INTRODUCTION

General Introduction
SABAH, the second largest state in Malaysia, is bordered by Sarawak on its southwestern side, and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) to the south. Sabah has a heavily indented coastline of approximately 800 to 900 miles and is washed by the South China Sea in the west and north, the Sulu Sea in the northeast and the Celebes Sea in the east. Sabah's 76,115 sq km (29,388 sq miles) is dominated by one grand feature, Mount Kinabalu, the resting place of the souls of the departed Kadazan/Dusun peoples.Mount Kinabalu stands at 4,093 metres and is the highest mountain in South East Asia. It is 1,961km from Hong Kong, 1,143km from Manila, 1,495km from Singapore, 1,678km from Kuala Lumpur and 2,291km from Taipei.

Population
2.52 million; mainly concentrated on coastal area

Capital
Kota Kinabalu (a.k.a. KK), your gateway to Sabah, is where the Kinabalu International Airport located. Population: 209,175.

Local Time
Standard Malaysian Time is 8 hours ahead of GMT.

Relief
Sabah is generally mountainous, with central mountain ranges from about 3,000 feet to about 9,000 feet in height, with lower ranges of hills near the coasts. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of river valleys with occasional plains, and are in most cases covered with dense forests. Over three quarters of the population inhabit the coastal plains.

Climate and Clothing
Sabah has an equatorial climate. Temperatures rarely rise above 32 C (90 F) except on exceptionally hot days, and along the coastal areas rarely drops below 20 C (68 F) at night. Although in the interior and at higher altitudes it can get quite cold at nights. Relative humidity is usually 85-95 per cent.

Rainfall is common throughout the year, varies from about 150 cm (60 inches) to over 450 cm (180 inches) per year. In most parts of Sabah the wetter period occurs during the North East Monsoon from October to February and the drier season during the South West Monsoon from March to September but often there is no really sharp division between the two. It is suffice to say that on the whole, sunny blue skies are the norm but when it rains, the heavens open.

Being tropical, we dress (e.g. Lightweight linens & cottons, T-shirt, short, jean) very informally. For dinners and night spots, smart casual wear is the norm. Either safari suits or lounge suits are acceptable for business meetings. Topless sunbathing is not allowed.

Currency
One Malaysian Ringgit (RM 1) is made up of 100 sen. Currency notes are issued in denominations of RM 1,000, RM 500, RM 100, RM 50, RM 20, RM 10, RM 5 and RM 2. Coins are in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 sen. One US dollar (US$ 1) is approximately RM 2.50.

There is a local bank at the Kinabalu International Airport offering foreign exchange services situated at the far end of the arrival hall. There is no restriction on the import or export of either local or foreign currency.

Most hotels and establishments accept credit or charge cards such as VISA, American Express, Master card and Diners Club. Travellers cheques may be encashed at major hotels and are accepted by all banks, hotels & major department stores.

Electricity and Water
Electricity and piped water are available in urban areas and outlying towns. Other remote areas rely on kerosene lamps for lighting and stream or well water for drinking and washing. Electric current is on a 240 volts AC 50 Hz. cycle system using a square 3-pin plug. Visitors are advised against drinking unboiled water.

Medical Services
Those intending to visit remote areas are advised to take anti-malaria medication. Clinics and dispensaries take care of non-major medical treatment while state-run hospitals are available in all major towns. The Sabah Medical Centre is a private hospital with good health services.

Languages
Bahasa Malaysia is the National language. English is widely spoken and understood. Other languages are Mandarin Chinese, Hakka, Cantonis and Kadazan.

Communication
Country Code: 60. Outgoing international code: 00. IDD is available. Sabah offers efficient modern telephone, telex, telegraph and airmail communications both internally and globally. International cables or telegrams may be sent from any post office in Sabah. Telephone service is dependable and quick. Public phones are plentiful and easy to use. Telephone cards are widespread. There is direct dialing between Sabah and all international cities using the STD codes. There are a number of English-language newspapers (e.g. Daily Express) published in Sabah, Malaysia.

Transportation
Traffic drives on the left and signposting is easy to understand. Taxis are easily available at the airports and hotels. Kota Kinabalu airport has a taxi service counter with fixed prices. Elsewhere, you are advised to fix the fare before getting into the taxi. A number of local car rentals operate in Kota Kinabalu and are represented in most of the major hotels. Boats service offshore islands. Malaysia Airlines has an extensive route network throughout Peninsula Malaysia & Sabah/Sarawak.