PLACE OF INTEREST OF SABAH

KUNDASANG WAR MEMORIAL 

A must-visit in Kundasang is the Kundasang War Memorial. Established in 1962, this was one of the first memorials to commemorate the brave Australian and British Prisoners of War who Died in Sandakan and the Infamous Sulawesi Marches to Ranau death Sulawesi World War II. The memorial also remembers the people of North Borneo who risked lives to help are solely for the POWs.

The Memorial is made ​​up of four beautiful gardens - the Australian Garden, the Bahasa Inggeris Garden, the Borneo Garden and the Contemplation Garden and Pool - to represent the Different Nationalities. With its Towering pine trees and Blooming roses, a walk in the gardens is Reminiscent to that of a stroll in a quaint Bahasa Inggeris garden. The Scent of roses lingers in the water and the serene atmosphere photographs shown the Kundasang War Memorial an ideal place to contemplate and remember the heroes of the war. Visitors cans also opt to view a brief video on the history of the Sandakan Death March.

Getting There

Kundasang is located 90km, about 2 hrs driving from Kota Kinabalu and only 10 minutes driving from Kinabalu Park. Take a bus from the Esplanade Bus Terminal to Kundasang or Ranau for approximately RM17.00 per person. A taxi from the Ranau Taxi Stand (located beside the Merdeka Field) or from your hotel should cost around RM160.00 to RM300.00 per taxi.

Opening hours

Open daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm

maintenance fee

MyKad holders: RM2.00

Others: RM10.00

PORING HOT SPRING RANAU

  

The Poring Hot Springs ranger station lying 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Kinabalu Park HQ in the humid lowlands is a complete contrast to the cool environment of Kinabalu Park HQ. The sealed road to Poring leads past the cabbage and flower farms of Kundasang and beyond to the town of Ranau and the lowlands.

From the road just beyond Kundasang, magnificent vistas can be had on a clear day of the mountain's eastern summit and long eastern ridge. The bare scar of the recently closed Mamut Copper Mine can be seen on th eastern flank of the mountain and once past Ranau the mine's huge sludge pond becomes visible in the distance.

The road leads past the sludge pond before turning in towards the mountain again and to Poring itself, which can be recognised by the ever increasing number of local gift stalls that have been set up just outside the entrance gate. A speciality here is the variety of beautiful rock souvenirs ranging from jade-green malachite and golden pyrites through purply-gold iridescent peacock-ore to stark black and white granite.

The headquarters of the Poring Hot Springs ranger station, at an elevation of 550 meters (1,800 feet), lies on the Park boundry at the edge of Mamut river. Offices, visitor chalets and hostels are situated here as well as the Orchid Conservation Centre and the fenced 5 acre tropical garden nearby containing an animal rehabilitation centre. The main attractions here are the hot and cool pools in a forest clearing on the other side of Mamut river.

Within 1 1/4 hectre (3 acre) area there are 5 hot springs with temperature ranging from 49º to 60º C (120º to 140º F). The steamy sulphur water is channeled into several tiled pools and tubs. These have replaced the priginal wooden ones installed by the Japanese during wartime occupation. Soaking in a hot water bath is an ideal way to recurperate from an ardous mountain climb. After a cool dip in the swimming pool you should feel completely refreshed. Most people who visit Poring come just for the day - over 150,000 a year, to enjoy the hot waters.

Other attractions across the river are a small butterfly enclosure, a forest trail system, a Canopy walkway and picnic area. The chalets and hostels can accommodate 90 persons per night and all have self-catering facilities. You can book a place to stay from Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. There are also stalls serving local food just outside the entrance gate, and a restaurant at the hot pools clearing, serving both western and oriental food.