabah has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. The state has long mountain ranges on the west side which forms part of the Crocker Range National Park. Kinabatangan River, the second longest river in Malaysia runs through Sabah, and Mount Kinabalu is the highest point of Sabah as well as of Malaysia.
The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along the Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries, while the eastern part of the territory was given to the Sultanate of Sulu because the Sultanate had helped the Bruneian empire in a battle and as such it was given to them as a gift between the 17th and 18th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British-based North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II, Sabah was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became a British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, Sabah was granted Independent and self-government by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside Sarawak, Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with the Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day.Sabah exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture and language. The head of state is the Governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, while the head of government is the Chief Minister. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and has one of the earliest state legislature systems in Malaysia. Sabah is divided into five administrative divisions and 27 districts. Malay is the official language of the state; and Islam is the state religion, but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the state. Sabah is known for its traditional musical instrument, the sompoton. Sabah has abundant natural resources, and its economy is strongly export-oriented. Its primary exports include oil, gas, timber and palm oil. The other major industries are agriculture and ecotourism.
Read more on Wikipedia
The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along the Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries, while the eastern part of the territory was given to the Sultanate of Sulu because the Sultanate had helped the Bruneian empire in a battle and as such it was given to them as a gift between the 17th and 18th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British-based North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II, Sabah was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became a British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, Sabah was granted Independent and self-government by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside Sarawak, Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with the Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day.Sabah exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture and language. The head of state is the Governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, while the head of government is the Chief Minister. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and has one of the earliest state legislature systems in Malaysia. Sabah is divided into five administrative divisions and 27 districts. Malay is the official language of the state; and Islam is the state religion, but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the state. Sabah is known for its traditional musical instrument, the sompoton. Sabah has abundant natural resources, and its economy is strongly export-oriented. Its primary exports include oil, gas, timber and palm oil. The other major industries are agriculture and ecotourism.
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Statistics 
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6396Amount of visitors (Sabah)
302Amount of downloads (Sabah)
Route Collections in this region The best Sabah Road Trip Borneo Malaysia
Based on the routes of “Rider Chris” from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, this 11-day Motorcycle Tour in Sabah Borneo is a passionate motorcyclist and loves to share his travel adventures with the community through his website and social media. The link to his website can be found in the first route.
This route collection was created with his permission.
Seen as one of the most beautiful provinces in Malaysia, Sabah is known for its scenic landscape with spectacular mountains, beautiful beaches, surreal sunsets, rich culture, friendliest people, winding roads, tall waterfalls, national parks and much more!
The roads in Malaysia are generally in good condition, but beware; there are also parts where the asphalt is poor and there can be potholes in the road surface. This can be dangerous, so caution is advised. During the rainy season (September-December) the roads can be slippery. Traffic in Malaysia drives on the left side of the road.
You can rent a motorcycle in Malaysia, but these are usually lighter models and often scooters. You can spend the night in hotels, B & Bs or campsites, which can easily be booked via the website in the review or via booking.com.
This route collection was created with his permission.
Seen as one of the most beautiful provinces in Malaysia, Sabah is known for its scenic landscape with spectacular mountains, beautiful beaches, surreal sunsets, rich culture, friendliest people, winding roads, tall waterfalls, national parks and much more!
The roads in Malaysia are generally in good condition, but beware; there are also parts where the asphalt is poor and there can be potholes in the road surface. This can be dangerous, so caution is advised. During the rainy season (September-December) the roads can be slippery. Traffic in Malaysia drives on the left side of the road.
You can rent a motorcycle in Malaysia, but these are usually lighter models and often scooters. You can spend the night in hotels, B & Bs or campsites, which can easily be booked via the website in the review or via booking.com.
View Route Collection