Tourism

STAR - An Amazing Tropical Getaway

Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu (STAR) (the Group holds 60 per cent equity) is a five-star resort set amidst 25 acres of landscaped garden and a private cove overlooking the sweeping bay of the South China Sea. Located just ten minutes from the city centre and Kota Kinabalu International Airport, STAR is a luxurious, tranquil retreat that provides the perfect setting for an amazing tropical getaway.

Indulge in a sumptuous array of dining venues featuring an exquisite selection of six distinct restaurants and bars. The esteemed Shang Palace is a Chinese culinary masterpiece, while Coco Joe's Bar & Grill offers a vibrant and delectable experience. For those who crave culinary diversity, Café TATU presents itself as a contemporary haven with a buffet-style breakfast and dinner service, all set against an open-kitchen design. Should you desire a refreshing interlude, the Resort's Cool Box Ice Cream Bar awaits to revive your spirits. As the sun gracefully descends over Kota Kinabalu, bask in the mesmerizing hues of twilight at Sunset Bar. Conclude your evening with a nightcap at the chic Borneo Lounge & Bar, where the ambience is as inviting as the cocktails are enticing.

Exclusively owned and operated by the resort, STAR Marina stands as a veritable oasis of aquatic thrills. With the distinction of being privately owned and meticulously operated by the resort, STAR Marina presents a tempting array of water sports activities, including e-foiling, jet skiing, banana boat rides, parasailing, and the mesmerizing experience of underwater sea walking. Moreover, the marina serves as a gateway to maritime adventures, offering boating and cruise facilities that open up a world of exploration. Conveniently situated on the resort's grounds, STAR Marina extends a warm invitation to guests, affording them effortless access to the nearby islands for immersive day trips and a plethora of captivating beach activities.

The resort is home to the Clownfish Discovery Centre, which features three sections: the reef tank, breeding tank and juvenile tank. It hopes to educate guests and the local community on clownfish and many other marvellous marine species and the threats that face them in the tropical waters where they live.

A pampering session at Chi, The Spa rounds off the day. Renowned as a picturesque spa in Kota Kinabalu, Chi, The Spa offers treatments based on traditional Asian healing philosophies. Enjoy an enchanted and indulgent journey on the resort's private spa island. During every experience here, you are surrounded by natural beauty. Your dream vacation begins at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru.

Accolades & Achievements

• Winner of Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2023 in the category of Best Luxury Seaside Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
• Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu classified Green Hotel by Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia
• Travelmyth's Top 3 Hotels in Kota Kinabalu
• Travelmyth's Top 3 Beachfront Hotels in Sabah
• Travelmyth's Top 20 For Business Travellers in Kota Kinabalu
• Travelmyth's Top 3 Hotels for Honeymoon in Kota Kinabalu
• Travelmyth's Top 5-STAR Hotel in Kota Kinabalu
• Travelmyth's Top 3 Luxury Hotels in Kota Kinabalu
• Top 10 Resorts for Winter and Half Year Vacation - Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu
• Trip Expert - Experts' Choice Award 2022
• Holiday With Kids (AUS) - 2nd Place in Malaysia Holidays With Kids Readers Choice Awards 2022
• SIRIM - IS022000 Recertification
• Travelmyth - Eco-Friendly Collection 2022 Award
• My Wedding Vow, Singapore - Top 10 Most Romantic Malaysia Honeymoon Destination (2022 Guide)
• Things To Do.org - 10 Top-Rated Hotels in West Coast Division, Sabah
• TripAdvisor - Travellers Choice Best of the Best Award 2022
• TripAdvisor - Travellers Choice Award 2022
• TripAdvisor - Bravo! Award 2022
• Booking.com – Guest Review Award – Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa (8.6 out of 10)
• The Wedding Vows https://www.theweddingvowsg.com – Top 10 Most Romantic Malaysia Honeymoon Destinations (2020 Guide)
• Hotels.com – Loved by Guest Award – Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa (8.8 out of 10)
• Bureau Veritas Audit – Safeguard and Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label
• Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia – Five-star award
• TripAdvisor – Travellers’ Choice 2020
• TripAdvisor – Rave Reviews Award 2020
• TripAdvisor – Bravo Award 2020
• Holidays With Kids – Readers’ Choice Top 10 Awards 2019 – Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa
• Holidays With Kids – Readers’ Choice Top 10 Awards 2018, Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa 2019
• Booking.com – Guest Review Awards, Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa (8.6 out of 10) 2019
• Heffx Australia – Top 10 best hotels in Malaysia, Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa 2019
• Hotels.com – Loved by Guest Award, Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa (8.6 out of 10) 2019
• Ctrip – Top Service Quality Award 2019
• TripAdvisor – Certificate of Excellence, Peppino of Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa 2019
• TripAdvisor – Bravo Award 2019
• TripAdvisor – RaveReviews Award 2019
• Sabah Tourism Awards – Best Wellness Experience – Hotel/Resort, Chi, The Spa of Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa 2019
• TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence-Peppino of Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa 2018
• TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence-Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa 2018
• TripAdvisor Bravo award 2018
• TripAdvisor Rave Review Award 2018
• Ministry of Health and People’s Well-being’s award for Persons-With-Disabilities (PWD) Employer 2018
• Holidays with Kids’ (AUS) Readers’ Choice Top 10 Awards 2018
• Sabah Society of the Deaf’s Persons With Disabilities Employer 2018 Award
• Yayasan Sabah Board of Trustees Chairman's Trophy 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017
• Yayasan Sabah Board of Trustees Chairman's Award - The Most Outstanding Company 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017
• Yayasan Sabah Group Outstanding Award (Core Business Category - Tourism Sector) 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017
• Sabah Tourism Awards 2017-CHI, The Spa
• 2017 Love By Guests, Hotels.com
• Guests’ Choice Award, Booking.com
• Best Restaurant 2017-Pepinno, Malaysia Tattler
• Excellent in Dining Award 2017-Shang Place, Chaine Des Rotisseurs
• TripAdvisor - Certificate of Excellence 2016 and 2017
• TripAdvisor - Travellers' Choice Awards 2016 and 2017
• TripAdvisor-Bravo!
• TripAdvisor-Recommended
• Trip Advisor-Rave Reviews
• Top 1 Per Cent Hotel in the World - Winner of the 2016 TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards for Hotel
• ASEAN Tourism Standard - ASEAN Green Hotel Standard 2016-2018, Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa classified as Green Hotel
• CTrip - Guests' Favourite 2015
• Booking.com Guest Review Award 2015 - Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa
• Booking.com Outstanding Support 2015 - Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa
• Expatriate Lifestyle Magazine's Best of Malaysia Award 2015 - Best Family Stay
• Malaysia Tatler's Best Restaurant 2015 - Peppino
• Prime Minister's Hibiscus Award 2014/2015 - Notable Achievement in Environmental Performance
• Best Fine Dining Restaurant Award 2014/2015 (Peppino) - Bailliage de Sabah Chaine des Rotisseurs
• TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence - Hall of Fame, STARS
• Rakuten Travel Award 2014 - STARS receives Golden Award
• Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia - CHI, The Spa classified as a 5-star facility
• Booking.com 2014 Award of Excellence - STARS
• Agoda.com 2014 Gold Circle Award - STARS
• TripAdvisor 2014 Excellence Award - STARS
• TripAdvisor 2014 Excellence Award - Sunset Bar
• Holidays with Kids - Best Family Resorts in Malaysia 2014
• Malaysia Tatler's Best Restaurant 2014 - Peppino
• Guest Review Score 2013 - STARS
• Best of Blue Fellowship Award - STARS
• TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award 2013 - Top 25 Hotels in Malaysia
• TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award 2013 - Top 25 Hotels for Service in Malaysia
• TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award 2013 - Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Malaysia
• Conde Nast World Savers Award 2013 - Runner Up
• Expatriate Lifestyle's Best of Malaysia Award 2013 - Best Family Stay Excellence Award
• TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence - Hall of Fame, STARS

For further information, please visit www.shangri-la.com/kotakinabalu/tanjungaruresort/

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BRL-FIVE STAR RESORT in a Pristine Forest

Owned and managed by Innoprise Jungle Lodge Sdn Bhd (IJL), the multiple awards winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) are nestled within 43,892 hectares of the protected virgin rainforest of the Danum Valley Conservation Area (DVCA) in Lahad Datu. DVCA has immense biodiversity of more than 200 species of trees per hectare, home to more than 300 species of birds and 122 species of mammals. DVCA is also flagged as an Important Birds Area (IBA) where IBAs are sites of international importance for conserving birds and other biodiversities.

Guests to BRL will be greeted in our Lahad Datu office. To reach Lahad Datu, MAS Wings operates daily flights from Kota Kinabalu, where flight duration takes approximately an hour. Other ways to get there include overland transfer from Sandakan and Tawau. From Lahad Datu, guests embark on a 2.5-hour journey with our driver to the lodge.

Activities included in the full board package are day trekking, river tubing, evening walks, and night drives. Some attraction highlights are the award-winning Canopy Walkway, ancient burial site Coffin Cliff, fantastic scenery observation at Viewpoint and Fairy Fall. All activities are guided and tailored according to guests’ fitness and preferences. Be it long, intense trekking that lasts the whole day or leisure strolling on a flat trail, each unravels a unique experience in the rainforest.

Pure serendipity is to breathe in the smell of the thick, lush greenery, enjoy the musical orchestrated by Cicadas and various birds, and catch sight of all Borneo wildlife in their natural habitats. With BRL professional guides, it is easier to spot the occasional red giant flying squirrels gliding from trees to trees, Hornbills, Red Leaves Monkey, Civets, Glow-in-The-Dark Fungus, Bearded Pigs, Sambar Deer and our man of the forest, Bornean Orangutan, among others.

BRL is an environmentally conscious property with principles of designs and operations that emphasise eco-sensitivity, sustainability and minimal impact on the natural environment. Hence, bathroom amenities such as shampoos and soaps are made from fruits and natural ingredients with zero chemicals. Waste segregation and composting of organic waste are carried out in-house. Our BRL team also conducts Green Practice education at local schools to instil awareness and educate our younger generation on the importance of recycling, conservation, and protection of our sensitive ecosystem.

Accolades & Achievements

• Sabah Tourism Awards 2019 Excellence in Hotel Services – Nature Lodges
  (Borneo Rainforest Lodge)
• Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence 2011-2019 winner
  (Borneo Rainforest Lodge)
• Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence 2011-2018 winner
  (Borneo Rainforest Lodge)
• Malaysia Tourism Awards 2016/2017
  Best Hotel Services 3-STAR (RESORT) (Borneo Rainforest Lodge)
• PATA Tourism InSPIRE Awards
  Winner 2015 of Best Responsible Tourism Destination (Borneo Rainforest Lodge)
• TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015 Hall of Fame
  (Borneo Rainforest Lodge)
• Malaysia Tourism Awards 2012/2013
  Best Hotel Services -3 STAR & Below (Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Danum Valley, Sabah)
• Malaysia Tourism Awards 2012/2013
  Best Tourist Attraction - Natural Attraction/Eco-Tourism/Agro Tourism
  (Borneo Rainforest Lodge Danum Valley, Sabah)
• 27th ASEANTA Awards for Excellence 2013
  Best ASEAN New Tourist Attraction
  Canopy Walkway at Danum Valley Conservation Area
• Sabah Tourism Awards 2009
  Excellence in Hotel Services- Nature Lodge
  (Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Danum Valley)
• Sabah Tourism Awards 2009
  Best Tourism Attraction -Nature
  (The Canopy Walkway, Borneo Rainforest Lodge Danum Valley)

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Borneo Nature Tours Sdn. Bhd. (BNT) is an inbound tour operator specialising in nature and adventure tour programmes in Sabah. BNT has dedicated offices in Lahad Datu and Kota Kinabalu to support its operations on the east and west coasts of Sabah.

BNT is the marketing arm and the sole ground-handler for tourists visiting the award-winning BRL.

BNT also features adventure treks into Sabah's Lost World - Maliau Basin Conservation Area. Other products and services include nature and adventure tours, 4WD experience tours, personalised and tailored tours, MICE handling and support services, honeymoon packages, hotels and resorts arrangements in Sabah and arrival/departure ground transfers.

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USUKAN COVE - Gateway to the Wonders of Diving

Usukan Cove, a bay area on the coast of Kota Belud, is located adjacent to Kuala Abai, where the jetty to Mantanani Islands is situated. It is a mere an hour and a half drive from Kota Kinabalu and filled with a scenic view of paddy fields, rural neighbourhoods, and a picturesque sight of Mount Kinabalu.

Usukan Cove is blessed with various natural attractions, abundant coral and marine life, white sandy beaches, crystal clear and soothing calm waters, to name a few. Usukan Cove is a perfect leisure getaway with its pristine and serene environment and a gateway to the wonders of diving in Sabah.

Tucked away in the quiet and peaceful Usukan Cove is Pandan Pandan Island. The island is a ten-minute boat ride from the Usukan Cove Lodge departure point. Separated from the mainland by just a mere distance, Pandan Pandan Island captivates its visitors with its sheer beauty. Set in a secluded location, tourists may devote their time enjoying the various sea sports activities, swimming in the calm sea, or sunbathing on its white sandy beach at this privately owned island destination.

Pandan Pandan Island offers an opportunity to unwind in its peaceful and private ambience. Intact fringing reefs encircle the island. Just a stone's throw away from the mainland, be mesmerised by the variety of corals and marine life as you engulf in snorkelling at the island. Avid divers may stumble upon grouper, squids, baby barracudas, and snappers. If lady luck is on the visitor's side, they may also be greeted by playful dolphins or mother turtles. The uninhabited fronting mainland offers the opportunity to hop to a few other hugely untouched beaches.

For diving enthusiasts interested in enjoying Pandan Pandan Island's beauty, the Group's wholly-owned company, Inno Travel & Tour Services Sdn. Bhd. (ITTS) conducts daily visits to the island.

Being one of Sabah’s leading tourism industry players in providing a complete range of tourism-related services under the product brand ‘SABAH HOLIDAYS,’ ITTS operates a river cruise under Le Cruise De Kota Belud at Kg. Tamau, Kota Belud. The base can accommodate up to a maximum of 100-pax per day trip. The cruise showcases Kota Belud's wetlands apart from discovering one of Sabah's icons, the Proboscis Monkeys. The cruise begins at the Tempasuk River, where the majestic view of Mount Kinabalu greets visitors in the background. Before long, the sight of a bouncy family of Proboscis Monkeys will engross river cruisers. Hence, binoculars may well be needed.

The panoramic view of the villages along the cruise will equally fascinate visitors. Further along the cruise, the fascinating view of the sunset awaits them, and if they are lucky, a slight drizzle will add colours to their excursion as the rainbow appears on the horizon. For the second cruise along the Nanamun River, the enchanting sight of Christmas lights emanating from fireflies in the thousands will brighten up the journey.

For further information, please visit www.sabahholidays.com