KOTA KINABALU: A little cowboy town is Sabah's latest attraction for lovers of the Wild West who want to experience horse riding within a paddock, or experience the beach on horse-drawn carts.
Sabandar Leisure Rides or Riding Centre, which is about an hour’s drive from here, opened its doors on the New Year.
Among its many features are a western American landscape; authentic, 19th century American lodge; stables; restaurants; paddocks; riding trails; walking trails; and lots of horses.
One of its managers, Awang Shamsi Jamih, said the facility was the brainchild of Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (Shareda) president Datuk Francis Goh and Awang himself, who saw that the area had the potential to be developed into a unique tourism hub.
"The idea came (to us) when we were in Bali, Indonesia, which (has a) similar landscape to Sabandar in Tuaran.
"Goh and I have our own horses, which are kept at the centre, thus the 'cowboy' town concept (was) used to set up the place," he said, adding that the design of the restaurant, lodge, stable and surrounding area was overseen by Goh.
Awang, who has been riding horses since he was five, added that everyone, including a child, could ride a horse by following easy instructions from the staff.
"Horses generally like to be touched and (are) friendly, but will occasionally bite if they feel threatened," he added.
Sabandar also features a nature walk pathway, which allows visitors to enjoy the nearby natural mangrove forest and a “bamboo” restaurant offering traditional Sabahan cuisine.