Holiday Ayo - Contrary to popular belief, you don’t actually have to climb Mount Kinabalu to enjoy Kinabalu Park.

Of course, making it to the peak of the 4,095-meter mountain is what the park is most famous for, and it’s definitely an incredible experience — especially if you can summit for sunrise — but there are still plenty of trails to trek through other than the main mountain.

As cited from Coconuts, jungle trekking options include the longer Ligawu Trail (5,620 meters), and the bite-sized Bukit Tupai Trail (a mere 345 meters). There’s also a Botanical Garden full of diverse flora, and Nabalu Market, which sells things like local produce and handicrafts.

Kundasang Town, near the park’s headquarters, has a historical War Memorial Park that commemorates the Sandakan Death Marches, which were responsible for the deaths of thousands of Allied prisoners of war during World War II. You can also visit the 199-hectare Desa Cattle Farm if you’re after some fresh dairy — or just feel like hanging with some cute calves.

If you want to stay near the base of the mountain, Sutera Sanctuary runs all the properties within the national park, so rates tend to run steeper, but you can stay outside of the park in Kundasang without breaking the bank.

You can spend the night in the HQ area of Kinabalu Park at Sutera Sanctuary’s recently renovated Nepenthes Suite (MYR1,400/US$342 a night), whose wood furnishings, hill-side construction, and fireplace almost felt like a rustic Swiss lodge plopped incongruously in the middle of the jungle. It was a cool fusion of ski cabin vibes with a chic tropical aesthetic.

Just to warn you: while you’re still very much in the tropics, prepare yourself for much cooler temperatures than sea-level Kota Kinabalu (about 10 celsius this time of year), so pack a sweater — or something heavier if you plan to head all the way to the peak.

As with Poring, Sutera Sanctuary has a range of accommodation options, including a hill lodge for MYR1,140 a night (US$278), a peak lodge for MYR2,400 (US$586), a summit lodge for MYR4,800 (US$1,173), and, for those looking to really splurge, the Rajah Lodge, which sleeps six and goes for a cool MYR14,400 (US$3,517) a night.

For those serious about climbing, Sutera Sanctuary does a Kinabalu Park three-day, two-night climbing package with a dorm option for MYR1,599 (US$391 for foreigners; less for Malaysian nationals), a private room option that can accommodate two for MYR3,727 (US$910), and a six-person private room option for MYR11,181 (US$2,731).

With the package, climbers spend the first night at one of the lodges at the base and the second night at Laban Rata Resthouse — Panalaban, at an elevation of 3,350 meters. 

If you’re keen to bundle the climbing with a trip to the hot springs, Sutera also does a three-day, two-night package with the first night at their dorm in the hot springs and the second night at Laban Rata Resthouse for MYR1,440 (US$352), with the option to upgrade rooms for a fee.

Getting in

Flying into Kota Kinabalu is a breeze. The small city — the capital of Sabah — has an international airport a short 10-minute car ride away from the city center. It being Malaysia, Grab rides are easy to order and only cost about MYR10 (US$2.44).

Multiple direct flights run daily from KL to Kota Kinabalu’s BKI on AirAsia, Malindo, and Malaysian Airlines, so you can fly budget without needing to make too many connections from wherever you are in the region.