Yet the park, which stretches over 49km2, has much to offer tourists and locals alike. And not just facilities and services either, but animal life as well.

From the highest forest canopies towering above Gaya island as high as 300m, down to the deepest crevasses on the coral coral reefs, the park teems with life, some documented, some undiscovered, but all of it wild.

Tunku Abdul Rahman – A Little Wildlife Park

Gaya, the largest island in the park, is host to a remarkable amount of wild life. The island, which is undeveloped for the most part, covers and area of about 15km2 and is still capable of providing its animal inhabitants with sufficient shelter and hiding place.

Jungle paths, ideal for a day of jungle trekking, criss-crosses the entire island and can easily occupy the intrepid explored for 3 – 6 hours. Animal sightings occur often with potential to see wild boar, long tailed macaques, monitor lizards and snakes of various sizes.

Whilst the other islands might not have the exciting variety of the ground based animal life found on Gaya, canopies across the park are alive with the chatter of numerous bird species. It is sure to satisfy even the most discerning ornithologist.

Diving The Park

Once you venture below the surface a whole new world opens up to you. Whenever Sabah and diving are mentioned in the same sentence, Sipadan is usually in there too. The TAR Park, however, is literally a treasure hidden in plain sight.

If you dive for the pleasure of experiencing everything the underwater world has to offer, then the TAR park will not disappoint. However, ensure you choose an operator passionate about diving and about the park, then the potential of the park will be apparent.

With wildlife and sea creatures to discover within cheap and easy reach of everybody in Kota Kinabalu, the TAR park truly is must-visit during your stay here.

Through an exchange programme with Melaka Zoo, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park introduced five new animals to the park last month. The animals arrived late in January and promises to make a new trip to the park well worthwhile.

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park’s new residents include 2 zebras, four ankole cattle, four nilgai, two ring-tailed lemurs and two capuchin monkies.

Although the zebras and ankole cattle are African in origin, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park’s particular residents are Malaysian citizens, as they were born in Melaka Zoo. In their first travel adventure, they visit the shores of Borneo, to add to Lok Kawi Wildlife Park’s other residents of African origin, most notably the ostriches.

Ankole Cattle

Ankole Cattle have large, distinctive, almost over-sized horns. The cattle have for centuries been an intricate part of African culture and were used as a source of food, currency for trading and status. The king of each tribe would often own the cattle with the longest horns, and these were considered sacred.

Able to thrive in the excruciating heat of Africa, the cattle have adapted to survive. Part of their ability to withstand great temperature in arid environments, lies in the big horns, which are honey-combed with blood vessels. The blood flows into the horns where it’s cooled by moving air, before flowing back into the animal’s body thus reducing body temperature. The horns can grow up to 12 feet, measured from tip to tip.

Nilgai

The Nilgai at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is from the family of Asia’s largest antelope and is commonly seen in the wild in northern India and eastern Pakistan. The animal is also referred to as the Blue Bull, as the adult male’s coat often has a blueish appearance.

The female and young Nilgai, however, have short, yellow-brown coats. The males will gradually darken as they reach maturity and can also be distinguished by white spots on their cheeks and white colouring on their lips. See if you can spot the differences between the males and females on your visit to Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

Ring-tailed Lemurs

If the animated movie Madagascar was an educational tool, it would have served it’s purpose by introducing previously lesser known animals to the public at large. As such, you might recognise Lok Kawi Wildlife Park’s Ring-tailed Lemurs as those fuzzy, upright-walking, monkey-like creatures, which partied the night away on Madagascar. Like all other lemurs, the Ring-tailed Lemur is found only on Madagascar.

Readily identified by the long bushy tail, interesting facts about the Ring-tailed Lemur are that the tail contains 26 black-and-white rings, and that the tail always starts with a white ring and ends with a black ring. Although listed as a vulnerable species, the Ring-tailed Lemur is the most populous Lemur in captivity, partly due to the fact that they easily reproduce in captive conditions.

Capuchin Monkey

You may recognise this new resident of Lok Kawi Wildlife Park from several Hollywood movies. The Capuchin Monkey is a South American native with a white upper torso and head, with distinctive black arms and a black cap on the head. Considered one of the most intelligent monkeys, they are highly trainable and hence their frequent silver-screen appearances.

As daytime animals who, unlike most other monkeys, sleep during the night, they are sure to be a star attraction at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park. They are arboreal animals, which means they spend most of their time in trees. During the day they forage for food, which, in the wild, would include nuts, fruits, berries and leaves, but also insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates. Capuchin monkeys living near water can also feed on crabs, often cracking shells with rocks.

Zebra

Needing no introduction, zebras are the black-and-white striped animals we all know from school as representing the letter Z. Interesting to note is that the stripes of a zebra is as unique as a human fingerprint and that no two zebras have exactly the same stripes. Compare the two visiting Lok Kawi Wildlife Park and see for yourself. Another interesting fact is that in the UK, zebra is pronounced ZEB-ra, and in North America, it’s pronounced ZEE-bra.

With the interesting new additions to Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, complementing the park’s established residents, a visit to the park makes for a good day out. A mere 25km from the city centre, the trip takes less than 25 minutes and is easily accessible by road.

Entrance fees are RM20 for adults and RM10 child for overseas visitors, and RM10 and RM5 respectively for local visitors. The park is open daily from 9:30am and the last entry is allowed at 4:30pm, before the park closes at 5:30pm.

Said to have cost over RM30 million to develop, the park is located on the old road from Penampang to Papar in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The wildlife park’s main aim is to educate the public about the endangered animals of Borneo, by giving those who might otherwise never see them, an opportunity to get a glimpse of Borneo’s wildlife up close.

Showcasing endangered animals such as Borneo Pigmy Elephants and Sumatran Rhinos, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park hopes to bring the exotic animals of Borneo to those who are either on a short stay in Sabah, or who perhaps have had no luck finding these animals in the wild.

The Lok Kawi Wildlife Park features a primate zone where Borneo’s popular animals can be found. The orang utang pen features several of Borneo’s best known icon at play, whilst their neighbours, Proboscis Monkeys, are to be seen next door. The Proboscis Monkeys with their trademark bulbous noses consists of a large male with a harem of 4 or 5 smaller females. Their holding area is glass enclosed and therefore provides an excellent vantage point from where to observe these unique creatures.

Right next to the Proboscis Monkey enclosure is a series of smaller enclosures that is home to a variety of hard-to-spot nocturnal and other forest creatures.

Although the enclosures are relatively small, it remains difficult to spot their residents, leaving you to realize how hard it must be to catch a glimpse of these elusive little critters in the wild.

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park’s other interesting exhibits include the elephant pen, were several elephants can be seen going about the business of being an elephant.

There are also sun bears and tigers, and these fascinating animals can be observed from the safety of a raised area.

A very impressive aviary, at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, is home to a variety of Borneo and foreign birds as well as some small animals. The aviary is a large, untouched area of jungle, enclosed inside a giant netted dome. A small river runs through the middle, recreating a very real piece of Borneo jungle. Although the birds can fly freely, the aviary ensures that they are never far away. When you remain in one place long enough and things quiet down a bit, the residents of the aviary start to appear from the shrubs and branches, making the aviary come alive.

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park also has an interesting overseas visitors, who you’d hardly associate with Borneo wildlife. From the southern hemisphere ostriches as well as emus have their individual pens.

A botanical garden, run by the Sabah Forestry Department, occupies the one end of the wildlife park and provides and opportunity to get to know the plant life of Borneo. A 1.4km walkway stretches up into the low-lying hills and winds along the contours before circling back to the entrance gate.

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is located less than 30 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu and is a worthwhile destination for both young and old, locals and foreign visitors alike.

A mere RM10 for locals and RM20 for foreigners, and half price for children respectively, will get you in the gate at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

In order to prepare your wallet for the climb in addition to your legs, below is a recent list of fees that you can expect to pay when you attempt to climb Mt Kinabalu.

As you probably know, there are two summit trails via which you can climb Mt Kinabalu, and the fees are reflected accordingly below. The fees are charged by Sabah Parks and the information is from them. Changes can take place without reflecting on this website, so please use it as a guide only.

1. Park Entrance Fees (Compulsory)

Malaysians RM3 pp
Internationals RM15 pp

2. Mountain Guide Fees (Compulsory)

Timpohon Gate – Peak – Timpohon Gate
1-3 Climbers – RM70 per trip
4-6 Climbers – RM74 per trip
7-8 Climbers – RM80 per trip

Timpohon – Peak – Mesilau Trail
* Starting and ending at different point
1-3 Climbers – RM80 per trip
4-6 Climbers – RM86 per trip
7-8 Climbers – RM92 per trip

Mesilau Trail – Peak – Mesilau Trail
1-3 Climbers – RM84 per trip
4-6 Climbers – RM90 per trip
7-8 Climbers – RM100 per trip

3. Climbing Permit (Compulsory)

Malaysians RM30 pp
Internationals RM100 pp

4. Insurance (Compulsory)

RM7 per person

5. Certificate (Optional)

RM10 per person

6. Optional Porter Fees (Optional)

The fees below are if you insist on taking up something heavy that you either don’t want or can’t carry by yourself. Your guide, or if it’s heavy stuff an additional porter, will do all the lugging for you; at a price, of course.

Mesilau Trail / Timpohon Gate
To Laban Rata – RM76 per trip (up to 10 Kg)
To Sayat-Sayat – RM88 per trip (up to 10 Kg)
To the summit – R100 per trip (up to 10 Kg)

Timpohon Gate / Timpohon
To Laban Rata – RM66 per trip (up to 10 Kg)
To Sayat-Sayat – RM80 per trip (up to 10 Kg)
To the summit – R88 per trip (up to 10 Kg)

Mesilau Trail / Mesilau
To Laban Rata – RM88 per trip (up to 10 Kg)
To Sayat-Sayat – RM100 per trip (up to 10 Kg)
To the summit – R110 per trip (up to 10 Kg)

Bus Transfer to Timpohon Gate (Optional – but it’s a bit of a walk)

Less than 5 persons – RM15 per way
5 persons & above – RM4 per person per way

Also refer to Climb Mt Kinabalu for more information about the climb itself.

But climbing Mt. Kinabalu is not an impossible achievement. Mt. Kinabalu is one of Sabah’s main attractions, together with the World Heritage Site that is Kinabalu Park. Every year, thousands of climbers will climb Mt. Kinabalu, which touches the heavens at 4,095m. Most of those who attempt to climb Mt. Kinabalu succeed. All that is needed is a little preparation and a lot of determination, and you too can climb Mt. Kinabalu.

The starting point to the summit trail of Mt. Kinabalu is Kinabalu Park Headquarters, located some 1,500m above sea level. Kinabalu Park is roughly 2 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu and is on an easy, if steep, winding path that will bring you to the start of your summit attempt. Many people ask if they should arrange things in advance, and the answer is “yes, you should”.

If you arrange nothing else, you should at least have accommodation at Laban Rata, a collective name for the resting area at about 3300m, where climbers usually arrive early evening and wait until early the next morning to take on the final few kilometers to the summit. If you time it right, leaving at about 2am, depending on your pace, you will be at the top, at Low’s Peak, just in time for sunrise; one of he most unique places on earth from where to see the day break.

Laban Rata, consists of dorm-type accommodation and cluster units and is managed by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, which is part of Sutera Harbour Resort. Getting accommodation at Laban Rata can be a bit tricky as you can only book 6 months in advance, and usually even that far in advance, bed-nights tends to be quickly snapped up by tour operators who package the accommodation together with tours and other transfers.

Therefore, if you have no luck finding availability for your climb of Mt. Kinabalu through Sutera Sanctuary Lodges directly, then going to one of the many tour operators in Kota Kinabalu will likely yield results. Don’t be afraid to barter.

On the other hand, it is often quite possible to pick up last minute cancellations on the day or the day before a climb, however there is no way knowing whether or not something will be available, so this approach is not recommended.

Once you have your accommodation sorted, the rest is relatively easy. On the day of your climb, at the park entrance, you need to check-in at the Sutera Sanctuary Lodges reception desk. Here you will pay for your accommodation, after which you will take the receipt to another window in the reception area where Sabah Parks will issue your climbing permit, insurance and assign you a guide. You are then almost ready to start.

After a short bus ride up a steep slope, you are dropped off at the Timpohon Gate, officially the starting point (and end point) of your climb of Mt. Kinabalu, located at 1,563m. After this, a mere 8.7km lie between you in the summit of Mt. Kinabalu. The rest, is up to you.

At Laban Rata there are various units that can accommodate you:

• Laban Rata Resthouse – dormitory-style in configurations of 4, 6 and 8;
• Laban Rata I – a private unit that can sleep 4, part of the main block;
• Laban Rata II – a private unit that can sleep 2, also part of the main block;
• Gunting Lagadan Hut – similar to Laban Rata, but a little higher up and unheated;
• Panar Laban Hut – Dormitory-style for up to 8 people in an unheated room;
• Waras Hut – The first accommodation you will pass, can sleep 8 unheated;

In total there are roughly 140 beds at Laban Rata, of which Laban Rata Rest House is most popular, because it’s a) where the food is, and b) it has both hot showers and heated rooms, making for a comfortable rest area for your precious rest stop before your final assault on the summit of Mt. Kinabalu.

In lieu of space at Laban Rata Resthouse, do ask for alternative accommodations, as if you’re traveling from far and have to climb the mountain on a certain day, then anything will do. All the accommodations are not too far from Laban Rata Rest House and will thus serve the purpose.

If you feel like you’ll need extra insulation, or if you’re not as prepared as you should be, you can obtain the following items from the Sutera Sanctuary Lodges Reception Desk at Laban Rata Rest House (prices are 2007, will update soon with 2008):

• Sleeping bag @ RM10 each;
• Blankets @ RM10 each;
• Towels @ RM10 each;
• Torchlight @ RM15 each (or RM10 if you have your own batteries);

You’ll find a list of suggested items below – think carefully about what else you would like to take up. For seriously bulky items that you don’t even want to climb with, there is a left-luggage facility at Kinabalu Park Headquarters. In order for you to take up only the barest of essentials to the summit, you can either leave your stuff in your room at Laban Rata, or you can leave it at the Reception Desk.

Here’s the list:

• Rain jacket (insulated is handy, although cheap poncos on top of warm clothing also suffice);
• Walking shoes – it doesn’t have to be hardcore trekking gear (no serious off-roading on the Mt. Kinabalu summit trail), just something that won’t slip easily on wet rock;
• Warm clothing, something you can peal in layers;
• Torchlight; something head mounted will make life easiest when you scamper;
• Plenty of batteries for torch and camera, and don’t forget a big memory card for the cam either;
• A balaclava / beanie; and
• Gloves – cheap PVC gloves or similar works best, as unlike wool, they wont shred on the rough ropes you will be holding on to.

All reasonable care have been taken to ensure the amounts references in this post is correct, but prices can change without notice (in fact, they have already, will update soon).