Be honest. If you were unexpectedly asked to say where Sabah is, would you know? Most of us might hazard a guess that it is in south-east Asia. Some might know it is a state of Malaysia, and even fewer might come up with the correct answer: that it is one of the two Malaysian states now referred to by the locals as East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. In my school atlas it was called North Borneo and shaded pink. But that was before Malaya became Malaysia in 1957, and Sabah, formerly a British Crown colony became a member of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.

Once this wild and jungly land was home to head-hunters, its shores threatened by pirates, the mountains and deep valleys war zones. Today's Sabah is different, a quiet and immensely beautiful place. This is where Mt Kinabalu, south-east Asia's highest peak, chops the sky at 4,101metres with its jagged profile. Never forget that one metre as sometime - maybe in our grandchildren's grandchildren's era - it will have increased to two for they say the mountain, originally formed by some immense subterranean upthrust, is still 'growing' at the rate of a half centimetre a year.

Hundreds climb Kinabalu each year, taking an afternoon and the following early morning to clamber to its oxygen-deprived tip, yet a hardy few each year in October during the Kinabalu Marathon, actually sprint 21 kilometres up and back, the men's record being 2 hours 18 minutes! The winner goes home with some tidy well-earned prize-money as well.

In Kundasang, backdropped by the same mountain, at a balmy 1500-plus metres, the air is so clear you could drink it, and in this tiny village life goes on as it has for centuries. Here in the early morning, the local people start arriving at the market almost before light, before Kinabalu draws its misty clouds in to hide its highest spots.

They come, weighed down by tall bamboo baskets of cauliflowers and cabbages. Hundreds of cabbages. These villagers carry their produce in bags on their heads, or stuffed into ubiquitous Toyota vans, and then they spread it for sale - every manner of fresh vegetable. At this altitude there's asparagus and strawberries too, wild fungus and less of the tropical fruits you would find at the coast.

Much of Sabah simmers in tropical heat. The coastline, mostly mangrove and palm protected, is home to proboscis monkeys and wild bright birds and butterflies. At Sepilok near Sandakan we visited an orang utan sanctuary dedicated to rehabilitating orphaned apes so that they can finally live safely in the lush rainforest jungles there. Presently they are being part-fed (the management wants them to learn to forage independently) and 'mothered' into learning how to jump and swing through the tall trees.

If you wander along the boardwalks you just might bump into one or two, strolling along too, their tiny red humanoid faces puckered in concentration and perhaps a little concern. My main concern when I met them was for my camera - they have been known to souvenir the odd bit of tourist gear - but they shuffled past, oblivious.

While nature has been kind to Sabah, you could trade it all for the people who live in this island state. The pushing jostle of Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other Asian cities is foreign to Kota Kinabalu (the capital and once-upon-a-time Jesselton). Sure you can buy duty free goods, and the Gaya St Sunday market offers room for some pretty solid bargaining, and yields a few treasures, but the 'tourist as prey' syndrome has not reached there yet.

The nearest I saw were the usual irritating small-boy touts each urging me to take their boat to the nearby playground islands in Tunku Abdul Rahmen Park, twenty minutes boat ride from KK. There the water is so clear you can spot fish from the jetty, but for a better view snorkelling and scuba equipment is available for hire and there are dive-masters aplenty to take groups on further explorations into the stunning coral forests offshore.

To the east at Tawau, and further north, the people are even more artless. You feel that Western faces are not so common here and people will approach you in the street, ask you who you are, introduce themselves and pose without a trace of self-consciousness for photographs and there is a refreshing attitude of helpfulness and a cheerful pride. In country areas you will see a variety of national dress and housing styles for Sabah is home to 31 tribes, each with distinct facial types, dialects and customs. There is no tension though, merely a kaleidoscopic blending of a vast range of cultural diversity.

It would be hard to crystallise the essence of Sabah into a phrase, or even one sentence. Just how do you convey the majesty of Kota Kinabalu's mosque at sunset, or blinding white sands rimming sapphire waters? What can you say about silky green jungle rivers, lethargic in the heat, or others - mountain ones - running terracotta with mud after a sudden storm? And Mt Kinabalu rousing in the early morning light, or stilt villages tottering out into the sea - how can you capture that in words?

You can't. Not adequately. And that's why, some day, I'll go again. Until then, because the orang utans didn't take my camera, I'll make do with my photographs. And memories.

FACTFILE:

Where: Sabah is situated in north-west Borneo between 4 and 8 degrees north of the equator. Population 1.7 million.

Time difference - 2 hours behind EST

When: The climate is equatorial/tropical (23C-31C all year, humidity 85-95 percent - much cooler in the mountains)

Who: Malaysia Airlines flies daily to Kuala Lumpur with connecting flights to Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan; Shangrila Tanjung Aru Resort, offers 5-star comfort;

How: Rental vehicles are a fairly inexpensive way to see the country. There are also local coaches and air connections between major towns. No Visa needed for Australian passport holders. Bahasa Malay is the official language although English is widely spoken in larger centres. Currency used - Malaysian Ringgit, approx. 2.8 ringgit to AUD.

More info: For more information contact your travel agent or Malaysian Tourist Promotion Board.