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Wonders of Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu (KK) is the gateway to the rest of Sabah
and the state capital. In the vicinity of Kota Kinabalu, there are various places of
interest, including offshore islands, Tanjung Aru Beach, the State Museum, and the State
Mosque. The Gaya Street Fair every Sunday morning and the open night markets are places
where visitors can test their bargaining skills. Amongst KK's most impressive buildings is
the great tower of Sabah Foundation, a 72-sided polygon that rises 30 stories. Another
well known spot is Signal Hill. From here, you can get a panoramic view of the city below
and the waterfront. Tanjung Aru Beach is a pristine beach, which lies only minutes away
from KK and is popular with both locals and tourists. Tanjung Aru boasts of a vast expanse
of ivory toned stones and crystal clear waters that are carefully hidden amidst lush green
casuarinas and coconut palms. It is ideal for swimming, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving,
as well as yachting. For those of you who absolutely adore seafood, this is the place to
be!
Sepilok Orang Utan
Rehabilitation Centre
 This is an opportunity of a lifetime for visitors to come in close contact
with the remarkable "man of the forest" (which is what Orang Utan means in the
Malay language) and to witness an exciting conservation program in action.
The Sanctuary is set in 43 sq. km of beautiful virgin
rainforest 25 km from Sandakan. Its conservation program was started in 1964 to help and
teach Orang Utans who may have been abandoned by their mothers, injured, or formerly in
captivity fend for themselves in the wild.
The Orang Utan is well known for being man's closest
relative. These animals are astonishingly gentle and highly intelligent, gazing at
visitors with almost disconcerting frankness. Visitors are not allowed to touch the
animals inside the Sanctuary, fearing the spread of diseases. Do not despair though. It is
still possible to meet and photograph the mature female apes.
Orang Utans are so fond of human companionship that they
simply refuse to go back to the wild, which is located outside the Registration Center.
Visitors will be able to observe orphaned Orang Utan being taught how to climb. Proceeding
on to a platform, visitors will then be able to watch semi-wild Orang Utan come in from
the further reaches of the forest for their twice-daily ration of milk and bananas.
Besides Orang Utan, the Sanctuary also houses highly
endangered Sumatran rhinos and (occasionally) other animals such as elephants. In
addition, there is also an Information Nature Education Center and a mini-theater where a
documentary video on the work of the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary is shown. To ensure that
you don't miss the feeding session, do arrive about an hour earlier to register and enjoy
other activities.
It is possible to take a taxi to Sepilok and have it wait
for your return. Alternatively, there are also infrequent buses marked "Sepilok"
leaving from the station near the Central Market. All tour operators offer guided
excursions that include transport.
Daily Feeding Time: 10 a.m., 2.30 p.m.
Entrance Fee: RM10 per person
Still Cameras: Free
Video Cameras: RM10
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