Kota Kinabalu Adventure Hike

Mt Kota Kinabalu was my introduction into the world of hiking. Sure I got to climb the mountains in Taiwan and the trek in the jungles during my mandatory National service as an infantry soldier, but somehow during National service, the feeling was more of chore as compared to it being an enjoyment.

Day 1

It began with an early morning taxi ride to Woodland immigration from Singapore. Once at the Malaysian side, my two friends and I hopped onto a taxi to Senai airport to catch a budget flight to Sabah, East Malaysia.

Upon arrival in Sabah, we took a bus to the park entrance at Timpohon gate where we paid the park fees and booked a guide for the climb. At night, we attended a briefing by one of the park rangers who gave the do’s and don’ts of the park. He also gave climbing tips on how to handle the tallest peak in East Asia. After the briefing and a sumptuous steamboat buffet dinner, we spent a night at a nearby hostel preparing ourselves for the climb the next morning.

Day 2

There are two routes to the peak of the mountain – Timpohon and Mesilau, Mesilau being the longer route. We chose to go up from Mesilau and down by Timpohon. Since it was the first time hiking for me, I brought along a huge backpack with cooking utensils and heavy clothing. Weight was not a consideration when I did my packing – packing for comfort was the main priority.

As experience hikers would know, the weight nearly killed me. My muscles started to get tired barely 30mins into the climb with the steep steps and undulating terrain. At one point in time, I even had leg cramps due to the over exertion of my thigh muscles.

To cut the story short, the climb upwards to Laban Ratan was a very painful experience. However, the moment I arrived at Laban Ratan, the awe and beauty of the scenery eliminated any feelings of physical stress. Being above cloud level, the view was one where the clouds folded like waves hitting the mountain. It was like being at the beach thousands of meters above ground.

Day 3

After spending a night at Laban Ratan, we made our ascent to Low’s Peak which incidentally has nothing “Low” about it since it is the highest point of Mt KK. Arriving at the top just minutes before the sunrise, we were again treated with a spectacular breath taking view. It was at this point where I fell in love with hiking and made it my passion.

After the descent, we made our way to the spa resort where they have the tree top walk. Nothing fantastic, just a quiet town to rest our tired bodies in a spa and do our laundry.

Day 4

We made our way to the city where we had a full body massage. We totally screamed the whole place down because every rub on our sore muscles was like someone punching. The city center in KK was nothing fantastic. Night life was almost none existent except for a night market and a few quiet pubs.

Day 5

Back to Singapore.

After this Mt KK experience, I learnt that having the correct gear for hiking is essential. Good gear can provide adequate safety and comfort. It provides the much needed warmth as well as comfort during the climb. Thus began my search and love affair for proper equipment for my future adventures.