Kinabalu Park - World Heritage designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its 'outstanding universal values' and role as one of the world's most important biological sites.

   The park covers a staggering area of 754 sq. km. (291 sq. mi.). Established as a state park in 1964, this botanical paradise is blessed with an astonishing variety of flora and fauna that ranges over 4 climate zones, from the rich lowland dipterocarp forest through the montane oak, rhododendron, and coniferous forests, to the alphine meadow plants. And stunted bushes of the summit zone.

   Few can resist the magical lure and irresistible challenge of scaling the peaks of the majestic Mount Kinabalu, one of the tallest mountains in South East Asia, towering 4095.2 m (13,435 ft.) above the lush tropical jungles of North Borneo, in the State of Sabah. With its granite massif dominating the surrounding landscape at the peak, often shrouded in mists and clouds, Mount Kinabalu has an awesome mystique all its own.

   Watching sunrise at the top has been described by travellers everywhere as life-enriching experience. The Park is a paradise for naturalist, botanists, bird watches, mountaineers and those simply admire nature.

   The slopes of Kinabalu are the home of the hill tribes of Kadazan Dusun who believe the mountain to be the resting place for spirits of their ancestors and therefore remains sacred to them. Earlier attempts to climb the mountain had been forbidden, as to do so would have disturbed these spirits and incurred their wrath.

   On 7 March 1851, Sir Hugh Low, a British colonial administrator at Labuan was the first man to make an attempt to climb up Mount Kinabalu. He was 27 years of age. Accompanied by the local Dusun guide, he took more than 3 weeks to reach the base of the mountain of what is now known as Kinabalu Park Headquarter. There was no trail then. A compromise with the locals was reached and a sacrifice to appease the spirits was made at the halfway point. This spot was named Panar Laban, a Dusun word meaning 'Place of Sacrifice'. The local guide sacrificed a white cockerel and seven eggs to appease the mountain spirits and is perform annually to this day.  Sir Hugh Low made it to the summit plateau only. He did not make it the highest peak. However, the highest peak was named after him as Low's Peak.

   The name 'Kinabalu' is derived from the Kadazan Dusun words 'Aki Nabalu' - where 'Aki' literally means 'ancestor' and 'nabalu' is the word for 'mountain' - thus, the sacred resting place of the ancestral spirits.

   Legends of the Kadazan Dusun have told of the supreme deities creation of the world and Mt. Kinabalu. There are also tales of the mythical dragon guarding a treasure trove of pearls. These myths take on a more surreal presence when you are up in the mountain, in the silence and mist of the swirling clouds. Another legend, a young girl waiting on the mountain for her lover, a prince, was struck by lightning and turned into stone. The lines of white quartz in the granite slabs of the mountain are said to be her tears.

In 1888, John Whitehead, a zoologist held the honour as the first man to make it to the Highest Peak, i.e Low's Peak. While collecting birds and mammals on the mountain slope, he climbed to the true summit.

In 1910, Lilian Gibbs, a British museum botanist, held the honour as the first woman to make it to the Low's Peak. While collecting plants, she climbed to the true summit.