Art Study Tour in Kota Kinabalu: 4D3N Journey of Mountains, Sea & Art

#4 Days 3 Nights

#immersive art learning

Majestic Mount Kinabalu and endless blue seas

Fireflies in the trees and creativity on fabric

Kota Kinabalu, a city surrounded by mountains and sea

is more than a holiday destination

it is a natural studio and a hands-on learning environment for art

From the ocean to the rainforest, from totems to textiles

INTO SABAH — 30th May – 2nd Jun

Over 4 days, students will

move from observation to collection, and from collection to creation

transform the colors of Sabah’s landscapes

into lasting memories through drawing, fabric work, and personal expression

( Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia)

(

Part.01 # Four Core Highlights

)

01 — Academic Art Programme

Exclusive collaboration with Sabah Institute of Art, featuring botanical transfer techniques taught by professional instructors

02 — Unique Borneo Experience

Sketching at a green building and studying indigenous totem patterns

03 — Snorkeling & Sea Fishing

Snorkeling among coral reefs and fish, followed by a sea fishing experience at sunset

04 — Rainforest Exploration

Observe proboscis monkeys and watch fireflies at night

⭐️ International Certification

(

Part.02 # Detailed Itinerary

)

DAY 01 — Arrival · Introduction to Art

Develop visual awareness before exploring nature

# Sabah Art Gallery #

Upon arrival, begin with an introduction to the city’s artistic identity before entering the natural environment.

The Sabah Art Gallery is housed in a colonial-style building and features an extensive collection of local Bornean art, including bark paintings, beadwork, and contemporary tropical artworks.

Students will complete an “observation exercise”>>

Copy a symbol from an indigenous totem

Identify colors of the sea and mountain in paintings

Create a quick sketch of a selected artwork

TREE ART Architectural Sketching Class: Green Building Study

The Sabah Art Gallery is the region’s first green building, inspired by traditional octagonal woven baskets.

Students will study its structure, facade, and light patterns through sketching.

DAY 02 — Ocean Exploration

Explore contrasting natural environments in one day—from vibrant ocean colors to the tonal landscapes of mangroves.

#Morning | Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park #

Travel by boat and explore marine life through snorkeling.

Observe coral formations, fish patterns, and natural symmetry.

Create shell collages on the beach as a creative activity.

* Note: Activities are subject to weather and sea conditions; itinerary may be adjusted for safety.

#Afternoon + Evening | Kawa Mangroves #

Explore mangrove ecosystems by boat.

Proboscis monkeys perch on branches, and aerial roots pierce the mudflats like sculptures.

Mentors will guide children to observe >>

How is the light layered in the mangroves?

What symmetry is formed by reflections on the water?

At sunset, observe fireflies lighting up the trees.

Students document observations through sketches and notes.

DAY 03 — Cultural Exploration

Explore cultural symbols in the morning and develop observation skills in the afternoon.

#Morning | Mari Mari Cultural Village #

Step into the real Borneo. Longhouses of the Kadazan-Dusun, eaves of the Murut headhunters, and smoke rising from bamboo fires…

There are no stiff performances here; only indigenous people weaving, tattooing, and painting on bark.

The children’s task: Pattern Collection >>

What are the geometric arrangements of the beadwork on the clothing?

Do the carvings on bamboo utensils come from plant shapes?

Which patterns represent bravery? Which represent harvest?

TREE ART Humanities Course: Totem and Textile Study >>

Led by teachers, students use sketchbooks to record totem symbols on indigenous clothing and artifacts, understanding their cultural meanings. These patterns will become vital materials for the next day’s botanical dyeing creation.

#Afternoon | Sea Fishing #

A different way to touch the ocean. Sit at the bow and feel the currents and winds of the South China Sea.

Sea fishing is the “art of waiting”—watching the changing clouds, the texture of the waves, and the straight line where the fishing line cuts into the water.

Even if no fish are caught, children will sketch: the posture of a companion holding a rod, the silhouette of a distant island, and the broken gold of the sunset on the water.

* Note: Activities are subject to weather and sea conditions; itinerary may be adjusted for safety.

DAY 04 — Creative Production

Learn botanical thermal transfer with the Sabah Institute of Art. Personally turn tropical plants into exclusive artworks.

#Sabah Institute of Art · Botanical Thermal Transfer Experience #

Learn botanical thermal transfer with the Sabah Institute of Art. Personally turn tropical plants into exclusive artworks.

Under the guidance of professional artists, using tropical leaves and flowers, they will release all the inspiration accumulated over the past three days through the botanical thermal transfer process:

Firefly shimmer → Negative space and gradients between leaf arrangements

Coral forms → Natural textures from curled and folded leaves

Indigenous totems → Freely arranged leaf collage patterns

植物热转印

2026/05

TRAVEL

Each piece of fabric is unique; it is no longer just a souvenir, but a true work of art.

# Closing Ceremony #

We will display all the children’s works: observation notes, pattern journals, shell collages, and botanical dyed fabrics.

# Awarding of Honorary Certificates #

International Environmental Volunteer Certificate—putting a formal conclusion to this deep and productive art study tour.

Kota Kinabalu — Students take away more than memories

( Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia)

A visual journal

A visual journal collected from nature and humanity

A shell collage

A beach collage made of shells and imagination

A botanical textile artwork

A hand-dyed tropical botanical artwork

An Certificate

International Environmental Volunteer Certificate

Art extends beyond the classroom into nature.

Growth comes through experience.

4 Days 3 Nights Sabah Art Study Tour

A hands-on art journey children can experience and take with them.