It is so difficult to decide for people; where they should spend their time experiencing magical vacations. Honestly, traveling is so subjective. Just look in the internet and you will find wide arrays of traveling tips which could give you many magical vacation experiences. There are the heavily visited ones or uncharted sites.
Sabah (used to be called North Borneo) is no exception. Sabah is considered among the top travel destination in Southeast Asia. Many travel spots are well covered; many more are yet to be revealed. Some travelers wished to experience beauty; some excitement, yet others, knowledge. As for magical vacation spots in the west coast of Sabah, I will try my very best to balance beauty, excitement and knowledge. Some are already known to you but others might be new.
Isle of fluffy sand connecting to an island at Pantai Kelambu
PANTAI KELAMBU literally means Mosquito-net Beach. It is located very close to Kudat, about 179 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu (used to be called Jesselton), the capital of Sabah. The interesting thing about Pantai Kelambu is the sandy isle connecting this coast to a nearby island. In between the isle is crystal clear water. Only the rubbish and plastic pollution spoilt the beauty of this beach; otherwise it is a perfect magical vacation spot. Nearby is Bavang Jamal Beach, where if you are lucky, you could witness turtle hatchlings released to the sea during sunset. Still nearby is the Tip of Borneo, the farthest northern part of the island of Borneo.
Murug-Turug Waterfall
MURUG-PURUG WATERFALL is another magical vacation spot. However, I have to warn you it is a tricky place to travel. The nearest place you could park your vehicle is about 30 minutes walk to the waterfall. You will pass through durian orchards and rubber plantation, going a steep downhill before you could reach this paradise. Kampong Minangkob, Tamparuli where Murug-Turug is located is about 46 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu; on the way to Mount Kinabalu. You will huff and puff before you reach this place. Soon you could see the awesome waterfall sight from a distance and I am sure you will know you made the right decision to come here. Another attraction to color your magical vacation is the sight of the butterflies congregating among the wet rocks.
Wetland surrounding Borneo Eco-House
BORNEO ECO-HOUSE is another magical vacation spot you should try. Beauty and excitement might be absent from your vocabulary if you come here but you will gain incredible knowledge not only about the ecology of Borneo, but also about the world. This haphazard place will make you understand the importance of ecology to the world. Borneo Eco-House is about 28 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu.
Paragliding at Kokol Hill
KOKOL HILL is a forgotten hill. This highland lies on the spine of the Crocker Range and it is covered with lust vegetation. I call it a forgotten hill because not many people seem to be aware of it despite the fact that it is just 27 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu! It takes only 45 minutes to reach the summit here from the city. There are numerous hotels and motels (they call it homestays) dotting the summit and many of them are a good place to watch the setting sun. It is also a paragliding base. If you decide to participate in a tandem glide, you could experience flying adventure while admiring the beauty of the Kota Kinabalu’s plain. This is indeed a moment of magical vacation!
