Travellers choose Kuching as 8th top rising Asian destination

KUCHING: The state capital Kuching is listed among TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Destinations on the Rise for Asia, finishing above Kota Kinabalu and Georgetown, Penang.

These three cities are also the three destinations from Malaysia found among the Top 10, making Malaysia the only country with such a high representation.

Kuching is at eighth spot, Kota Kinabalu at ninth and George Town rounds it up at 10. The top destination for Asia is Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan (which also made it to fifth place on TripAdvisor’s World Top 10 destination list).

The awards recognise 43 destinations around the world selected by an algorithm primarily measured by year-over-year increase in positive TripAdvisor traveller review ratings for accommodations, restaurants and attractions, and increase in booking interest.

This is the fifth year of the awards and Travellers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise lists were also revealed for the United States, Europe and South America.

The awards described a trip to Kuching as an enriching experience for any visitor, with the many museums and attractions which offer insights into the local heritage and traditions.

It said more can be learnt about Sarawak’s main ethnic groups including the Iban, the Bidayuh and the Orang Ulu at the Sarawak Cultural Village, a living museum where staff live and work to preserve their heritage and cultural traditions.

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Kota Kinabalu International Airport continues to register double digit growth in international passenger movement

The Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) continues to register double digit growth in international passenger traffic movements for the past 10 months of this year as a result of consolidated operations under one roof.

From Jan to Oct, month-on-month growth compared against last year for international passenger traffic movements ranged from 20 percent to 37 percent, with year-to-date (YTD) growth at 28 percent.

Statistics also showed that the airport had registered YTD total domestic and international passenger growth of 10 percent.

This strong growth was contributed by strong performance from a wide range of airlines primarily the AirAsia Group, Jin Air from South Korea, and 16 other airlines operating at KKIA.

The Sabah Tourism Board had also reported an increase in total number of international and domestic visitors to Sabah for the period of Jan to Sep totaling 2.5 million which is a 5.2 percent increase when compared to the same period last year.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) general manager Mohd Suhaimi Abdul Mubin said the number of passengers is expected to increase this Christmas and New Year celebration period, starting from the third week of Dec up till the first week of Jan 2017.

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Sabah’s Staghorn (Acropora) coral account for 70 pct of species worldwide

KOTA KINABALU: A research team from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has come up with the most comprehensive checklist of the largest reef-building corals, the Staghorn (Acropora), in Sabah.

The researchers reported 83 species of staghorn corals present in the waters of Sabah through reviews of published accounts within the last three decades by various research groups, and records of voucher specimens deposited in the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) and Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) of UMS, and the Museum of Tropical Queensland, Australia (MTQ).

The richness of staghorn coral fauna reported for Sabah parallels that of Indonesia and is comparable to the diversity reported in other neighbouring countries.

It accounts for 70 pct of the 120 staghorn species identified globally.

Former director of the Biotechnology Research Institute and principal investigator of the project, Assoc Prof Dr Vijay Kumar said the number of staghorn coral species tallied for Sabah is nothing short of impressive as its coastline is relatively much shorter in contrast to other coastal nations in Southeast Asia.

“Our findings further highlight the staggering diversity of Sabah’s biological resources in the marine environment, apart from the terrestrial realm,” he added.

Twelve staghorn coral species in the checklist constitute first records for Sabah, including a rare species, Acropora Suharsonoi, which was collected during a marine bioprospecting project undertaken recently by BRI.

“The highest number of staghorn coral species was recorded in Darvel Bay followed by the Banggi group of islands, and the waters off Semporna.

“The corals of Darvel Bay are the best studied in Sabah and much of the current knowledge regarding its biodiversity is attributed to a 1998 scientific expedition led by researchers from Denmark and BMRI,” said Rolando Robert, who is the first author of the paper.

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Move to make Kiulu Mini Carnival a weekly affair

KOTA KINABALU: Rural tourism in Sabah is fast gaining popularity as evident in the tremendous response to the Kiulu Adventure Challenge (KAC) and Kiulu Mini Carnival (KMC) over the weekend.

Aimed at promoting Kiulu as a premier adventure and eco tourist destination, the KAC and KMC have succeeded in enhancing awareness among the rural folks on how tourism could become a viable source of income.

More than 1,000 people, including foreign visitiors, thronged the River Bug Adventure Base at Rangalau Lama, Kiulu,  for the KAC and the fun-filled KMC.

The KAC involved cycling and running through mountains and valleys with scenic views, as well as rafting along the Kiulu River, while the KMC featured a “Badih Gulu-Gulu” (traditional open market), traditional food and drinks fiesta and traditional sports.

Organised by the Kiulu Tourism Association (KTA) and supported by Tourism Malaysia and Sabah Tourism Board, the KAC which was divided into various categories, attracted more than 500 participants.

The Kiulu Mini Carnival, which was organised by the Kiulu Socio-Economy and Cultural Association (Pesbuk), provided opportunity to visitors to sample authentic Kiulu traditional delicacies prepared by the local community.

The Badih Gulu-Gulu, which saw pesticide-free agricultural produce and local handicrafts such as hat and vest made from tree barks being sold, was a hit among visitors prompting Kiulu Assemblyman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai to suggest for it to be held on a weekly or monthly basis.

Joniston, who is Sabah Tourism Board chairman, was particularly happy to note the participation of the local community in the KMC as an avenue for them to showcase and market their hand-made crafts, traditional foods and drinks.

“It was like back to nature as the traditional foods were cooked without any ingredients except for salt,” said Jason Prickely from Australia, who was at the event with several friends.

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New trail to Mount Kinabalu summit opens

KOTA KINABALU: A new trail leading to the Mount Kinabalu summit will be opened for climbers this Friday.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun is scheduled to launch the Kota Belud Trail in a flag-off at the Timpohon Gate, Kinabalu Parks in Kundasang.

In a statement issued by Sabah Parks, the 1.1km trail is an alternative trekking and climbing route to the existing Ranau trail.

The Ranau trail was reopened in December last year after restoration works were completed following the tragic earthquake in June.

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