Hounon Ridge, the most family-friendly camping ground

Sabah has many nice vacation places that are unknown to most people. In this information era, you only need to “unlock” them by using meaningful search words. For example, when I google “camping in Ranau”, a popular highland Sabah town with cooling weather. Open sesame! The website, photos and location map of Hounon Ridge show up in search results. No kidding, that’s how I discovered Hounon Ridge when I looked for nice camping site that is near to Mount Kinabalu.

Hounon Ridge (Full Name: Hounon Ridge Farmstay and Camping) is located in Bundu Tuhan, which is 21 KM away from Kinabalu Park. Hounon means foggy in Dusun language. Some tourists outside Sabah had found this wonderful campsite earlier than me. Besides the pleasing weather, Hounon Ridge is a great choice for family and group of friends who want to escape the heat in city and enjoy some cooling temperature.

Camping at Hounon Ridge with Mount Kinabalu view

Camping is a fun get-together activity for close friends and family because if staying in hotel rooms, everyone would stay in their rooms playing smartphone. However, it can be out of their comfort zone if they needs to cook without a kitchen or bath without hot water.

At Hounon Ridge you can enjoy Camping without any inconvenience. The onsite facilities are complete with common kitchen, toilet and bathroom (hot shower), BBQ pit (advanced booking required), cafeteria, and picnic tables. This is probably the most family-friendly campsite I went, consider my past camping sites are quite raw.

Dawn is coming and Kundasang town wakes up in the morning

Their camping ground is a wide and nicely mowed lawn that faces Mt. Kinabalu. During peak season such as school and public holiday, this camping ground would be packed with 20 or more tents. Campers gather to BBQ, chit chat, gaze at the night light of Kundasang town, sleep under the starry sky, and watch the sunrise over Mt. Kinabalu.

Family breakfast with Mount Kinabalu view

Camper friends enjoy breakfast under warm morning sun

You can rent a camping tent from Hounon Ridge (for a fee) and request them to setup for you. Anyway, camping tent is easy to setup. I learnt by watching a short video then can setup one for myself within 5 minutes. It’s a satisfying experience, as if I graduate from an outdoor school.

The big camping ground can fit over 50 camping tents

The camping ground is flat surface carpeted with grass, comfortable to lay on, in contrast to the uneven and rocky ground of other campsites. Though it was a bit cloudy, I could see the Milky Way and photographed it until 3am.

Dining area, kitchen and cafe area in ground floor

The 2-storey Hounon Ridge is actually an accommodation with standard rooms. Parents who prefer a proper bedroom can stay in the lodge but let their kids try camping outside, which is safe, like camping in the front yard of their house.

Morning sun ray hit the feet. Time to wake up

The best time to see Mount Kinabalu is in early morning, before it’s covered by cloud after 9am. You can selfie with this iconic mountain of Malaysia. People would think you camp in Kinabalu Park if you don’t frame the building of Hounon Ridge into your photos.

Check-in counter and living room in ground floor

Accommodation & Fees

The camping fee is MYR20 per night. You also can book a room with them:
Dormitory Bed: MYR35/night
Room (with attached private bathroom): MYR100 – MYR250 per room (rates vary depend on room size and peak season)

You may visit their page or contact them for more info:
Facebook: hounonridge
Phone: +60 13 8506463 (John)
GPS Coordinates: 5.964244, 116.548991 (see Location Map)

How to get there

On the main road from Kota Kinabalu city to Kinabalu Park, about 3KM before Kinabalu Park you will see a junction with blue road signage labeled “Bundu Tuhan” at your right (see Street Map). Turn into that junction and drive about 8 KM on a narrow countryside road, you will reach Hounon Ridge in 20 minutes.