I winced a little every time a local asked me if we were going to climb Mount Kinabalu.
The short answer was no, but their disappointed looks always made me feel the need to explain that on this visit we neither had the time nor adequate preparation for conquering such a momentous experience.
Next time, I promised. Sabah has a reputation for its natural beauty, and Mount Kinabalu is definitely the jewel in its crown.
The tallest peak in Malaysia and UNESCO World Heritage site has been captivating and challenging visitors for years.
The two day hike to the summit is so popular that spaces are limited and often booked out months in advance. Something I will keep in mind for when that next time eventually comes.
But for now, we settled for the next best thing – spending a night in Kinabalu Park and taking in all its natural beauty on steadier ground, at a much more leisurely pace…
Smoking Hot Sinalau Bakas
The journey from Kota Kinabalu to Kinabalu Park was punctuated by a snack-stop which our guide had been tempting us with for days.
His description of sinalau bakas, a smoked wild boar which is extremely popular in the hill area, won us over instantly and we could not wait to try it for ourselves.
When we pulled up to a row of barbeque pits just off the main road, we were greeted with the mouthwatering sight of the pork happily smoking away.
You choose a piece depending on what you like – equal levels of meat and fat, or perhaps a bit more of one over the other – then it gets sliced and cooked more closely over some hot coals.
The result is incredibly moreish; a certain someone and I didn’t hold back, with the accompanying toothpicks, we speared the small slices of deeply smoked pork and dipped them into the soy and chilli dipping sauce with such hunger, people might have thought we hadn’t eaten for days!
Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Connie Consumes: Kinabalu Park – A Mountainside Getaway
..
