KOTA KINABALU, 12 January 2022: Sabah, the land below the wind is crowned by the highest mountain in Malaysia, surrounded by world class dive sites, and boasts a diverse array of plant and animal species with more yet to be discovered. Sabah is indeed a utopia for nature lovers and adventure seekers, perhaps one of Sabah’s Signature Attractions will be part of your 2022 bucket list!

Part of the signature attractions include Kinabalu Park, home to the majestic Mount Kinabalu (elevation of 13,435 feet/4,095 m). The park is also Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. People from all over the world would travel here just to scale its peak.

To observe Sabah’s wildlife in their natural habitat, one must visit the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary where the mighty Kinabatagan river is situated. On a river cruise you will have a chance of spotting Orangutans, Proboscis Monkeys, Borneo Pygmy Elephants and all eight hornbill species that can be found in Borneo.

Nature explorers should also visit the Maliau Basin, also dubbed as Sabah’s Lost World, as it is an excellent site for jungle trekking and bird watching. It contains an unusual assemblage of 12 forest types. The highlight of the adventure is to trek the majestic 7 tiers of Maliau Falls.

Considered as one of the world’s most complex ecosystems and classified as Class 1 (Protection) Forest Reserve under the Sabah Forestry Enactment 1968, Danum Valley Conservation Area serves as a natural home for the unimaginable number of plants and wildlife species including the Sunda Clouded Leopard. Being remotely located from human habitation makes this place a naturalists’ paradise.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, situated within the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, have successfully saved and rehabilitated orphaned orangutan babies back into the wild. Today around 60 to 80 orangutans are living free in the reserve. The centre allows visitors to learn about the rehabilitation process and observe the orangutans at a safe distance.

For the divers, the jewel shaped island Sipadan, located offshore Semporna has been cited as one of the top dive sites in the world. It has been highly sought after by divers for its array of possible sightings and how its natural treasures still remain untouched after many years.

Also located in Semporna is Bohey Dulang which was formed from remnants of volcanic activity. It is the second-largest island amongst the Tun Sakaran Marine Park Islands. This island should also be included in a hiker’s bucket list as reaching the peak rewards you with an uninterrupted panoramic view of the island.

Besides Sabah’s Signature Attractions, the state is also proud to present its Community-based tourism or CBT for short. It is an initiative to promote sustainability and improve the livelihood of the community in an area, emphasizing on the development and involvement of the community in developing and managing their own tourism destination and products.

The CBT programs have received 2 international recognitions. The 1st was in 2019 when Kadamaian received the ASEAN Community Based Tourism Standard 2019-2021, at the ASEAN Tourism Ministers ’Conference 2019 international event in Hanoi, Vietnam. And the recent one was in Dec 2021 when Kampung Batu Puteh, a Community Based Tourism by Batu Puteh Community Tourism Co-operative (KOPEL) in Kinabatangan has been recognized as the Best Tourism Villages by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Not only is Sabah rich in nature, but also Borneo Malaysia is known for being culturally diverse. An estimate of 42 ethnic groups with over 200 sub-ethnic groups with the number of languages and dialects going over eighty, all these different groups live together and form a homogenous community, where they are still retaining their own culture, custom, tradition, art, and festivals.

For more information on Sabah’s Signature Attractions, Community-based Tourism or ideas on what to include in your Best of Enchanting Sabah, Create Your 2022 Bucket List, check out www.sabahtourism.com.

KOTA KINABALU, 11 January 2022: The Borneo Ultra Trail Marathon (BUTM) is returning to rustic Kiulu after a year hiatus, with hopes of attracting 800 extreme marathon enthusiasts.

Supported by the Sabah Tourism Board, the event will see marathoners racing past Kiulu villages and through the forested terrain trails. It is set to take place from 19 to 20 March.

BUTM race director Claus Pedersen said about 400 people have signed up for the marathon so far, with 25 of them being foreigners.

“The last ultra-trail marathon took place in 2020, right before the movement control order was imposed. At that time, there were 1,600 local and international participants.

“Due to the Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) restriction, we are limiting this year’s event to 200 participants per category,” he said, adding there are four distance categories (100KM, 50KM, 30KM, and 9KM).

He said registered international participants are believed to be expatriates living in Malaysia, and they come from Australia, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Russia, Romania, Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore, among others.

Kiulu remains the venue of choice for BUTM due to its reputation as an eco-adventure destination and its proximity to the state capital of Sabah, said Pedersen.

Recently, the BUTM committee, led by Pedersen, met with Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai to brief him on the upcoming sporting event. Pedersen assured the meeting that strict SOPs would be put in place and that all participants would be subjected to a Covid-19 test to prevent infection.

Joniston, who is also the Assistant Minister of Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment, stated the BUTM is more than just a sporting event but also a major tourism draw.

“This is wonderful for Sabah and Kiulu in particular because the BUTM event allows participants to explore Sabah’s rural destinations while participating in outdoor sporting activities in the fresh air surrounded by rivers, green trees, and mountains.

“Kiulu is known for its commitment to community-based tourism. The villagers could use this opportunity to promote their places, homestays, and culture, allowing participants to stay longer and enjoy our rural destination.

“While we encourage Malaysians to visit Sabah, we also recognise expatriates as our prospective tourists while the international tourism border remains closed. Therefore, we must continue to promote potential events that will attract expatriates and pique their interest in Sabah,” he said.

BUTM 2022 registration is open until February, and the registration procedure can be found at https://www.borneoultra.com/butm/registration.

(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)