Kinabalu National Park is one of Malaysia's signature green spaces, known for its mist-enveloped mountains and lush jungle. There are plenty of opportunities for adventure, whether you're mountain biking along jungled trails, touring organic farms or discovering the treetops on a canopy walk.

Serious hikers can trek to the summit of the Heritage-listed Mount Kinabalu, also known as Gunung Kinabalu. It rises over 4,000 metres high and is topped by jagged granite spires. Dry season, which spans from March to August, is the best time to climb.

Kinabalu National Park is a paradise for birdwatching, home to roughly 300 species. Watch for residents like the Indigo Flycatcher and Mountain Blackeye. Botanists will be in their element with over 5,000 plant species to identify, including the rare Rothschild slipper orchid.

Getting there

Kinabalu National Park is a 1.5-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia’s Sabah State in Borneo. Share four-wheel drives ferry passengers between Kota Kinabalu and the park gates. Express buses also run from Kota Kinabalu’s Inanam Bus Station to Kinabalu National Park.