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This great East Malaysian state on Borneo Island is naturally endowed with endless beaches and bays, ancient rainforests and amazing plants and animals, and the sacred Mt Kinabalu. Video brought to you by Best Destination Travel TV channel (www.BestDestination.com), travel guides and travel directory by Travelindex Network (www.travelindex.com). Video Rating: 5 / 5
Borneo ? Sun Sea and Orangutans
When my wife and I were deciding where to go on our honeymoon, we knew one thing, we wanted to go to Penang in Malaysia, to celebrate with relatives out there, but we knew we wanted to then move on to somewhere else after that, the only thing was where?
The Caribbean or Africa was a no go as the price to fly half way around the world and then back round again would have been monumental. Also the weather was a bit of a problem too. We tied the knot in early September, which ruled out the Maldives, Tahiti and Bali due to monsoon and rainy seasons.
We had been to Thailand the year before so decided we wanted to try somewhere else. We eventually chose to stay in Malaysia, but more precisely, Sabah in Borneo.
Well known for beautiful beaches and tiny islands great for diving, Sabah is also well known for orangutans, and has a world famous orangutan rehabilitation reserve at Sepilok, a short flight from our hotel at Kota Kinabalu.
However, we discovered that the hotel we chose had a nature reserve within the hotel grounds that was affiliated with Sepilok, and took in baby orphaned Orangutans, preparing them for their next stage at Sepilok before eventually being released back into the wild.
The Shangri-La Rasa Ria resort is situated on Pantai Dalit Beach, a beautiful stretch of beach that is sheltered and exclusive to the resort. The hotel was fantastic, and deciding to treat ourselves to a stay in the Ocean Wing, the exclusive wing with its own private pool, breakfast and luxury rooms with sea views and giant soak tub on the balcony, was well worth the extra money.
The hotel had a great choice of restaurants, and deciding to go half-board was a good option. Half-board entitles you to breakfast and dinner at the Coffee Terrace restaurant, or 100RM (about 17 quid) per person towards a meal in one of the other restaurants. This allowance pretty much covered the full cost of a meal in the other restaurants, except for the gourmet Coast restaurant which really is fijne dining at its best.
The culinary highlights for us were dinner at Naan and Tepi Laut ‘Makan Street’.
Naan was, funnily enough, and Indian restaurant and this award winning restaurant served some of the best Indian food I have ever had, food which went perfectly with the Malaysian local brew, Tiger Beer!
Tepi Laut ‘Makan Street’ was a typical Malaysian style food court, offering all the tastes that make Malaysian cuisine so special, with dishes from China, India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Each station offered something different, and the vegetable station featured baskets of uncooked Chinese vegetables and sauces where people could put what they wanted on a plate with the sauces of their choice. The chef would then quickly stir fry these while you wait.
Our favourite was the kangkong belacan, what is basically ung choi fried in garlic and sambal (a fiery hot shrimp paste) with some red chillies – very hot but very tasty.
The real highlight for us was the orangutans. Each day, guests can make a donation to the reserve and trek a short way into the jungle to a pair of viewing platforms to watch the baby orangutans feed. The experience is quite simply amazing.
They are extremely cute and very agile. Some shy, others mischievous it is fantastic to watch their playful antics. We went twice to see them, the first time I filled my camera’s memory card of around 500 photos well before the hour came to an end and was frantically having to delete bad shots in order to take more.
Simon travelled to the Shangri-La Rasa Ria on honeymoon in September 2008 and writes for American Sky, the US travel specialists who offer escorted tours and multi centre holidays in the USA.
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Kota Kinabalu National Park covers a vast expanse, 754 sqkm. of pristine rainforest and the 4095m tall Mt. Kinabalu which is the highest mountain for a thousand miles. Many people come to the park to climb the relatively easy mountain that has fantastic views of the Philippines on a clear day. Our mission was to enjoy the dipterocarp rainforest trails on the mountains slopes and find nice views of the mountain from below.
Sipadan-kaplai Dive Resort In Sabah Borneo Malaysia
Kapalai Island Resort or more correctly Sipadan-Kaplai Dive resort in Sabah Malaysia although it is part of Borneo is only a short distance by boat from the islands of Sipadam and Mabul. Having said all that it is another world altogether.
Kapalai Island Resort actually sits on stilts on the shallow sandbanks of the Ligitan Reefs. It is not attached to any land whatsoever although over a mile of powdery white sand appears at low tide for sunbathing.
The architects who designed the complex must have been extremely innovative, because the Sipadan-Kapalai resort consists of a chain of chalets that are all linked by almost two miles of walkways, so you will never be short of exercise here, especially if you like jogging. The incredible thing is the plethora of fish just a few inches between your feet as you travel along the boardwalk.
Kapalai is totally peaceful and quiet, just a turquoise sea stretching off into the distance, and yet right underneath is the water which is literally teeming with life, so you can snorkel straight off the resort.
Kapalai accesses the best diving spots in Sabah Borneo, which makes it the best hotel in Sabah if you want to dive. From here you can dive in Sipadan where you will find big fish and turtles. You can go muck diving at Mabul, or stay close to Kapalai itself.
The Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort, whilst geared towards divers is also a wonderful escape from the pressures of the 21st century. The rooms are a bit like the Maldives were a few years ago, and as an added bonus they are a fraction of the price, and at no time to you feel crowded on this very special hotel in Sabah.
The food is good, very varied, and served buffet style, plus there is a lot of it, and is served almost 24 hours every day.
You can dive five times a day and never go to the same place twice, but of course Kapalai Island resort is one of the world’s top diving destinations. Everyone at Sipadan is very helpful, and you will get exceptional service from all of the staff from the divemasters to the hotel staff.
If you are visiting the region of Sipadan then without doubt the airy sunny resort of Kapalai, totally built on stilts is the place to stay. This is an absolutely tremendous resort !
If you are interested in othr far East Hotels and destinations then go to http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com/categories/Far-East-Hotels/
Peter Stewart writes about in Kenya Safaris as well as Worldwide Vacation Spots He also recommends Travel Tennis a great Game to play on Holiday.
This entry was posted in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia and tagged Borneo, Dive, Malaysia, Resort, Sabah, Sipadankaplai. Bookmark the permalink.← Kota Kinabalu Airport: Kinabalu National Park – Adventurous Nature TrekKinabalu Hotel: Things to do in Kota Kinabalu ? A plethora of choice along the coast of Malaysia →Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked
165 individual Double rooms with en-suite bathrooms, 5-star King Koil beds,Power showers (hot and cold),24 hour security,Facilities – 7-Eleven convenience store, Gloria Jeans & Nelson food & beverage outlets, Captrans transport services, free WiFi in lobby area
Hotels In Malaysia And Tourist Destination In Malaysia
Malaysia truly can be considered a country full of rich culture and tradition. Possessing all features of Asian people and life, the country has everything to see for tourists. Malaysia tourism includes beautiful islands, hillside retreats, tropical rainforests and cosmopolitan cities which not only attract travelers but leave them enchanted for their rest of life. Meeting all imagination of travelers, Malaysia travel can be termed exclusive and fascinating.
Accommodation in Malaysia is another added feature which attracts travelers from around the world. Malaysia hotels not only provide excellent facilities but are cheap also. Travelers have plenty of choices in terms of hotels. There are cheap hotels in Malaysia which are highly accommodative for travelers with shoe string budget. Travelers to Malaysia can explore the country with low budget staying in cheap hotels in Malaysia.
Tourist destinations in Malaysia including of Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, Pahang, Kedah, Perlis, Johor, Pera, Malacca, Sabah, Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Negeri, Sembilan and many others are extremely popular among travelers to Malaysia. Additionally, travelers from around the world can travel the country in any season as it has excellent weather conditions throughout the year. Not to say about multiple choices of hotels in Malaysia.
Some popular Malaysia hotels including of Tanjung Rhu Resort, Golden Sands Resort, The Frangipani Langkawi Resort, Grand Millennium KL, Impiana KLCC Hotel, Avillion Port Dickson, Merdeka Palace Hotel, Sutera Harbour Resort, Traders Hotel Penang, Hotel Equatorial Melaka and many others known for offering comprehensive range of accommodation facilities in Malaysia.
The capital city Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia has numerous tourist attractions which include KLCC, Chinatown, Putrajaya, Architectural Landmarks, Science & Nature, Theme Parks, Highlands and many others. KLCC is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The center is popular commercial place with the Petronas Twin Towers, the Suria KLCC Shopping Mall, a park, a 5-star hotel and prime office blocks. Adding value to Malaysian economy the KLCC is a popular hangout place.
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Everything about State of Sabah, one of the state in Malaysia
Climbing Borneo’s Mount Kinabalu
It’s 2:00 am, summit day and I am exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. I am going to climb my first mountain this morning. Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Borneo. At 4095 meters it is South East Asia’s highest peak.
Mount Kinabalu is a 2-hour bus ride from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysian Borneo’s northern province. My husband Dave and I have come to this island to experience adventure. We have already spent time in the Jungle at Uncle Tan’s Safari Lodge watching the proboscis monkey, monitor lizards, civet cats and many other creatures exist by the river in their natural habitat. We have witnessed human nature at its greatest, helping orphaned and injured Orangutans at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre and we have relaxed on the beach by the Sulu Sea. It is now time to see what we are made of at our final stop in this exotic destination.
As we ride along the winding mountain road, Mount Kinabalu comes into view and it is an intimidating sight. Its impressive granite peak juts out of the jungle casting a shadow over the land. My heart races just a bit faster and a fear creeps into my mind as we are let off at the parks entrance.
We haul our packs onto our backs and walk towards the headquarters where a guard meets us and we pay our RM15 ( CAD) park entrance fee and book a room for the night. We are climbing tomorrow and within minutes, we secure our permit, guide and accommodations on the mountain for RM300 (0 CAD) each. Excited and relieved to be able to climb so quickly, we head to our dorm room where we begin to organize ourselves. Deciding to pack light for this 2-day expedition, we leave behind our large rucksacks and fill a day-pack with only the essentials. Chocolate bars, cookies, cheese and water for energy, layers of warm clothing, camera,video, journal and hiking shoes is all we need. While buying a few toiletries at the canteen, we even manage to snag some warm hats and mittens from other travelers who have just returned from their climb. By the time we settle in for the evening, we have scaled down our loads and we feel well prepared for task ahead.
The first day of our climb starts at 7:00 am where we hop into a mini van for the 5km shuttle to the start of the trail. After signing in, our guide Japly sets a strong pace and for the next 5-hours it is a steep and grueling climb. At first the trail has steps and handrails built into it, but as we gain altitude, it becomes rocky and turns into a narrow, nearly vertical path. Porters put us to shame walking briskly in their flip flops carrying large barrels, loads of wood and even piles of steal strapped to their backs and balanced on their heads.
After struggling for hours and wondering if the pain will ever end, we finally reach our camp by early afternoon. At 3263 metres, Laban Rata has our dorm rooms and hot showers. The sun is shining brightly above the clouds and we lay our sweat soaked clothing on the rock to dry as we munch on our snacks and bask in the warmth.
Dinner at sunset is breathtaking. A blazing light show fills the sky with fiery colours, above the pink clouds pillowed below. The celebration doesn’t last long however, as we must turn in early for our 2:00 am wake-up call.
The night passes slowly and my sleep is fitful. Having to brave the cold a couple of times for a visit to the toilet, it seems that I will never rest. I am too nervous with anticipation for our summit push. 2:00 am comes all to quickly though and just as it seems that I am finally falling asleep, it is time to awake. Quickly dressing in our layers, we head up to meet Japly, who will guide us through the darkness.
The air is thin and it is difficult to catch my breath. The pace seems fast and I wonder if I will make it. Luckily, we come to a bottleneck of other climbers and our pace slows and my heart has a chance to relax. Soon I feel in the zone and keep a steady pace along with our group. We climb for 2 1/ 2 hours walking on steep sheer granite keeping our balance while holding on to rope bolted into the rock. I cannot not see the sheer drops below or the daunting summit above. I am simply forced to focus on my climb putting one foot in front of another following the line of people up to the summit.
By 5:15 am we have made it safely. The excitement and emotion is overwhelming and we joyously celebrate, until we realize that we have to wait in the freezing cold for another hour until sunrise. It is the longest 60 minutes of my life. I am wet, cold and soon my fingers and toes go numb. I want to sleep, and I want to be down the mountain, relaxing in a comfortable bed.
Instead, we perch ourselves on the edge of a rock facing the sunrise where we wait. And wait. The first few rays finally burst into the sky and as it rises, our bodies warm and we take in the magnificent view. The sight is worth the wait as we overlook the vast jungle and into the surrounding mountains feeling emotional and proud of our accomplishment.
Dave and Deb are Canada’s Adventure Couple. They have traveled to over 35 countries where they have taken on extreme adventures from Cycling from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa and Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Every new adventure takes them to remote corners of the world where they paddle, hike, scuba dive and trek their way around the globe. http://www.theplanetd.com http://www.picturetheplanet.com
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