Mount Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Nov 13th & 14th, 2025

Mount Kota Kinabalu — Conquered!
Second summit in my milestone year… because apparently I don’t like spending weekends like normal humans.

So there I was, standing at 4,095 meters, on the mystical island of Borneo (Sabah), surrounded by everything from alpine meadows to rainforest jungles like Mother Nature couldn’t decide on a theme. No wonder it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site — it literally has all the genres.

And the mountain comes with titles too —
👑 Highest in Malaysia
👑 Tallest in Maritime Southeast Asia
👑 3rd highest island peak in the world
Basically, this mountain is an underrated giant.

Now, let’s talk about the hike:
“It was TOUGH — the kind of tough that gets your heart racing at scary heights.”— and more like “why am I doing this voluntarily?”. Continuous rain, cold temperatures, soaked socks, slippery rocks, and the constant fear of turning into a human slide. The Rain God did take a tea break on summit night though — very considerate.

At certain points, I wasn’t hiking anymore, I was a rope-climbing action hero., l could audition for Ninja Warrior. Shoutout to my pole training — didn’t know it would save my life outside a classroom.

Also, here’s the best part: out of 30 hours inside the national park, 21 hours were spent climbing up or coming down.
My body & my watch : We need rest and recharge

My Legs: I got this. One step at a time.

Mountain: Sure… I have thousands. Enjoy.

Recovery update:

✔️ Walking normally again

✖️ Climbing up stairs —thighs giving a gentle reminder

✖️ Climbing down — remembering Mom, God, and every mountain deity 😂

Verdict:
Would I do it again?

Me: Let’s plan the next one.

 My muscles: Negotiation in progress. We’ll get back to you. 😂