Health Update: Wellness, Travel and the Sabah Experience – What Experts Say

KOTA KINABALU: Wellness does not begin when we arrive at a destination, but when we arrive within ourselves. For Cleopatra Lajawai, Executive Officer of Qi-Mag Global Wholistic Professionals, every journey is shaped not by where we go, but by how we arrive, with clarity, awareness and intention.

“When we travel consciously, the journey itself becomes part of the wellness experience,” she says, reflecting on her travels through different countries, retreat spaces and natural environments.

As 2026 begins, Cleopatra invites Sabahans and visitors alike to start the year gently, guided by the 10 Sustainable Wholistic Wellness Pillars. The journey begins with two core Foundations, Soul and Mental/Emotion which she describes as the inner anchors of overall wellbeing. Without them, even the most beautiful destination can feel rushed or disconnected.

Sabah, she notes, is entering a new chapter where wellness, sustainability and conscious travel naturally converge. Here, wellness does not need to be created or staged; it is simply allowed. The warmth of the people, the openness of local communities and the presence of nature create an environment where the mind slows, the heart opens and deeper wellbeing can unfold.

Experiencing the 10 Wellness Pillars, Cleopatra explains, does not require rigid discipline. It begins with small, mindful actions, slowing down, tuning into one’s surroundings, respecting local culture and nature, and moving at a pace that allows integration rather than exhaustion. “Wellness is not something we take from a place,” she says. “It is something we co-create with it.”

This inner-to-outer approach aligns with the Inner Development Goals (IDGs), which emphasise self-awareness, empathy and conscious action as foundations for sustainable change.

She also shares that Sabah’s first Wellness Tourism Packages have been developed, offering travellers a deeper and more meaningful way to experience the state. Guided by experienced senior tour guides, these journeys prioritise presence, cultural sensitivity and reflection over rushed itineraries.

When approached consciously, Cleopatra believes wellness tourism supports not only personal wellbeing but also broader sustainability goals, including good health, responsible consumption and community upliftment.

January, she adds, is only the beginning of a year-long wellness journey. As Sabah moves forward into a new phase of conscious and sustainable tourism, her hope is that wellness here will be experienced not as an activity, but as a way of being, one that nurtures individuals, uplifts communities and honours the land.

For those wishing to explore Sabah in this spirit, Cleopatra invites travellers to connect with SETIA for customised Wellness Tourism experiences aligned with the 10 Sustainable Wholistic Wellness Pillars, journeys designed to create lasting connection, reflection and renewal.