AirAsia helps Sabah’s connectivity

TRAVEL within Sabah is greatly enhanced and made affordable by air travels where its city and major towns are connected by air. Much time is saved compared to travelling by road plus the comfort during the journey and reaching its destination unruffled. With low cost airline such as AirAsia it will help making decision to fly even easier by air. Air travel is now available using Malaysia Airlines and or MasWings within Sabah and with AirAsia in the fray, travellers have now the luxury of more flights and choice of service providers.

AirAsia’s phenomenal growth continues with its cheap air travel in Asia being already ASEAN largest budget airline by fleet size after having leveraged its hub-and-spoke model to connect numerous cities. Now with the growth of the region’s middle class, the airline is eyeing new routes and markets, especially China.

AirAsia Bhd has launched three new international routes from Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi and Penang. It has also launched direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Wuhan, Langkawi- Guangzhou and Penang-Ho Chi Minh.

“We saw ASEAN before ASEAN saw us,” quipped Tony Fernandes, the airline group’s chief executive. AirAsia’s modest start with just two aircraft in 2002 coincided with the region’s economic integration under the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. AirAsia immediately saw the huge potential in an area with a population of over 600 million, with growing economies but poor connectivity.

AirAsia has associate companies in Asia Aviation Capital, an aircraft leasing company, which is 100 per cent owned, AirAsia Japan at 49 per cent, Thai AirAsia at 45 per cent, Indonesia AirAsia at 49 per cent, Phillipines AirAsia held 49 per cent stake through its associate company. It also owned long distance carriers in AirAsia X in Malaysia, Thai AirAsia X and Indonesia AirAsia Extra

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes noted that the timing was great, reckoning that the airline would not have taken off much earlier. Luck played a big part, but they took advantage of it. Marketing the airline under the banner “Now everyone can fly,” AirAsia enhanced air travel with its short-haul, no-frills service, charging for everything from baggage to meals in return for low fares. The theme reflects their focus on making travel available and affordable to everyone.

Continue reading at: AirAsia helps Sabah’s connectivity

.
.

Wanna Travel the World Blog: Borneo

Rich in nature sights and animal sightings the island of Borneo is split into a malaysian and indonesian part.

We flew into Kota Kinabalu which belongs to the Malaysian part of the island.

Not an amazing town it is the place to get in and out of the island for most tourists.

Via public bus transport (true adventure) we went to Kinabatangan, took a little boat to get to our stay for the next three nights at the Kinabatangan River (Nature Lodge Kinabatangan Safari – 3D2N Kinabatangan Safari)

In the mornings and afternoon/evenings you take trips in small boats and discover the beauty of nature along the river.

We saw countless numbers of different types of Monkeys but were not as lucky to spot an orang-utan.

They live quite hidden and are rare to spot in wildlife it seemed.

The hotel consists of different huts and is less of a hotel feeling (the huts are quite simple but functional and clean) but offers breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as e.g. guided night walks (they give you wellies and you may want to bring or buy leech socks for the night walk – yes they do “attack”.

Make sure to not forget portable lamps to find your way following the guide.

This was an amazing experience that friends recommended and due to the small size of the place and the people per boat I’d recommend to go on such a safari.

The atmosphere especially in the evening when sun sets down, the monkey families gather to eat, feed and look for fleas is special and the odd crocodile on the river side or simply the coloring of the river are just as impressive.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Wanna Travel the World Blog: Borneo

.
.

Baram Regatta returns, 10 teams confirm participation for Aug 25-27 event

MARUDI: Ten teams, including those from outside Sarawak, have confirmed their participation in Baram Regatta 2017 here, scheduled to run from Aug 25 to 27.

These groups are expected to bring along over 40 boats for the event, which was last held in 2014.

According to Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, several local residents, including longhouse villagers, are offering their houses for the participants and visitors to stay at.

“This is being compiled by Marudi District Office. We foresee no problem with accommodation during the regatta,” said Dennis, who is also deputy organising chairman in charge of event’s technical committee, recently.

It is said the regatta began 111 years ago to mark the peace treaty between the warring tribes across the Baram River basin.

Thirty events have been proposed for this year’s regatta including the traditional boat race, speedboat, pump boat and remote-controlled (RC) boat races, as well as the new mixed paddling event.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Baram Regatta returns, 10 teams confirm participation for Aug 25-27 event

.
.

Tambunan to host world bike race

TAMBUNAN: Three scenic spots in Tambunan will play host to the Asia Mountain Bike World Series 2017 on Aug 5-6.

Tambunan district officer Thomas Logijin said the races will be held at the Tandarason Resort & Country Club, Pisompuruan Square and Sinurambi Tambunan from 8am to 6pm on both days.

The races are divided into Downhill, Cross Country Eliminator, Cross Country Olympics and King of the Mountains and will be participated by bikers from Malaysia and foreign countries.

The countries which have confirmed their participation are Brunei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Timor Leste.

Malaysian states which are also sending participants are from Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Pahang, Perak, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu and hosts Sabah.

Continue reading at: Tambunan to host world bike race

.
.

Imagine Travel: Wild Borneo - Chloe explores the rainforest

Borneo’s rainforests are hailed as the best place in Southeast Asia to experience nature’s great works of art, so I was eager to discover this wild and wonderful destination.

I began my much-awaited adventure through Sabah in Sandakan, where the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is located.

Although everyone dreams of spotting orangutans in the wild, these sightings can never be guaranteed.

A visit to Sepilok is definitely the next best thing.

The centre rehabilitates orangutans that have been victims of the illegal pet trade, or who have lost their homes as a result of deforestation triggered by palm oil plantations.

Today around 60 to 80 orangutans are roaming freely in the reserve.

For the best viewing opportunities I recommend heading there in the morning when they are feeding, as they come close enough for you to see their cheeky little faces munching on delicious fruit.

My journey then took me to the waters of the Kinabatangan River, where Attenborough famously filmed some Borneo footage a few years ago.

During this part of my trip I had my binoculars permanently at the ready, as the wildlife sightings were the most frequent here.

I split my time here between Abai Jungle Lodge and Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge, which I would highly recommend.

Both properties are located on the river and offer exciting cruises where you can get up close and personal with a fantastic array of wildlife in its natural habitat, including wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys, hornbills and pygmy elephants, just to name a few!

Travelling between the lodges is done by boat (they are about an hour from one another), which means you have plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife as you journey from one to the next. 

All of the lodges along the Kinabatangan River are naturally quite basic given their remote location, but the experience that accompanies them far exceeds any misgivings about fine dining or silk sheets.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Imagine Travel: Wild Borneo - Chloe explores the rainforest

.
.