The Kinabalu Park has one of the richest flora collections in the world and covers an area of 754 sq.km (291 sg.mi.). Translated, it is bigger than the island of Singapore. In December 2000, Kinabalu Park became the first World Heritage in Malaysia, designated by UNESCO.
From Kota Kinabalu to the gates of the Park, it is an easy 1½ – 2-hours scenic drive. The UNESCO description of the Kinabalu Park: “The Park has a very wide range of habitats, from rich tropical lowland and hill rain forest to tropical mountain forest, sub-alpine forest and scrub on the higher elevations. It has been designated as a Centre of Plant Diversity for Southeast Asia and is exceptionally rich in species with examples of flora from the Himalayas, China, Australia, Malaysia, as well as pan-tropical flora.
The Park contains high biodiversity with representatives from more than half the families of all flowering plants. The majority of Borneo’s mammals, birds, amphibians and invertebrates (many threatened and vulnerable) occur in the Park.”