Mount Kinabalu

First time trying Tandem Paragliding and it was definitely a wonderful experience despite the initial location hiccup with the vendor. After arriving at the facility, I was given the safety briefing before being transported up to the paragliding location in a jeep. The wind in Ranau was great and I was airborne for approximately 6 mins and caught the breathtaking view of Mt. KK and the neighbouring towns before landing safely together with pilot, Sabrie. All in all, it is definitely a good experience for those who have not tried and been wanting to do so. With the picturesque mountain view, you couldnt have chosen a better location to attempt your first tandem paragliding.

Our family and a friend's family, 4 adults and 4 children, signed up for this tour. We were picked up at our hotel at 7:30 AM, followed by a 2.5-hour drive to the Mount Kinabalu viewpoint. The city roads from Kota Kinabalu to Mount Kinabalu were congested, but our guide was flexible and accommodated the children's restroom breaks along the way. After taking many photos at the viewpoint, we headed to Desa Farm. On the way, we made a detour to a local fruit shop. Our tour guide, Jeff, introduced us to fruits we had never seen before, and we bought and ate one or two of each. We were excited by fruits we had never heard of or seen, like apple jelly, avocado cheese, and snake fruit! The avocado cheese tasted like sweet steamed pumpkin, with a texture and flavor unlike any fruit! It was delicious. From there, we went to Desa Farm. Located at an altitude of about 1,500m, it wasn't too hot and was very comfortable! The weather was clear with few clouds, and we took many great photos with the sharp ridges of Mount Kinabalu in the background. Was that a sun halo? Jeff smoothly guided us through recommended activities like soft-serve ice cream and feeding calves and goats. Jeff, who is also a father of four, is knowledgeable about funny TikTok videos, and our children had a blast taking funny videos with him, making it a very satisfying experience. Afterward, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant and then went rafflesia watching. We were worried if we would see any, as they only bloom for 5-7 days a year, but we saw two blooming rafflesias! We also saw buds and withered ones, which was a unique experience only available locally. Nearby, there were also cacao and durian trees! I was surprised to see durians growing on such tall trees. By this point, it was past 3 PM. The children were getting tired, so we decided to change the itinerary and head back. The morning traffic jam was long. On the way back, there was a strange cloud hanging over the summit of Mount Kinabalu. Jeff told us it was a rare sight. The return journey was also a bit congested, but we managed to get back to the hotel around 7 PM. We had originally planned to be back by 5:30 PM, but the road congestion and it being summer vacation season caused delays. I recommend bringing a bit more cash, as there are places at the rafflesia site that don't accept credit cards for insect repellent, and some restaurants for lunch. Thank you, Jeff, for a fun tour! The magnificent scenery and your enjoyable assistance made it a wonderful experience. Highly recommended!

The itinerary was very well organized, allowing us to visit several spots in one trip. The duration at each stop was just right, so it never felt rushed. Our first stop was the observation deck, where there were many fruit vendors nearby selling fresh and delicious fruits! The best part was realizing later in the city that the fruit here was actually the cheapest! The farm was also a lot of fun; for 20 Malaysian Ringgit, you could feed milk and forage to the animals, and the yogurt and milk ice cream were amazing! The fish spa was very entertaining, and the tour guide taught us feeding techniques. It was a bit scary at first. Lunch was better than expected, featuring vegetables, meat, and fruit. The tour included a complimentary ATV experience, allowing us to ride through the wilderness. We were very lucky to see a Rafflesia flower this time; although it had been blooming for five days and was starting to turn dark, there was still an unopened bud right next to it. On the way back, we had roasted wild boar and pulled tea. The roasted wild boar is highly recommended! The two of us shared a portion and were left wanting more. Overall, the value for money is extremely high, and I highly recommend it!

সোসোডিকান পাহাড়ের দৃশ্য অসাধারণ সুন্দর। এটি অত্যন্ত সাশ্রয়ী। অফ-রোড গাড়ি চালানো খুব মজার। নতুনদের জন্য, যাত্রা শুরুর আগে গাড়ি চালানো অনুশীলন করে নিলে আরও নিরাপদ হবে। রাস্তা জুড়ে নির্মাণ কাজ চলছে, অনেক নির্মাণ যান দেখা যায়; পাহাড়ের রাস্তা খাড়া এবং রাস্তার পাশে কোনো রেলিং নেই, যা রোমাঞ্চকর এবং ভীতিকর উভয়ই। তবে স্থানীয় বাসিন্দারা খুবই বন্ধুত্বপূর্ণ, পাশ দিয়ে যাওয়ার সময় তারা হাত নাড়ে।

Itinerary: The length was just right. Safety: Very safe. Scenery: Diverse, and we even saw the Rafflesia flower, enjoyed fish spa by the lake, and tasted wild boar meat. It was very interesting and unforgettable. Facilities provided: ATV and skydiving safety measures were excellent, making it very fun and exciting. A fulfilling day with a packed schedule. Tour Guide: Xiao Mei was professional, attentive, and patient, following up throughout the trip and being very thoughtful. Lunch: Freshly cooked and delicious, with cold drinks and fresh fruit. Very good. The day before departure, all important information was sent via WhatsApp, which was very thoughtful. It was a great travel experience. The one-day Mount Kinabalu tour includes a variety of activities and is a must-do for anyone visiting Sabah. Highly recommended.

খুব সুন্দর একটি ভ্রমণ ছিল, দেসা ক্যাটল ফার্মে অনেক গরু দেখতে পেয়েছি এবং একটি ছোট দুধের কার্টন বিনামূল্যে দেওয়া হয়েছিল। একটি হৃদয়গ্রাহী খাবার খেয়েছি এবং সৌভাগ্যবশত রাফলেসিয়া ও বিভিন্ন বিরল প্রজাতির অর্কিড ফুল ফোটা দেখতে পেয়েছি। পাহাড়ের চূড়া থেকে অনেক সুন্দর দৃশ্য দেখা গেছে। ট্যুর গাইড মাইকেলও পাহাড়ের বিভিন্ন উদ্ভিদ প্রজাতি, বিশেষ করে অর্কিড সম্পর্কে খুব জ্ঞানী এবং উৎসাহী। হোটেল থেকে বাস পিকআপ করে শহরে ফিরিয়ে নিয়ে যাওয়ায় এটি একটি ভালো এবং আরামদায়ক দিনের ভ্রমণ ছিল।

We had a wonderful trip. We were so lucky to be the only participants so we ended up with a private tour. Our guide was helpful when getting in and out if the kajak and he also told us about the area along the way. Our driver Tam was also very talkative. He had a history lesson with my boyfriend the entire drive back to our hotel which was really funny. I would really recommend this trip if you want a beautiful sunset and a more active tour.

কোচরা ভালো ছিলেন, কার্যকলাপগুলো মজাদার এবং উত্তেজনাপূর্ণ ছিল। তবে যদি আপনি এটি খেলতে চান, তাহলে সৈকতে পৌঁছানোর আগে টয়লেটে যেতে মনে রাখবেন, কারণ সৈকতের কাছে কোনো টয়লেট নেই।

Just finished a one-day tour of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, and I have to give a huge shoutout to our private guide, Xiaoyang (William)! 👍🏻🙋🏻‍♂️ I originally thought the long drive to and from the mountain would be exhausting and boring, but Xiaoyang was a fantastic conversationalist along the way. He shared a lot of local history and culture of Sabah, guided us on a short trek up the mountain, and even stopped to introduce us to unique plants we saw along the trail 🌴🍃. The content was engaging and fun, and time flew by. 🥹 We were super lucky to catch a glimpse of Mount Kinabalu and the Rafflesia! The guide truly put a lot of thought into arranging everything for us, ensuring the entire itinerary ran smoothly, and even treated us to Malaysian cuisine for lunch 🍱! He took such good care of us throughout the trip, constantly reminding everyone to stay safe. The biggest surprise was his photography skills 📸. His composition was top-notch, and he was incredibly patient, taking tons of gorgeous photos for us to keep as memories. There was non-stop laughter all day, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. 😆✨ Meeting Xiaoyang this time really added so much value to the whole trip! 🩷 If any of our friends go to Sabah in the future, or if we visit again ourselves, we will definitely ask him to be our guide again! 😍