Which mountain is Malaysia’s highest peak and the namesake of Kinabalu National Park?

Mount Kinabalu is Malaysia’s highest peak and the namesake of Kinabalu National Park.

Its highest point, Low’s Peak, rises to 4,095 metres on the island of Borneo. The mountain stands in Sabah and is part of the Crocker Range. Its summit consists of enormous bare granite slabs, while the lower slopes support dense tropical forests.

Kinabalu National Park was established in 1964 and became Malaysia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The region is famous for its extraordinary plant diversity, including many orchids, pitcher plants and rhododendrons. More than 5,000 plant species have been recorded in the park.

The mountain is sacred to the Indigenous Dusun people, who traditionally regard it as the resting place of ancestral spirits. The name “Kinabalu” is commonly explained through a phrase meaning “revered place of the dead,” although interpretations vary.