About Sabah

General Info  |  The People  |  Accommodation  |  Sabah Tourism Board

GEOGRAPHY
SABAH, the second largest state in Malaysia, is bordered by Sarawak on its southwestern side, and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) to the south, occupying the top portion of the island of Borneo. She lies between 4° and 8° North of the equator and has climate that is tropical but pleasant. Sabah is also known as the "Land Below the Wind" because it is situated just under the typhoon belt and is free of any climatic disturbances.

The 1,440km length of coastline surrounded by the South China Sea in the west, the Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea on the east, allows Sabah to be boastful of its beautiful serene beaches, breathtaking neighbouring isles and the famous "Tip of Borneo" - the very last end of the Island of Borneo on the most north-eastern tip with incredible views of merging seas!

The state capital of Sabah is Kota Kinabalu. Known as the international gateway to Borneo, Kota Kinabalu is a major city with fast developing modern infrastructure set on the banks over looking the South China Sea. More famously Kota Kinabalu is named in reverence to Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Borneo. Rising majestically at 4,095.2m, Mt Kinabalu is magical with its granite peak often covered in mists and clouds. As no climbing experience is required, the energetic visitor can climb Mt Kinabalu if the main route to the summit is taken.

CLIMATE
Sabah has an equatorial climate. Temperatures rarely rise above 32°C (90°F) except on exceptionally hot days, and along the coastal areas rarely drops below 20°C (68°F) at night. Although in the interior and at higher altitudes it can get quite cold at nights. Relative humidity is usually 85-95 per cent.

Rainfall is common throughout the year, varies from about 150 cm (60 inches) to over 450 cm (180 inches) per year. In most parts of Sabah the wetter period occurs during the North East Monsoon from October to February and the drier season during the South West Monsoon from March to September but often there is no really sharp division between the two. It is suffice to say that on the whole, sunny blue skies are the norm but when it rains, the heavens open.

Being tropical, we dress (e.g. Lightweight linens & cottons, T-shirt, short, jean) very informally. For dinners and night spots, smart casual wear is the norm. Either safari suits or lounge suits are acceptable for business meetings. Topless sunbathing is not allowed.

CULTURE
Sabah houses a population of over 1.7 million and is a melting pot of many indigenous and migrant groups.There are over 30 different races and over 80 different dialects, each group having its own distinct traditions, customs and cultures. The largest indigenous group in Sabah are the Kadazan/Dusun while the rest consist of the Chinese, Bajau, Murut, Rungus, Lotud, Brunei, Orang Sungei, Kedayan, Bisaya and many other subgroups.