Home ATTRACTIONS City/Village Bundu Paka Lodge, Ranau, Kota Kinabalu 亚庇 Sabah

Bundu Paka Lodge, Ranau, Kota Kinabalu 亚庇 Sabah

June 2, 2015

Location : Kampung Bundu Paka, Ranau, West Coast Division, Sabah, Malaysia.

Looking for an ‘off the beaten track’ spot to chill out in one of the hills of Mount Kinabalu? Or white water kayaking down a crystal clear water river (Level 2)? Then Bundu Paka Lodge has the perfect combo for you. Situated about 40min drive away from Kundasang in a Dusun village of the same name, the fast flowing River Kadamaian meanders through this small and unknown community unlike the touristic Kundasang.

authentic village, Bundu Paka Lodge, fishing, hiking, homestay, indigenous dayak, Kadazan Dusun, Kalangadan Cafe, Mount Kinabalu, native, nature, outdoors, Tamparuli, tribal, tribe, white water rafting, kayaking, Malaysia — Kadamaian River

I would not have known about this little hidden paradise had it not been for Tom an old friend of mine from Kuching and who has been residing in Sabah for the last 3 decades. Tom suggested we visit this lodge as we were passing through Kota Kinabalu from Tarakan Indonesia. The owner of the lodge Gomez Sim (Kuching born) used to be colleague of Tom until Tom decided to be his own boss venturing into F&B business including a Thai restaurant at the Suria Sabah Shopping Mall.

Thailand food, Bundu Paka Lodge, homestay, indigenous dayak, Kadazan Dusun, Kadamaian River, native, nature, outdoors, tribal, tribe, Malaysia, Borneo, — Tam Nak Thai Restaurant @ Suria Sabah Mall

authentic village, Dogongon, Bundu Paka Lodge, homestay, indigenous dayak, Kadamaian River, Kadazan Dusun, Kundasang, Mountain Kinabalu, native, nature, outdoors, Tamparuli, tribal, tribe — Tuaran fried noodle Malay style at Tom’s other resto in Dogongon

That morning 4 of us took the relaxing drive stopping first at Tamparuli to enjoy the famous Hakka handmade noodles before making our way up towards Mount Kinabalu.

authentive town, Bundu Paka Lodge, homestay, Kadamaian River, Kadazan Dusun, Kundasang, Mountain Kinabalu, native, nature, outdoors, tribal, tribe, noodles, pumpkin bread, upside down house, — The bridge made famous by a local song @ Tamparuli

authentive town, Bundu Paka Lodge, homestay, Kadamaian River, Kadazan Dusun, Kundasang, Mountain Kinabalu, native, nature, outdoors, tribal, tribe, pumpkin bread, upside down house, — The old shops at Tamparuli

: Pumpkin bun

After about 45 min we came to a junction where we caught sight of out destination and had to make quite a steep descent. Our first sight of the Kadamaian River was such a pleasant surprise, bluish and crystal clear. Mesmerised to the point you want to jump in that very second.

authentic village, fishing, hiking, homestay, indigenous dayak, Kadamaian River, Kadazan Dusun, Kalangadan Cafe, Mount Kinabalu, native, nature, outdoors, Tamparuli, tribal, tribe, white water rafting, kayaking, Malaysia — Kampung Bundu Paka view from the junction

Passing by a couple of houses we were further enchanted by the lodge, all thanks to Gomez’s ingenuity. From the bed rooms to the selection of plants in the garden everything was awesome. I have only met Gomez for 2 hours and seeing what he did for his lodge leaves no doubt about his talent.

His expertise on orchids should be sought after. He is a very regular participant of international orchid competitions with much success too. Gomez’s dream of turning his property into a classroom for nature lovers will be the perfect highlight to a visit to his sanctuary.

Just for your info, not only is Gomez widely talented and knowledgeable, he is also very lucky by the fact that he is the only known person in Borneo to have photographed a red cheeked squirrel. It is a very rare squirrel with a tail like a feather. He must be the luckiest guy in Borneo.

So guys, if you happen to visit Kota Kinabalu and have nothing new to do other than scaling Mount Kinabalu, island hopping and indulging in seafood, you might as well check out Bundu Paka’s Facebook page for a reservation. Driving there on your own would be a lot easier if you have GPS. Food will be prepared by Gomez’s relatives as his wife is a Dusun from this village. Which explains why is able to own native property here.
Before I forget, if you are there do pop over to the nearby roadside café called Kalangadan for a coffee and a breathtaking view of Mount Kinabalu…..if your lucky day is a sunny one. Unfortunately our’s was a very cloudy one but my silent wish for a glimpse was granted by the gods of Aki Nabalu. Terima Kasih.