Kundasang sits on the slopes of Mount Kinabalu, well over a thousand metres above the sea. At that height the air is cool: pleasant days, and nights that can feel cold even to visitors from the coast.
Many of the vegetables we eat every day first came from cooler parts of the world. Leafy greens, cabbage, lettuces, tomatoes and capsicum grow best when the nights are cool — the plants rest, grow firmer and keep their colour and crunch. In the heat of the lowlands they tend to wilt, flower too early or simply struggle.
The mountain also brings regular rain and good soil, which is why the slopes around Kundasang are covered with small family farms. A great deal of the highland produce sold across Sabah begins its journey here.
The same cool weather is why highland vegetables need care on the way down to the city: packed well and moved quickly, they reach the kitchen still fresh.