‘Biyahe ni Drew’: Behind the scenes in Kota Kinabalu

Mt. Kinabalu is on every mountaineer’s bucket list. With a height of 4,095 meters or 13, 435 feet above sea level, summiting Mt. Kinabalu takes two days and takes you above the clouds.

Travel junkie Drew Arellano and GMA News TV’s “Biyahe ni Drew” recently checked off Mt. Kinabalu from their bucket list. Along the way, they found other adventures waiting in Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of Sabah, Malaysia.

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from Drew and “Biyahe ni Drew” segment producer Cris Adonis Pira.

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Touchdown, Malaysia! This episode was shot by an all-guys crew that arrived at midnight and had to begin shooting by 6:00 a.m. the next day.

First order of business: Experiencing tribal life at the Mari-Mari Cultural Village. Apart from learning about the food and dances of five Borneo tribes, the crew got to see the animals native to the forests of Borneo.

When we posted this picture of our cameraman Rey with a monkey on our Facebook account, online biyaheros kept joking that the two looked alike. What do you think?

In Mari-Mari Cultural Village, guests are taught how to cook rice in bamboo — an experience quite similar to the Jungle Environment Survival Training (JEST) Camp in Subic, Philippines.


“Biyahe ni Drew” assistant cameraman Mong and segment producer Adonis got goofy while seawalking in Sabah, Malaysia.


On the way up Mt. Kinabalu, getting an eyeful of the lush vegetation.

Nearing the halfway point at Laban Rata Guesthouse. Drew and the crew were so tired! “Ang nasa isip ko lang, sige, fight lang nang fight. Very challenging for me itong mga adventure trips namin,” Drew would later admit. “Wala pang isang kilometro, mukhang hingal na hingal na ang aming cameraman.” That’s saying something, because Drew and Rey are probably the most athletic members of our team!

At Laban Rata, climbers can reward themselves with a buffet, and there’s also an early morning buffet for climbers about to head to the summit at 2:30 a.m.

The next day, Drew, Mong and Rey woke up extra early for the 822-meter assault that took two-and-a-half hours. “Temperature was nginig to the bones-LAMIG,” recalls Drew, but it was worth it. When asked about the view, the boys would later describe it as being on an island and looking out to sea, except that the island was a rocky peak and the sea was an ocean of endless clouds.

“I say when you're at a spectacular place with a 360-degree, jaw-dropping view, you can take ALL the selfies you want!” said Drew after posting a barrage of photos on his Instagram account.


Drew, Mong and Rey arrived at Low’s Point an hour before sunrise. Waiting for that perfect shot meant braving the bitter cold. “Kulang pa pala ‘yung dala naming warm clothes...Nagyayakapan na lang kami,” recalls Drew.

All in a day’s work for “Biyahe ni Drew!” — CM, GMA News