Sabah among most popular travel destinations for China tourists

KOTA KINABALU: There are currently 95 direct flights weekly between Kota Kinabalu and cities in China.

Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Liang Caide, said Sabah was one of the most popular travel destinations for tourists from China.

“In 2016, 380,000 Chinese tourists visited Sabah. The number of Chinese tourists reached 430,000 in 2017, an increase of 15 per cent compared to 2016.”

He said Chinese tourist arrivals to Sabah would rise to 1 million in the future.

At present, Liang said there were 95 direct flights per week to different cities in China, adding that Xiamen Air just launched a direct route connecting Kota Kinabalu and Beijing on Tuesday.

“I believe there will be more direct flights in the future, which will attract more Chinese tourists to visit this beautiful Land Below the Wind,” he said in a press conference here yesterday.

On another note, Liang said Sabah was strategically located and an important node of the Maritime Silk Road.

“Sabah has diverse culture, beautiful scenery and rich tourism resources.

“Sabah is also the nearest place of Malaysia from China, we are historically and culturally related.”

In recent years, following the advancement of The Belt and Road Initiative, he said more and more Chinese enterprises had set foot in Sabah, while trade and economic cooperation between two places had shown strong vitality and remarkable strength, allowing the people of Sabah to realise the benefit brought by the Belt and Road initiative.

Continue reading at: Sabah among most popular travel destinations for China tourists

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A big bike adventure to Tip of Borneo

ON a misty June 24 morning ahead of the Raya holidays, nine riders from the Free and Furious Bikers’ group in Sibu set out on the quest to reach the much talked about Tip of Borneo within two days.

They are experienced big bikers — some with nine years of cross-country riding under their belts while the most junior among them have been biking with the group for two years.

Led by two skilled expedition managers, Michael Ting and Dr Grammen Low, the group revved along the Bintulu-Miri-Brunei-Limbang-Lawas route with its spectacular landscape before reaching the beautiful western coast of Sabah.

For the bikers, it was a dream ride out in open country. Sibu, being more than 80 miles from the sea, is generally viewed as landlocked. Many of its residents, especially among the younger generation, have dreams to venture out and see the world!

A senior teacher known as Mr Hii told thesundaypost, “It’s no big surprise that a group of motorcycle enthusiasts have come together to form the Free and Furious Bikers of Sibu. Young people are usually adventurous. They like to explore and see things for themselves. For them, nine-to-five jobs can be routine and sometimes, even boring.”

Apart from the two leaders, the bikers were Cheng Hua Ping, Danny Wong and his wife Onna Yii, Ling Tiing Tchin, Robert Kang, Ting Ming Sheng, and Wong Kiung Kui.

Before the outing, they had their bikes thoroughly checked — brakes, lights, oil and fluid levels, tyre pressure and hydraulics — to make sure everything was in order. They also looked into important matters like passports, bike ownership documentation and accommodation arrangements as well as route-planning to avoid travelling on the same road twice while in Sabah.

First Day

The group started early on June 24, riding north out of Sibu on a cheerful note.

Onna Yii, the only woman in the expedition, said even though it was raining most of the first day, the group was in high spirits. To her, “eating, laughing and even riding at night is a memorable experience”. She finds big biking “a kind of fulfilment” and she enjoyed herself throughout the ride.

The group detoured to Bintulu for breakfast, then pushed on to Miri. They had a high-tea rojak break in Limbang before riding on to Kota Kinabalu in the dark and rain. In between, they stopped only for short breaks and small meals.

The long 900km ride had apparently worked up an appetite in the riders. Not surprisingly, they found the seafood in the Sabah capital extra tasty.

Second Day

On June 25, the riders continued their journey in equatorial rain. Undaunted, they pressed on to their final destination, the Tip of Borneo, arriving there in three and half hours from Kota Kinabalu despite the shower.

While many know about this northernmost part of Borneo Island, not many have actually reached it by land or sea. Numerous ships had floundered at this point too. A lighthouse there serves as an ominous reminder that the surrounding seas had been notorious for shipwrecks.

In the past, mystery shrouded this far-lung seaboard of the Land Below the Wind where legends abound. Today, with better roads and publicity, more people have ventured to the Tip, located in the Kudat District.  It is at this awesome promontory, also known as Tanjung Simpang Mengayau?or lingering junction, that the South China Sea meets the Sulu Sea flowing from the east.

Like most first-time visitors, the bikers were mesmerised by the stunning sunset. All the aches and pains from the long ride were soon forgotten as the group spared little time snapping pictures of the setting sun, the beautiful Pantai Kalampunian (the long stretch of beach ending at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau), the bronze Globe and the Rocky Outcrop that forms the famous Tip of Borneo.

“We saw the radiant sunset and the beautiful and changing colours of twilight. What an unforgettable sight! As we stood at this northernmost tip of Borneo, we felt lifted in body and soul. We have travelled over 1,190km from Sibu in the heart of Sarawak to enjoy this wonderful moment. I am speechless,” one of the riders said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: A big bike adventure to Tip of Borneo

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The Island Drum: My Discoveries in the Land Below the Wind

There’s more to Sabah, Malaysia than rainforests, orangutans and mountain gods. And Kota Kinabalu is just the tip of the state’s jungle-clad destination iceberg. Like meeting new people, first impressions of a new destination weigh heavily in my initial decision as to whether I like a place or not.

But my first impressions of Kota Kinabalu? I had imagined something completely different. My pre-imagined trip to Kota Kinabalu included dense, steamy jungles, adorable orangutans and a massive, snow-capped mountain. I had imagined sherpas milling about among adventure seeking tourists.

I had imagined the ho hum culinary offerings of a land spoilt by their popularity. I had imagined plenty of kitschy souvenirs for sale alongside unenthusiastic vendors, indifferent to the massive daily arrival of tourists like me.

What was the reality? I found Kota Kinabalu to be a fascinating city which sparkles with community pride.

It became apparent quickly that the Malaysian state of Sabah deserved some serious future exploration, but for an initiation Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding area is a great place to start. But even Kota Kinabalu deserved more than just one week.

A LITTLE HISTORY

The history of Kota Kinabalu is fascinating as well as complicated. Much like the rest of Malaysia, it involves British colonialists, unhappy locals and the horrors of WWII.

Kota Kinabalu, once known as Jesselton, is the state capital of Sabah; the second largest of the 13 states of Malaysia. It wasn’t until August 31st 1963 that North Borneo (as it was previously known) became independent of the British Empire.

Shortly thereafter (newly named) Sabah, was united with Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore, to form the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963. It wasn’t until August 1965 that Singapore was encouraged to leave the federation (to do their own thing) and the rest is history. This is all part and parcel for the melting pot of Malaysia and perhaps even more so for Sabah.

Here are a few of my discoveries during a week-long visit to Kota Kinabalu and my first visit to the land below the wind.

THE SABAHAN WELCOME WAGON

The people of Sabah are known as Sabahans. There are 32 recognized ethnic groups in Sabah, with the largest indigenous group being the Kadazan-Dusun people in addition to the Bajau and Murut people. The largest non-indigenous ethnic group are the Chinese. Kota Kinabalu’s charming melting pot of people won me over from the get go.

Although I was with a local guide for many of my excursions, I did have ample opportunity to mix and mingle with locals on my own. There was absolutely no change in the genuine friendliness of everyone who I encountered.

Plus, they are very easy to communicate with! English is widely spoken, in addition to the Sabahans’ own mother tongues, Bahasa Malaysia (the national language) as well as Mandarin and other Chinese dialects.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: The Island Drum: My Discoveries in the Land Below the Wind

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Kaamatan boosts demand for traditional costumes

KENINGAU: At this time of the year, Mohd Azrul Fildza Abdullah’s boutique, here is a hive of activity as he and his wife race against time to meet the numerous orders for hand-stitched ethnic costumes.

It is now Kaamatan time in the Land Below the Wind and this is when the locals don their traditional garments to participate in the various events that are usually held in conjunction with the festival‘s month-long celebrations.

“This is a busy time for me as I‘ve to complete all the orders I‘ve received for Kaamatan,” Mohd Azrul Fildza, 41, told Bernama recently when met at his small boutique, Azma Trading, which he runs with his 36-year-old wife Fatma Zainal.

Mohd Azrul, a Kadazan, has been receiving orders for the traditional garments since April.

“I‘ve stopped taking new orders because these clothes have to be sewn with great precision. Some ethnic groups” traditional clothes are quite tedious to sew. In fact, it may take me two or three months to complete one set,” he said.

The traditional outfit worn by the Kadazans in Penampang, also known as the sinombiaka, was easier to sew, he said, adding that he and his wife could complete three to five sets of these garments a day.

“For the sinombiaka, we just have to add gold-coloured and red lace trimmings to the clothes. In contrast, the Tindal (a Dusun sub-ethnic group) people who hail from Kota Belud have such intricate costumes which can take us two to three months to complete as they require embroidered motifs,” explained Mohd Azrul.

The Tindal sub-ethnic group“s traditional costumes, he added, were more vibrant to look at as they were adorned with red and yellow sequins and gold-coloured buttons.

Mohd Azrul“s boutique has earned a reputation as one of the best shops in the state to secure ethnic garments for Kaamatan.

He also receives orders for traditional garments from Sabahans residing in Peninsular Malaysia and even overseas.

“Several customers of ours working in countries like Japan and Australia have ordered clothes from us through our Facebook and Instagram (azmatrading) pages,” he said.

Kaamatan, an annual rice harvest festival, is among the major cultural festivals observed by the Kadazandusun - the largest indigenous group in Sabah - Murut and Rungus ethnic groups in Sabah.

The festivities, which usually kick off in the beginning of May and include carnivals and traditional performances, peak on May 30 and 31 which are public holidays in the state.

The climax of the celebrations will take place at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association‘s Hongkod Koisaan hall in Penampang, located on the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu.

The people themselves will be the highlight at the closing events as they will all be resplendently decked out in their respective ethnic wear.

Interestingly, Sabah‘s traditional costumes come mainly in hues of black as it is believed that the colour symbolised power that is capable of protecting the wearer against evil spirits.

Some quarters also believed that the colour suited the lifestyle of the ethnic people whose forefathers had lived in a state of nature.

Sabah has over 30 ethnic groups, each with its own rich heritage of traditional costumes and cultural practices that reflect their unique identity.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Kaamatan boosts demand for traditional costumes

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8excite: Great Places To Eat In Sandakan, Sabah

While most travelers head to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Borneo Malaysia, only a few venture to other parts of the 'Land Below the Wind' and here to share with you, is a list of great places to eat in Sandakan.

Yes, when you travel, you need to eat, so let me just share with you some of the recommendations of this coastal city in the east coast of Sabah.

Sandakan is well known as a nature city due to the many Ecotourism destinations, namely Sepilok, Labuk Bay, Bornean Sun Bear Sanctuary, Gomantong Caves and the famous Kinbatangan River.

But with any kind of tourism, people must eat, and most visitors to Sandakan would mostly be staying in the city, so here are the best places to eat in Sandakan.

Ikan Bakar at Pasar Sim Sim (Halal)

This old market located about half a mile out of Sandakan City serves probably the best ikan bakar in the east coast of Sabah for many years now. There are two stalls that sell the grilled fish and the notable or recommended one is called Mama Resipi Ikan Bakar who has been serving locals and now tourist some of the freshest seafood around. Her stock is delivered daily and the stall is open for lunch and dinner. Mama Resipi now has three outlets, the other two at Mile 3 and IJM Mile 6. To get here, you just need to ask anyone in Sandakan and they will point you in the right direction. You can also take a taxi here, but make sure the taxi waits for you. Besides the awesome grilled fish and seafood, do try their amazing home made sambal chili.

Address: Pasar Sim Sim, off Jalan Sim Sim, Kampung Buli Sim Sim, 1/2 Mile, Sandakan.

Sandakan Famous Spring Noodles at Restoran 88 Sim Sim (No Pork)

If you have tried spring noodles before, then you must try the famous Sandakan Spring Noodles which is located at Kampung Buli Sim Sim and at Jambatan or Bridge No.8. These noodles are totally one-of-a-kind as they are handmade with their own little secret recipe which makes the noodles really springy and tasty. They serve a mean seafood spring noodle dish, in either soup or dry which is probably one of the best noodles I've tried. Usually, locals come here for breakfast and lunch and we recommend you do the same. They operate as a seafood restaurant as well and the food here is pretty good. As you head down the bridge, their restaurant is on the right side.

Address:  Right Side, Jambatan No. 8, Kampung Buli Sim Sim, Jalan Sim Sim, Sandakan.

Seafood Bak Kut Teh in Sandakan (Non-Halal)

Most people would have heard of the famous seafood bak kut teh around Malaysia, but the mother of all is found here in Sandakan. The restaurant is called Nam Chai Restoran and is located along the main Jalan Leila Road out of Sandakan City. The beauty about this is that from my experience of trying a number of others, Nam Chai tops them all. Order the bowl of fresh sea prawns and the special 'Lai Mung' fish. They also have the normal pork bone and meats as well. Best time to go is just before lunch.

Address:  Ground Floor, Blok D, Jalan Leila, Bandar Nam Tung, Sandakan.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: 8excite: Great Places To Eat In Sandakan, Sabah

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Walk in the park: Combining conservation and entrepreneurship at Sabah's Tun Mustapha Park

SABAH, the Land Below the Wind, is regarded by many nature enthusiasts as a dream destination. For conservationists, it’s a veritable haven for its diverse species and habitats.

The beauty of Sabah was recently celebrated with the gazettement of Tun Mustapha Park (TMP), bringing much joy to conservationists and nature travellers throughout the world. Measuring 900,000 hectares and covering more than 50 islands, TMP spans across three Sabah districts — Kudat, Kota Marudu, and Pitas.

“The gazettement is just the first step to ensure that the largest marine park in Malaysia fulfils its potential for conservation and community,” begins Joannie Jomitol, team leader for WWF-Malaysia Kudat team.

“All the hard work towards the gazettement of TMP over the past 13 years was just the beginning. Now that it has finally been gazetted, it represents a new chapter and requires all parties to take it to the next level,” she adds.

WWF-Malaysia, together with Sabah Parks, had been continuously reaching out to engage with the local communities in TMP and this will continue beyond the gazettement and into the future. “We’ve been working hand-in-hand since 2006 to bring about the gazettement of TMP,” adds Joannie, who’s been working on local community engagement throughout Sabah for her last decade’s employment with WWF-Malaysia.

The community collaboration includes patrolling, relationship-building with local communities, setting up the Interim Steering Committee for TMP, and capacity building for the communities as well as for staff working on the ground.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE TRAINING

In July 2016, 50 representatives from different communities under the Tun Mustapha Park Community Conservation Group (TMPCCG) travelled from remote islands to Kudat at the invitation of WWF-Malaysia, to attend a social enterprise training aimed at providing capacity building in entrepreneurship skills.

“Investing in building capacity and increasing knowledge in sustainability are vital in conservation. At WWF-Malaysia, we believe that safeguarding the environment involves everyone — from the public, to the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), industries and the local communities. Hence, we work very closely with TMPCCG, the biggest group of community-based organisations working on conservation of the environment to protect marine and terrestrial flora and fauna within the TMP,” says Joannie.

She shares that at present, the community groups in the established TMPCCG include Persatuan Belia Anak Taritipan (Anbatar), Kelab Belia Tigabu (KBT), Banggi Youth Club (BYC), Kudat Turtle Conservation Society (KTCS), Maliangin Island Community Association (MICA), Persatuan Belia Muda Tigabu (PBMT), and community groups from Kampung Berungus, Matunggong, and Balambangan Island.”

Formed in June 2014, the TMPCCG has gathered experience in marine education, awareness and livelihood programmes. Anbatar’s Sabarudin Samba saw the social enterprise training as an opportunity to incorporate these skills and knowledge into social entrepreneurships, where the benefits were equally shared amongst members and communities involved.

“In all the years that we’ve had workshops and trainings as part of community engagement, we never had one like this on entrepreneur-related capacity building and hopefully this will not be the last. Anbatar sees the benefits of this training to the communities, particularly in a marine protected area,” says Sabarudin.

The objectives of the training were to provide basic entrepreneurship skills to the TMPCCG members, and an opportunity to learn the Social Enterprise Business Model, which included financing and marketing. WWF-Malaysia believed this was an important step for community-based organisations (CBOs) to take, for them to recognise alternative livelihoods while keeping in view the importance of sustainability and conservation, which would be vital in moving forward with the recently gazetted TMP.

TRAINERS’ OBSERVATION

“We’ve been exposed to social enterprise before but this training is new in the sense that the workshop participants are communities who have hands-on issues to work on as they’re facing real challenges on the ground,” says Roslin Mohd Daud, programme leader for Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC).

Combining both conservation and social enterprise targets in mind, WWF invited MaGIC to develop a training programme specifically for TMPCCG. MaGIC sent two training groups - Tandemic and myHarapan - to give a four-day workshop on the fundamentals of social entrepreneurship, design thinking and problem solving, bringing products to the market, and financing social enterprises.

“We can definitely see the effort coming from the communities and their eagerness and passion in solving issues they face within their communities. We believe capacity building is a continuous effort and hope our engagement with the communities of TMPCCG doesn’t end here, and that relationship-building continues with them,” adds Roslin.

According to Tiu Kian Wee of Tandemic, speaking on behalf of his team, it was initially a challenge due to the adjustments needed in place for both parties — the trainers and the participants — to be able to understand each other’s concept of entrepreneurship.

After adjustments were made from their original programme, he confides that they were able to integrate personal experiences and skills of the community participants with their training and amazing and constructive ideas surfaced.

“This isn’t a first for Tandemic to be working with local rural communities but we’re excited to see what’s next in line for the communities in TMP. We’re hopeful and feel optimistic about the ideas and outcome from this training,” says Tiu.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Walk in the park: Combining conservation and entrepreneurship at Sabah's Tun Mustapha Park

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Mr and Mrs Romance: From Borneo with love – IG Edition goes to Sabah

It’s been a busy but spectacular past couple of weeks for us at Romance HQ. As you may have seen, we’ve been exploring the beautiful Malaysian state of Sabah in northern Borneo.

Because we’ve got so much to show you from our trip to the Land Below the Winds, we haven’t included the usual Travel Recap section in this week’s IG Edition.

So sit back and enjoy as we take you on a journey from populous city to green mangrove regions, from virgin rainforests to the pristine waters of the Celebes Sea.

We start our journey to Borneo – after a relatively easy flight from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s capital city – with a look round our hotel.

The Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu is perfectly located for exploring Kota Kinabalu – or KK as everyone calls it. Plus it’s got this beautiful rooftop pool and bar facing west.

The sunsets here at KK are known for their beauty and tonight looks like it’s going to make good on that promise!

Just across the street from our hotel is the waterfront markets. These are local markets selling mostly food – though there is a part of it that also sells locally made handicrafts too. Of course, we’re more interested in the food and the people it draws in.

I have no idea how this guy is basting the grill in this head, but it’s all for a good cause. Not only does it make the food taste amazing, it also brings the locals in for their dinner just after nightfall.

You can’t get much fresher than this. The waterfront market sells the fish it buys from fishermen that pull up out front to the kitchens further back in the market who then cook it all up. The fish here is amazing as are the (terrifyingly big) prawns.

We just wish we had longer here to really sink our teeth into the the place – literally and figuratively!

Today, we’re checking out how to make traditional batik art. There’s a programme run by College Yayasan Sabah to give local disenfranchised youth a chance to learn a trade that’s still in keeping with their customs but that will also give them business skills to survive.

These batiks are incredibly hard to make though these young artists make it look so easy. You start with a metal stylus of hot bee’s wax and draw in the lines of your design. You then use ink and water to colour in. The wax stops the colours from blending and the water creates amazing depth.

These students, who are studying under a local master craftsman, have 6 months to learn the trade. If they pass, they then go on to an ‘incubation period’ where they learn things like basic accounting, business management and marketing. They’re then kept on retainer for a further 6 months before passing the course with a recognised qualification.

It’s an amazing initiative and a rare glimpse of a government project working well for indigenous cultures. Visitors can come here and learn about batiks, try their hand at it and also buy some of the locally made handicrafts in the shop above.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Mr and Mrs Romance: From Borneo with love – IG Edition goes to Sabah

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Elise McCune: Land Beneath the Wind by Agnes Newton Keith

I am reading  Land Below the Wind.  It was given to me as a gift by an intrepid traveller who recently returned from Sabah, Borneo and visited Agnes Keith House.

What I like about the story of Agnes Keith is the mystery that involves her daughter, Jean.

It seems that Jean may have been the daughter of her husband by a previous marriage or by a liaison.

In a recent study of Sabah society in colonial days we find this gloss on “liaisons with local women:”

During the period of Chartered Company rule in Sabah it was not uncommon for European administrators to form liaisons with local women. Such a practice occurred throughout the British Empire, though with local variants. Need of companionship saw this practice being condoned by most colonial administrations including the Chartered Company, albeit unofficially. Strictly speaking, it was considered improper, thus little written information is available for a proper treatment of the subject. The Chartered Company’s fortnightly newspaper, the British North Borneo Herald, for instance, is almost silent on this matter. …

Even the husband of the celebrated author Agnes Keith is known to have had a local girl before he married Agnes. …

Agnes Newton Keith (July 4, 1901 – March 30, 1982) was an American author best known for her three autobiographical accounts of life in North Borneo (now Sabah) before, during, and after the Second World War.

The second of these, Three Came Home, tells of her time in Japanese POW and civilian internee camps in North Borneo and Sarawak, and was made into a film of the same name in 1950. She published seven books in all.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Elise McCune: Land Beneath the Wind by Agnes Newton Keith

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Drawing lessons from Mount Kinabalu tragedy

THEY may be gone but are never forgotten. One year has passed since the tragedy of the Mount Kinabalu earthquake, but the memory is still etched in the minds of the affected residents, survivors, families of victims, “malim gunung” (mountain guides) and other Malaysians.

They remember the day like it was yesterday. On June 5 last year, Mt Kinabalu and the surrounding districts were jolted by a series of earthquakes, which started at 7.15am with an earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale.

Eighteen climbers, including four mountain guides, were killed when the earthquake rocked the mountain. On that day, there were 195 people on Mount Kinabalu, an iconic and spiritual symbol of the people of the Land Below The Wind.

Although life is slowly returning to normal with the mountain trails opened to the public and tourists flocking to highland destinations in Sabah, the scars of the tragedy will never fade, just like the 2004 tsunami which claimed more than 250,000 lives in 14 countries, including Malaysia.

The trauma of the climbers, guides and rescuers is felt until today, while the families of the victims are still coming to terms with the tragedy.

The mountain guides were the real heroes who put their own lives at risk and four of them died while protecting climbers during the earthquake. In fact, they were among the first killed in that tragedy.

The guides, who knew the area well, had done the main rescue work by cutting temporary trails through the devastated mountain landscape to bring climbers down the mountain. They risked life and limb to save the lives of others.

The sacrifices of these unsung heroes should be forever remembered and their roles and contributions recognised and appreciated.

For the guides who died in the earthquake — Valerian Joannes, Ricky Masirin, Robbie Sapinggi and Joseph Solungin — they will always be in our hearts.

The disaster has shown that Malaysia can no longer be regarded as being free from natural disaster. It is time for the country to establish a centre that pools domestic and foreign expertise to provide an emergency response plan for any disaster. This should be a priority for Sabah, which is prone to such natural disaster.

Continue reading at: Drawing lessons from Mount Kinabalu tragedy

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Sunny Interval: Silent in Sandakan

Many confuse Sandakan with Samarkand for no other reason than the names sound similar.

I knew Sandakan as the Land Below the Wind, thanks to the writings of American author, Agnes Keith in the early part of the last century.

Ian knew Sandakan as the location of WWII allied Prisoner of War camps and the start of many forced death marches from Sandakan to Ranau.

Marches of POWs that left only the six who managed to escape alive out of more than two thousand is cited to be the single worst atrocity suffered by Australian servicemen at that time.

We both knew that this was the place to go to explore both the Orang Utan Sanctuary at Sepilok and the wildlife of the Kinabatangan River and that it was two and a half hours away from KL, in Sabah, back on our beloved Borneo.

We flew to Kota Kinabalu and hired a car, driving the five hours or so across the country to Sandakan.

Much of our journey took the Sandakan Death March route.

Breaking for lunch at Ranau, we visited the tea plantation and discovered the poignant Quailey’s Hill memorial to those who lost their lives and that overlooked the lush landscape.

With thoughts of cruelty in our minds we drove the rest of the way in silence, incredulous that such a gentle landscape, peppered with kampong-style houses on stilts, banana, mango, coconut and papaya trees swaying in the breeze beneath a wide blue sky, could have seen such horror.

We stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, located slap bang on the waterfront in Sandakan, with a view over the Sulu Sea to a string of islands in one direction and overlooked by Agnes Keith’s house behind.

Sandakan feels stuck in a fifties time warp. Many buildings remain and few, apart from our hotel, rose higher than three or four storeys.

Like I said, it’s a gentle landscape and one that feeds my soul.

Somehow it feels a couple of degrees cooler and less humid here than KL and though Keith claims it lies ‘beneath the wind’, we enjoyed surprising wafts of cool air that crept up unexpectedly.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sunny Interval: Silent in Sandakan

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10 best food in Sabah you must try or you’ve never been there before!

When you’re on a holiday especially in a foreign country, what should your priority be? Food hunting and eating to your heart’s content, of course!

Anyway, if you’re planning a holiday to Sabah or you would love to visit The Land Below The Wind one day, here’s a list of 10 must-try traditional and local dishes that will send your taste buds on a trip!

Tuhau

A local favourite of the Kadazan-Dusun people, this appetizer is made from wild ginger and has a strong distinctive smell and taste. Some people might not be able to stand the scent but I can assure you, it tastes better than it actually smells! The tuhau tastes sour, salty and has a hint of spiciness to it too, which I must say, is an amazing combination of tastes. It’s usually eaten with rice which usually turn into two or more helpings on my part.

Seafood

When you come to Sabah, the seafood here is one of the things we’re famous for. You have a wide variety of affordable and fresh seafood to choose from and sink your teeth into! Deep sea fish, crabs, prawns, clams, you name it! If you want to know the best places to have your fill of seafood in Sabah, speak to the locals there and they will gladly recommend you the best.

Tuaran Mee

Named after a district in Sabah, this noodle is one of Sabah’s most loved noodle dishes. Tuaran Mee is handmade egg noodles that is fried and is commonly served with Char Siu, Chun Kien, eggs and vegetables. Today, you can find some halal Tuaran Mee outlets around Sabah too.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: 10 best food in Sabah you must try or you’ve never been there before!

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Sabah attractions now included in Google Maps

Kota Kinabalu: Masidi said the Google maps Street View Sabah attractions which is the fruit of cooperation between Google Malaysia and Sabah Tourism Board will showcase the State's many destinations to the world and is expected to increase tourism in the State by introducing the State's attractions to people worldwide.

Google Street View Operations Lead for Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand Nhazlisham Hamdan, said that Google today introduced a major update to Google Maps in Malaysia by launching Street View imagery of Sabah's numerous local attractions for locals as well as people from around the world to use, search and enjoy.

Nhazlisham said after launching Street View imagery of public roads in East Malaysia in July and Peninsular Malaysia last year, a special collection of Sabah's world famous peak and renowned islands and natural attractions now join Google Street View on Google Maps.

The imagery was captured via the Street View Trekker, Google's wearable backpack-mounted camera system.

The main highlight of this Street View imagery collection is the country's tallest mountain, Mount Kinabalu located at Kinabalu Park which was collected with the assistance of the Sabah Tourism Board.

The world heritage site is well-known for its tremendous botanical and biological species biodiversity that includes plants of Himalayan, Australasian and Indo-Malayan origin, the gigantic Rafflesia plant and the orangutan.

The spectacular imageries of the "Land Below the Wind" now join other special Malaysian collections that showcase Mulu Caves, Taman Negara, Pangkor and Langkawi, among others. Other prominent locations on Sabah's list of attractions include Kapalai Island, Mabul Island and Mantanani Island.

Nhazlisham said the availability of Street View for Sabah's beautiful nature attractions for the very first time makes Google Maps more useful, comprehensive and enjoyable for Malaysians and everyone else interested in discovering more about Sabah's natural heritage sites.

"We are always keen to expand the locations covered by Street View an+d are particularly excited about bringing more of Malaysia into our service," he added. "We want to showcase the beauty of our own country and attract more visitors to visit and enjoy our beautiful country"

Continue reading at: Sabah attractions now included in Google Maps

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Visiting Sandakan -- Borneo's charming entrepot

Sandakan is a port town and an entrepot to the wildlife refuges of the fabled Kinabatangan River. There's no question that most visitors to Sandakan are strictly passing through and are not going to be in town too long.

We strongly suggest that if you're heading to the river, don’t be in a rush. Otherwise you'll miss out on Sandakan’s ample charms.  In short, we think Sandakan is well worth spending an extra day or two exploring.

In addition to the Memorial Park, which we covered in part 1 of this series, there are three other venues that you should definitely not miss. All are a bit off the beaten path, so you won’t be inundated with other visitors.

The first steps we would take are in the direction of The Sandakan Heritage Trail which is a comprehensive walk that covers the town's most important and culturally significant sites.

The walk begins at the 100-year old Masjid Jamik, a mosque originally built in the 1890's as a place of worship for the Indian Muslims in Sandakan. Muslims

sought refuge here during the Second World War, and the venue even acted as a hiding place for a few Europeans.

The next stop is the Pryer Memorial, a granite structure erected to honor the founder of Sandakan, William Burgess Pryer. It seems a bit incongruous that Pryor, a Brit, would have founded a town in Malaysia but at the time it was a British Colony and he had permission from the local Sultanate. By chance Pryer and his wife who were on their way to Sabah met Filipino nationalist Jose Rizal in Hong Kong. Rizal shared with Pryer the plan establish a Filipino settlement in Sabah for those dispossessed of their lands. The plan never saw fruition but Pryer did establish the town on the 21st of June 1879.

Following the Pryor monument, you will then climb the Stairs with a Hundred Steps which will lead you to a beautiful view of Sandakan town and bay. It also brings you to the famous Agnes Keith House.

Agnes Keith Museum and Tea House

Agnes Keith is not a household name but in the mid-twentieth century she was a well-respected writer in a unique time and place.  During this period, Keith, a native of Hollywood, California, captured the experience of colonial life in North Borneo. She was married to a high ranking British colonial official and lived a fairy tale life portrayed in her autobiographical book Land Below the Wind. However, her fairy tale turned into a nightmare with the outbreak of the War.

Her second and most arguably her most popular book, Three Came Home, depicts the hardships of her time as a prisoner in Japanese POW and civilian internee camps in Borneo and  Sarawak. This work was subsequently made into a film (of the same name) in 1950 with superstar Claudette Colbert. (The sensationalist poster of the film, pictured at left, would certainly not fly today for many good reasons but is an illustrative period piece).

Perched on a hill, her original home (really a mansion) was devastated during WWII. However a replica has been constructed and turned into a museum bursting with memorabilia from her storied life. Literary fans and others who want to understand a semblance of life in colonial Malaya will not be disappointed.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Visiting Sandakan -- Borneo's charming entrepot

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Agnes Keith House, Sandakan

Have you guys ever been here? I suggest you guys to do so. This house is so historical and nostalgic with English-style design and deco (so beautiful); located in Sandakan, Sabah.

Keep reading if you want to know more about Agnes Keith House.

Who is Agnes Keith?

To those who still in hazy about her; Agnes keith or Agnes Newton Keith was an American journalist best known for her three autobiographical accounts of life in North Borneo (now Sabah) before, during, and after the World War II (source: Wikipedia).

Agnes wrote a book, Land Below The Wind which chronicled her living conditions day-to-day in Sabah; the title of the book was used to refer the state of Sabah as "Sabah Negeri di Bawah Bayu" or "Sabah Land Below The Wind" (referring to Sabah’s location just below the typhoon belt).

What is so special with her house?

Agnes and her husband were seized by the Japanese and sent to some of the prison camps.

After the war, they returned to Sandakan and find their house destroyed.

So, they decided to reconstruct the house in 1946–47 on original footprint and similar style like before.

They named their two-storied wooden bungalow "Newlands" and lived there until they left Sabah in 1952.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Agnes Keith House, Sandakan

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The Land Below the Wind

Today started with breakfast in the car park that serves as a wet and dry market as well as food vendors.

Coffee and once again another Malay breakfast of noodles and fried egg.

We had several chores to do today before starting the "Heritage Walk" around Sandakan.

The jobs included

. finding a Nikon shop to buy a spare battery and charger

. Finding a tailor to take up our hiking pants

. finding a laundry to get our washing done.

Tailor was easy there was one right outside our hotel, so for 10MR we got the pants shortened.

Finding the Nikon shop was a little harder, I knew I had seen one somewhere, so the search begun.

The people here speak very little English so although they try to be very helpful it is hard to get across what you are after.

It took about 30 minutes to find the right shop and purchase my battery and charger.

Now on to the laundry. This should be easy, we were told in the santos market which opened at 9 so we waited when it finally opened we found it was a supermarket not a laundry at all.

We walked the streets looking for a laundry but with no luck. So it was back to the hotel and wash all our gear by hand.

Now off to do the Heritage Trail - this starts at the 100 steps to the Chinese and Japanese cemeteries.

It is a pity that these are neglected and the first is slowly taking over.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: The Land Below the Wind

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Tourists bask in Kaamatan spirit

PENAMPANG: The warmth and friendliness of Sabah people, the beautiful terrains and its nature, and the uniqueness of its cultural diversity may all sound like words taken directly out of Sabah tourism promotional reading materials.

But these qualities remain to be the very reasons tourists from across the globe come to the Land Below the Wind and make that decision to visit this multicultural state, and for some, to keep coming back.

A visit to the Kaamatan Festival at Hongkod Koisaan KDCA yesterday affirmed that these attributes remain relevant to this day.

Australian couple, Kevin, 59, and Linda Jones, 64, have visited Sabah for the fourth time.

For them, the hospitality of the people is one of the many reasons that made them keep returning to Sabah for vacations.

Having visited many countries, they were pleasantly surprised by the friendliness that Sabah people in particular, showed.

“It’s the people,” replied Linda when asked why the couple kept coming back to Sabah.

“Other than being welcoming and hospitable, it is also interesting to see the multicultural backgrounds they come from and it is enlightening to learn about people that way,” she added.

“Yeah, we have been to Bali, Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries, but it’s better here. We have random people just coming up to us and greet us,” her husband, Kevin, concurred.

Although it was their fourth visit to Sabah, it was the couple’s first visit to the mammoth Harvest Festival celebration at Hongkod Koisaaan KDCA.

“We heard about this festival when we were on board the cruise ship that took us to Kota Kinabalu. We heard it would be grand but we did not know it would be this big, nor did we expect it to be this interesting,” said Kevin.

“It’s always interesting to learn about people of diverse cultures and coming here today to see all those colourful crafts produced by the locals, the traditional costumes, traditional games and dance performances, it just keeps getting better,” noted Linda.

Another interesting bit of the Kaamatan Festival for the Jones  was the free entrance.

“In Perth, we have the Royal Agricultural Show, which is almost a similar festival but not as cultural as this, where local farmers bring their agricultural produce to showcase and sell.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Tourists bask in Kaamatan spirit

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Manukan Island

Manukan Island in Sabah is one of the most visited islands in the Land Below the Wind. While you may think why, it is simply be cause the island is only a 15 minute boat ride from the city of Kota Kinabalu or simply known as KK here. As I was visiting KK town in early May 2013 together with a group of media from West Malaysia, we were taken to many popular tourist places here and Manukan Island was one of them where we spent the morning there before heading back to the mainland for lunch.

Manukan Island is actually part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park or TAR Park which consist of five islands which are Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi, Sulug and Gaya Island where each of the islands is only a mere couple of minutes boat ride from each other. Among these islands, tourist usually visit Manukan, Mamutik and Sapi Island for activities and day trips. The beauty about the group of islands here is that you can visit it in the morning and be back in town after lunch therefore this place is one of the top tourist spots in Sabah.

How to go to Manukan Island

There are two main areas where you can get to Manukan Island, one at Jesselton Pier in KK town while the other is at Sutera Harbor Jetty, a 5 minute drive from town. Usually hotels and tour companies sell day trips to the islands here. Prices range anywhere from RM100 to RM150 per person, depending on your package. Some packages includes island hopping while others are for one single island You can book these packages at any tour counters or companies in KK town or hotel lobbies. Some ready made Sabah Packages would already have this in the itinerary too. The deal would usually include;

* Pick up from your hotel and back

* Boat transfer to the island and back

* Island entrance fees

* A lunch (normal or BBQ) on the island

* Free snorkeling

However, you should note that any other additional activities are charged on the spot there. This includes;

* Scuba Diving

* Water Sports Activities

* Sea Walking

* Rental of equipment

* Restaurant/Cafe food and drinks

* Souvenirs

Best Time to visit Manukan Island

Since I have been there many times (eight times in the last 3 years), I have seen the busy and also quiet period. It is recommended that the best time to visit here is during the weekday and also off peak season. If it is the local School Holidays or any public holiday, the place is sure to be jam-packed and this may result in you not having a great time there.

I would personally recommend you that you go there as early as possible, before 10.00am as the crowd usually comes in about 11.00am onwards. By lunch the place can get crowded so go early to secure a nice spot on the beach. 

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Manukan Island

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Turn Agnes Keith House into botanical garden

SANDAKAN: Federal Minister of Tourism and Culture Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has suggested that the surrounding area of the famed Agnes Keith House here be turned into a botanical garden.

He said his ministry was prepared to provide funding for the purpose, adding that such a garden would serve as another attraction for visitors to the colonial-era house.

Commending the State Museum for preserving the Agnes Keith House, Nazri said historical sites were important tourism products, especially for history buffs.

Agnes Keith stayed at the house atop a hill here with her husband for nearly 20 years until the mid 60s and wrote a book entitled “The Land Below the Wind” which chronicles her experiences during her time in Sabah.

Nazri, who was on an overnight visit to Sandakan, has directed his ministry’s office in Kota Kinabalu to come up with a report on the proposed garden for his action.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Turn Agnes Keith House into botanical garden

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Conquering Mount Kinabalu the Series Part 1

It has been a while I am not writing anything in this blog. I traveled a lot these past few months and doing so many interesting adventures with nature. I love what I am doing even though it’s did not give me a good return in term of salary but the exposure and learning experience is priceless.

Mount Kinabalu…. Did you ever heard about it yet? If not, then allow me to bring you walking through my journey up on the mountain started from 21st February until 19th March 2013.

Let’s talk about the mountain first because I really want you guys out there to be familiar with this mountain before I continue with my whole journey.

Mount Kinabalu located on the Borneo Island, the third largest island in the world. The Borneo Island comprise of three different countries, Indonesia (Kalimantan), Brunei and Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak). On which land of these three countries is this mountain located?

Well, it’s located in Sabah, Malaysia which is also known as the Land Below the Wind. There is 13 peaks of this mountain (which I already forget the names most of it and I apologize for that) with the Low’s Peak is the highest peak with 4, 095 m above sea level.

So with this height, it makes the Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in South East Asia (I am proud of it, I am telling you, very very much proud!) Locals that lives in this land believes this mountain have its own story (like a myth stories, a legend).

The local community resides around this mountain is the Dusun people. So, who took care of this mountain? The entity that becomes the guardian of this mountain is the Sabah Parks. Almost all the staff that working with Sabah Parks is the Dusun people, one of the indigenous people of Sabah.

Continue reading at: Conquering Mount Kinabalu the Series Part 1

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Is Sabah safe? Yes of course!

Is Sabah Safe? This is a question brought up by many travelers who are totally unsure of the recent situation that occurred there in February 2013. However, I would personally like to stress that YES, Sabah is safe. The situation has been under control and the area effected was in a remote part of Lahad Datu which is way out of the main tourism areas. So, for those still thinking about this, think no more as I was there recently and everything is normal in the major city and towns there.

Why did this happen? Generally, the mainstream media had a field day and blew the entire thing out of proportion to gain readers, popularity and so on. To make things worst, the international media added salt to the wound by running headlines that were misleading and scaring would-be holiday makers and travelers. Well, that my readers is the mainstream media for you. Anyway, my article is to share with you what is Sabah like as I visit this place frequently and have many local friends there.

As I have visited Sabah over 30 times in the last few years, I would easily brand the Land Below the Wind as a miniature Bali which is less crowded and with more nature. Sabah boasts of all kinds of tourism in one place where travelers can find an assortment of things to see and do but with some internal traveling. There are many islands with white sandy beaches, rainforest conservations, ethnic culture and heritage, all kinds of sports tourism and many more available here.

One thing that most people would probably know is that Sabah has the highest mountain in Southeast Asia which is Mount Kinabalu. As not many are eager to climb this mountain, the Kinabalu Park at the foot of the mountain is one of the top spots to visit for a day trip. This means, you can visit the park and the foot of the mountain within half a day. These are just some of the things to do in Kota Kinabalu as there are much more.

KK town itself is an interesting place with a good mix of old and new. An interesting Sunday market called Gaya Street Market is one of the must visit places while the handicraft market and waterfront is also not to be missed. Just outside of Kota Kinabalu City, there is the famous Tunku Abdul Rahman Park or TAR Park which is only a 15 minute boat ride from the jetty in town.

A total of four islands make up this park where one can spend half a day there just enjoying the island life, snorkeling, scuba diving and even a small jungle trek there.One of the better islands to visit is Pulau Sapi Island which is less crowded too.

Sandakan Safe?

Yes, very much so. I have many personal friends who stay there and operate tour businesses there and a quick phone call to them assured me that everything was as per normal, even during the minor troubles. Sandakan is well known for their nature attractions like the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, Labuk Bay, Turtle Island, Sunbear Rehabilitation Center and the well known Kinabatangan Conservation Area.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Is Sabah safe? Yes of course!
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