Sabah’s largest lifestyle hyper mall’s gift to culture vultures: 1Borneo Rainforest.

The last thing you’d expect when you’ve travelled so far to Sabah, one of Malaysia’s eastern states located on Borneo, is to experience the culture of the rainforest inside a shopping centre.

But that is exactly what’s possible at Kota Kinabalu’s newest shopping centre, 1Borneo.  1Borneo Rainforest is a culture and handicraft centre that was recently completed and is billed as a cultural voyage.

Spread over a generous 14,000 square feet inside the hyper mall, 1Borneo Rainforest aims to capture and exhibit culture from Sabah and South East Asia.

The exterior of 1Borneo Rainforest is easy to find amongst the glamourous shops that surrounds it as faux jungle pours onto the shopping centre walkway inviting curious onlookers for a peak.  The melody of the tulintangan entices you to enter the cave-like entrance to be welcomed by a Rungus warrior.

To enter 1Borneo Rainforest, cross a replica of one of Sabah’s icon landmarks; a hanging bridge.  Surrounded by jungle sounds and a river below, enter into Sabah culture in a few steps.

First beyond the bridge is the Heritage Galleria. This exhibition of traditional costumes, artifacts and musical instruments of various ethnic groups, also details the wedding setups of different ethnic groups, showcasing different groups on a rotational basis.

Beyond the Heritage Galleria a kampung awaits, alive with locals going about life in village.  Feeding chickens, sweeping the floor, playing gasing and dehusking paddy stalks.

Moving along the traditional performance arena awaits.  Here various tribal performances by indigenous people depict traditional rituals from thanksgiving to post-harvest celebrations and the warriors’ dance. Visitors are given a chance to be part of the action.

Having worked up a appetite during the culture dance action, sample some of Sabah’s local culinary delights.  Try hinava, often called Sabah Sushi as it’s raw (but pickled) fish.  Spicy beef rendang is a savoury local dish and company the taste sensation with lihing, the popular local sweet rice wine.  For those who want to take the secrets of Sabahan cuisine back home with them, a cooking demonstrations gives insight into how to prepare three local dishes.

The last stop on the way out is one of Sabah’s architectural icons, the Longhouse.  Witness skillful artisans demonstrate the fine crafts of Asia such as batik painting, basket weaving and jewelry making.

And at last an opportunity to collect some local gems is offered on the exit through the 1Borneo Forest curios shop, which is packed with trinkets and treasures.

1Borneo Forest is open from 10am till 10pm daily.  For special group pricing contact Cornelia Tahing on +60 88 484 955.

Blue Note at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa is back in August with another thrilling line-up of international DJs for the successful Generation Y!

Known for pumping club nights, hypnotic beats and a general crazy night out, Blue Note’s Generation Y is not KK’s biggest club night out for nothing.

Check out the line-up of international DJ expected at Blue Note in Kota Kinabalu this August.

If you’re looking to come to Sabah for a holiday, you’re likely aware that the only thing better than just a holiday in Sabah, is a diving holiday in Sabah.

With top rated dive sites like Sipadan and Layang Layang, it would be a great opportunity missed if your holiday in Sabah didn’t include at least a few dives.

If you’re planning to come to Sabah in October, then the good people at Dive The World have put together a package for you that will not only showcase the natural wonders of Sabah on land, but will also expose you to the wonders to be found below the ocean surface.

This is a holiday package with a twist though.  It’s well known that divers are sociable and fun loving. After all, they don’t have a buddy system for nothing.  The Dive The World Travel Club aims to link like-minded individuals, specifically those looking for an excellent Sabah holiday with diving as the highlight.

If you travel alone, or if you want a diving holiday, but struggle to rally your friends, then join the Dive The World Travel Club Sabah adventure and experience a holiday of a lifetime with a great group of people, guided by a Dive The World veteran of Sabah who will show you the best spots.

For all the details, prices and itinerary, hop on over to Dive The World’s website and see what they have install for you on this once-in-a-life-time diving holiday in Sabah.

If you’re wondering how to get to 1Borneo, well here’s a few options.

By Car or Taxi

Yes, all roads lead to 1 Borneo, but the quickest way when you find yourself in the city centre is to head along Jalan Pantai, direction Likas.

The moment you hit the fringes of the city and the start of Likas Bay, you’ll see the first 1Borneo signboard telling you that 1Borneo is only 7kms away.

Following this road will take you past landmarks such as the Sabah Trade Building, the Floating Mosque, the Tun Mustapha Building (large cylindrical building that houses Atmosphere Restaurant & Bar), University Malaysia Sabah.  Depending on traffic, you will reach the largest lifestyle hyper mall in East Malaysia, 1 Borneo, about 20 - 30 minutes later.

The easiest way to park will be the off-ramp just before the property. But while they’re working on this, it’s best to go all the way to the other end of the property and up the ramp to the 2nd and 3rd floor.

There you will find ample parking, which is easy to navigate and will put you at an entrance in the heart of the mall.

A taxi, and this is unverified, should cost in the region of RM 10 - RM 15 from the city centre.  With a maximum capacity of 4 people, this is a fast and inexpensive option.

Of course, driving yourself does have it’s drawbacks, even more so on the days that 1 Borneo will be crawling with people (read weekends and holidays).

1Borneo Shuttle Bus

To entice shoppers to 1Borneo, a free shuttlebus runs a set schedule on a fixed route between major points in Kota Kinabalu and 1Borneo.

Hotel guests of Promenade Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort and Shang-ri La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa will be delighted to learn that these 3 hotels are pick-up points for shuttles going to 1Borneo, ensuring that visitors to KK can easily reach this new development.

The 1 Borneo Shuttle Buses depart regularly from the designated points.  The schedule seems to be adapted every so often, so best be sure to double check any schedule that you plan to rely on.

The 1Borneo Bus Schedule to the right seems to be a fairly recent one (Sep 08), so should be accurate, for this month at least.

The 1 Borneo Shuttle Buses are air-conditioned and, for the time being, complimentary.

Very Alternative Transport

Helicopter

If driving by road in bus, car or taxi is just not your style, then 1 Borneo as an option for you.

A helipad, located on the near end of the 1 Borneo property as you approach from Kota Kinabalu, accommodates the 1 Borneo helicopter for the decerning shopper or busy hotel guest wanting to avoid traffic alltogether.

Although helipads in Kota Kinabalu are few in numbers, you will be able to transfer conveniently from either the Kota Kinabalu International Airport or Sutera Harbour Resort, straight to 1 Borneo is one easy flight from helipads located there.

Hovercraft

Another first for East Malaysia and certainly something very unique in the world, is 1Borneo’s ambition to provide hovercraft transfer from the city centre and the airport.

A 30-odd seater hovercraft is on order, reportedly sourced from Australia, and will shortly be plying the route between the KKIA, KK city centre and 1 Borneo.

In the meantime, the river behind the complex is being widened to accommodate this mode of transport.  No word on the cost of this particular transfer has been picked up as yet.

So whether you choose road, air, water or a combition of any, you have plenty of choices of how to get to 1 Borneo.

Air Supply is to visit KK in their From the Heart World Tour 2008.

To be fair, Kota Kinabalu and Sabah doesn’t see its fair share of international artist. But the landscape is changing and with KK’s permanent population and temporary tourist population growing year on year, that might all be changing.

The first flicker in the forest will happen on 23 June when Air Supply stages a concert as part of their 2008 World Tour at The Magellan Sutera Grand Ballroom at Sutera Harbour Resort.

Air Supply, as some of us may remember and the rest of probably have read, is the core of Gramah Russel and Russel Hitchcock. They’ve been together ever since 1975 when Air Supply was formed after they met in the Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Ever since they’ve been together in some or form and have produced hits and karaoke legends such
All out of Love, Making love out of nothing at all and Lost in Love. These three often-sung karaoke hits are also prime examples of exactly why a world tour of a band most popular during the 70’s and early 80’s can still be successful in Asia in 2008.

Presented by concert organisers HTC, Air Supply will be performing to the people of KK when they appear at The Magellan Sutera later this month. The Magellan Grand Ballroom at Sutera Harbour Resort is Kota Kinabalu and Sabah’s biggest indoor conference and hosting space and was thus the logical choice as venue for a concert of this magnitude.

Tickets for the Air Supply concert are available through Star Planet and Ticket Pro, or through a selected few outlets in Kota Kinabalu. Phone Sutera Harbour Resort on +60 88 318 888 for more information about where to obtain tickets for the show.

There are three categories of tickets for the Air Supply concert in KK, namely Platinum, Gold & Silver. The costs of each is advertised as RM260, RM180 and RM120 respectively.

Quality acts like Air Supply breezes through Kota Kinabalu and Sabah only once in a while, so take this opportunity and book your ticket for the Kota Kinabalu leg of Air Supply From the Heart World Tour 2008.