Mt Kinabalu impresses Vietnamese climbers

MOUNT Kinabalu, standing at an impressive 4,095 metres with a breathtaking view at the top, has attracted international climbers looking for a challenge.

Early October this year, the historic natural landmark saw 74 climbers from Vietnam conquer its summit, Low’s Peak, through an arrangement by Vietnamese educational institute Minh Tri Thanh School and travel agency GlobalOne Assist Travel.

A couple who was part of the climb shared their climbing experience with The Borneo Post.

It was the first time Le Thanh Van, 33, and her husband, Nguyen Dang Thao, 34, had stepped foot in Sabah to scale Mount Kinabalu. Previously they conquered the Fansipan mountain in Sa Pa, northwestern Vietnam, which has a height of 3,150 metres.

The couple, along with the rest of the group, started their ascent up the mountain on October 4 around 4am, upon arriving in Kota Kinabalu the previous day.

“The climb was quite challenging. Some of us experienced breathing problems and other health issues but we persevered and all of us managed to reach the mountain peak on time.

“We had the chance to experience four different weathers when climbing Mount Kinabalu. Some porters told us that there are only dry and rainy seasons here, but I felt like I had experienced Spring to Summer instead. We enjoyed the sunlight, cold winds, a dash of rain, and I even got the opportunity to take a shower in the forest under pouring rain, so that was nice.

“When we reached the top and I saw the view from up there, I was stunned. We were greeted by a beautiful sunrise at the summit, and it was absolutely gorgeous. It felt like heaven.

“I think Mount Kinabalu is quite impressive and it makes me feel like I am connected to the nature around it.

“Once my three-year-old son is a bit older, we will definitely return here for another climb,” said Thanh Van.

Thanh Van commended the services provided throughout their journey in Sabah, saying the porters were nice, friendly and helpful to tourists, and despite some of them not proficient in English, the porters tried their best to communicate with them, even giving them words of encouragement as they scaled the mountain.

The hotels here, she added, are nice and clean, and their staff are professional.

“As a stranger coming here for the first time, I especially think the way Sabah protects its environment is admirable as I could not see any rubbish during the journey.

“Once I asked a staff for a plastic bag but was told they are not offered to tourists due to environmental factors. Even the porters were picking up trash they came across during our climb, so that is lauded.

“In Vietnam, our authorities do care about the environment but we do not have strict rules or enforcement like in Sabah, so I hope we can improve on this aspect especially as Sa Pa is a famous tourist destination in Vietnam and we can learn a lot from Sabah in this aspect,” she said.

One of similarities between Sa Pa and Sabah, she said, is the scenery, specifically the abundance of nature as well as areas for agriculture and tourism in both Malaysia and Vietnam.

Thanh Van also likened Sabah to Norway, in the sense where houses are often built on top of hills.

On the other hand, she explained Sa Pa – a town located in Hoàng Liên Son mountains of northwestern Vietnam known for trekking activities – is lively and colourful, with many of its buildings influenced by Western architecture.

“Now, the food. I noticed the portions in Sabah are a little smaller, and the food tend to taste more salty. I tried some dishes like beef and chicken curry which suited me but rice, fried eggs and stir vegetables tasted a little bit salty.

“We Vietnamese prefer more sugar in our food, so it would be more palatable for us if that can be improved. It would also be nice if fruits are included with the meals.

“Another thing I noticed is the lack of heater systems during our climb up Mount Kinabalu. I could not take a bath at the hostel there because it was too cold.

“However, I do think Sabah is a great tourism destination and I will surely spread the word to my friends and family.

“For Sabahans curious about Vietnam, I can recommend a few places to visit. Besides Sa Pa for mountain climbing and trekking activities, they can go to Danang City or Ba Na hills or Phu Quoc island for sightseeing. I would also recommend to visit the Son Doong cave and Chang’an Ecotourism Zone. All gorgeous places for scenery, food and good service,” she said.

My Nguyen Thi, 37, was also one of the 72, over 60 of them women, who climbed up Mount Kinabalu.
Hailing from Fuzhou, north of Vietnam, she is no stranger to Malaysia, but it was the first time she had come to Sabah.

She had already climbed up Fansipan – which is nicknamed the “Roof of Indochina” due to it being the highest mountain in the Indochinese Peninsula – five times before.

“The climb was really nice. I have never seen a mountain as beautiful as Mount Kinabalu. I also feel at ease looking at the clean surroundings in Sabah, and I really wish my country can follow Malaysia in pursuing a clean and green environment.

“Personally, the climb was really easy for me. It might be a bit difficult for those with breathing problems due to oxygen deficiency but many of us trained at Minh Tri Thanh School before coming here, so that made the climb much easier,” she said.

Nguyen Thi, who was the first to reach Low’s Peak and also the first to return to the Laban Rata rest house, said she enjoyed the sunrise view at the summit and had taken a lot of pictures with the friends she came along with.

Comparing Fansipan to Mount Kinabalu, Nguyen Thi said the former’s route has many ups and downs, while the latter is a straight way up and back down.

Regarding the people of Sabah, she said they are very friendly and when she arrived, she felt at home as Sabahans treated her like she was part of the family – as though they were her brothers or sisters.

“The food here is also amazing, though I wish we can get more vegetable options. I am a vegan and I love the fresh fruits here such as watermelon, papaya and mango. I also love durian!
“For me, everything else is perfect. From the friendly people and good service in hotels and restaurants to clean environment, Sabah is perfect for me.

“I wholeheartedly recommend Vietnamese people to visit Sabah as Mount Kinabalu is amazing and the people here are very friendly. I will definitely come back,” she said, adding she plans to travel to Africa for her next trekking and mountain climbing adventure.

Minh Tri Thanh School founder Nguyen Thi Lanh said she established the educational organisation in 2020, and they have carried out 30 mountain climbing trips within and outside of Vietnam since conquering many mountains on the globe.

She explained the organisation emphasises on inner healing to free people from the sadness and sorrow which stems from negative life experiences, and she wants people to live a happy and peaceful life.

Apart from organising climbing trips, she said the organisation offers processes which help remove negative feelings to help people better understand themselves so they can better understand others, so they can ultimately live an excellent, interesting and free life.

“The Mount Kinabalu climb has set a higher level for the organisation members in terms of changing their mindset and psychology, as the negative feelings a person harbours usually adversely affects their life trajectory.

“Most members in this 74-person climb, including myself, are female, and all of them had successfully reached the top. They told me that they felt so happy and pleased, and they felt admirable after completing such a great task.

“The journey has made them a lot more confident in confronting future obstacles, and they are now ready to live a better, brighter life. This is because each person has great strength hidden within them that are unrealised until they take part in such journeys,” she said.

Thi Lanh said Mount Kinabalu is quite attractive with its beauty and nature, and there were a lot of ‘wows’ from the members during the climb. She opined climbing the mountain is a great experience that everyone should have in their lives.

She said ascending the mountain was not an easy task due to various factors such as terrain and weather conditions, and some of the organisation members have been exercising up to half a year to prepare themselves for the climb.

“Due to the aforementioned factors, our members tried their best to reach the top. I think positive thinking in every step is required to be able to enjoy the journey,” she said.

Thi Lanh said although Vietnam and Sabah have a few differences, they share one thing in common – love of nature.

Coupled with her experience of interacting with amiable and helpful Sabahans, she opined the state and its highest mountain should be marketed more to Vietnamese people.

She said there is a need for more advertisements and such in her country as not many Vietnamese people are aware of Mount Kinabalu, and there are a large number of young climbers there who would be delighted to jump on the chance to conquer its summit.

“Most people in Vietnam have never heard of Mount Kinabalu, and they especially do not know how beautiful it is. Hence why I think we need more exposure on the mountain and Sabah as a whole in Vietnam. We are already planning to have two more trips to Mount Kinabalu in May and October next year,” she said.