Kota Kinabalu: Blue Sea, White River and Green Rainforest

We just came back from a trip to Kota Kinabalu (KK). The trip meant to be outdoor exploratory, adventurous, and risky, absolutely not like any other holiday trip that we made to before. The trip recruited young explorers as low as 5 years old. It was first time for our urbanised children to get so close to and cherishing the nature, so we were prepared to be a lot more patience, to coax and distract the worry little minds while enjoying ourselves tremendously.

This was also a trip that I did very little in terms of planning. CS, my friend did all the necessary bookings and planning prior to the trip. In essence, the trip consisted of snorkeling, water rafting and jungle trekking.

Day 1: Snorkeling, Sapi Island

According to YS, another friend joined us this trip, island hopping may be tiring and meaningless considering young children of ours. Leisurely spent half a day for snorkelling at the shore of Sapi Island was enough for them to have the optimum fun of the sea and the beach.

There was no boat booking prior to this actual day. This was 3rd visit of CS to KK, so she was very sure that she could get a good bargain on the spot, in Jesselton Jetty. She asked from counter to counter, one man to another in the Jetty (while we mingled around the Jetty) very quickly. In the end, the deal we got for the boat fare to one island only was RM390 (for 5 Adult and 8 children), including 5 sets of snorkelling and life jackets for all. The price varies depending how many adults and children.

The speedboat from Jesselton Jetty took about 20 to 30 minutes to reach Sapi Island.

It was a very good day as well, our skin were gently burned after three hours (or so) exposed under the sun. (Haa! not too bad)

Bomber was crying throughout the boat ride, because we rejected her request to buy a sunny hat at the Jetty. I so very glad that she willing to follow majority after a persistent protest.

We showered, snacked and chit-chatted before taking the return trip to Jesselton Jetty. It was roughly 5pm then.


Day 2: Water Rafting, Kiulu River

SC and I had Padas River water rafting some good 13 years ago. I remembered it was grade VI due a rain a day before our raft. It was my first, I loved the adrenaline-pumping fun! Unknowingly, Sabah has a lower grade of white water rafting that is very suitable for young children. Again, thanks to CS, we all learnt that children as young as 4 yo were welcome to join this activity and that, Kiulu River was not far from KK Town. She gotten a good contact to engage Borneo Calling for this.

The rate was reasonable: RM110 for adult and RM90 for kid, included lunch. As we rented car and van drove from KK town to Tamparuli to meet the representative from Borneo Calling who led us all the way to Kiulu River, the price was excluded transportation arrangement.

The whole rafting journey took one hour plus, included two stops for anyone to do some swim or deep dive fun. I think the city kids never dive into river water prior to this.

One thing for sure, our Raft Master was very skilful and strong to move the entire raft into an eddy or a current to create the impactful drop/swing, at the same time mindful of the young children's safety.


Day 3: Jungle Trekking, Kinabalu National Park

For this, we only need to pay for entering Kinabalu National Park.

SC and I did jungle trekking in this national park, attempting in conquering the peak of Mt Kinabalu, he succeed, i did not due to health issue. But the trail to Laban Rata was one unforgettable experience for me.

Though some of us conquered Mt Kinabalu, this was our first attempt in completing any other trail in this National Park. Actually, this was also our city born and raised children first step into a thick green oozy muddy rainforest. Friends' children had done some jungle trekking in KL, but not as forested as this. So you can imagine how excited we were to trudge Kiau View Trail

If I remember corrected, my first jungle trekking was in my 17 year-old. It was an embarrassing experience, I kept asking "where is the end of the trek?" I think I was very regretted for signing up such exploratory. I was a city girl as well.

But, I realised in the end of the trekking that, I had a great sense of achievement. I can be out there in the wild bravely, apparently.

And the green was so beautiful and therapeutic. I love the low temperature and the tranquility.

Fast forward to this jungle trekking, I could totally understand when my 11 yo daughter's anxiety and my 6 yo's tiredness. Half way through the trail, when one of the children asked what worm was on her shoe, we told them it was leech. "What is leech", they asked and we explained it was a creature that trying to go through the shoe, to get to the skin and into sucking blood.  Their faces turned white. Big girl speed up her trudge.

She was afraid of any leeches bite and suck blood from her. She asked repeatedly, "can we go back?" Even though we told her this was a loop, we had to keep on going forward and finishing the trail.

My words did not help her much. But the rest of the high-spirited troopers did empower her to keep on moving. Or maybe the serene environment tranquillised her.

Little Bomber on the other hand, stumbled here and there, got dirty and hungry. I correlated our immersion in the wild nature with her doing lots on environmental protection with Tzu Chi. And that the real mother nature brought in the tranquility which soothed our souls and minds.

She did not show any sign of hesitation to move on. At some point, she rejected any of our help to climb a steep step or to cross the muddy ground.

We did our part too to protect the environment. We didn't leave any trash in the jungle.

In the end, I think we reached the "Kiau View" look-out point. When Bomber learnt that we were ending the trail soon, I heard her whispered 感恩 (with gratitude).

Upon completed Kiau View Trail, we had a group photo. See how happy we were (see how tired was little Bomber). Then we moved on to Silau Silau Trail, as it was shorter way to go back to Reception Office compare to walking on the tar road.

It was here that, we discovered stream. Kids had some cold water fun. No leeches here, apparently.

Little Bomber and daddy washed their feet instead. They were wearing open toe strap shoes, I trashed Bomber's socks thereafter.

Somehow, Silau-Silau was not the last trail. We had to take Bukit Burung Trail to get closer to the Reception Office. "Huh???" Some kids stomped their way forward.

Little tips for bringing young children to jungle trekking in the national park:
1. Best time to start: 7am or 8am
2. It was almost 4 hours of jungle trekking for a group of 5 adults and 8 children.
3. Get a trail map from reception office before you embarking any of the trail.
4. Trek light- Only bring snack food and water, minimum extra clothing and plastic bag for trash.
5. I'm not sure about the mozzie part. We are kind of immune.
6. Keep calm in dealing with leeches. You don't want to terrify the kids.

Why SC wore open-toe shoes and many of them shorts while jungle trekking? It was believed that exposing our body part, especially leg where most easily get contact with leeches is to keep visibility, and able to react fast- flicked it to release the mouth sucker, flicked it again to release the tail sucker, then bleed for awhile. Bleeding will stop eventually. SC jokingly told the kids that it was just like donating blood.

In actual fact, leeches are able to get through the shoes and socks, unless boots (i think). You would not feel the bite at all so you would not know if there is any leech get through the shoe and sock, and hidden beneath and kept sucking blood.


Trail Map:

Source: Kinabalu Blog

Here for more information about various trails in Kinabalu National Park.

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This is unusual long post from me, and I hope this would give you a glimpse of what to expect for a kids-friendly-yet-action-packed holiday in Borneo. It was a 4N4D trip, where arrival in KK was late evening and departure from KK was mid-noon of the 4th day. The above activities were really meant we had them each respectively.

Last but not least,
1. Get local data plan and trust google map to bring you around.
2. Get Uber, it is cheaper than getting taxi in KK Town.
3. The latest mallthat has cinema  in KK town to catch a show or two was Suria Sabah.
4. For us to get closer to Kinabalu National Park, we overnighted in Kundasang Guest House. We drove up to Kundasang after water rafting in Kiulu River.
5. Goreng pisang (deep fried banana) is a must try food, beside the huge range of seafood.

Linking up with #Mondayescapes