Accessable Mountain Climbing

Mount Kinabalu, Borneo: An accessible Mountain

At 4.38am early morning on the 12th November 2005, I stood briefly alone on top of Lows Peak (4095 meters), Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, the first person to breach this mountains defenses, on that particular day. Below me, piercing the almost total blackness of night, I watched a quite bizarre line of head torches, carried by one hundred or so other climbers moving slowly up the mountain towards me.

The whole idea of climbing Mount Kinabalu was spur of the moment stuff, typical of my restless mind (monkey brain I’m told), thought of and put into place within an hour of arrival in Bangkok.

Without much doubt in my mind, Bangkok is just the place for such a quick decision and possibly the pivotal travel center of Asia, perhaps the whole world! From Bangkok there is practically no place on earth you cannot fly directly, or with just one change, indirectly to! ‘Air Asia’, Thailand’s fairly new budget airline, has drastically cut the price to many destinations in South East Asia and my travel agent in Bangkok (taxi there directly from the airport), informed me, they have direct flights to Sabah (Malaysian Borneo), for less than half the price of Malaysia Airlines, who only fly indirectly to Sabah, via Kuala Lumpur (obviously no contest!). There was a slight problem though, with only two return Air Asia flights weekly to Sabah, the only practical option for me was to go the following morning, which I did of course.

Kota Kinabalu town Sabah, appeared slightly more prosperous than I remembered from a previous visit five years ago. I was quickly out strolling, re-familiarizing myself with the town almost as soon as settling into my hotel. Whilst wandering it was impossible not to notice the friendly smiling faces and good nature of local people. I cannot recall visiting any part of the world where I have felt completely at ease, so soon after arrival. With only a week to spare my first mission of course, was to quickly arrange the Mount Kinabalu climb, which was no problem and swiftly dealt with, thanks to information easily gleaned from the central tourist information office.

Stats: All Mount Kinabalu accommodation and travel arrangements via Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. Lot G15. Ground Floor. Wisma Sabah. KK. Tel: (60 68) 243629. email info@suterasancturarylodges.co m (Situated close to the main dockyard) There are at least a dozen other tourist offices on the ground floor Wisma Building, offering a variety of tourist

Getting to Phuket

Phuket is a large island located in Thailand. In fact, it is Thailand’s largest island. It is also a favourite travel destination for visitors from all over the world due to its luxurious resorts, gorgeous idyllic beaches, varied natural attractions, countless shopping opportunities and rich local culture. Whatever you are looking for in a travel destination of choice, just name it and you will be sure to find it in Phuket. It offers a range of attractions that make it ideal for couples, families or even those who are backpacking alone through Southeast Asia.

By Plane – If you are getting to Phuket by plane, you have two main options, both of which are very popular among tourists. The first option is to fly from your country to Bangkok, where you will find a variety of low-cost domestic carriers that can take you to Phuket. Such carriers include Air Asia, Nok Air and One Two Go. For these carriers, take note that the earlier you book, the cheaper your ticket will be. You can purchase your ticket online with a minimum of fuss. Of course, if you are adverse to the idea of taking a low-cost domestic carrier, you may take Thai Airways. This is the country’s national carrier and has been highly rated for the quality of its service.

Another alternative if you are coming by plane is to fly to Phuket directly. While this involves less hassle, you have to remember that such direct flights are not as widely available nor will they be as cheap. You will land at Phuket International Airport, which is quite a good airport and which is located at the northern part of Phuket. You can usually get such direct flights from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore as well as Germany. You may also be able to get direct flight from countries such as Macao, Seoul, Jakarta or Hong Kong through low-cost budget carriers.

By Bus – If you are from other parts of Thailand such as Bangkok, Hat Yai or Krabi, you will be able to hop onto a bus that will land you at the BKS terminal. This is located in Phuket Town. Once you have reached the BKS terminal, you can take a taxi, bus or the local tuk-tuk to get to your intended destination.

Take note that there are many bus services with different services and different prices. Try to purchase from legitimate bus companies. It is usually best to pay a little higher for tickets offered by legitimate bus companies.

By Boat – There are several luxury cruises that include a stop at Phuket in its itinerary. These are very popular especially for those who want to achieve a balance between hectic shopping and sightseeing as well as simply relaxing.