Kota Kinabalu - Last stop in Malaysia

The journey to Kota Kinabalu was uneventful. We arrived at our accommodation, the modern Skypod Hostel, late in the evening.

We spent most of the first day in the hostel to recover from our cold. In the evening, we took a short city tour and then went to the waterfront promenade to enjoy a Western meal. After over a month in Malaysia, we welcomed the change in taste.

The next day, we headed to Mount Kota Kinabalu, located about three hours south of Kota Kinabalu. Our minibus departed around noon and once again we were dropped off in the middle of nowhere. Our accommodation was a 15-minute walk from the main road, with a steep downhill path. The thought of climbing back up with 18kg of luggage per person made us nervous. However, the advantages of the accommodation outweighed the disadvantages. After all the bustling and noisy cities, we enjoyed the peace of nature and the fresh mountain air.

We dropped off our luggage at the accommodation and went in search of a restaurant. We climbed the steep ascent and followed the main road for a few minutes. A Chinese restaurant became our new favorite place, serving delicious meals. After eating, we explored the area and got information about the possible hiking routes at the park entrance. Unfortunately, we were not well-equipped for climbing Mount Kota Kinabalu. At an altitude of about 4000 meters above sea level, it gets quite cold at night. Taking on this hike without warm clothing would have been reckless in our opinion. We decided to explore the hiking trails at the base of Mount Kota Kinabalu. We obtained the necessary 'hiking map' and a brief description of the routes from the tourist office.

After breakfast at the Chinese restaurant, we started our hike. Since the individual routes were rather short, we combined them. All paths led through the jungle and were sparsely frequented. The signage was fantastic for Asian standards – we only got lost once. After the approximately 4-hour hike, we visited the botanical garden. The Mount Kota Kinabalu National Park is home to a huge variety of species, thanks to its relatively stable, humid, and mild climate, as well as its mountainous region. The vegetation changes significantly with altitude. As expected for the humid climate, rain started halfway through the walk. Unfortunately, we had forgotten to pack our raincoats in the morning. So we ran from tree to tree in search of shelter, but to no avail – we were completely soaked within minutes. We left the botanical garden behind and quickly made our way back. For once, we wished for warmer weather. Luckily – and completely unexpectedly – the hot shower in the hotel worked. What a relief.

The next day, we took the bus back to Kota Kinabalu. We enjoyed our trip to Mount Kota Kinabalu National Park. After one last day in Kota Kinabalu, it's time to say 'Goodbye Malaysia.' We look forward to our next destination: Seoul, South Korea!