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SABAH , BEST OF BORNEO (:
Wednesday, 27 February 2013 @ 09:23 | 0 Comment [s]
Assalamualaikum ;))
Fun Tamu Markets
On any day in Sabah, you’ll find a range of markets where you can pick up bargains on handmade crafts, crystals, antiques, the freshest seafood, local cakes, vegetables and exotic fruits. Mostly held in the outskirt towns such as Kota Belud, Tamparuli, Papar and Donggongon, these buzzing open-air markets or Tamu are not to be missed!
Apart from market goodies, the Tamu is a great way to meet the locals and to buy direct from the people who create, make or grow what they sell. Plus, each Tamu at the different location offers different sights, sounds or smells - for instance, the lovely aroma of fried keropok bantal (giant-sized sweet potato crisp) in Kota Belud; the soothing sounds of the sompoton in Tamparuli and sights of friendly sirih-stained teeth women everywhere.
While in Kota Kinabalu, be sure to check out the Handicraft Market(opens from 7am - 9pm daily) which boasts exquisite pearl jewellry and a wide range of ethnic wares such as handbags, table runners, shell ornaments and carved wood furnishings. To stretch your dollar, be adventurous and pick up some local lingo!
Located in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, this is a popular site for locals and visitors to shop every Sunday. Antique gongs, handicrafts, potted plants, orchids, pets, crystals, ceramics, clothing and accessories, local cakes and biscuits are just some of the hundreds of items on offer.
Tawau is where you’d be if you are on the way to Sipadan or the world-class dive sites in Sabah’s east coast. On the way back, be sure to pick up Tawau’s famous dried foods such as shrimps and fish. For the beauty and health-conscious, there is no better place than Sandakan to buy quality birds’ nests. These are harvested locally in Madai andGomantong Caves.
Kapalai Island
Semporna
Kapalai island – The mere name conjures the image of crystal clear waters and a floating paradise like no other. A 45-minute trip from Semporna by speedboat, Kapalai island is one of the many beautiful diving havens in this part of the world. However, Kapalai is truly unique because it is not quite an ‘island’.
The 40 chalets are built on high wooden stilts in the middle of the ocean. Visitors can enjoy the sights of marine life in action as they stroll along the boardwalk, a sturdy construction that connects the various sections of the floating resort. The resort has 40 chalets, equipped with basic amenities, including tea and coffee making facilities.
You will never have to gripe about having a less than desirable view: you have a breathtaking view of the Celebes Sea no matter where you turn! The restaurant is a wooden deck, where diners can eat indoors or al fresco. There’s even a viewing area in the middle of the restaurant which allows you to see the myriad of marine life passing below.
The sundeck, a popular favourite, is a great place to enjoy your novel, work on a tan or indulge in an afternoon siesta. The Dive Centre provides diving, snorkelling and kayaking gear for rent. Can’t dive but would love to? No problem! The centre offers a variety of PADI courses, including Open Water and Introduction to Night Diving. After enjoying your underwater paradise, explore other facilities offered by the resort including the souvenir shop, games room and broadband access.
Ranau
Located in Kampung Luanti, Ranau, 131 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu (2 hours and 40 minutes drive away); this fish massage ‘spa’ is managed by the Kampung Luanti JKK and lead by Mr. Jeffrin Majangki.
In the Local KadazanDusun dialect, ‘tagal’ means ‘no fishing’, and the main purpose of the ‘tagal’ is to preserve the environment as well as the ecosystem to benefit the future generation. ‘Ikan Pelian’ or Malaysian Mahseer comes from the family of Cyprinidae. These fishes are specifically trained by the villagers to perform the healing massage activities.
The fish massage is deemed to have a curative effect on those who suffers from psoriasis. Come to Kampung Luanti for regular fish massages and you will enjoy smoother and suppler skin - just like a baby’s bottom.
If the idea of fishes nibbling off your dead skin doesn’t thrill you, try other activities such as jungle trekking and camping. Should you intend to stay longer, Kampung Luanti is also equipped with a homestay programme to make visitors feel at home every time.
Kipandi Butterfly Park
Kota Kinabalu (Capital City)
The Kipandi Butterfly Park is located at Kampung Kipandi, Moyog - situated approximately 36 kilometers away from Kota Kinabalu city via the Penampang - Tambunan road.
The gorgeously scenic park is surrounded by the hills of the Crocker Range. Lying at 700 meters altitude, it is rich in entomofauna. Over 100 species of butterflies have been recorded in this park; among the recorded species are the Troides Brookiana (Raja Brook’s Birding), Troides Amphrysus (Golden Birding), and the Papilio Karna (Peacock’s Swalloe Tails).
The insectariums has over 1,500 butterfly specimens and over 3,000 beetles which include many endemic species that are only found in the Crocker Range, such as the Cyclommatus Chewi. Special enclosures have also been constructed to house some of the rare and endangered species of Sabahan orchids and pitcher plants. This project is a joint collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department.
Plants have been saved from trees that were felled in land clearing for agricultural and developmental purposes. To date, there are as many as 500 species of native orchids, 40 species of Hoyas, and 5 species of Lipstick flowers Aeschynanthus, 28 species “carnivorous” pitcher plants (Nepenthes) and medicinal plants.
The park also initiates a free educational guided walk program for school children. This program is aimed at raising the awareness of the younger generations regarding the precious entomofauna of Sabah.
Sipadan Island
Semporna
“I have seen other places like Sipadan 45 years ago. Now we have found again an untouched piece of art”. - Jacques-Yves Cousteau
The internationally famous island of Sipadan lies five degrees north of the equator in the Sulawesi Sea (Celebes Sea). Lying 35km south of Semporna, on Sabah’s mainland, like many tropical islands it is thickly forested and surrounded by sandy beaches. Sipadan is an oceanic island and was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct undersea volcano, which rises 600m from the seabed.
The geographic position of Sipadan puts it in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin. More than 3000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this richest of ecosystems. Sipadan is well known for its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest and it is not unusual for a diver to see more than 20 turtles on each dive. Another unique feature to divers visiting Sipadan is the turtle tomb, an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that became disoriented and then drowned.
The residential schooling barracuda and big-eye trevally, which often gather in thousands forming spectacular tornado-like formations, are one of the highlights of every diver’s wish-list. With the possibility of seeing pelagic species such as mantas, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks, each dive at Sipadan is a highly anticipated event.
It is not only the big fish that amaze divers coming to Sipadan, the macro life is equally mesmerizing. Garden eels, leaf scorpion fish, mantis shrimps, fire gobies, and various pipefish are guaranteed at various dive sites.The diversity and abundance of marine found at Sipadan gives it its reputation of being one of the ten best dive locations in the world.
Conservation efforts in Sipadan Sipadan Island was established as a bird sanctuary in 1933 and in 2004, the Government of Malaysia has decided that all onsite dive resort operators are to move their operations out of Sipadan Island by 31st December 2004. The island is open for divers from 6am to 4pm - no night dives are allowed. The number of divers allowed to dive in Sipadan daily has also been limited to 120 pax in an effort to preserve the island’s pristine state.
Sipadan is a treasure which we want to save for the generations to come, before Sipadan can be saved, it must first be truly appreciated - hence the conservation efforts. Nevertheless, a treasure amounts to nothing if it cannot be enjoyed. Therefore, Sabah welcomes everyone to enjoy and appreciate Sipadan, and this appreciation will hopefully incite a bigger desire to save.
Sipadan Dive Sites
There a total of 12 dive sites in Sipadan Island namely the West Ridge, North Point, The Drop Off, Turtle Cavern, Barracuda Point, Coral Gardens, Whitetip Avenue, Mid Reef, Turtle Patch, South Point, Staghorn Crest, Lobster Lair, and the Hanging Gardens. The most popularly recommended dive sites are the Turtle Cavern, Barracuda Point, South Point and Hanging Gardens.
Barracuda Point
The Barracuda Point is located at the north Coast of Sipadan Island. Famous for its astounding vortex of barracudas (hence the name Barracuda Point), divers have also reported sightings of white tip sharks, grey reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles, as well as the bumphead parrotfish. A caveat: currents can get too strong, so don't go too deep!
Turtle Cavern
This site is famous for its population of green turtles and smaller hawksbill turtles. This cavern which lies 20 meters underwater is believed to be the final resting place of turtles. Divers are reminded to be extremely careful when exploring the caves as visibility can be drastically reduced to zero should the silt be disturbed.
South Point
South Point is one of the most likely sites for the rarer sharks such as the hammerheads and thresher sharks which are normally only seen around the 40-meter point. Divers are advised to be wary of the strong currents at this site.
Hanging Gardens
Named after the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the topography of the Hanging Gardens consists of a 2-meter-deep reef that slopes down to a terrace at about 70 meters which subsequently plunges into an abyss. This is an excellent spot to view soft corals with dendronephthya alcyonarians in multifarious pastel colours encrusting the slope. Do keep an eye also for the diverse macro life.
SABAH IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR YOU TO GO TO RELAX YOUR MIND AND RUN AWAY FROM HUSTLE BUSTLE IN CITY ! :)
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