Day 10 Sabah Road Trip Sipitang Beaufort Kuala Penyu Keningau
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 11-04-2021
Route Summary This route 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.
I rate this route with 5 ***** Stars because of the beautiful roads, the beautiful nature, sights and activities that you can undertake, such as a River Cruise on the Klian River.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
11h 7m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
212.21 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review We leave Sipitang early because we have a long day ahead of us, including breaks to relax on the beautiful beaches of Kuala Penyu.
The first planned stop is in Beaufort, you can choose to stop just before the city at a large market (RP4) where there are several restaurants, cafes and shops for a drink or a meal. You can also choose to eat something in the center of the city, for this you have to take the third exit at the roundabout (RP6).
Just outside the city the river Klias starts in the Klias Wetlands, here River-Cruises are offered in several places, such as at RP8, where you go down the river with an open boat through the mangrove forest reserve, where you will see wildlife such as the proboscis monkey, macaques, the rare silver sloth, crocodiles and other wildlife. Booking a Klias river cruise will add another day to your itinerary as it is an all day cruise.
Another interesting stop is a visit to the Rumbia Information Center (RP10). No part of the sago palm, also called rumbia, is discarded. The locals used the leaf for food (starch), as a roofing material, and the branches (known locally as kumbar) for making the walls of their homes. Floor mats, baskets in different sizes and shapes are some examples of things made entirely from different parts of the plant. The information center holds exhibits on handicrafts made from the sago plant and a demonstration on how to make sago treats.
The next part of the journey takes you along the coast with beautiful beaches and resorts, for lovers of the white sand and lukewarm water there are a number of options included to stop and relax on the beach, such as Naga Puri Beach Retreat (RP12), Kipaun Beach (RP13) and Sawangan Beach (RP14). Of course you can always book an extra night.
From Kimanis we drive to the end of this day in Keningau. You drive on the steepest road in Malaysia, ranging from 10% to about 25% steep slopes along the Crocker Range National Park (RP20). This road meanders through the Crocker Range National Park (Malay: Taman Negara Banjaran Crocker) which was established in 1984, before that the area was protected as a forest reserve.
It covers the north-south Crocker Range, from 1200-1800 meter high mountains in Sabah, Malaysia. A resort that provides accommodation and meals is located near the park's headquarters. Other visitor facilities such as an exhibition center, insectarium, fernarium, viewing tower and trekking path can also be found.
The park covers 1,399 km², making it the largest park in Sabah. The park consists of both hill and mountain forests, with many species of flora and fauna of Borneo. Maintaining this forest cover is essential to ensure a clean water supply for many of Sabah's cities and communities.
The park contains at least five primate species, such as the orangutan, gibbons and the furry tarsier with its huge round eyes, and extremely social long-tailed macaques. The Padas River cuts the range between Beaufort and Tenom.
After this scenic drive through the park you will arrive in Keningau, where you can spend the night in one of the hotels.
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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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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.
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