Sandakan war memorial

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Kundasang

Kundasang, home of the luminous Mount Kinabalu lies in Ranau. Ranau was also the terminus of the notorious Sandakan Death March during the World War II. The Kundasang War Memorial serves to commemorate the sacrifices and bravery of the fallen heroes.

Ranau

Ranau

Situated in the West Coast division of Sabah, the hilly district of Ranau is located 1, 176 meters above sea level. It is inhabited by an almost entirely Dusun ethnic community and is on the highway connecting Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. Just 20 kilometers away from Kinabalu Park, it is one of the gateways to the National Park, Poring Hot Springs, and Sabah Tea Garden.

Kundasang, home of the luminous Mount Kinabalu lies in Ranau. Ranau was also the terminus of the notorious Sandakan Death March during the World War II. The Kundasang War Memorial serves to commemorate the sacrifices and bravery of the fallen heroes.

Kinabalu National Park

Kinabalu National Park

Kinabalu National Park, about 90 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu, is one of the world's most significant natural environments. The park is home to thousands of types of flora and fauna that are native to the area, and several hundred that are found only in the park.
As such, Kinabalu National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, the first in Malaysia. While its tourist trails are well-worn, the majority of the park is an unspoilt paradise for rare flora and fauna. For those who aren't keen on testing themselves on Mt Kinabalu's slopes, there is still much to enjoy from a visit to the park. The presence of Mt Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South-East Asia, is one of the contributing factors to the wide variety of animal, bird, insect and plant life found in the park.	The stunning blooms of orchids from Kinabalu National Park.
The terrain ranges from lush, green rainforest at the park's lowest altitudes, while further up the mountain, rhodendron and coniferous forest is prevalent. At the highest altitudes, stunted plant growth and small marsupials survive in a harsh environment. Orchids and carnivorous pitcher plants are among the park's most famous plants, although they are rare along the park's most worn tourist trails. However, they are all on display in a botanical walk near park headquarters, where visitors can view some of the area's most beautiful flora. The most famous of the pitcher plants endemic to Kinabalu National Park is Nepenthes raja, a giant pitcher plant whose bell can hold more than three litres of water. There are a number of other species of pitcher plants in the park, and these can be seen just off some of the tracks in the park.	One of the many varieties of pitcher plant in the park.
Kinabalu National Park is also home to the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, which blooms exceptionally rarely and then only for a matter of days. Unlike most of its floral brethren, the Rafflesia emits a foul smell, reminiscent of rotting meat. The stench attracts flies and insects, which the plant then feasts upon. With a diameter of up to one metres and a potential weight of 10 kilograms, the blooming of the Rafflesia is an event keenly awaited by botanists around the world.

Mesilau

Mesilau
Kundasang

Mesilau derived its moniker from the small stream of yellow waterfall which the locals there claimed to have been originally yellow in colour (silou is Dusun for yellow).

Located 2, 000 meters east of Kinabalu Park; it is home to amazing nature growing pitcher plants such as Nephenthes rajah. Mesilau Nature Park is situated just further up from Kundasang Dairy Farm and Kinabalu Golf Resort.

Mesilau is practically the highest point accessible to automobiles; it is surrounded by hills and is very close to the foot of Mount Kinabalu. The chilly climate engulfing Mesilau results in sparse population of trees, verdant ferns, as well as other medium-height vegetations.

The Mesilau Nature Park also serves as the entry point to the Mesilau Trail—an alternative to the Summit Trail (which starts from the Kinabalu Park headquarter) to conquer Mount Kinabalu—caution: only the fit and sturdy need to apply.

Take a refreshing stroll along the misty routes of Mesilau Nature Park, and later warm yourself up with a nice hot cup of freshly brewed Sabah tea. A truly Sabahan vacation at its best!

Mesilau Nature Park is open daily from 9am to 4pm.

Kundasang farm house

Kundasang Town

Farm houses in Kundasang Town of Sabah


Kundasang to Sabah, is like Cameron Highland to West Malaysia.

This little town consists only a few dozens of shop lots but the hills are highest concentration of farming community in Sabah.

The town is 6 kilometres from the Kinabalu Park Headquaters with an altitude of 1,500 metres above sea level. The temperate climate makes this valley an ideal place to plant temperate vegetables.

This is the main farming area of  carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, pepper bell, spring onion, and mushroom and exported to Brunei and Sarawak.

Sabah Tea Garden
Ranau

With its sprawling tea plantation surrounded by pristine rainforests in the cool mountain air, the Sabah Tea Garden beckons you to indulge in its beautiful surroundings, away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. A mere 2-hour drive from the city of Kota Kinabalu, the Sabah Tea Garden boasts a beautiful backdrop, Mount Kinabalu.

Sabah Tea is the only organic tea farm in Borneo and one of the few in the world. A trip to the tea garden is both educational and fun, one where visitors can enjoy a variety of recreational activities such as obstacle-crossing in the Sapaon Recreational Area, trekking along the trails to the peak of Kamunsu Hill or embarking on a night walk to check out the unique insect life. Highly recommended is the 2-day 1-night Sabah Tea Adventure package, which incorporates a tea factory and plantation tour, a course on basic jungle survival skills, understanding rivers and how to safely get across them and obstacle training. This package has been awarded the Best Tour Programme for Educational Tourism at the Malaysia Tourism Awards in Kuala Lumpur.

Visitors can opt to stay in a range of accommodation, be it a traditional long house, a cosy bungalow or-those who wish to sleep under the stars, a campsite. Other facilities include an event hall, restaurant, souvenir shop and a soccer field. A stone's throw away from the garden are various places of interests, including the historicalKundasang War Memorial , Kinabalu Park and rejuvenating Poring Hot Spring . A new attraction is the Quailey’s Hill where a plaque is erected in memory of an Australian soldier who died on site during one of the Sandakan-Ranau Death Marches, 1942-45. Freshly-made tea pancakes and Sabah Tea Pandan teh tarik are popular menu items available only at the Tea House. Ask the friendly staff for directions and they will be more than glad to help you out. Be it for business or pleasure, the Sabah Tea Garden awaits you with unforgettable experiences and adventures. A friendly reminder: No trip to the Sabah Tea Garden would be complete without a taste of Sabah's finest tea!

	Kundasang War Memorial Park, Ranau Attraction, Information, Guide and Tips about the Interesting Places in Kundasang, Sabah.
	<  Kundasang War Memorial Park is one of the many memorial parks that have been built in Sabah to commemorate the tragedy, suffering and death of the allied forces during World War II. (The other well known memorials are the Sandakan Memorial Park and Labuan World War II Cemetery and Memorial). This park was built to remember the death of the British, Australian and New Zealand soldiers and other Borneo civilians during the horrific Sandakan Death marches from Sandakan to Ranau in 1945 when North Borneo was under the occupation of the Japanese Imperial army. Kundasang War Memorial Park was built by a New Zealander in 1962 to resemble a fort on a hill. However, it was left to ruin and in a bad state and was almost forgotten until 2005, when restoration work was started and the garden re-planted. Inside the fort, there are three interconnecting gardens that have been landscaped to the theme of the three different countries to remember their heroes who have suffered or perished during the tragic 'Sandakan Death March'. The gardens are aptly named the Australian Garden, the English Garden and the Borneo Garden. In the Australian Garden, ferns and grass turf will greet visitors. The English Garden has been landscape to resemble an old fashion British garden with beautiful blooming roses that comes in many different colors. In the Borneo Garden, various native plant of Sabah including many wild and rare orchids can be seen here. If you're lucky you can see a blooming Rothschild’s slipper orchids here. Another garden which is considered as the center piece of the Kundasang War Memorial Park is the Contemplation Garden and Reflection Pool. Located at the highest point in the fort, numerous white columns have been erected to surround a long narrow pool to create a beautiful and peaceful pergolas setting. Certain sections of the fort’s stone walls here have also been knocked down and replaced with iron railings so that tourist can get a better view of the surrounding Kundasang town. As such, take your time to take photos and to enjoy the magnificent view of Mt. Kinabalu which looks quite big and majestic from this position. With such beautiful view, it is an ironic that this solemn place has now become a favorite place for the locals who come here to have their wedding pictures or portraits taken. Visitors should also go to the information center here to get more information and details of the 'Sandakan Death Marches' which take place between January and August 1945. Here on display are pictures, newspaper articles and some personal accounts about the march by the POW's. Spare some time to view a brief video on the history and stories of the Sandakan Death March, where about 2,500 Australian and British prisoners of war died when forced to trek through 165 miles (265 km) of thick in-hospital virgin forest from Sandakan to Ranau. Main Entrance to Kundasang War Memorial Park Getting There: Kundasang War Memorial Park is located beside Kundasang town vegetable market, which is about 90 km or 2 hours road journey from Kota Kinabalu city. If you are at Kinabalu Park, the memorial park which lies at the foothill of Mount Kinabalu is about 10 minutes drive. This place is open daily from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm and visitor needs to pay a small entrance fee. The entrance fee is RM2.00 for Malaysian citizen and RM10.00 for other nationalities.

THE NABALU MARKET

THE NABALU MARKET

On the way to Mt.Kinabalu park and Poring Hot Spring, a brief stop at Nabalu is recommended. It is located about 90 minutes drive from Kota kinabalu.   

Visitors can find a rich variety of local products, like fruits, vegetables, snacks and handicrafts in this small market place and enjoy the spectacular view of the Mt.Kinabalu on a clear day.       

It was our lucky day, the magnificent Mt.Kinabalu was cleared of cloud on our arrival. 

The 15-Meter Nabalu tower provides a bird eye view of Mt.Kinabalu and it's surroundings.

 Local handicrafts.

One of the fruit stalls

Pineapples in season.

Farmers selling their products along the walkway.  

"toilet break" - 20 cents per entry 

Nabalu has many unique offers to souvenir hunters in handicrafts like tribal arts, bead crafts and etc.     

Many will spend about 15-20 minutes at Nabalu before proceeding to Mt. Kinabalu Park which is approx., 30 minutes away.

    

Desa Cattle Mesilau,Ranau

Desa Cattle (Sabah) Sdn. Bhd.
Mesilau Highland, Kundasang, Ranau, Sabah.

P.O.Box 71, 89308 Kundasang,
Ranau, Sabah.


Desa Dairy Farm is located at the foothill of Mt. Kinabalu, at the Mesilau Plateau, Kundasang, Ranau. It is one of the subsidiaries of Desa Group of Companies which is wholly owned by the state government of Sabah, Malaysia.

Desa Dairy Farm provides good education for children even adults to understand how fresh milk is being processed from raw to finish product. The best time to visit the farm is around 2:30pm as milking session is starting at 3pm every day. You can see all the cows are lining up waiting for milking.

Friesian Cattles are reared in this farm to produce around one million liters of high quality fresh milk annually. The processing plant is fully automated at all stage of production. Fresh milk in original & chocolate flavors is available for sales at the lobby. Some souvenir also available and it is always nice to grab something for friends and family other than fYou can see Desa Dairy Farm far from the main road in Kundasang. It is not hard to find but there is no public transport to reach there. If you stay in Kinabalu Park or resort nearby, you may ask for transport from the reception. All the local folks know how to get there! You can see Australian Memorial Park at your right hand side on the way up to the farresh milk!

Mt. Kinabalu is just in front of you on your way in to Desa Dairy Farm if weather condition is good. You are viewing another side of Mt. Kinabalu! The cold weather, farm fencing, and Friesian cattle make you totally away from all the pressures and stressful life from the reality world. If you already arrive in Kinabalu Park or nearby resort, try to experience Desa Dairy Farm and take some nice photos along the way. “It’s not just about the milk!!! It is the DESA DAIRY FARM EXPERIENCE.”

Entrance fees for adult: RM 2.00
Desa Cattle (Sabah) Sdn Bhd
Mesilau Highland, Kundasang, Ranau

Poring hot spring (phs)

Ranau
A visit to Kinabalu Park will never be perfect without swinging by Poring Hot Springs. Situated 40 kilometers (25 miles) slightly northeast from the Parks HQ, Poring is located in the lowlands—a contrast to the Parks HQ. De-stress and soak away the sores and aches of your muscles in the spring’s hot sulphuric minerals, deemed to have healing properties and very popular among the locals.

Other than the natural hot spring main attraction at Poring Hot Springs, there are also other interesting areas in the park to be visited such as the butterfly farm, the Poring Orchid Conservation Centre, the tropical garden, the Poring canopy walkway, and the Rafflesia flower site.

Butterfly Farm

Poring Hot Spring’s butterfly farm is in fact the first butterfly farm in Borneo. It features a garden, nursery and hatchery for education, research and preservation purposes.

Poring Orchid Conservation Centre

This centre houses the largest collection of Sabah orchids as well as rare endemic orchids. Some 1, 200 species of orchids are available at this centre.

Tropical gardens

Get a glimpse of mousedeers and deers frolicking in the garden with the company of vividly coloured birds in the aviary.

Poring canopy walkway

This canopy walkway is a must visit for anyone who ever sets foot in Poring Hot Springs. Take a stroll amidst the lush canopy of the Menggaris tree—king of the forest—the walkway is 157.8 meters long and 41 meters high.

The Rafflesia flower, the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, doesn’t come around very often. Luckily, in Sabah, we have the largest concentration of Rafflesia population. This rare and exotic flower takes up to 15 months to bud, yet only lasts 7 days in bloom. The park will post a notice to announce a blooming or budding Rafflesia flower.

Poring Hot Springs is open daily from 7am to 6pm.