Mesilou, named after Mesilou River, is an area situated at approximately above sea level on the East Ridge of Mount Kinabalu in Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. It is the site of the Mesilou Nature Resort, which is owned and operated by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges.
Mesilou East River and Mesilou West River pass through the Mesilou area.Kurata, S. 1976. Nepenthes of Mount Kinabalu. Sabah National Parks Publications No. 2, Sabah National Parks Trustees, Kota Kinabalu. Mesilou East River forms a deep ravine,Allen, E.F. 1971. In: Rhododendron and Camellia Year Book 1971. Royal Horticultural Society, London. and Mesilou Cave is located nearby.
One of the two main summit routes of Mount Kinabalu starts at the Mesilou Nature Resort and is called the Mesilou Trail. The Mesilou Trail meets the old Kinabalu Summit Trail just above Layang-Layang (Dusun for Place of Swallows), which is situated at approximately .
Flora Mesilou is home to the only population of Nepenthes rajah pitcher plants accessible to regular visitors.Clarke, C.M. 2001. A Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Sabah. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. The plants grow on a steep hillside overlooking Mesilau East River. A number of other Nepenthes species, including N. burbidgeae, N. fusca, and N. macrovulgaris, have been transplanted there from the area around the Mesilou Nature Resort on Pinausok Plateau.Thong, J. 2006. Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society Inc. 81: 12–17. A single example of the rare natural hybrid N. lowii × N. rajah also grows nearby. Daily guided tours are organised to the "Nepenthes Garden" where these plants are found. This nature trail is subject to a fee and operates daily from 9 am to 4 pm.Chilling out in a tropical destination . The Jakarta Post, 12 June 2011. The tree species Ilex mesilauensis is named for the area and is only found here.
Climate Mesilou has a subtropical highland climate (Cfb) with heavy rainfall year-round.
References
External links Sabah Parks Directory: Mesilou Kinabalu Park - Guide to Mesilou Summit Trail Mount Kinabalu Information Travel Guide: Mesilou Kundasang & Mesilou The Sabah Society Mesilou Trip, 26–27 March 2011