Kundasang Farms & Tea Garden Trails

You are collected from your hotel lobby or the airport for a scenic 30-minute drive to Tamparuli Town, where you stroll across the well-known Jambatan Tamparuli suspension bridge - a landmark steeped in local folklore that has even inspired its own song and stage production.

From here, you continue along the winding roads of the Crocker Range for around an hour to reach Nabalu Handicraft Market, a hillside market where locals sell fresh fruit, vegetables and handicrafts, with a nearby viewing platform offering sweeping views of Mount Kinabalu. You also stop at a family-friendly recreation park with a rabbit farm and photo garden, before visiting the Kundasang War Memorial, a tribute to the soldiers who died in the Sandakan Death Marches during the Second World War.

The day concludes with a stop at Kundasang Market for fresh produce and local herbs, before checking in to your accommodation for the night.

After breakfast, you check out and continue to Kinabalu National Park - Malaysia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the Kinabalu UNESCO Global Geopark. Set 1,500 metres above sea level and covering 754 square kilometres, the park is home to Mount Kinabalu, one of the highest peaks in South East Asia, and shelters an impressive range of biodiversity, including around 4,500 plant species, 1,500 varieties of orchid, and hundreds of species of birds and butterflies. You take a guided walk through the Botanical Garden to see some of this variety first-hand, including carnivorous pitcher plants and rare orchids.

You then continue to Poring Hot Springs, where you can soak in Japanese-style open-air tubs filled with mineral-rich spring water, or opt for a cold-water pool nearby instead. A short 20-minute hike leads to the Canopy Treetop Walk, a 105-metre suspension walkway raised 30 metres above the forest floor, offering a different view of the rainforest and the chance to spot rare bird species.

Afterwards, you transfer to Sabah Tea Garden, checking in to your cottage on the tea estate. Set 700 metres above sea level, this peaceful retreat offers views towards Mount Kinabalu, especially as the sun begins to set.

After breakfast, you join a guided tour of the tea plantation and factory, learning about organic, pesticide-free tea cultivation from harvesting through to packaging and brewing, set against the sounds of the surrounding forest.

After checking out, you visit a nearby fish spa, where local ikan pelian fish gently nibble at your feet for a natural pedicure.

The day concludes with a scenic 3-hour transfer back to Kota Kinabalu, where your tour comes to an end.