Plane views: Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo
Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain between the Himalayas and the Snow Mountains of Papua. This granite massif rises majestically to a height of 4,092m or 13,435ft in the Malaysian state of Sabah, at the northern tip of the island of Borneo. Mt. Kinabalu is a local icon and revered by the indigenous people who live in the area – the name Kinabalu is derived from the local words ‘Aki’ (which means ‘ancestors’) and ‘Nabalu’ (which means ‘mountain’). Literally translated, the name means the sacred resting place of the ancestral spirits. Mt. Kinabalu is also one of the easiest mountains in the world to climb – it’s an easy two or three day hike, and along the way, visitors will be treated to some of the richest flora and fauna in the world, including the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia.
In December 2000, UNESCO designated the Kinabalu National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Malaysia’s first, in recognition of the area’s biological diversity.
I had the great fortune of viewing this stunning mountain from the air on a recent flight from Sabah’s state capital, Kota Kinabalu, to Sandakan. I sat in row ‘A’ and the views of the verdant plains and the mountain were simply stupendous.
Note: my trip to Sabah is sponsored by Sabah Tourism and Borneo Passages. Borneo Passages specialises in Event Management and Incentive services for corporate visitors to Sabah as well as customised tours for groups and individuals.
Read other posts on Sabah:
See other ‘Plane Views’ articles:
- Atacama desert, Chile
- Venice, Italy
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Mt. Vesuvius, Italy
- Putrajaya, Malaysia
- Mallorca, Spain
- Millau, France
- Bora Bora, French Polynesia
- Santiago to Punta Arenas, Chile
- Sydney Harbour, Australia
- Vancouver to Portland, OR
Beautiful views! Great airplane photography.
I’m proud to say I’ve hiked up Mt. Kinabalu’s peak!
it’s simply amzing! Have to go there…and there…and there…
Thanks for your wonderful comment Nico. You and I are the same = a limited variety.
Cheers,
Keith
Was reading an article by a pilot columnist who was shocked by anyone who actually coveted aisle seats. I totally agreed. Window seats are where it’s at! The planet is so stunning and unique from the air, not to mention we have the opportunity to look it from a vantage point no one in history had up until our parents generation, how can someone take that for granted?
I love the plane views series because it reminds me that ground level is not the only perspective of our wonderful planet. But I’m a geology and cartography buff. Maybe we are a limited variety.
Thanks, Keith, for the post!