The Tip of Borneo

Tanjung Simpang Mengayau is the northernmost point of mainland Borneo, a spit of dark rock running out into water where the South China Sea meets the Sulu Sea. A brass globe marks the spot, and a paved path leads down from the car park to the ledges, where you can scramble over rock pools if the swell is low. The drive up from Kota Kinabalu takes about three hours through rice fields, coconut plantations and Rungus villages, and most people break it at Kalampunian beach, a long curve of pale sand just west of the point that is usually close to empty. Timing the visit for sunset is the main reason to stay overnight near Kudat.

History

The original name, Tanjung Sampang Mangazou, comes from the Rungus language, from words for "cape", "union" and "battle", and local Chinese call the place Den Foh Liew, Hakka for "lighthouse", after the light on nearby Kalampunian Island (Wikipedia, Tip of Borneo).

Highlights

• The rock ledges - the dark headland running out into open water at the point.
• The globe marker - the brass monument set at the northern tip.
• Kalampunian beach - the wide, usually empty bay a short walk west.
• Rungus country - the villages and longhouses passed on the drive up.

When to go

March to September is drier and the sea calmer, which matters if you want to scramble on the rocks. Late afternoon into sunset gives the best light and the coolest hour, but that means driving back to Kota Kinabalu in the dark or staying near Kudat. Weekends bring local day-trippers and a small row of stalls.

What to expect

Three hours each way is a long drive for a headland, and doing it as a day trip means most of the day in a car. There is almost no shade at the point and the wind is constant. Swimming at the tip is unsafe because of currents, so the beach nearby is the place for that. Facilities amount to a few stalls.

Nearby

Kudat town and its beaches; the Rungus longhouses at Bavanggazo are on the way up.

Key facts