here is an island in South-East Asia, one thousand miles to the south-east of Singapore, unique amongst islands and the third largest in the world. It is an ancient exotic and sometimes wild land where east meets west and their cultures entwine. It is a place of wondrous sights, of untouched natural beauty and where the peoples of diverse origins and religions co-exist in harmony. We call it Borneo and our country, in the northern part of the island is called Sabah, the unexplored and un-spoilt jewel in the crown of Malaysia.
Borneo: the very name evokes images of Sultans and White Rajas and their palaces, jungle natives and rare species of plants and animals. It's a place where one can simply watch and admire in comfort from a distance, or conversely join in endless adventures of the discovery.
The backbone of Sabah's Borneo is formed by the Crocker Range of hills. The highest of these is Mount Kinabalu at 4,101 metres (13,445 ft). The adventurous may join the two day adventure to conquer its peak and take in the breathless views across Sabah early next morning. One thousand miles of sand and palm coastline is washed by the warm, azure blue South China and Sulawesi seas.
There are staggering 200 tribes on the island of Borneo, each with their own dialect, customs and lifestyles. The first peoples to arrive were known as the Australoids and Austronesians, whose origins have been traced back to the Mongols, who came from Taiwan around 5000 B.C.