Day 1 Kota KinabaluWith excellent Malaysian cuisine to sample, try to arrive early into Kota Kinabalu. The city markets are great fun with all sorts of goodies ranging from vegetables and seafood to handicrafts and local fashion. Day 2 Poring Hot SpringsDepart for Kinabalu National Park, traversing the Crocker Range with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Dominating the skyline is Mt Kinabalu; at 4,101m it's one of the highest mountains in South-East Asia. Stop at Poring Hot Springs with its warm sulphur water, and sway through the tree canopy on a wooden walkway. Day 3 Kota KinabaluHome to an incredibly diverse range of flora and fauna, Kinabalu National Park offers lovely forest trails and scenic lookouts. Keep an eye out for the Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world, the Nepenthes (pitcher plant) and more than 1,000 species of orchid. Day 4 Turtle IslandTake time to relax and enjoy the beach activities of Turtle Island. After dinner observe the complex life cycle of the green turtle as the huge female adults come on shore to lay their eggs. Perhaps even witness the baby hatchlings as they make their first desperate bolt to the sea. Day 5 Sepilok Orangutan Reserve/Kinabatangan Jungle StayAt the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, see orphaned and rescued orangutans as they return to the wild in the surrounding rainforest. In the evening take a cruise on the Kinabatangan River in search of the elusive proboscis monkey and pygmy elephant. Days 6-7 Kota KinabaluWake to the chirping and singing of birds and insects. On the way to Sandakan, visit the famed bird's nest caves at Gomantong, then transfer back to Kota Kinabalu to conclude the adventure.
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