Cabana Retreat Glamping Guide – 8 Best Things To Do! (Kota Belud)
Situated along the beautiful stretches of Rampayan Beach in Kota Belud is Cabana Retreat, another hidden gem in Sabah waiting to be explored. Being Malaysia’s 1st Pop-Up Beach Resort, Cabana Retreat provides guests with a “glamorous camping” experience also known as “glamping”, a popular term among tourists nowadays. Guests can reconnect with nature while enjoying all the basic amnesties making it a comfortable stay.
When should you visit Cabana Retreat?
For those who are planning to do a day trip or checking in here, do note that the front desk is only open from 7am – 10pm daily. In our opinion, the best time to visit Cabana Retreat is around 4pm, which leaves you just enough time to grab some drinks while waiting for the gorgeous sunset view.
Gorgeous sunset views – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Cabana Retreat sunset views – Kota Belud, Sabah
Loving the sunset view – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Cabana Retreat Entrance fees:-
Cabana Retreat entrance – Kota Belud, Sabah – Kota Kinabalu
Crossing the suspension bridge at Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Plenty of places to take photos ! Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
As Cabana Retreat is located at the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu (KK) city, you have less choices when it comes to transportation. You can get here by renting a car, taking a taxi/e-Hailing or contacting the resort for transportation arrangements.
AirAsia e-Hailing service
How long is the drive to Cabana Retreat?
Located in Kota Belud, the journey from KK city to Cabana Retreat would take you approximately 2 hours. As the roads to Kota Belud is quite easy going, there shouldn’t be any problems finding the “glamp” site. However, as you drive along, you will occasionally see herds of cows loitering in the middle of the road, so take extra precaution when driving here.
Watch out for cows crossing the roads ! Kota Belud, Sabah
If you just plan to do a day trip here, we suggest you to leave before it gets too dark as there are no street lights along the roads of Kota Belud. Click here to get the directions to Cabana Retreat.
First Pop Up Beach Resort – Sabah (Image credit: Cabana Retreat)
Can I stay overnight at Cabana Retreat?
Yes, should definitely spend a night or two here if you’ve never experienced “glamping” before. If you’re planning to stay over, we suggest you to check-in around 4pm onwards as the tents can get quite warm especially on a hot, sunny day.
Glamping at Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
Cabana Retreat Camping Site – Kota Belud, Sabah
Apart from that, you can expect to completely unwind, listening to the sounds of the waves whilst laying back and enjoying the starry-lit night sky.
Romantic getaway – Kota Belud, Sabah (Image credit: Cabana Retreat)
Cabana Retreat Tents & Rates
Cabana Retreat Tents & Rates – Glamping, Sabah
Useful tips
- Put on sunblock to protect your skin from getting sunburned
- Don’t forget your shades to protect your eyes from the glaring sun
- When driving to Kota Belud, take extra precaution as the cows love to cross the roads and leave their dung all over the place
- If you are not a strong swimmer, stay on the shallower area as the water currents can be strong at times
- Make sure to carry along your camera to snap memorable photos
- As there is no bathroom in the tents, you will be using a common bathroom located nearby the camp site
- Keep the beach clean, so others can enjoy it too
Leave nothing but your footprints – Keep the beach clean!
Beware of jellyfish – Rampayan Beach, Cabana Retreat – Sabah
Don’t forget to bring your shades ! Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
Beautiful day at Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Shared bathroom – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
1. Unwind at The First Pop Up Beach Resort in Malaysia
As Cabana Retreat is located further away from Kota Kinabalu city, not many tourists know about this place. Thus, being one of the hidden gems of Kota Belud, you can rest assured that you won’t find huge crowds here compared to visiting the beaches in the city.
Stroll along the beautiful beaches of Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
Relax and unwind here at Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
Cabin view point at Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
This makes it a great place for those who want to unwind and relax. You can take a stroll along the Rampayan Beach or try out any of the adrenaline-rush activities available at Cabana Retreat.
Cool off at the beach bar! Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
Food and drinks menu – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Dine at the beach café – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Sit back and relax – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
2. Go ATV riding along the beach
If you’re looking for something more interesting other than shopping in Kota Kinabalu, why not go on an (ATV) All Terrain Vehicles ride at Cabana Retreat. Here, you can ride into the sunset along the beautiful beaches of Kota Belud.
Try out the ATV rides – Cabana retreat, Kota Belud – Sabah
Cabana Retreat ATV ride fees:-
- RM 30 for 10mins
- RM 80 for 30mins
ATV ride – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
3. Cool off at Splashland Cabana Retreat
What better way to cool off on a hot sunny day other than taking a plunge into the cool waters of Splashland. Located just beside Cabana Retreat resort, the inflatable water park park is one of the newest attraction of the resort and a great place for friends and families to hang out.
Splashland Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
Splashland Cabana Retreat entrance fees:-
Splashland Cabana Retreat Operation Hours:-
- 11am to 6pm
Take the plunge at Splashland (Image credit: Splashland Cabana Retreat)
4. Explore the Cabana Retreat’s Adventureland
Being one of the newest addition to the resort, Adventureland is also a great place to explore at Cabana Retreat. Here, you can get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area whilst checking out the tree house.
Adventureland – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Beautiful view of Cabana Retreat from the tree house – Kota Belud, Sabah
For those who are brave enough, you can take a walk on the suspension bridge to visit the other tree houses nearby. As a precautionary measure, a maximum of 6 people is allowed to cross the bridge at a time.
Adventureland suspension bridge – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
There is no entrance fee to visit Adventureland, so why not take the opportunity to do so!
Not for the faint-hearted – Adventureland, Cabana Retreat Kota Belud, Sabah
Adventureland – Cabana Retreat Kota Belud, Sabah
5. Do some surfing at Cabana Retreat
Instead of just watching the waves from the shore, why not be part of the action for a change? Surf with your friends and family to experience this extreme sport for yourselves.
Go surfing- Cabana Retreat (Image credit: Olympics)
Cabana Retreat Surfing Requirements:-
Cabana Retreat Surfing Fees:-
- Surfing Lesson – RM 120 (3 hours)
- Board Rental – RM 50
Try out the water activities here – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
6. Learn how to Paddle Board at Cabana Retreat
If you find surfing too difficult to master, then you should definitely try paddle boarding. Since the paddle boards have a larger surface area, it is much more stable and allows you to enjoy the surf much better.
Experience the ocean from a different perspective – Paddle Boarding Cabana Retreat, Sabah
Paddle Boarding Cabana Retreat – Kota Belud, Sabah
Paddling out on to the open ocean is a great way to explore the ocean and also the best activity for your whole family to do together.
Paddle board – Cabana Retreat, Kota Belud, Sabah
Benefits of Paddle Board (Image credit: verywellfit)
Cabana Retreat Paddle Board Fees:-
- RM 60 (30 minutes)
- RM 100 (60 minutes)
7. Go on a River Cruise & Fireflies Tour (Kota Belud)
Whilst you are here, why not hop on the river cruise & fireflies tour which takes you along the enchanting Tempasuk River. On the cruise, you can expect to see the local villages and various wild live species here, such as the monitor lizards, birds and even the proboscis monkeys.
River Cruise & Fireflies Tour (Image credit: Amazing Borneo)
Proboscis monkeys – River Cruise Kota Belud, Sabah
As the tour takes you deeper into the mangrove forest, look out for a flickering warm orange light. This beautiful orange light is emitted by the fireflies as a means of communication.
Fireflies Tour (Image credit: tripcarteasia)
8. Explore the breath-taking Mantanani Islands
If you have a few extra days in Sabah, we highly recommend checking out the nearby Mantanani Islands. Being one of the hidden gems of Sabah, the Mantanani Island is blessed with white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and abundant marine life.
Mantanani Island – Kota Belud, Sabah
Pristine beach – Mantanani Island, Kota Belud, Sabah
The Mantanani Islands are sometimes called Mermaid Islands due to the presence of the mermaid like creatures “Dugong” (sea cows) roaming the waters of Kota Belud. These enchanting creatures have inspired many fairy tale stories of beautiful young women with fluked tails aiding lost fishermen at sea.
The “Lady of the Sea” – Dugong (Mantanani Islands)
If you plan on visiting the Mantanani Islands, check out our post on Why You Need To Visit The Beautiful Mantanani Islands – Sabah!
Visit Cabana Retreat now ! Kota Belud – Sabah
If you’re doing a lot of traveling, then getting a BigPay card is your next smart decision. We have used it for almost all our purchases during our travel in Malaysia and found it helpful. You can save on the currency conversion fee when you use the apps. Just make sure to select the local currency of the country you are in to get cheaper rates. Click here to sign up. Don’t forget to use our referral code GB1RB1XMDE to receive a bonus when you activate the card.
Use BigPay for more savings on currency exchange – veroalex
