Land Below the Wind

 Sabah - Often called the 'Land Below the Wind' because it lies below the typhoon belt. Sabah occupies the eastern part of North Borneo and is East Malaysia's second largest state with an area of 74,500sq km. Sabah has the South China Sea on the west and the Sulu and Celebes seas on the east and a coastline of some 1440km. Sabah's terrain is rugged, with Mt. Kinabalu, at 4,101 metres, dominating the surrounding landscape  Sabah is mountainous with lush tropical rain forests and its population of nearly two million is made up of 32 colourful ethnic communities. Access to Malaysia eastern gateway is through Sabah's capital, Kota Kinabalu, which receives flights from Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Brunei, Jakarta, Seoul, and Taipei. Domestic travel in this vast state is via daily flights between Labuan, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, and Tawau, though large areas are still inaccessible. A rail network stretches from Kota Kinabalu to Tenom, and buses, taxis, and boats are also available.