KK offers the action and the 'chill'

Where's Kota Kinabalu?

Which is a good indication of why we only saw a handful of Australians - a blessing.

We call it KK and it happens to be the capital city of Sabah (the next question), located at the top end of the island of Borneo.

Some history buffs may recall the British claimed the north edge of the island in the 1840s, and what is now Sabah was declared a British protectorate in 1882, along with Sarawak and Brunei in 1888.

Its dominant feature is Mount Kinabalu, which at 4095 metres (13,500ft) is the highest mountain on Borneo.

My wife Mary Jane and I have been to KK three times now and our latest trip was earmarked as "total chill".

It's the perfect spot for doing nothing but lounge around the pool or take advantage of facilities offered by booking into a Club room.

These days, the desire to go scuba diving, para-sailing, hiking, island-hopping, mountain climbing and clubbing, seems like a distant call from our more youthful days.

In the 1980s we gave all those things a decent crack but each time we return it's with a more mature and wiser approach to, well, matching activities with our age.

Hence the focus this time on reading by the pool, while juggling a club sandwich and a cold beer.

Interestingly, we discovered KK also is a favoured venue with Asians, who probably regard Sabah as their own little Rottnest (without the Quokkas and yahoos).

Our choice of residence was the Magellan Sutera Resort, a 15 Malaysian Ringgit ($A5) taxi ride to where my wife rejoiced in the new quality shopping centres, surrounded by a new business district.

With strict orders from our seven children not to buy toys for the grandkids, our Christmas shopping was easily achieved at fashionable boutique children's clothing stores.

The rough three-to-one exchange rate made it easy to do the sums, but counter staff insisted on punching the figures into a calculator to show you the "Aussie dollar" total.

But knowing many readers are not into "chilling", KK offers plenty for the more active.

Sapi, Manukan and Mamutik Islands, in the designated Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, are easily accessible from KK for scuba diving and snorkelling excursions or just to experience the fast-paced "taxi boats" to check out the islands (15 minutes from Sabah).

The two dive sites around Manukan Island each have a duration of 45 minutes, which passes quickly while gliding over corals alive with clownfish, pufferfish, lionfish, barracuda and snapper, stingrays, turtles and the occasional blue-spotted octopus.

On Gaya Island, there's a hiking and zipline tour which sees you careening through the treetops.

If you open your eyes you'll enjoy some great views of the forests.

Para-sailing also is an enjoyable outing with operators ensuring safety-first before gunning the throttle.

But if your love is the land and hiking, the "must-do" is Kinabalu Park.

A full day tour takes in hot springs, rolling hills, breath-taking scenery above forest canopies.

Accompanied by an expert local guide, you'll hike through one of the numerous trails, climbing to the 30m (100ft) high canopy walkway, above the rainforest.

Lunch and a dip in the Poring Hot Springs is a great way to finish a good work-out.

You can actually climb Mount Kinabalu as part of a two-day tour to reach the summit under the supervision of an experienced guide.

Another adventurous tour gives you an experience of Borneo's dense rainforest in the mountainous Crocker Range with a surprise "clearing" to embrace the district of Tambunan, comprising 70 villages in a valley laced with paddy fields and dense bamboo forests.

The big attraction is the Rafflesia flower, the world's biggest flower with some species growing to 100cm (39in) in diameter and weighing 10kg (22lb).

On my first trip in 1985, I remember seeing more stars than flowers after accepting a villager's proffering of a "house wine" which should more accurately be described as rocket fuel.

A more sedate day tour can take in the North Borneo Railway, which features Borneo's oldest running steam locomotive.

You get lunch while enjoying panoramic views of the lush country-side, paddy fields and villagers.

When you think of Borneo, one of the first thoughts is the publicity about its affable orang-utan monkeys, which was my favourite exhibit at the Perth Zoo.

They are in abundance in the jungles and at the Sandakan Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre.

It's the largest and oldest orang-utan conservation centre in the world and you get to walk along a tall wooden walkway where you'll have a bird's-eye view of the bright orange creatures emerging from the foliage for feedings.

The orang-utans are not kept in captivity but rather come and go as they please with many rehabilitated from other sanctuaries or rescued from miscreants.

The other monkey species, of course, is the proboscis monkey, easily recognised by its long snout.

It co-exists with the orang-utans.

You can fly to KK direct from Perth with a five hour, 40 minute flight time.

And the bonus is that it's in the same time zone as Perth.

p Photographs courtesy Sabah Tourism Board.