Malaysia - Borneo (Sabah)
Summer 2023
Finally, it was time again for our summer holidays. This year we went far east to Malaysia, on Borneo. For 12 days we travelled through the Sabah region, at first with my former host family and then alone. We started in Kota Kinabalu, then went to the Poring Hot Spring and the nearby Kinabalu Park. We then drove across the island to Kinabatangan National Park, spent a night in Sandakan before heading to the Tip of Borneo. Finally, we spent two more days in Kota Kinabalu.
Kota Kinabalu
After a short flight from Singapore, we finally arrived on Borneo. Kota Kinabalu awaited us with warm, humid and sunny weather. We first took a taxi to the hostel. As our room wasn’t ready yet, we only had a quick change of clothes and set off for the centre. Freddy was really struggling with the warm and humid heat. Our first stop was a shopping centre with cash machines. Right next to the handicraft market (where there was mainly junk) there were tailors sitting on the street. Everyone had their own chair and table with a sewing machine. They all worked on old, foot-pedalled machines.
In the evening, we ate at the Night Food Market. We had fresh tuna, squid and freshly squeezed juices. Very tasty! We fell into bed in the evening, tired from all the new oaths and the temperatures.
Watervillage at the island of Pulau Gaya
Fishing boats
Night Market with fresh mangos and durian
A happy Marco with his coconut
Dried fish
Poring Hot Springs & Kinabalu Park
Now the round trip starts. We got our hire car, but the car we had booked became available a day later, so we were given a different car for the first day. A driver from the hire company brought us the right car a day later to the Poring Hot Springs. Great service!
In the morning Freddy finally met her New Zealand family (the last time was 6 years ago). Marco got on very well with them straight away. Over the next three days, we explored the region around Kinabalu Park together.
At the Poring Hot Springs we moved into great accommodation. Together we went on a 4-hour hike through the jungle to a waterfall. The temperatures were very strenuous for hiking. We were able to take our time to notice the different plants, the huge roots of the trees and the various animal noises. Marco spotted a small green snake just before the waterfall. As it turned out later, it was a green pit viper.
View of the highest mountain in Malaysia, Mount Kinabalu
The bathing places of Poring hot Springs
A small souvenir from our hike, a leech
In Kinabalu National Park we also visited a small botanical garden. The park is situated at an altitude of over 1000 metres and we immediately noticed a much cooler climate. In the evening it got really cold (around 10 degrees). In the botanical garden we learnt about pitcher plants, edible berries and a type of fern (nest fern), which is also attributed to evil spirits in the mythology of Sabah, as snakes like to live there.
There was also a market in Kundasang. Although, or perhaps because, it is a mountainous region, the selection of fresh fruit and vegetables is superb. Marco was in luck when he discovered his favourite fruit from China, the longan (or dragon’s eye). We bought fresh mangos, mangosteen, pineapple, local rice and a few vegetables. Marco cooked a delicious vegetable risotto on our last evening together.
After 4 wonderful days together, it was time to say goodbye to Freddy’s New Zealand family. For us it was a great start to our summer holiday, during which we were able to learn a lot about life in Malaysia. Fortunately, it was only a short farewell for Freddy, as she is going to visit them in Kuala Lumpur for another 3 days in 2 weeks.
Kinabatangan National Park
The road took us further from the mountains through huge palm oil plantations to the banks of the Kinabatangan River. After this day of driving, we finally arrived in Sukau. As it was already pitch dark, we could not see anything of the surroundings. We stayed with a very friendly host family in the village. They fed us every day with delicious food. Our programme (the boat tours and the conservation walk) took place at Bam, a few minutes away from our accommodation.
The first night in our little shoebox room had been warm (without any air condition), but good. We were allowed to have breakfast on the small veranda. Now, in daylight, we finally saw something of the surroundings and realised that we lived only a few metres from the riverbank. For breakfast we had good Sabah black tea and fried bananas.
For the first animals we didn’t even have to get on the boat: The monkeys were doing their gymnastics right outside our bedroom window. We immediately grabbed our cameras and went to the veranda. We were able to observe and photograph the long-tailed macaques in peace and quiet for a while.
The first impressions of the shore and life on the banks of the Kinabatanga.
We were on a boat with 6 conservationists from England, South Africa and America. They all had super cameras, binoculars and a huge expertise about the animals on the river. A few of them had been to Kinabatangan National Park several times. Among other things, they campaigned for the Borneo elephants. Hopefully we will see some.
During our trips on the river we saw lots of proboscis monkeys, long tailed macaques and pig tailed macaques. At first glance, the proboscis monkeys often display very human behaviour, especially the way they sit. But you should never get too close to them, the proboscis monkeys don’t like that at all. Even with the boat, we probably got a little too close to one of them.
After more than a month in the rainforest, the small forest elephants appeared on the shore. So they slowly ate their way through the riparian grass and more and more of the elephants could be seen.
Around a bend in the river, a mother elephant and her baby were eating the grass. We were very excited. Luckily we were able to watch them for quite a while and take lots of photos.
After our exciting afternoon tour on the Kinabatangan, it was straight back to safari after a short dinner. Our programme included a night tour on the river. Fortunately, we were again on the boat with the conservationists. At night, the atmosphere is completely different, everything is much quieter. It was pitch dark, only the bright torches illuminated the banks in spots. We spotted several buffy fish owls, snakes and sleeping monkeys. We can only say “well spotted”.
After a short night, we had to get up early this morning. We left our accommodation in the dark, shortly before 6.00am. We set off for an early morning boat trip. After yesterday’s very successful day, we were all in a very good mood. This morning we went upstream. Light fog still hung over the river. Slowly, it began to move in the trees and the animal noises became louder. The different monkey species woke up and went into the jungle. In the morning you can also observe the many different bird species. We spotted kingfishers, a grey headed seaeagle and hornbills, among others. And finally we spotted a crocodile. It was still a small saltwater crocodile. There are probably quite a lot of saltwater crocodiles in the Kinabatangan, but people from the neighbouring villages still regularly go swimming on the banks of the river. There are probably 3-4 fatal accidents with crocodiles. As we were on our way back to Bam, one of the conservationists suddenly called out: “An elephant”. An elephant was bathing on the steep bank. As we were the only boat at this spot at the time, we were able to observe it in peace. It was quite a feat for the elephant to climb out of the water and up the steep, muddy bank. It was a great end to our river safaris.
SEpilok
After 3 days in the rainforest, in Sukau, it was time to leave again. Our next stop was Sandakan. On the way there, we stopped in Sepilok. There are two conservation centres there, one for orangutans and sunbears. They take in small orphan orangutans or sunbears from captivity and later try to release them back into the wild. The orangutans are no longer in enclosures once they are in the outdoor areas and they can simply leave. However, they are released into the wild when they forage for food on their own in the outdoor area and no longer turn up for feedings. They are then relocated to other nature reserves.
We also met some other visitors at the Sunbears. We were walking alone along one of the wooden bridges to the next sunbear enclosure when suddenly this orang-utan mum and her child came towards us. What a great encounter
Sandakan
Sandakan is a typical harbour town. It took us a short time to find the hostel and a car park. We were able to get a first glimpse of the city from the car park.
Sandakan was completely destroyed in the Second World War. The houses that now stand in the city centre look pretty run-down and the streets look quite worn out and broken.
After a rest in our air-conditioned room, we strolled around the market. It is housed in a large concrete complex. The selection is again very varied. There is also a section where fresh fish is sold. They had already sold everything for the day and everything was being washed up. A few cats were still looking for leftovers on the floor. The fishermen stood together by their boats or rested in their hammocks.
We really wanted to visit the Water Villages of Sandakan. The maps said that it was only a 20-minute walk away. Well, we had spent a lot of time in the car and both wanted to walk a bit more. As if we were completely new to travelling in Malaysia. Firstly, there was no pavement half way, secondly, it gets dark very quickly (at 6.30pm it’s pitch dark) and with such high humidity, 20 minutes is a bit more strenuous than expected. So we arrived at the Water Villages at dusk. The first thing we do is buy an ice cream to cool down. As it got dark quite quickly and there was very little lighting, we decided to visit again the next morning. This time we took a taxi back to the city centre.
Tip of Borneo
After a very long day of driving, we finally arrived at the Tip of Borneo in the dark. We found our accommodation for the night without any major difficulties. When we got out, a strong, warm sea wind blew in our faces and you can hear the sound of the waves. The joy of the wind was immense. After unpacking, we drove to a small restaurant for something to eat and drink. There was also some equipment for kiting lying around, which Marco discovered as soon as he got out of the car. We immediately asked if it was possible to kite in the bay tomorrow and the answer was “Yes, of course”. There is currently a typhoon in the Philippines and it will be windy all next week.
We went happily back, but before we fell into bed, at least our feet had to take a dip in the sea. We shared the beach only with lots of small crabs. The water was bathtub warm.
The first view of the empty, elongated bay. Later, we will go kiting and swimming there.
Luckily, we didn’t discover the huge spider until the morning, otherwise it wouldn’t have been a relaxing night.
The wind was still blowing constantly around our little cottage this morning. After a quick, far too sweet cappuccino, we set off for the Tip of Borneo. This is at the end of the tarred road and is the northernmost point of Borneo. Everything there is built up as if they were expecting coaches and crowds of tourists. We were the only ones there. This is also where the China Sea and the Sulu Sea meet, but you don’t see such a beautiful line as in New Zealand at Cape Reinga.
Then it was finally time. Marco ate a little something for breakfast and then it was off to the beach. The kite instructor and Marco set up the kite together and then Marco took off into the sea. Fortunately, Freddy had her telephoto lens with her. A little later, Freddy jumped into the water to do some jumping in the waves. The water was bathtub warm.
Just outside the town of Kampung Pinawantai, there is a small community, Kg. Sumangkap Gong Factory, which specialises in making gongs of all different sizes. Freddy had read about it in the guidebook and wanted to see one. On the main street, it felt like every family had a small workshop and shop at the front. The families lived at the back.
Palm oil
The dominant economic sector in Sabah is palm oil production with its huge plantations. These were always present on our journeys through the region, including the heavily laden lorries with the palm oil fruits and the finished oil.
Food
