While the world flocks to familiar retreat capitals, Kota Kinabalu remains quietly off-script, with the kind of grounded stillness others often try to manufacture. It drifts in with the morning mist, trails through the jungle’s hush, and vanishes gently into the tide. And Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu, makes this possible, where guests are well cared for without stepping too far from the wild.
Just ask Fiona Hagan, the resort’s general manager, whose coastal upbringing in Australia gave her an instant affinity with Sabah’s biodiversity and cultural richness. “Having grown up in a seaside town in Australia, Sabah felt like home from the very beginning,” Hagan says. “Living and working here has strengthened my connection to nature and deepened my commitment to purposeful, place-based leadership.” On the ground, the setting speaks for itself long before check-in—in the authenticity of the space, the warmth of the hospitality, the imprint of Bornean culture, and the ever-present pull of nature.
Spread across 400ac with a 3km private beach, a 64ac forest reserve, and an 18-hole golf course, this nature-fringed resort in Tuaran was once home to a meaningful conservation effort for orphaned and injured orangutans. From 1996 to 2016, the on-site nature reserve partnered with Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre to rehabilitate these endangered primates, gently guiding them toward independence in the wild. Though the programme eventually returned to Sepilok, its values and impact still live on at the resort today. Perhaps it’s a natural extension that the resort has now turned its focus to another threatened species, the pangolins. Through partnerships with environmental organisations, it plays an active role in habitat conservation, biodiversity tracking, and awareness-building around one of Sabah’s most elusive species.
Seasoned Shangri-La guests will likely notice that the brand has been moving toward a more unified approach to sustainability. Although each property is progressing at its own pace, Rasa Ria is ahead of the curve, becoming the first in Malaysia to receive the ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) 20121 certification for sustainable event management. The achievement says a lot, but getting there required a major shift in mindset across the board. “We had to move away from a top-down approach to one that engaged all stakeholders—starting first with our colleagues,” Hagan recalls. “We reframed sustainability as a shared possibility, where people, planet, and long-term growth can coexist.” This meant anchoring their actions in the immediate environment, whether it’s managing water use, regular beach clean-ups, mindful sourcing, or showcasing local artisans and culture with guests.
In any industry, true sustainability shows up in the smallest—but loudest—gestures. It’s deeply embedded into how an establishment operates day to day, especially its practices that are behind-the-scenes. “An initiative close to my heart is our comprehensive waste management and recycling programme, particularly through our EcoRia site. Some of these efforts include on-site glass recycling, cooking oil recovery, food-to-feed conversion, and composting kitchen waste,” Hagan says. “These efforts may not always be visible to our guests during their stay, but they’re part of the invisible care we take each day to ensure our operations remain as sustainable as possible.”
For those used to the rhythm of city life—caffeine-fuelled starts, full calendars, and eyes fixed on the ground—being at Rasa Ria can feel jarring at first. But imagine waking up at 5am, not for emails or meetings, but to follow a trail through the forest. The 98m hike up to Timpak Pogimpaan might ask for effort, but what it gives back is a quiet summit and a golden sunrise over the majestic Mount Kinabalu. It’s one of those rare pauses that feels sacred—a reminder to slow down, look up, and let nature take the lead.
That stillness carries through to the end of the day too. “My favourite way to unwind is our sunset beach experience,” Hagan says. “I love taking off my shoes, walking into the beach and warm waters, and soaking in the golden horizon over Pantai Dalit. Often, I’ll meet guests capturing memories, celebrating life at the water’s edge. It’s a beautiful, shared moment of joy.” For those drawn to lesser-known corners of Rasa Ria, Hagan has just the spot in mind: “The Golfer’s Terrace at Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club is perfect for a quiet lunch or drink, with views of Mount Kinabalu and the driving range below. It’s peaceful, scenic, and often graced by hornbills, kingfishers, and otters.”
Guests are spoiled for choice with a variety of cuisines across both the Ocean Wing and Garden Wing at Rasa Ria. But it’s the local dishes that offer a direct line to Sabah’s cultural tapestry. “One local dish every guest must try is hinava,” Hagan suggests. “It’s a traditional Kadazan-Dusun delicacy made with fresh raw fish marinated in lime juice, mixed with grated ginger and sliced shallots. It’s Sabah’s answer to ceviche, but with a distinctly local soul.” She also suggests mee Tuaran as a must-try.
“Rasa Ria literally means ‘happy place’, and that’s exactly what it is for me,” Hagan states. “No matter how busy the day gets, there’s always something that grounds me—seeing families reconnecting, couples sharing quiet joy, or guests simply soaking in the solitude along the beach. Everyone finds their own space here, and it’s in those moments that I’m reminded why we do what we do.”
