Kota Kinabalu - The road trip you didn't know you were looking for
05 Sep 2017|16,945 views
When we think of road trips, a few places usually spring to mind - Japan, the Great Ocean Road in Australia, mountain passes in the Alps. However, all these places have one thing in common - they are far away and expensive to get to. What if there was a cheaper, nearer yet no less compelling alternative?
Kota Kinabalu may be far from the obvious answer to this question, I will admit as much. When I found out that this Mercedes-Benz Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) Endurance Road Trip would take place in Kota Kinabalu, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After all, we can't possibly be scaling mountains in these Mercs, right?
However, after spending three days in Kota Kinabalu in the company of a multitude of Merc SUVs, I can assure you that Kota Kinabalu is definitely a place worthy of a quick driving getaway. Here are four reasons why:
1. Good driving roadsYes, this may not seem immediately obvious. I spent the first hour of driving basically being stuck in traffic trying to get out of the city centre. However, get out of town and a rather different world awaits you. We drove up to Kinabalu Park (1,585 metres above sea level) on the morning of day two, and there are some fantastic driving roads.
The incline isn't too steep, allowing you good visibility and making it easy to string multiple corners together. Additionally, there is a nice combination of sharp hairpins and flowing sets of corners that allows you to drive with a particular rhythm. And of course, high up in the mountain, you are also flanked by some fantastically scenic views.
2. Mountain climbingIn Kota Kinabalu, one of the obvious things to do is to climb to the summit of Mount Kinabalu, the tallest peak in Borneo at over 4,000m above sea level. Of course, this would take a much larger physical commitment, as well as more time and preparation. Alternatively, you could do what we did, which is to trek along some of the trails through Kinabalu Park.
Here, it's nothing like what you get in Singapore. The trails are challenging, featuring steep sections with little footholds. Also, perhaps because there aren't as many people and the trails are relatively untouched, it does feel like a real back-to-nature experience. You can hear the crickets in the trees and flowing water in the distance.
3. Sea sportsOur residence for this little getaway was the Shangri-La Rasa Ria, a quiet seaside resort where we had the chance to take part in some water activities as well. These include water skiing, parasailing, catamaran sailing, banana boating, jet skiing and kayaking.
One of the highlights for me was parasailing, where you get to basically hang in the air (courtesy of a parachute attached to the back of a boat) and take in some gorgeous aerial views of the resort and the surrounding areas. It's a captivating yet suprisingly serene, almost zen-like experience. Also, water skiiing was a challenging and tiring activity, but one that is certainly worth the muscle aches that will inevitably come the next daty.
4. A completely different kind of holidayHolidays can be hectic affairs. However, what this Mercedes-Benz SUV Endurance Road Trip showed me was that it was possible to do it a completely different way. By driving, you can go where you want, and at your own pace. You could quite easily take a turn off the beaten track and end up doing some off-roading (planned or otherwise). Driving a car like the new GLC200 affords you the opportunity and capability to really head out and explore.
And once you're done with all your activities, there's nothing quite like kicking back at a beachside bar, having a nice cold beer as you watch the sun set and just chill out. Outside of the city centre, Kota Kinabalu is a surprisingly quiet and serene place that you can go for a quick getaway.
I will be honest. I initially couldn't figure out why Mercedes would head to Kota Kinabalu to do this SUV drive, without actually taking the cars off-road. But after three days there, it dawned on me - Kota Kinabalu is a place that manages to seamlessly combine activity with tranquility, a quality that the Mercedes' Luxury SUV range embodies. Just like the cars, Kota Kinabalu is a place where you can partake in challenging, endurance-testing activities like mountain climbing and sea sports. And once you are exhausted, there's wonderfully quiet and laid back resorts to let loose and relax. Kota Kinabalu, huh. Who would have thought?
When we think of road trips, a few places usually spring to mind - Japan, the Great Ocean Road in Australia, mountain passes in the Alps. However, all these places have one thing in common - they are far away and expensive to get to. What if there was a cheaper, nearer yet no less compelling alternative?
Kota Kinabalu may be far from the obvious answer to this question, I will admit as much. When I found out that this Mercedes-Benz Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) Endurance Road Trip would take place in Kota Kinabalu, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After all, we can't possibly be scaling mountains in these Mercs, right?
However, after spending three days in Kota Kinabalu in the company of a multitude of Merc SUVs, I can assure you that Kota Kinabalu is definitely a place worthy of a quick driving getaway. Here are four reasons why:
1. Good driving roadsYes, this may not seem immediately obvious. I spent the first hour of driving basically being stuck in traffic trying to get out of the city centre. However, get out of town and a rather different world awaits you. We drove up to Kinabalu Park (1,585 metres above sea level) on the morning of day two, and there are some fantastic driving roads.
The incline isn't too steep, allowing you good visibility and making it easy to string multiple corners together. Additionally, there is a nice combination of sharp hairpins and flowing sets of corners that allows you to drive with a particular rhythm. And of course, high up in the mountain, you are also flanked by some fantastically scenic views.
2. Mountain climbingIn Kota Kinabalu, one of the obvious things to do is to climb to the summit of Mount Kinabalu, the tallest peak in Borneo at over 4,000m above sea level. Of course, this would take a much larger physical commitment, as well as more time and preparation. Alternatively, you could do what we did, which is to trek along some of the trails through Kinabalu Park.
Here, it's nothing like what you get in Singapore. The trails are challenging, featuring steep sections with little footholds. Also, perhaps because there aren't as many people and the trails are relatively untouched, it does feel like a real back-to-nature experience. You can hear the crickets in the trees and flowing water in the distance.
3. Sea sportsOur residence for this little getaway was the Shangri-La Rasa Ria, a quiet seaside resort where we had the chance to take part in some water activities as well. These include water skiing, parasailing, catamaran sailing, banana boating, jet skiing and kayaking.
One of the highlights for me was parasailing, where you get to basically hang in the air (courtesy of a parachute attached to the back of a boat) and take in some gorgeous aerial views of the resort and the surrounding areas. It's a captivating yet suprisingly serene, almost zen-like experience. Also, water skiiing was a challenging and tiring activity, but one that is certainly worth the muscle aches that will inevitably come the next daty.
4. A completely different kind of holidayHolidays can be hectic affairs. However, what this Mercedes-Benz SUV Endurance Road Trip showed me was that it was possible to do it a completely different way. By driving, you can go where you want, and at your own pace. You could quite easily take a turn off the beaten track and end up doing some off-roading (planned or otherwise). Driving a car like the new GLC200 affords you the opportunity and capability to really head out and explore.
And once you're done with all your activities, there's nothing quite like kicking back at a beachside bar, having a nice cold beer as you watch the sun set and just chill out. Outside of the city centre, Kota Kinabalu is a surprisingly quiet and serene place that you can go for a quick getaway.
I will be honest. I initially couldn't figure out why Mercedes would head to Kota Kinabalu to do this SUV drive, without actually taking the cars off-road. But after three days there, it dawned on me - Kota Kinabalu is a place that manages to seamlessly combine activity with tranquility, a quality that the Mercedes' Luxury SUV range embodies. Just like the cars, Kota Kinabalu is a place where you can partake in challenging, endurance-testing activities like mountain climbing and sea sports. And once you are exhausted, there's wonderfully quiet and laid back resorts to let loose and relax. Kota Kinabalu, huh. Who would have thought?
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