Kundasang
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Kundasang is a village in Sabah, Borneo that lies along the bank of Kundasang Valley and 6km from Kinabalu National Park. It is renowned for its vegetable market, which is open seven days a week. It is the closest village to the famous Mount Kinabalu and therefore a panoramic view of Mt. Kinabalu can be seen from the village.
[edit] Kundasang Vegetable Wholesale stalls
Beside the main road, vegetables whole-sellers can be found in a long row of wooden stalls, called 'gerai' in Malay. Bulk buyers come from all over the state of Sabah, Sarawak and even Brunei for the fresh harvest. Pick up trucks are seen laden fully with harvest from the farms nearby the valley and delivered to the stalls. Passing tourists and travellers also stop by the road for shopping at a good bargain.
The stalls are open 7 days a week.
[edit] Kundasang War Memorial and Gardens
Located immediately behind the vegetable wholesale stalls, is the Kundasang War Memorial & Gardens situated on the hill like a fort.
Major G.S. carter, D.S.O. (Toby Carter) a New Zealander employed with Shell Oil Co. (borneo) initiated the building of the Memorial in 1962, together with the launching of Kinabalu Park; to remember the 2,428 Australian and British prisoners who died during the World War II at the Sandakan POW Camp, and the casualties of the 3 infamous forced death marches i.e. Sandakan-Ranau Death March from Sandakan to Ranau. On top of that, it is also a tribute to the many locals who risked their lives while releasing the prisoners at war. Only 6 Australians recorded survived in this tragedy to tell their horror and no English survivors were recorded.
The 'fort-like' Memorial was designed by a local architect by the name of J.C. Robinson. It has 4 interlocking but separate gardens to represent the homelands of those who has died: an Australian Garden, a formal English Garden of roses, a Borneo Garden with wild flowers of Kinabalu and at the top level is the 'Comtemplation Garden' with a refection pool and pergola.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Memorial was beautifully restored in 2005 privately. The Gardens are replanted with flowers, particularly roses and rare orchids that includes the much sought after valuable Rothchilds slipper orchids.
ANZAC Memorial Service and private Memorial Services are welcomed with prior arrangements. The Memorial is open to visitors with minimal entrance fees charged.
[edit] Kundasang Golf Course
The golf course is located very near to the border of Kinabalu National Park at an altitude of approximately 2000m above sea level.
Sabah | ||
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Divisions: Interior Division | Kudat Division | Sandakan Division | Tawau Division | West Coast Division | ||
City: Kota Kinabalu | ||
Towns: Beaufort | Beluran | Inanam | Keningau | Kinabatangan | Kuala Penyu | Kota Belud | Kota Marudu | Kudat | Kunak | Kundasang | Lahad Datu | Nabawan | Papar | Penampang | Pitas | Ranau | Sandakan | Semporna | Sipitang | Tambunan | Tamparuli | Tawau | Tenom | Tuaran | ||
Islands: Banggi Island | Gaya Island | Layang Layang Island | Ligitan Island | Sebatik Island | Sipadan Island |