Magnificent Sunset at Sutera Harbour Marina Kota Kinabalu

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Sutera Harbour – Your first choice in Kota Kinabalu

In your search for first class accommodations in Kota Kinabalu, there is one name that should be at the top of your list; the magnificent Sutera Harbour Resort.

A fully integrated resort, the 384-acre Sutera Harbour Resort is built on reclaimed land and is situated just 5 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes from the heart of Kota Kinabalu.

The centrepiece of the resort is the Sutera Harbour Marina, Golf and Country Club which includes the 27-hole Graham Marsh designed championship golf course and the 104-berth marina that can accommodate 13 mega-yachts and 91 smaller vessels.

The course is divided into three distinct nines of varying difficulty; the Garden (holes 19-27) set by the Pacific Sutera Hotel, the Heritage (holes 10-18) which runs by the Magellan Sutera Resort and the Lakes (holes 1-9) adjacent to the golf clubhouse.

The club amenities include a 41-bay, two tiered driving range, a fully stocked pro shop, practice greens complete with areas for chipping and practicing side hill lies, fully equipped locker rooms with sauna and spacious function rooms.

This is the only 27-hole facility in Sabah and is also the only club to offer night golf to its patrons.

The club has been host to the Asian Tour’s qualifying school and is looking to host a full field event of its own to properly showcase the golf course and the rest of the property.

5-star accommodations are the order of the day at the luxurious Pacific Sutera Hotel.

An air of subtle elegance permeates the hotel with its grand entrance, high ceiling lobby lounge, panoramic view of the sea and 500 immaculately appointed suites and guestrooms all backstopped by superlative amenities and excellent service.

The hotel’s swimming pools are beautifully landscaped and surrounded by greenery and sit a stone’s throw away from the resort’s private beach.

A splendid view of the Tungku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and the tropical islands that lie therein provide a tranquil backdrop to the spectacular sunsets of Kota Kinabalu.

The world class Mandara Spa sits between the pools and the beach and offers the classic Balinese experience where guests can unwind and relax in the artfully decorated rooms or enjoy a full massage beachside in the open air pavilion.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sutera Harbour – Your first choice in Kota Kinabalu

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Curios Traveller: The Pacific Sutera Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort @ Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Dinner at Silk Garden

Silk Garden Chinese Restaurant was featured in Malaysia Tatler’s Best Restaurants list of 2009. Recently (2016), it’s once again in the list. Repeating the same triumph indicates that this particular restaurant is worth visiting and so we did. We had such great moments, eating the best food at this Chinese Restaurant.

Located next to the tranquil gardens and landscaped ponds of The Pacific Sutera Hotel, the restaurant enjoys fabulous views of the yachts by the marina, the swimming pool, swaying trees and the South China Sea against a picturesque backdrop of the islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.  One great restaurant in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, located in within a 5-star resort complex but with affordable prices.

Our Arrival and The Layout

Soon as we came in, two lovely young ladies, Ms Nurul Nasharina and Ms Ivy greeted us and warmly welcomed us. They politely introduced themselves and were more than happy to have their photo shot by our lenses. Our first impression, service is definitely top-notch, not that too formal as in fine dining restaurant but great enough to be served ‘as Kings’. The ambiance of the entrance really reflects total Chinese characteristics. The food? Honestly, we had no expectations when we came in.

We’ve been to so many Chinese Restaurants already and we’re not that sure if this restaurant will be serving us much better Chinese food. We were seated at the rear of the restaurant thus giving us the perfect view of the on-going throughout the restaurant. Then there was Mr.Micheal Ang, the Outlet Manager of Silk Garden.

He had no idea that we are food critics and travel writers. All that was in his mind, we’re regular diners and he seemed to tried his very best to suggest great dishes for the two of us. We let him do the explanation in details about each of the sub menu.

We’re pretty much amazed by his suggestion and we then decided to let him chose the best one for us. We told him about our budget and ability to eat large portion of foods. He simply recommended this and that, and all of his suggestions were truly delectable, most importantly in within our budget which is RM200. Ms Yap then came serving us that famous and refreshing Chinese Tea.

With a genuine smile, she greeted us and started pouring that tea into our mini Chinese cups. She keep coming back to pour more tea for us, a task that can be done by ourselves actually. She must have the sharpest eyes as she knew the right moment to come to pour tea for us.

While waiting for our food, we revealed our identity to Mr Micheal Ang and he’s obviously delighted to have us dining at Silk Garden. We had to reveal our identity as we need to go around and take some photos of the restaurant.

Micheal must have been in pretty much happy as he earlier suggested the best food of Silk Garden for us. We went around to take some photos and we’re amazed with each tiny details being looked into by the Management, across this entire restaurant, be it the interior or exterior. No wonder the restaurant is listed by Tatler’s!

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Curios Traveller: The Pacific Sutera Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort @ Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Dinner at Silk Garden

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Curios Traveller: The Pacific Sutera Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort @ Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Deluxe Sea View Twin Room

Imagine this. You’re tired from that long journey on the plane, arriving at your destination and then to your hotel. You received your key card and when you open the door of your room, you found a balcony with some comfy deck chairs. The sunset view is there waiting for you. The sea breeze is giving you that freshest air that you needed most.

Sit and enjoy the moment, every day, if you want to. We had that moment at The Pacific Sutera Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. We had that breathtaking view of South China Sea and the Islands nearby. We sat on the deck chairs, enjoying the sea breeze, on the balcony attached to our Deluxe Sea View Twin Room.

Arrival

We can’t believe it that after so many years and after recently vowing to return, we’re actually here at The Pacific Sutera Hotel. It’s been a while since the last stay and we’re not sure if the hotel is still offering the same qualities in both service and products. Well, we finally return and will be nesting here for 3 days and 2 nights.

From the outside, it looks exactly the same like what we saw years ago. We love the rooms on the higher floors dedicate to Pacific Club guests. This time around, we’re booked on a Deluxe Sea View Twin Room but still having full access to the exclusive Pacific Club.

The first thing that we noticed when alighted from our transport was the amazing glass panel on top, outside the lobby area. It gives spectacular view of the blue sky. Guests with their own cars need not to worry as there are abundant parking lots available at this hotel. Those with no transport will find that it’s easier to move around the Sutera Harbour Resort Complex as there is complimentary shuttle, operating from early morning to midnight. Taxis and shuttle to the city center are available as well.

Loretta and Masna were the first two people that we met when arriving at the Lobby area. They both are assigned to greet incoming and departing guests. It’s good to see some people smiling genuinely. Wearing the traditional Malaysian Baju Kurung, they were more than happy to be ‘captured’ by our camera’s lenses. These 2 nice young ladies personally escorting and showing us the way to the reception area. Seeing great staffs such as them was an indication that we’re to meet more amazing staffs.

Then there’s Sabri, smiling when he saw us coming to him. Seeing his welcoming gesture, we can’t possibly leave him without taking a picture of him. This is the right way to greet guests, smiling genuinely rather than showing all that stress. It’s easy to detect genuine smile, we’re professionally trained to do that. 

The eyes will tell if someone is smiling genuinely or faking it. Sabri welcomed us and after doing all the ‘check-in procedures’ in record time, he gave us our key card. He explained in details about the privileges that Pacific Club has to offer and within minutes we found ourselves in the elevator, going up to our room on the 8th floor.

There’s this amazing breathtaking view of the golf course from a large window next to the elevators on the 8th floor. That’s the award winning 27-hole championship golf course designed by Graham Marsh! Perhaps one day we will play golf here, fingers crossed. Such beautiful green area and not far is actually the other end of Kota Kinabalu International Airport runway. Lovely view and we believe there’s more to come.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Curios Traveller: The Pacific Sutera Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort @ Kota Kinabalu, Sabah - Deluxe Sea View Twin Room

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Sabah tourism players told to grab a bigger slice of Muslim tourism market

KOTA KINABALU: Tourism industry players need to enhance the quality of their products and service delivery to grab a bigger slice of the burgeoning, lucrative global Muslim travel market.

In the year 2013 alone, the value of the Muslim tourism market peaked USD 140 billion, according to the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF).

Sabah Tourism Board Chairman, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai noted Sabah holds great potential to become a world-class destination which offers quality halal vacation packages which can be enjoyed by visitors from around the world.

“The vast prospect of the Muslim tourism market provides a bright opportunity for local industry players to develop new, improved halal holiday packages, quality services and products at the highest standard which can be enjoyed by Muslims and non-Muslims alike,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the regional seminar on Islamic tourism (RESIT 2015), Joniston believed that local industry players need to continue improving their products and services to tap into the vast potential of the global Muslim tourism market.

The explosive rise of halal tourism, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) accounts for 13 per cent of the total global travel expenditure and is expected to reach USD 200 billion by the year 2020.

Malaysia remains a top holiday destination for Muslim travellers around the world, having been rated as the most Muslim-friendly tourist destination for four consecutive years since 2011.

Director-General of the Islamic Tourism Centre, Zulkifli Md Said said travel packages for Malaysia offering halal food, products, Muslim-friendly services and facilities find approval with Muslim travellers from the Middle East and non-Muslim countries.

“Muslim tourists have religious obligations which need to be performed even while travelling and local industry players, including resorts and hotels ensure that certain conditions are fulfilled such as halal food and prayer rooms,” he said.

Held for the first time in Borneo, the annual RESIT seminar was organised by the Islamic Tourism Center (ITC) to promote greater awareness and educate local tourism industry players on Islamic tourism.

This year, the two-day programme from Jan 12 to Jan 13 at the Pacific Sutera Harbour Resort was attended by 63 members throughout the country, including international participants from Brunei, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.

Continue reading at: Sabah tourism players told to grab a bigger slice of Muslim tourism market

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Mount Kinabalu limited to 192 climbers daily

KOTA KINABALU: Policy makers have been urged to think of the future generations when they enact new policies.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun made the call yesterday during the Asia Pacific Ecotourism Conference 2014 (APECO 2014) at the Pacific Sutera Harbour near here yesterday.

He urged policy makers to stop merely thinking of the needs of the present and to also consider the needs of the future generation.

“The present thinking is to take everything now which is very selfish. We need to think of how our policies are going to impact on the future generation,” he said.

Masidi commended the current government, stating that it has already taken steps to create policies that were unpopular yet crucial for the State.

Among the policies that have benefited Sabah, particularly the eco-tourism sector is the State government’s policy of reducing its dependency on logging activities and to protect its forests. The State Government aims to protect 55 percent of its forests.

“It was not a popular policy but we need to differentiate between striving to become popular or striving to make the right decision…we need to work towards what brings bigger benefits to Sabah,” he said.

He also urged leaders, namely policy makers to have the common sense to leave a good legacy.

“It will not be easy but we have to plan beyond our lifetime,” he said.

During the event, Masidi said the government had decided to limit visitors to Sipadan and Mount Kinabalu to 120 divers and 192 climbers, respectively on a daily basis.

He said that the carrying capacity for both the tourism destination in Sabah was fixed so as to protect their pristine nature.

Continue reading at: Mount Kinabalu limited to 192 climbers daily

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Sutera Harbour – Luxurious 5-Star resort in Kota Kinabalu

Sutera Harbour is a luxurious 5-star seafront resort, facing the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park islands. It is strategically located between the airport (10 minutes drive) and Kota Kinabalu (KK) Town.

There are two hotels, The Pacific Sutera Hotel (500 rooms) & The Magellan Sutera Resort (456 rooms), catering to all types of travelers, be it business travelers, families, honeymooners or groups of friends. This 384-acres resort also houses 5 swimming pools, a private beach, a full facility club house, a 104-berth marina, a 27-hole golf course, 14 dining options and 2 international spas.

Trivia: The resort had been built on reclaimed land back in 2000 by then-CEO and founder Datuk Edward Ong. As at January 2014, the ownership has been transferred to GSH Corp Ltd.

As mentioned in my previous post, the car ride from the airport to the hotel was barely 10 minutes! Together with the red carper priority, this has been the fastest plane to hotel transfer ever.

For the first two nights, we stayed at The Pacific Sutera Hotel. It has an air-conditioned lobby with a bar and live band performances at night.

We had a room on the 10th Floor (Total 11 Floors), which had a really nice view of the marina. The room and toilet is very spacious. There was also a welcome fruit tray at the coffee table.

One of my favourite part of the room is that it has these folding windows which allows you to watch TV from the bathtub =D Since  I was the only one in the room, I folded the binds and turned the channel to Nickelodeon and watched Spongebob from my bathtub.

Housekeeping has been really kind to rilakkuma this trip. Every time I return to my room, rilakkuma is always neatly positioned within my sight. (This is my first time bringing my bear along with me to a full service hotel.)

We had our buffet dinner at Cafe Boleh, Level 2 at The Pacific Sutera. Since it was about 8:45pm, we had a very good environment for photo taking =) The spread is pretty decent.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sutera Harbour – Luxurious 5-Star resort in Kota Kinabalu

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New map directory boost for Sabah tourism industry

KOTA KINABALU: A soon-to-be-released map directory will help boost the tourism industry of Sabah and Labuan.

Known as “GET Map”, it has positioned itself as an easy-to-use planning guide that can be accessed anytime and anywhere.

“GET” stands for “Go Easy Travel” which is the primary focus of this directory; to make it easy and enticing for travellers worldwide to choose Sabah and Labuan as their preferred leisure and business destination.

With the tremendous potential to increase the number of visitors to travel to and within Sabah and Labuan, GET is an ideal platform to provide them with all the essential information needed to make that decision.

The map directory that can be downloaded, printed and shared on the internet and is web, iOS and android-friendly.

A dedicated website will provide constant updates on tour destinations, deals and promotions to attract visitors to plan for longer stays at the best value available.

“Package2Go” a section in the dedicated website will feature destination editorials, quick guides and recommended tours, hotels and travel ideas with direct links to the directory advertisers.

Another unique feature of the GET website is “Our Little Guide”, a series of online publications offering a reader-friendly, fun and concise introduction to a specific town and its tourist attractions.

“The tourism potential of Sabah is so great and I created GET as the gateway to explore Sabah’s potential,” said Nancy Koh, CEO-cum-founder of GET.

“Sabah is so much more than Mount Kinabalu, the islands and Rafflesia. There are many other destinations that have not been discovered and have remained untapped. We hope to change this and to bring these hidden treasures to worldwide attention,” she said.

The Pacific Sutera Hotel here is the official venue for the start of “Pedal for Peace 2013” on May 18.

“Pedal for Peace 2013” is an exhibition of photos and posters in collaboration with Sabah Institute of Arts.

Continue reading at: New map directory boost for Sabah tourism industry

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Land Rover for orangutan rehabilitation project

KOTA KINABALU: Orangutan Appeal UK yesterday handed over a Land Rover vehicle to Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) to help it in its orangutan rehabilitation project at Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

The Land Rover was presented by founder and chairperson of Orangutan Appeal UK, Sue Sheward, to SWD director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu at Pacific Sutera Harbour, near here.

Laurentius, in his speech prior to the handing over ceremony said the study undertaken under the orangutan rehabilitation project was to identify the condition of orangutans that underwent rehabilitation at Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary after they had been released to the wild.

He added that this was the first time such a study was taking place and that the study was showing that it was not easy to rehabilitate orangutans back into the wild.

“Until today, we still have orangutans coming back as they are finding it hard to adapt to living in the wild,” he said.

Laurentius also mentioned that the good orangutan conservation work that had been carried out in Sabah were being targeted by individuals in Western countries.

“There are a lot of emails criticizing our conservation efforts. But our conscience is clear. There are only two countries in the whole world where you can find orangutans in the wild, and we in Sabah are working hard to conserve them,” he said.

Continue reading at: Land Rover for orangutan rehabilitation project
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Sutera Harbour officially recognized as PADI dive resort

KOTA KINABALU: Sutera Harbour Resort, Asia’s first fully-integrated resort which comprises The Pacific Sutera Hotel, The Magellan Sutera Resort and The Sutera Harbour Marina, Golf & Country Club, has been recognized as a PADI dive resort by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) which is the world’s largest recreational diving membership and diver training organization.

The Sutera Harbour Dive Resort will be offering a full range of high quality PADI dive courses as well as leisure diving and snorkeling trips which includes PADI Snorkeling Experiences (Guided snorkeling), Try-Dives, PADI Open Water Diver Course, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course, PADI Specialty Courses, PADI Dive Master Internship as well as diving courses for children from eight years of age.

The Sutera Harbour Resort is the only five-star resort in mainland Sabah with its own PADI Dive Resort.

It also offers a unique experience for first-time divers with access to the resort’s swimming pools for try dives and diver training which helps to create a safer, more comfortable environment.

All snorkeling and diving courses will be conducted by the professional and experienced Borneo Dream Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, a premier dive operator in Kota Kinabalu.

As a certified PADI five-star dive resort, Borneo Dream delivers high quality, safe and enjoyable scuba diving and snorkeling activities.

They have a range of fully equipped diving boats, qualified PADI professionals who go the extra mile to create a ‘five-star’ diving experience for guests of Sutera Harbour Resort.

Borneo Dream was also awarded the “PADI Dive Centre of the Month” for December 2011 by PADI for its excellence in delivery of PADI dive courses.

Diving and snorkeling activities have become popular recreational sports among the foreign tourists as well as the locals.

Continue reading at: Sutera Harbour officially recognized as PADI dive resort

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Sabah Golf Resorts Launch Marketing Alliance

The two leading golf resorts in Sabah have formed a marketing alliance to promote golf tourism in Malaysia’s most eastern state, situated on the island of Borneo.

A key feature of the co-operative promotional campaign between Sutera Harbour Resort and Shangri-la Rasa Ria Resort is the launch of a new website, Sabah Golf (www.sabah-golf.com). As well as giving prospective visitors an insight into some of Malaysia’s most scenic and enjoyable golf, the website highlights Sabah’s numerous tourism attractions, including its rich local culture and colonial history, offshore islands, pristine tropical jungle and nature reserves.

The launch of Sabah Golf – with a catchline of ‘Simply Awesome’ – coincides with the first Asia Golf Tourism Convention to be held later this month by the International Association of Golf Tourism Operators (IAGTO) in Kuala Lumpur. The convention will bring more than 100 golf tourism operators to Malaysia at a time when Asia has emerged as the world’s fastest-growing and most exciting golf tourism market.

Before the convention, the two resorts will host a visit by golf tour operators from Europe, Australia and other international markets, who will see Sabah’s golf credentials for themselves.

As members of the Malaysia Golf Tourism Association, formed last year, Sutera Harbour Resort and Shangri-La Rasa Ria’s Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club are especially seeking to boost golf tourism from regional Asia,

Australia/New Zealand and Europe. Sabah’s capital, Kota Kinabalu, receives direct flights from numerous Malaysian and Asian cities including Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore and Shenzhen.

Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club has 27 holes of high quality championship-standard golf designed by former Australian tour pro, Graham Marsh. Fronting the South China Sea, it has several outstanding golf holes including the signature hole 24 playing beside the water’s edge. The resort also offers the only night golf in East Malaysia.

Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club is located within the Sutera Harbour Resort which encompasses the marina, the 500-room Pacific Sutera Hotel and the 456-room Magellan Sutera Resort.

Continue reading at: Sabah Golf Resorts Launch Marketing Alliance
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Sutera Harbour Resort to observe Earth Hour for third time in a row

KOTA KINABALU: For the past two consecutive years, Sutera Harbour Resort had joined the rest of the world in observing Earth Hour which is held on the last Saturday of March every year.

This year Sutera Harbour Resort is most honoured and delighted to partner with Kota Kinabalu City Hall, Sabah Environmental Action Centre and World Wildlife Fund to launch Earth Hour, the world largest campaign for the planet on Saturday, March 31 at 8.30pm in the covered tennis court at the Sutera Harbour Marina, Golf and Country Club.

Together with 135 countries and territories across every continent, Sutera Harbour Resort has pledged to support this environmental sustainable action by switching off non-essential lights around The Magellan Sutera Resort, The Pacific Sutera Hotel and Sutera Harbour Marina, Golf & Country Club as well as in the other properties of Sutera Sanctuary Lodges.

According to the Magellan Sutera Resort general manager and representative for Sutera Harbour Resort, Ravindran Kathiravelu, the highlight of this year launch for the Earth Hour will be focused on the global theme uniting People To Protect The Planet?

In keeping with the theme, 480 candles will be lighted up on the huge Earth Hour logo (60+) which will be put up at the venue, he said at a press conference yesterday.

Ravi said that the programme would start off at 6pm and Sutera Harbour Resort had organized several activities leading to the launch of Earth Hour.

Some of the activities include a Food & Games Fun Fair, Most Creative Costume Contest for children from five to 12 years old and Earth Hour Photography Competition. The Most Creative Contest will be judged on originality based on the theme Uniting People to Protect The Planet, he disclosed.

Participants who join the Earth Hour Photography competition must capture images during the lights off between 8.30pm and 9.30pm at the tennis court, he said, adding that all photos submitted to the resort will be uploaded in Sutera Harbour Resort Fan Page in Facebook and members of the public are invited to log in and vote for their favourite photo.

Continue reading at: Sutera Harbour Resort to observe Earth Hour for third time in a row

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Sabah is South East Asia's best kept secret

BALI has long been a popular destination for Australian travellers, thanks largely to its proximity and value for money.

But another South-East Asian destination is quickly emerging as an attractive alternative - Sabah in Malaysia.

On the beautiful island of Borneo, Sabah is the second largest of Malaysia's 13 states and its beauty is like nothing I have seen. With a consistent tropical climate of 32C, Sabah really is a year-round holiday destination.

It is not overly populated, the tourist hordes have yet to discover it and the beautiful people are so friendly it almost makes you wish you lived there permanently.

In downtown Kota Kinabalu, you can explore the four-level shopping complex Centre Point and still get your quirky mix of traditional Asian markets with fresh fruit, handicrafts and paintings.

If you tire of Asian cuisine, you can still get your fix of Western food, with McDonald's, KFC and Starbucks in the main Kota Kinabalu shopping hub.

And there is a range of resorts competing for tourists.

Luxury resorts

If you're looking for 5-star luxury, the Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, part of the Shangri-La family, is a good option. Set on 10ha of landscaped gardens, only 10 minutes from the city centre, it's easy to see why this fantastic resort was voted the best in Malaysia.

The resort caters to all ages, with a beachside restaurant designed to resemble the popular Ku De Ta in Seminyak in Bali and a separate children's pool zone with an ice-cream parlour.

To truly get the most out of the resort, it's worth paying a little bit extra to stay in a seaview deluxe suite, which looks out on to the resort's private beach.

The equally beautiful Sutera Harbour Resort, which includes the Magellan Sutera Resort and The Pacific Sutera Hotel, has a 104-berth marina and private access to some of Kota Kinabalu's most beautiful beaches.

Here, you can stroll along the waterfront of the harbour and watch the sun set, enjoy a cocktail by the Magellan's beach or swim in one of its eight pools.

It's also a paradise for golfers, with a 27-hole course designed by Graham Marsh.

More adventurous travellers can stay in Sabah's tropical rainforest in one of its many jungle lodges and explore Sabah's wildlife including orang-utans. A regular canoe service allows you to see Malaysia's native flora and fauna up close.

Continue reading at: Sabah is South East Asia's best kept secret
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Customised tour packages in Sabah to cost more January

Kota Kinabalu: Tour operators and travel agents will be charging an Agency Consultation Fee from January for customised tour package quotations. It is aimed at enhancing service quality.

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) President Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said the charges have been implemented in Peninsular Malaysia.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Sabah tour and travel agents on the issue at Pacific Sutera here, Monday, he said the consultation fees had been widely debated in Semenanjung and was already accepted by the customers.

The Matta fee structure guideline for individual travellers is from RM30 per inquiry or quotation both for domestic and international, which would be absorbed as part of the payment if the client decides to purchase from the agency.

If not, the person making the inquiry would be charged the Agency Consultation Fee.

As for corporate and incentive groups, the fee for domestic and international inquiry is from RM200 per quotation (for first three quotations) and RM500 for the fourth quotation onwards.

According to Mohd Khalid, many clients, especially the corporate and incentive groups would go to many agencies to get quotations on the prices and in the end choose one of them.

Unknown to them is the fact that it takes up a portion of the time of these agencies to get all the information required by groups and that all these years this had been given away for free.

Continue reading at: Customised tour packages in Sabah to cost more January
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d' Banyan Residency @ Sutera - Revolutionary living with classy touch

Aerial view of the resort

One of the villas

A villa on offer

d' Banyan Residency @ Sutera, located in the heart of Sutera Harbour Resort is set to become the benchmark for prestigious luxury living with a touch of class in Kota Kinabalu City. "We are revolutionising the very concept of plush contemporary living balanced by the tranquility of Sabah's natural evergreen splendour," enthused General Manager of WCT Land Berhad, Stewart Tew.

"With a virtually 360 panorama of the golf scenery viewable from every balcony, d' Banyan luxury designer homes is in a distinct class of its own," Tew Added.

Some may wonder where the name originates from and it would seem that d' Banyan Residency draws it namesake from the humble banyan tree. "We have adopted the Banyan story as it tells a tale of centuries old where people from all walks of life congregated under the banyan tree to share news and views. This is the type of community we hope to inspire - tight knit and integrated with a strong sense of belonging," Tew explained.

This concept of integration has been translated into reality at d' Banyan Residency @ Sutera. Strategically located 5 mins from KK City and 10 mins from the KK International Airport, d' Banyan Residency resides in a restful cove within Sutera. The 122 units of 3 Storey Detached Villa, 2 Storey Semi-Detached Villa and as well as the 2 Storey Superlink Villa homes are a testimony of architectural perfection finished appeal to the stringent requirements of the upper class market.

Price between Ringgit Malaysia 1.4 million to 3 million and above with a build up area of 4,350 s.f to 6,700 s.f, the three contemporary designs of sheer luxury exude charm, privacy and exclusivity. d' Banyan is indeed a celebration of life and style and one can definitely expect a 5 star lifestyle befitting the 5 star location.

d' Banyan Residency is unique in the sense that it caters for all the needs and desires of the truly affluent. From private swimming pools in designed units and solar water heating system to split air-conditioner as well as food waste disposal are provided, no stone has been left unturned in the concerted effort to maximise comfort and pleasure. With such luxuriant surroundings, you can also be assured that security issues are never comprised as every precautionary measure has been employed.

The Residency is armed with double security check points, perimeter fencing equipped with CCTV surveillance system linked directly to the guard house, all of which cultivates ultimate peace of mind.

The official launch is expected to only take place in July 2008 yet current sales have already proven to be good. Under the detailed touch of WCT's subsidiary Camellia Tropicana Sdn. Bhd's management team, construction of d' Banyan Residency is well underway. In fact, it is ahead of schedule with piling works completing soon while other units have even completed foundation works.

d' Banyan is expected to be completed by end of 2009.

Buyers wishing to get an initial feel of the stunning ambience can pay a visit to the Semi-Detached and Superlink show houses expected to be ready for viewing with full interior design come July this year.

Those who are financially savvy will note that the prime time to buy is now, as trends denote that the market price will increase upon completion of the show houses and because of the increase of building materials prices.

Currently, the Sale and Purchase Agreement legal fees are borne by the developer so it would be financially astute to purchase now and enjoy this benefit.

Tew added that d' Banyan Residency is looking into luring foreign property investors into making d' Banyan their home. WCT will market d' Banyan comprehensively overseas, while highlighting the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme as a viable retirement option in this country.

WCT has made purchasing these villas easier by providing full customer services. Locals and foreigners alike can enjoy assistance in documentation processes and mortgage financing prospects in association with various local banks.

d' Banyan Residency @ Sutera is a jewel of an investment. It would be deemed highly perceptive to set aside this diamond of a property as part of your personal investment portfolio with full intention to bank on the future.

d' Banyan Residency: Revolutionising the way we live and breathe.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend

Flight cuts came at wrong time for Sabah

Kota Kinabalu: Flight frequencies and seat capacities in Sabah are not only rising but rising above previous highs, said Datuk Karim Bujang, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment.

Flight reductions which went down from 580 to 500 per week has now shot up to 640 - a net increase of 140 flights which also generates an additional 16,400 seats per week, he told the Sabah Wanita Umno Sabah workshop on Tourism at Sutera Pacific.

"The reduction definitely came at a wrong time, from 64,780 seats to 55,869 but now they are giving back to us at 72,277," Karim said, hoping that Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia would work hand in hand.

The KK-Sandakan flights which plunged to 35 flights per week have risen to 63 while KK-Tawau which dropped from 35 to 28 flights per week is now up to 42 flights.

"Hopefully, the introduction of increased flight frequencies and seats will be good for us," Karim said. Between 40 to 50 Wanita members from all over Sabah took part in the workshop.

Continue reading at: Flight cuts came at wrong time for Sabah

Sabah, Sarawak agree to compare notes on Tourism

Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah and Sarawak governments have decided to learn and share each other's experience on tourism and investment development for mutual benefit.

Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Aman and his counterpart, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, agreed that instead of doing things on their own like previously, both governments should complement each other, particularly in attracting investors to come to East Malaysia.

Taib said both Sabah and Sarawak needed more infrastructure in order to close the gap between East Malaysia and the peninsula, as well as to attract more investors and visitors.

"We have big mass of land and our populations are not that big. That's why our market is not that attractive to investors unlike in the peninsula. That's why we need more infrastructure," he said.

Taib believed besides having more infrastructure, implementation must also be efficient, in order to catch up and balance with the development level in the peninsular, especially under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

Following such consultations, both states would be forwarding their problems on development to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) or relevant authorities on development in the country.

"We will then be able to avoid delays. We can recover the time wasted and if possible get the value of every sen allocated for development," said Taib.

"I believe Sabah and Sarawak need more attention," he said, adding it included channelling development funds to the two states earlier and quickly.

He said Sarawak is offering to Sabah its knowledge and experience on the efficient implementation of development projects.

"In Sarawak, we have completed our monitoring system so that implementation progress of our development projects are more efficient. We want to share this experience with Sabah, if they wantÉbecause we are going to face greater challenges."

Musa and Abdul Taib were speaking to reporters after a closed-door briefing in conjunction with latter's working visit to Sabah at the Pacific Sutera Harbour Resort, here, Thursday.

Among those accompanying Abdul Taib was his Deputy, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Abdul Aziz Hussin

Apart from Musa who is also State Finance Minister, attending the meeting for the Sabah State Government was Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Infrastructure Development Minister, Datuk Raymond Tan and State Secretary Datuk K.Y Mustafa.

"We want to discuss common issues such as infrastructure development so that we can find appropriate approaches for the benefit of both states," said Taib.

Taib and Musa said both States would enhance cooperation and networking in tourism to attract more tourists to Sabah or Sarawak.

"We also want to cooperate in tourism, we want to attract more Australians to come here. People prefer to go to two destinations rather than only one due to cost of flying," he said. As both states in Borneo were unique with their own cultures, it would be a new attraction for the tourists, he said.

Musa asserted that in terms of manufacturing and tourism, a marketing networking was also discussed.

"That's what we are looking into," said Musa when asked whether Sabah and Sarawak would be holding joint-promotion in tourism, among others.

Taib added although not all the industries could be jointly promoted, uniformity of industries between Sabah and Sarawak was increasing, particularly with the tremendous progress in Sabah over the past few years.

The independent industries in both states are an advantage to attract investors," he said. Sabah, one of Malaysia's major palm oil producing states, could also share its experience in the development of the oil palm industry with Sarawak, he said.

"I don't mind they choose Sabah over Sarawak or vice versa its up to the investors but the main thing is for them to see the potential of these two evolving into one market and one co-operative arrangement where we can share expertise later," he said.

Earlier, Musa said the visit by Taib and entourage, initiated by Taib himself, was an honour for Sabah since Sarawak had been successful in placing itself as among the most developed states in the country.

"Of course, Sabah would really like to learn and share experience in the context of state development and progress in all sector. I am confident that we can get mutual benefit if we are able to ensure parallel development between the two states," he said.

At the same time, Musa said the visit also further consolidated the existing good ties between Sabah and Sarawak as well as among its people.

Musa briefed Taib on the Sabah Government's halatuju that he introduced to focus on the manufacturing, agriculture and tourism sectors as the main economic catalysts for Sabah, among others.

He also explained to Taib about the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) programmes in Sabah that caters the crude palm oil (CPO) processing, which Sarawak could also look into.

Source: Daily Express