Hounon Ridge Farmstay & Camping — Attraction in Sabah

Please read through my entire observations, before coming to a conclusion .

Road heading to Hounun Ridge is bad, but that's not under their control but the state government is responsible for this so don't sweat it 😛 That being said, an Axia,Myvi or any sedan can make it, have patience and be open to seeing all the beauty the route has to offer. (many cows here so practice your moo moo 🐄🐄 so you can communicate with them) It will take you 20-30 minutes from the main road (exit Bundu Tuhan on the main road going to Kundasang) In the 20 minutes journey from the Bundu Tuhan exit, you will see a few villages, 2 churches, 3 schools, 1 retreat center, a wooden police station which is locked 🤣, klinik kesihatan, 4 small grocery stores and a bridge so small that only one vehicle can pass at one time. Keep your camera handy, so you can take many pictures if you are into capturing all moments not just the fancy ones. Drive slow on the pot holes and drive fast or at the right speed when you can (don't be a killjoy by driving slow on a straight smooth road 😎) Buy all the supply you need for your stay here, ie: 3 in 1 coffee, Maggie, biscuits, junk food, bread, all the food that you want to eat. Why? Because it's a 20-30 minutes drive to the main road only so if you intend to go out and look for food the closest place to eat will be about 45-60 minutes away. So it's best to stock up and just have a good staycation at the farmstay. There is a 99 Speedmart (my favourite place to shop 😇) in Tamparuli roundabout. It's the only one there right before you start the ascend. Oh yeah, please download offline Google maps before you travel, there is a chance of losing phone signal when you are in the interiors. The Staff here are friendly, the nicer you are to them, the better they treat you, simple right? (Give respect in order to get it back) Check in time is 2pm, check out is 11am so it's best to see or visit the place you want before or after the stay. Be mindful, whether can be a little hot in the afternoon (Sabah is going through drought) and Hounun does not provide any air-conditioner or fan. Of course, because air-conditioner is provided here by the universe (hehe 😂). Pro tip: Room number 3 has the best view of Mt. Kinabalu (picture attached as a proof) Get an ant bait, too many ants at times ( I think the previous person who stayed there has sweet pee 😜) For Hounun Management, I hope you can provide a table fan in the rooms, sometimes it gets hot 🙏🏼 This entire place where the Hounun is situated on is very beautiful, perfect view, nice temperature, peaceful. They have a nice lobby, and many different places you can hang out. Common TV in the lobby. Rooms are okay, but they could do better. Please set your expectations accordingly. The price you pay is for the entire feel of this place, just not for the room. Water pressure in the toilet is perfect (I cannot handle bad water pressures, so not sure why, but when some places has a good water pressure, I get excited 🌧️) What to do here? Assuming you arrive at 2pm, sort out your check in and take a nap. Get up at 4pm and have your evening tea and eat something (if you are smart, you can takeaway enough KFC for the rest of your stay here, I saw a couple buy KFC enough for 5 people when it was just the two of them. No wonder I could hear chicken cuckooing but no chicken was seen 🧐) At 5.30pm plus, sun starts to set and by 6.30pm it's dark. There are Gazebos and BBQ pit that you can rent and enjoy the rest of the night doing BBQ and chit chatting. Eat. Keep eating. Eat somemore. At 10pm, stargaze. The best way to do this is find yourself a mat or a sleeping bag, and walk up this small slightly raised area situated on the far left of Hounun)

Review too long to be featured on here, I've done a complete review of this on my...

Quiet and peaceful place for a mountain view!

Stayed for a night, camping on their site. It was empty during weekdays. Only me and another camper. Campsite area is large, clean and relatively safe as there are wired fence around the area.

There are Cafeteria for you to order food. There are hot/cold water dispenser in the Cafeteria. There are cooking area for you to cook, eat, BBQ.

Weather is good, it rained a lil bit throughout the night, clouds rolling in all day too. Glad there's no rainstorm or something. Just prepare to check in their resort at anytime if the weather goes bad. It's chilly at night, sleeping in sleeping bag is enough, no need thick clothing or such. Bring insect repellent.

Ladies bathroom is a bit dusty, only cold showers, refreshing shower indeed. A good supply of water. Relatively clean.

Terrific view angle of Mount Kinabalu. And sunrise! Mesmerising. Significantly beautiful view along the road of bundu Tuhan. It was peaceful, serene, just splendid.

On the other hands : There are no lights at all around the campsite area. In a way it is good for stargazing, in another way, I did forgot to put up my light outside my tent before I went to the Cafeteria before sunset, and when I returned after sunset, it was creepy dark that I couldn't clearly see my way up to my tent (I place my tent far away from the house area). It would be nice if they would put some small outdoor light in some really dark area.

There are two dogs. Not sure if they're friendly, because they're are one second and another second they're storming towards just anybody. One time they were following me and trying to snatch my sandwich pack, contains eggs and unopened can of tuna only. Bite my clothes when I tried to walk down to the cooking area. Following me to the car and to my tent again. I'm scared as hell. The next morning, they were just sitting and guard my camp site. Whatever it is, I think it is still better to keep them at bay. Or have someone watches them.

Goodluck with driving to the site. So many potholes. Some just ridiculously manhole (on exaggerated manner). Not the property faults but maybe they can address that to the authority. But survived with my axia. The roads are steep, going down and up the hill, pushing the gas to the max. Thrilling 😂

Yeah, footnote : have a plan B for everything.

Verdict : will definitely return if I have better preparation/equipment. Of...

Overall Experience: Disappointing Service Despite a Pleasant Environment

While the environment is lovely, our experience was significantly tainted by the poor service and attitude of the café staff. It was only later that we found out the café and hotel are operated by different parties — the café being a vendor. Nonetheless, this should not compromise guest experience.

Breakfast Voucher Issue We had a group of 4 pax, but only received 2 breakfast coupons. On the first day, we had to pay RM20 per person for the extra 2 pax — which is extremely overpriced considering the poor quality of food provided. 📸 [Refer to attached photos]

"Buffet" With No Food at 9.30AM? Although the café advertised a buffet breakfast from 7am–11am, by the time we arrived at 9.30am, almost all food was gone. When we politely asked if food would be refilled, the staff rudely replied:

“Takde, sudah masak, makanan sana saja.” Translation: “No, everything’s already cooked, what you see is all we have.” 📸 [Refer to photos of the buffet at 9.30am]

Worst Food Experience in Kundasang The food was not just salty and unappetizing, it was also clearly not fresh. The kitchen environment was dirty and chaotic, which further raised hygiene concerns. Even some hotel staff mentioned offhandedly that they wouldn’t eat there themselves. 📸 [Refer to photo of the kitchen environment]

Rude and Unprofessional Staff The staff (see photo) were extremely rude and confrontational when we asked basic questions. They claimed:

“Kami buka sampai pukul 9.30am saje.” ("We operate only until 9.30am.")

This makes no sense, especially since it contradicts their stated buffet hours (until 11am), and we were there at exactly 9.30am raising concerns.

When I asked to speak with their supervisor or person-in-charge, they suddenly turned silent and evasive, refusing to provide any contact. This behavior is not just unprofessional — it’s unacceptable. 📸 [Refer to photo of the rude staffs]

Conclusion: For the amount we paid, this experience was simply unworthy and deeply disappointing. The café's poor service, bad food, and rude staff do not reflect the standards one would expect at this price point — or from any hospitality setting.

I sincerely hope the hotel will re-evaluate their collaboration with this café vendor, or at least set clear service expectations for guests. Guests...