Sabah (Kinabatangan, Sepilok, Sipadan, Rafflesia Centre & Poring)

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Sipadan Island/De-finned sharks in KK

Taking advantage of the inexpensive flights to Kota Kinabalu, I went for a short 11 days holiday in Sabah with my wife and my three and half year old son. We travelled on public buses and vans. Its surprising what "Borneo" has to offer to those who venture forth. In Sipadan and Kinabatangan, we were the only Malaysians in the groups of foreigners we saw.

Day 1 Sun Kota Kinabalu: We arrived in KK at 1030am and proceeded to a 2 star hotel in the city centre. On the average hotel room were about Rm60. While my family was relaxing at the hotel, I went for a short walk to the fish market, which is interesting with a good selection of marine food including "de-finned" sharks. Then it was off to the nearby Filipino handicraft market which also offer authentic Balinese wood carvings. In the evening, we dined at Sea King, a renowned seafood restaurant.
Day 2 Bus to Sandakan: The bus was a typical big modern express buses. Fare was Rm29.60 and the journey tooks 6 hours starting at 8 am with a lunchstop was in Ranau. Upon arrival we shared a taxi with two Australian ladies i.e Browyn and Helen for the short ride into town. We stayed at the City View Hotel Rm75 in a very nice room. Sandakan is a small town which once had the most number of millionaires in the world i.e during the timber boom.
Day 3 Sepilok Orang Utan: We were now a party of 5 including the Aussies and we negotiated a taxi Rm60 for a return journey to Sepilok 25km away. We arrived at 9am and browse awhile until the 10am feeding time. There are about 80 orang utans in the forest with about 10 regularly turning up for the feeding. This time we were only able to see three of them. There were close to 60 visitors that morning. Afterwards we did a short trek to the "bird tower". Most people are not aware that Sepilok is one of only three Sumatran rhino breeding centre in the world. Unfortunately the rhino display was under repair. On the way back to town, we stopped at the Australian War Memorial. Sandakan was the site of a Japanese POW camps housing some 1600 Aussies and 800 Brits. At the end of the war, there were only 6 survivors. At night it was more seafood, which is very reasonably priced especially here.
Day 4 Kinabatangan River Proboscis Lodge: Once again with our Aussie travelling companions, I negotiated a Rm100 van to take us to Sukau Village with a short stop to view the smelly Guamantong Caves, which has been exporting birdnests to China for more than 100 years. At the Sukau jetty, we boarded a 5 min boatride to the Proboscis Lodge Rm165 per person per night. This rainforest resort is sited near Menanggul River where we did an evening 2 hour river cruise. The lower Kinabatangan river is unique with numerous wildlife including all 6 species of hornbills found in Sabah and a host of other big and small animals. We saw a monitor lizard, a rare oriental darter bird, swamp snakes, piq tail macaques, lots of birds and of course a troop of some 20 big-nosed proboscis monkeys. All these animals do not seem to fear the the presence of humans. The Lower Kinabatangan Area is Malaysia's first gift to the WWF, whatever that means!!

 
Menanggul River Cruise/Snorkling in Sipadan

Day 5 Semporna: Our Aussie friends returned to Sandakan to do the Turtle Islands and we went south to Lahat Datu and finally Semporna, in about 4.5 hours. We arrived at the jetty at about 3pm but had problems getting info on Sipadan, which apparently is very expensive. Finally met up with a local agent who got us a good deal for a non-diver package in Sipadan and Mabul. Most Malaysians are not aware that Sipadan in only one of 45 islands off the coast of Semporna, many of which are very good alternatives to Sipadan. We settled in at Lee's Resthouse in town, a clean hotel with very good rooms for Rm60 owned by a UK trained accountant from Semporna, who also operates the town bakery and one of the oldest coffee shop in town.
Day 6 Sipadan Island: All packages to Sipadan, 1 hr away, starts at 830am in the morning and the return journey is after lunch at 2pm which means a full day and half on Sipadan, which is normally enough for non-divers. A brisk walk round the island only takes 15 mins which explains its smallness and there are only 5 resorts on the island sharing a daily quota of 40 guests!! The other islands have no such guest restrictions. Sipadan is a world top 10 dive spot because of the drop-off of more than 1,000 ft within 30 to 200 meters from the beach all round the island. The marine life is exceptional rich and varied. We stayed at Borneo Divers, the pioneers here. The food and services was very good but accomodation is passable. I spent countless hours snorkling just off the resort and must have seen more than 20 turtles and 15 sharks beside huge schools of colourful fishes.
Day 7 Mabul Island: More snorkling in the morning before going to Mabul 15 mins, which claims to be one of the best places in the world for "macro" or small creatures diving. Here we stayed in very basic room which is also cheap and bathing kampong style i.e. well water baths. A Bajau fishing village (sea gypsies) of 1600 residents shares this larger island. Later it was more snorkling just off the beach in the also crystal clear waters of the Celebes Sea.
Day 8 Back to KK: After a final round of snorkling, we left the islands at 2pm and arrived in Semporna an hour later. Then its off by van to the Tawau airport, an hour away, before boarding the 545pm flight to Kota Kinabalu Rm107 one-way. This appears to be the "standard" travel arrangements for Sipadan. Arrival 830am morning and departing 530pm by plane. After endless hours of snorkling I was pretty bushed when I arrive in KK.
Day 9 Rafflesia Center & Poring Hot Springs: The van to Tambunan stops at the Rafflesia Info Center (1.5 hour). We spoke to the ranger and was advised to call first before coming as there are no flowering Rafflesias, only cabbaged buds. We went on an hour long trek in the forests looking unsuccessfully for buds. Later we hitched a ride to Tambunan town where we had lunch. Then its another 2 hours van to Ranau and the nearby Poring Hot Springs. Had an evening soak in the warm/hot waters. Porings is within the Kinabalu National Park area, which is the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Malaysia.
Day 10 Kinabalu National Park: We did the canopy walk in the morning. The highest point on this walk is 41 meters which is the tallest in the world and pretty scary. Then it was off to Ranau to catch another bus to the Kinabalu National Park. My son was by then having his afternoon sleep and it was also raining heavily. We decided to give the Park a skip for another occassion and went straight to KK town.
Day 11 Go Home: Having time to kill we took the public van to the airport, Rm2 per pax instead of the Rm13.50 usual taxi fare. At the airport, we met up with our "lost" Aussie friends who were also leaving at the same time to Johor Bharu. We arrive in Subang Airport at 1230pm and this day would be the last day this convenient airport will be used. Next day Air Asia will operate from KLIA. How sad!!

 
Misty Tambunan/ Eagle Rays in Sandakan fish market

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