Kota Kinabalu: Primates and pastry shops, cowboy-town vibes and beauty queens

Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, is famous as the gateway to natural wonders including Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s highest mountain. PHOTOS: SABAH TOURISM, MING E. WONG
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KOTA KINABALU – I love the unpredictability of travel. Even with an itinerary, you never quite know how the day will turn out, and this happens again in Borneo.

I arrive at a village, ready to go on a forest walk to see pangolins and monkeys. I end the day hanging out with 44 beauty queens. More on that later.

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