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There's no more astounding sight in Borneo than the cloud-encased summit of Mount Kinabalu - at 4101m, half the height of Everest - shooting skywards from the 750 square kilometres of KINABALU NATIONAL PARK . Plainly visible from Sabah's west coast and 85km northeast of KK, Kinabalu's jagged peaks look impossibly daunting, but in fact, the mountain is a relatively easy, if exhausting, climb. The well-defined, 8.5-kilometre path weaves up the mountain's southern side to the bare granite of the summit where a mile-deep gully known as Low's Gully cleaves the peak in two. Limbs that are weary from the climb will welcome the sulphurous waters of the Poring Hot Springs , 43km away. If you get stuck en route to the park, you can stay in Ranau , 19km further south. You'll need at least two days and two nights to climb Mount Kinabalu - three if you want to carry on by bus to Poring - though you'll be glad of a spare day or two, in case cloud cover spoils the view from the summit. Midweek, you should have no problem getting a dorm bed in one of the park's hostels, but it's a good idea to book a few days in advance if you're going on a weekend or want some more upmarket accommodation. Bookings can be made at the Kinabalu Gold Resorts office in KK ; you can make a telephone booking first and pay upon arrival. You'll also need to get a climbing permit (RM50) from the park headquarters, pay for a guide (RM25-30 for up to eight people) and individual insurance (RM3.50). Most people spend their first night at the accommodation in the park headquarters area, either at the basic Old or New Fellowship hostels (RM12), or in nearby cabins ($15-20), four-person annexe rooms (RM92 per room), or at the swish Kinabalu Lodge (RM311 for a unit which sleeps 11). You can eat at Kinabalu Balsam (daily 6am-10pm, Sat until 11pm), near reception, which also has a provisions shop, and at Liwagu Restaurant (daily 6am-10pm, Sat until 11pm). Alternatively, you can base yourself in another part of the park, the much quieter, higher altitude, Mesilau Nature Resort, 27km northeast of the park headquarters. Again contact Kinabalu Gold Resorts for accommodation details (dorm RM30; four-bed chalet units RM350; eight-bed lodge, RM320). There is no public transport to Mesilau, though Kinabalu Gold Resorts will take you there from KK (RM50) or provide minibus transport (RM10) from the park HQ. Scaling the mountain from either location gets you on the second night to the basic huts at Gunting Lagadan, Panar Laban or Waras (all RM10), which have electricity and cooking facilities, or at the more comfortable Laban Rata Rest House (RM25 per person), which has central heating, hot water and a restaurant (daily 7am-8pm). Sayat-Sayat Hut (RM10) is an hour further up the mountain, but has no electricity. The advantage of making it as far as this camp on the first day, however, is that you won't need to get up so early the following morning to reach the summit by sunrise. A bus leaves KK's long-distance terminal for the park daily at 7.30am, after which minibuses depart when they're full. Buses stop about 50m from the park reception office (daily 7am-7.30pm), which is the check-in point for accommodation near the park headquarters. Staff here will provide you with useful maps and can also arrange charter buses (RM40) to Poring
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