Klias Wetlands eyed for RAMSAR nomination

KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, the first wetland situated within an urban area, has been accorded recognition as a RAMSAR site.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, noted that there was another urban wetland site located in Tokyo that has been given the recognition, but the site was treeless.

“We have mangrove trees,” said Masidi during a ceremony to launch the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands RAMSAR site yesterday.

The arduous process of applying for the RAMSAR nomination for the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands began as a dare made eight years ago by Masidi to the Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society.

The application was approved by the State Cabinet in March 2013, and was subsequently submitted to the RAMSAR Secretariat by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry in August 2016.

Last year, on December 22, the society finally received the long delayed good news that their application has been approved.

The Kota Kinabalu Wetlands has finally been designated as RAMSAR site no. 2290 – the second RAMSAR site for Sabah.

Now, Masidi said, he is eyeing the Klias Wetlands, which was part of a forest reserve and famous for the sighting of proboscis monkeys, for the RAMSAR nomination.

“But we need to engage with the local community because this will entail restrictions and regulations concerning the land use at the area,” he said.

Continue reading at: Klias Wetlands eyed for RAMSAR nomination

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Sabah tourism wants wetlands river cruise operations standardised

KOTA KINABALU: It will probably be better if one main entity is put in charge of river cruise tourism offering views of fireflies and the Proboscis monkeys among others, in Klias and Weston off Beaufort.

This was because it could help centralise management and the operations while providing standard guidelines and policies that could ensure the sustainability of the activities there.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming said there were too many operators doing the same promotions and activities at these places currently.

“There is no clear guideline or policy on how best to go about bringing tourists here,” he said after attending the Elephant Film Festival here on Saturday.

Most tourists went to Klias and Weston, and even Labuk (Sandakan) to sightsee and watch the fireflies and Proboscis monkeys.

However, the guides had different views and rules for the tourists, with some detrimental to the ecosystem there.

As such, Pang said he would like to call upon all the operators and players in these areas to discuss this matter.

“It would be feasible if one entity, say the local communities there, fully manage and take care of the Klias and Weston tourism activities,” he said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sabah tourism wants wetlands river cruise operations standardised

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Klias River: No Monkey Business

A quick flash followed by a loud boom. I squealed with fear and anxiety – nothing unusual there – as my apprehension about being in our small boat on the Klias River in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo grew wider.

“Uh oh” said our driver Musa, apathetic about the approaching storm. I replied curtly, “What do you mean, uh oh?”

He revved the engine over and over again but to no avail. It had officially died right there as we sat in the pitch black dark observing fireflies light up the bush like a schizophrenic Christmas tree.

The family of four from Cairns at the front seemed less concerned, despite the fact they weren’t sharing our covered roof. We later learned this wasn’t their first rodeo with failed engines while vacationing in Borneo.  

A metal pole then appeared, and Musa repeatedly whipped it against the botched engine. Confused about how that would contribute to it actually starting, I still don’t know, but another rumble of thunder bellowed and I had enough.

There were other boats in the area but he never asked for help. We simply sat wading in the murky brown waters as their torch lights caught sight of us then steered away.

Small, single engine river cruisers line the mangrove banks of the Klias River offering tourists the opportunity to see the endangered, genital-nosed Proboscis Monkey as well as Long Tail Macaques and Silver Languor Monkeys by day and the natural firefly show at night, which is exactly how we had spent the earlier part of our day.

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Cruising Sabah’s Klias River in Photos

Our trip to Sandakan to see the orang-utans inspired us to discover more of Sabah’s wildlife.

From our base in Kota Kinabalu, we arranged another primate-themed day-trip, through an eco-tour company, based in the Horizon Hotel.

We would cruise down the Klias River searching for Malaysian Borneo’s other famous inhabitant, the proboscis monkey.

Rather than tell you about our river cruise, we decided to show you what we saw. So come along on a photo tour of the Klias River with us:

After several hours driving through lovely countryside, we arrived at the Klias River, where our intrepid guide scored us front row seats on our small boat.

A group of Chinese tourists filled up the rest of our vessel. Only a few of them spoke English but everyone was friendly and happy to smile for a photo.

It wasn’t too long before our captain spotted movement in the trees. The proboscis monkeys are quite shy so we had to look way up to see them in the treetops.

The proboscis monkeys aren’t the only inhabitants of the Klias wetlands. Our captain spotted this monitor lizard sunning himself on a log.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Cruising Sabah’s Klias River in Photos

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The Magic of Light at Weston River

Sabah has many beautiful places which are only reserved for people actively seeking for them. I noticed Weston when I saw many stunning sunset photos of Weston being shared everywhere on Facebook and Twitter. That’s why I traveled 125 Kilometers from Kota Kinabalu to Weston town last month, to see the magical moment with my eyes. However, I find more interesting things than a nice sunset.

Weston the Historical Town

Named after a railway engineer, Arthur J. West in 1889, Weston town was an important meeting point for trains and ships, due to its strategic location back in the old days of British colony era. Today it becomes just another “remote” Sabah town between Beaufort and Sipitang. Few knows that Weston is the town which North Borneo Railway first constructed.

Probably one of the oldest wooden school of Borneo, Che Hwa school is a two-storey building constructed in 1932, and funded by donations from timber tycoons, charcoal merchants and shopkeepers of Chinese community*. In 1930s, many Chinese lived in Weston, the period when Weston was a key hub. Now this school has only 5 teachers and 7 students.

Weston River was used to be called “Jump-Jump” River because of the mudskippers here. In late afternoon, you would see many villagers gather around the boardwalk, fishing and playing RC speedboats there.

British government abandoned Weston port when they learnt that the shallow water of Weston is unfit as a deep sea wharf. Now this jetty is a favorite spot for local anglers.

Weston Jaafar River Lodge

The lodge is a 2-storey wooden building built on riverside and surrounded by dense Nypa palm (or Nipah). Nipah swamp forest, which has existed over 70 million years, is one of the oldest forest type in the world.

River Safari & Wildlife

It was around 5pm after we were done with tea break, everyone couldn’t wait to start the river cruise. The cool thing about wildlife sighting here is – we don’t even need to move our legs to look for animals.

Weston River is part of the largest wetland (Klias Peninsula) in Sabah. Wetland is a generic term that covers different aqua-ecologies such as coastal areas, river, lakes, mangrove, peat swamp, nypa swamp, etc., and it is the important habitat for some endangered Borneo wildlife such as Proboscis Monkey.

Very soon our guide spotted a saltwater crocodile taking a nap on the muddy river bank. It is about 3 Meters in length.

Couple of months ago, a 1-Meter crocodile was found in city drain and made news headline. Haha, compared to this beast, that city croc looks more like a gecko. FYI, crocodile never ceases growing throughout its life, it can reach massive size if it lives long enough.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: The Magic of Light at Weston River

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Watching Proboscis Monkeys in Borneo, Klias Wetlands Park, Beaufort, Sabah, Malaysia

If you’re staying in Sabah in Malaysia on the island of Borneo, it’s highly likely you’ll have heard of proboscis monkeys. They are wild, they live in the jungle and they have long noses. But more importantly they are native to the island of Borneo (Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia).

This is the only place on planet earth that you can see them outside a zoo. It’s worth doing, and naturally it’s a popular touristy thing to do. Hardly off the beaten track I know, but as a traveller I do the popular things too!! (Hence why I mixed hammocks in un-known Suriname with popular sights like Machu Picchu on my South American tour).

How to organise watching Proboscis Monkeys in Borneo

You’ll have guessed that Borneo has lots of jungles and therefore lots of tour companies organising these monkey trips (and Orang Utan ones). To book a trip to watch the proboscis monkeys, you are better to book it through a tour company. If you’re staying in the city of Kota Kinabalu like me, just pop into one of the many tour operators in town and book it.

If you are a really tight budget backpacker then you could realistically hitchhike or hire a car and drive out to Beaufort Town yourself then try to blag onto one of the boats that take you to where the proboscis monkeys are. I really don’t recommend it.

I have met tons of so called “budget backpackers” over the years who insist that booking through tour companies is always dearer – it’s often not and your best way to see the proboscis monkeys is to book it through a company. But make sure they include hostel pick up, food, proboscis monkey boat tour and fireflies boat tour. It’s easy to organise – find a company, agree a price and get your tickets.

How much does watching Proboscis Monkeys in Borneo cost?

If you just want to see the monkeys then you will probably be able to get it for around 60 Ringitts (or less if you have your own transport). However we booked a tour which included other things. Our entire tour cost 150 Ringitts for a 7 hour trip. This cost also included the fireflies, the transport to and from the hostel, the boats, afternoon tea and a full dinner.

We also ate our breakfast at the hostel that day (included in our hostel price) but as it’s all you can eat you can get by without eating anything else that day – the afternoon tea and evening dinner is enough.

How do you get to Klias Wetlands Park for watching Proboscis Monkeys in Borneo?

We were picked up at our hostel at 2pm in Kota Kinabalu, driven to a place called Beaufort Town which houses Klias Wetland Park. Transport was comfortable and efficient and all included in the tour. It was a small mini-bus we got.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics & Videos) at: Watching Proboscis Monkeys in Borneo, Klias Wetlands Park, Beaufort, Sabah, Malaysia

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Klias Peninsula wetlands river cruise: An amazing wildlife experience

MALAYSIA’S rainforests are amongst the oldest in the world. They offer a chance to see wildlife that is unique and enchanting. A Klias Peninsula wetlands river cruise is a popular stop for tourists interested in wildlife, just half a day’s trip from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo.

Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah in Malaysia. It is a beautiful city to explore on the north-west coast of Borneo. It is a major tourist destination for people visiting Sabah and Borneo. If getting close to the nature is high on your agenda then the half-day cruise to the wetlands can be a thrilling experience.

The river cruise is most famous for two things – the proboscis monkeys and fireflies. However, there is plenty more to see. Bird watchers can expect to sight a variety of kingfishers and egrets among many other species. Long tailed macaques, silver langur monkeys, crocodiles, monitor lizards and water buffalos can also be sighted.

The star of the river cruise show is the proboscis monkey. Proboscis monkeys have particularly long nose hanging out from their face and large potbellies. Only the males of this endangered species have long noses, and they are found only in Borneo.

These monkeys live in large groups which consist of one alpha male, up to seven females and their offspring. There are ‘bachelor only’ groups too. Proboscis monkeys can swim and they typically enter the river jumping from the tress flat on their stomach, which is quite a comical sight. They sleep on the trees near the river bed and hence on an evening cruise there are good chances to spot them as they go around gathering food and then settling for the night. Crocodiles are their common predators.

Long tailed macaques are also known as crab eating macaques as they can be commonly seen looking for crabs on beaches. Their tails are almost as long as their bodies and this is one of their most distinguishing features. They live in large groups consisting of more than one male and many females and juveniles. Silver langur monkeys are also found in the region in large groups.

It takes two to three hours to reach the Kilas Jetty from Kota Kinabalu. If you go with a tour agency they will arrange your transfer. They also offer a break to refresh mid way on this journey, usually at a local café.

Cruises start around 3pm as sightings of the proboscis monkeys are most common after this time. The entrance to the jetty is through a narrow wooden walkway and the area around it is itself quite beautiful. The main lobby has many posters providing information on what to expect on the trip. Tea and refreshments are served upon arrival.

The river cruise goes through the mangrove forest and the first round lasts typically until dusk. Even though the star attraction of this trip is the proboscis monkey, it is quite thrilling to sight silver langur monkeys, long tailed macaques, crocodiles and water buffalos. As the boats approach the habitats a hush falls among the passengers in expectation of sightings of wildlife.

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Borneo Klias River Cruise: Monkey business after sunset

It definitely wasn't Christmas, but as we headed back up the Klias River in our boats, the trees on the bank seemed to be flickering with fairy lights.

"Fireflies," pronounced Thomas, our guide, and he directed the boatman to take us closer for a better view.

We couldn't see the fireflies themselves, but in the falling dusk it was easy to spot their lights, which twinkled on and off like those on a Christmas tree.

When the lights came on we were heading back to our holiday home, the expedition ship Orion II, at the end of a wildlife cruise through one of the last remaining mangrove wetlands in Borneo. After seeing proboscis monkeys, macaques, flying foxes, a monitor lizard and several birds, the fireflies were something of a bonus.

Our main hope, when our cruise started in the early afternoon, had been to see proboscis monkeys and that was achieved within a few minutes of leaving the small wharf in our long, lean riverboat.

We rounded a bend in the river to find a huge, fat, two-storey jerrybuilt craft, belching diesel smoke and loaded with jolly passengers seated at tables, pushed close to the bank.

Our lean machine slid easily inside the monster and we enjoyed a great view of a proboscis family enjoying their evening meal in an adjacent tree.

The dominant male - the massive nose that is his status symbol clearly silhouetted against the sky - sat at the top of the tree, munching on tender young leaves. From time to time, when he had eaten out one branch, he would lean over, grab another and pull it up to within easy picking distance.

His small harem of females, easily distinguished with their smaller, upturned noses, at least a couple of them with youngsters in tow, were dotted around the rest of the tree chewing with enthusiasm.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Borneo Klias River Cruise: Monkey business after sunset

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Beaufort wants to be a Sabah tourism hub

KOTA KINABALU: Beaufort hopes to become one of the State’s tourism hubs.

Community Development and Consumer Affairs minister, Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said to reporters yesterday that Beaufort is already known as a destination for adventurers thirsting to try out Sabah’s white water rafting (Padas River) as well as the centre for visitors to watch proboscis monkeys in the wild.

Tourists keen on sighting the monkeys could do so during river cruise at the Klias or Garama Rivers, both of which are in the district.

“Sometimes, you can see just a few groups, but other times, you may see hundreds of them at the sides of the river,” she said.

The proboscis monkey population in Beaufort is said to exceed those anywhere else in Sabah, including the Kinabatangan.

However, Azizah also said that they would try to regulate boat operators using the river so that they do not scare off the monkeys.

“Boats with high horsepower are often noisy and this scare off the monkeys,” she said.

Continue reading at: Beaufort wants to be a Sabah tourism hub
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Sabah River Safari - Garama, Klias or Weston?

From Lost Borneo blog:

One of the most popular day tours for tourists to Kota Kinabalu is the River Safari Tour.

For those who can’t make it to the East Coast of Sabah, the River Safari gives visitors to Kota Kinabalu the best chance to see wildlife in its natural surroundings. The tour starts around 2pm when tourists are picked up from their hotel for a 2-hour car ride to a river jetty.

The river cruise begins from about 4.30pm and lasts until the sun sets and the sky turns dark. During the evening cruise, the main attraction will be the proboscis monkey, a primate with a huge pendulous nose found only in Borneo. At night, the attention turns to the beautiful lights of the fireflies that dot the trees by the river side. It is one of the best day tours in Kota Kinabalu and should not be missed.

What few tourists know though is that there are actually 3 rivers that are currently being used by tour operators and while all 3 rivers offer almost the same thing, that is proboscis monkeys and fireflies, in truth, they are very different, and would affect how much the tourists enjoy the tour, depending on what they would like to see most.

Almost all tour operators never specify the name of the river that they are going to, and even if they do name the river, you might actually be taken to a different place instead. So, it is very important that you INSIST on where you want to go if you have a particular river in mind.

Continue reading (incl. pics) at: Sabah River Safari - Garama, Klias or Weston?

Proboscis Monkey

From MySabah.com Blog:

I had seen proboscis monkeys in Klias Wetland, Kinabatangan and Lokkawi Wildlife Park. The Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary in Sandakan is one of the best spots to see them. During the feeding time at 11:30am and 4:30pm, you can a few families (about 30) of them come for the food.

BTW, you also can see many Silver Leaf Monkeys around that area. The people here also call them “Beckham” monkey (probably Beckham looks like them). Proboscis Monkey has nicknames such as “Long-Nosed Monkey” and the “Dutch Man.” The male has bigger nose than the female, and they use their big and long noses as a sex tool to… to… to attract the female. I wonder how do they kiss huh.

Continue reading (incl. pics) at: Proboscis Monkey

Proboscis monkeys among the attractions at Klias

KOTA KINABALU: The Klias Wetlands, located about 100km south of the state capital, lies within easy reach of those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

Visitors will be rewarded by spectacular sightings of the elusive proboscis monkeys, nicknamed the ‘Dutchman of Borneo’ and now listed as an endangered species.

Proboscis monkeys, endemic to the island of Borneo (Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan) dominate the trees on both sides of the Klias river.

The wetlands, covering an area of 130,000ha, is one of few spots in Sabah where one can view these creatures, numbering a few thousand, in the wild.

Continue reading (incl. pics) at: Proboscis monkeys among the attractions at Klias