Kota Kinabalu

I just came back from a great weekend in Kota Kinabalu. I facilitated a team away day at the Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah over on Thursday and Friday last week. Although I had been to Sabah before, I was not able to take time off to see the sights in KK. This time was even more meaningful as I was able to bring my wife along.

The team I facilitated had team building on Manukan Island, a 15 min speed boat ride away from Sutera Harbour. This was great fun, and the BBQ lunch was pretty fantastic too. I think I must have exceeded my seafood intake allowance by at least 20 times over the course of the few days I was in KK. The seafood here is fresh and abundant.

The away day I had put together went pretty well, and seeing the participants in a good mood atthe end certainly left me feeling satisfied and energised, so I was really looking forward to the weekend. I have a long time friend in KK, who I have known since we studied A-levels in the same college in the UK many years ago. I was really good to catch up with him, and go around Sabah with him. It was the first time he met my wife as well.

On Saturday, was my wife's birthday, so I surprised her with a birthday cake during dinner with the team. I had arranged this a few weeks before, and it was good to see it go as planned. The smile it brought to her face was well worth the effort.

The next day we were picked up by my friend and went off to Kundasang, a stone's throw away from Mount Kinabalu. This is about 60 km from KK, but it takes a good 2hrs by car as the "highway" is a single lane, windy road though the mountainns, used also by trucks. I was told that this is currently the primary road route to the East of Sabah.

When we got to Kundasang, I was even more surprised that my friend had a holiday retreat of his own in Kundasang, with a beautiful view of Mount Kinabalu. The climate here is cool and refreshing and the people everywhere are very friendly. There is also the Kinabalu Park nearby which offer a number of jungle lodges to stay at and many jungle trails for the adventurous. We did'nt have time to really do much, but we at least caught a glimpse of the awsome size of Mount Kinabalu. As if to add to its mistery, the legendary mountain is only visible in the early morning before being shrouded by thick clouds. The locals believe that the spirits of the dead rise to the peak of the mountain to rest.

After we got back to KK, we spent a little time and Beach 1 and Beach 2 near the Prince Phillip Park. Beach 1 is pretty hip, having been done up with swanky eateries and a cheerful looking promenade. The name of the beach, however, was not particularly inspiring.

We had a quick bite by the park and then headed off to the ariport. My wife was travelling Air Asia, and the new LCC terminal in KK was pretty inpressive. What's more impressive was that he flight was on time, while mine, a MAS flight, was delayed by 2 hours. I am beginnig to think that I might as well just stick to AirAsia for all flights, for leisure or business. Paying the extra money does'nt seem to buy me more reliable service on MAS.

My wife and I did enjoy the trip, and I think we will be going back there in the future. A longer stay in Kundasang will definitely be in the plan.