Category Archives: Adventure

Taralamas River Canyon, the Magic of Water

Living in a stressful world, we need a place to wash away our worries. Scientific studies show that being near water gives us a powerful mental health boost. How about a water therapy at Taralamas River Canyon (also known as Tolungan Daralamas River Canyon), a 15-million-year-old canyon that is hidden deep inside the rainforest of Sabah? Its unique geological feature is a wow factor to visitors. Most people decide to visit Taralamas just by looking at its photos.

Taralamas River Canyon lit by the afternoon light

Taralamas River Canyon, which is formed earlier than Mount Kinabalu, is a work of water erosion. It’s a great canyon, though it’s not as big as Grand Canyon. Besides the interesting landscape, a trip to Taralamas allows you to enjoy various nature-based activities such as hiking, picnic and swimming that cover forest, river, waterfall and hill.

Standard Itinerary

Most visitors prefer a day trip at Taralamas River Canyon. The following is the standard itinerary (shortest trail). Please note you need to book the tour in advance. Walk-in tourists may not be accepted.

Walking on the village road and jungle trail in Tiang Lama Village

5am: Depart from Kota Kinabalu City (KK)
8am: Arrive Tiang Lama Village (in Ranau) and start hiking (3 KM)
10am: Reach Taralamas River Canyon (Lunch and river canyon walk there)
12pm: Going back to the Starting Point
2pm: Return to KK
6pm: Arrive KK

The downside of day trip is more than 7 hours of driving back and forth. You can consider spending a night in homestay of Tiang Lama (walking distance to the starting point) for a more relaxing experience.

Below is a useful walk-through with photos, or you can watch the video below:

Gather at Starting Point (at Tiang Lama Village)

The starting point of the hike is at the Community Hall near the end of Tiang Lama Village (or Kampung Tiang Lama) in Ranau district. Group of hikers congregate there between 7am and 9am. It’s better to start hiking in early morning, as it’s more likely to rain in the afternoon.

Starting point of the hike to Taralamas River Canyon

After you register and pay the operator, a village guide will be assigned to your group. Most guides are youngsters from the village. There is a small toilet near the hall, in case you want to relieve yourself before the 2-hour hike. A short briefing on Do & Don’t will be given before the hike begins.

At the hall are some stalls that sell food, (e.g. fried noodle, linopot packed rice, instant noodle, snacks, biscuit, pinjaram, hinompuka, traditional kuih), drink, fruits and vegetables. You can have your breakfast there and buy packed lunch from the villagers, as there is no restaurant at the canyon.

The stalls are also around in the afternoon, so you can buy some fresh produce at a very reasonable or cheap price, before you head home. Depending on the season, you would find different fruits and vegetables such as durian, tuhau and rambutan.

Hiking to Taralamas River Canyon

Once everyone is prepared, we start hiking from the village. The morning at Tiang Lama Village is cooling and refreshing. Within minutes we come to the plantation in the mist.

Left: muddy trail, Middle: bamboo bridge, Right: trail near the local plantation

The temperature is about 25°C. You might need a jacket to keep warm in the beginning. Very soon you would feel warm after some walk among the dense shrubs and trees.

We choose the standard loop trail, which is 6 KM back and forth and the shortest hiking distance. If you want to visit the Sadoron Waterfall, it’ll be a total of 8 KM walk.

One way distance to the river canyon is about 3 Kilometres. The signage says follow your pace but don’t be slow.

Everyone start out dry and high in spirit. Just don’t expect to come out dry since you would face muddy trail, river canyon walk or rain later. Waterproof shoes such as Adidas Kampung would help a lot. Very likely you will need an extra pair of dry socks.

The trail is well-trodden. I’ve been to Taralamas twice and the muddy trail in the first 30 minutes is quite a drag, because the slippery trail on uneven ground can slow you down.

Interesting flora along the trail. Left: an ornamental plant (*Alocasia cuprea*), Middle: tall bamboo, Right: Begonia

After one KM, you will enter the secondary rainforest. If you are lucky, you would see flock of Rhinocerus hornbill flying over the canopy. There are some leeches but only a handful of them. Wearing anti-leech socks will keep them at bay. The deer fly is more annoying when they find you by the smell of your sweat. The presence of blood sucking bugs means the forest is rich with wildlife.

The view at the highest point of the hike. The last line of the signage says patient is a virtue.

Normally it takes about 1.5 hours to reach the river canyon 3 KM away. Overall the trail is not very challenging. Accident is rare. Only the one KM before the canyon is steep. The difficult sections have rope support. Ladies would need gloves to protect their skin while using the coarse ropes.

Anyway, you don’t need to rush. Just enjoy the view along the trail. I’ve seen Alocasia cuprea (ornmental plant), bamboo groves, Begonia, mushroom, fungus, big fern tree, and many unknown flora.

Reaching the River Canyon

After 3 KM, you will reach the river bank of Widu River. You are probably very excited, but please keep quiet. Making noise in the forest are taboos.

You can place your bag and belonging under the canvas shelter in case it rains. There is a small toilet nearby for you to change or doing your business.

Left: reaching the Taralamas River Canyon, Right: toilet next to the river

One of my favourite moment is to enjoy my linopot lunch by the river. During dry season, the river water is clear with emerald colour. I’m always tempted to collect the beautiful blue-grayish river rocks but this is forbidden (and would bring bad luck).

Some insects such as butterflies and bees attracted by our sweat. They land on our skin to harvest salt, which is a vital but rare mineral in the jungle. The bees won’t sting you unless provoked. But be careful and bring medicines (to treat anaphylactic shock) if you are allergic to bee stung.

Left: enjoy Linopot packed lunch next to the river, Right: crossing the river to enter the canyon

Butterflies are more timid and would target the fresh mud on our shoes. Entomologists will be pleased to find Borneo endemic species among them, for example, Bornean swallowtail (Graphium stratiotes) and Bornean sawtooth (Prioneris cornelia). I also see Bornean Straight Pierrot (Caleta manovus), Orange Gull (Cepora judith hespera), Grass Yellow, Green Dragontail, Mormon, and Common Cruiser at the river bank.

Left: shelter at the river side, Middle: butterflies attracted by smelly shoes, Right: Linopot packed rice

The gap of the river canyon is only 2 to 5 Metres width, and there are more than 30 visitors. Therefore, we take turn to go in, to avoid overcrowding. Usually the walk in river canyon takes about an hour.

Enter the River Canyon

Finally it’s my turn. We are required to put on a life vest and a helmet to protect us from drowning and falling rocks. The canyon is about 150 Metres long. However, in most cases, the guide would bring you up to 120 Metres. You can fully explore it only when the water is very shallow in dry days.

I cross the river to enter the canyon at the other side. The temperature of the water is about 25°C degrees, it’s cold but probably not enough to cause hyperthermia, unless you stay for long hours. It’s bearable once my body gets used to it.

During drought season, you can walk across the river easily. It rained the night before, so the river reaches my chest level and the current is quite swift. I hold on the guiding rope to move to the entrance of the canyon, and fight another stream coming out from there.

Left: the river is deep during wet season, Right: the brightest section of Taralamas River Canyon

Though I struggle a bit with the cold and strong current, I feel no regret the moment I see the gorgeous rock walls in the canyon. Like most people say, it looks so unreal and doesn’t resemble any place in Sabah.

The rock walls in the canyon marked with layers horizontally, a characteristic of sedimentary rock. I feel like being sandwiched between two giant chocolate crepe cakes of 2 to 5 floors high. The walls are comprised of rock layers that are stacked and deposited since 60 millions years ago. After river flows on these rocks for million of years, it carves out the Taralamas River Canyon today. The wall surface is so smooth that I can see my reflection.

For a moment the river canyon looks like a romantic paradise

Part of the river is as deep as 9 feet. I float on the water and use the rope to move forward slowly. I look up and see the sky through the narrow opening, which is partially shielded by the translucent green leaves. Some big rocks in the canyon really look like petrified wood. I thought it was wood until my toes kick it.

Entrance to explore the deeper and darker canyon section

The first half of the river canyon is the best section for photo-taking because it’s relatively well-lighted and some rocks are coloured by green moss. About 40 Metres into the canyon is a wide open area with sandy bank where you can stand. I take a break there and photograph some pictures when the afternoon sun on top brightens up the canyon.

The narrow passage of Taralamas River Canyon

Then I continue to explore the canyon. The deeper side of the canyon is dark and narrow, almost like a cave tunnel, it’s a bit scary actually. Large volume of water squeezes through this narrow tunnel and pushes me with force.

I climb over a few mini waterfalls to go further inside, like a rat crawling against the running water in the pipe. Behind each waterfall is a chamber-like space with opening on top. The rain starts to flood the canyon, so our guide advises us to leave before the bad weather hit us. Exit the canyon is easy as we follow the current.

The ending section of Taralamas River Canyon. Actually you still can explore further up.

At last we hike back to the starting point and it is pouring rain on the way. None of us was dry. After some clean-up at the community hall, we return to KK. I’ve visited the canyon twice but more than happy to come back again.

Geology of Taralamas River Canyon

On social media, you may have seen tons of posts that praise the beauty of Taralamas River Canyon, but nobody tells you why it is so special. I did some homework by asking Professor Dr. Felix Tongkul, an expert in geology.

The unique rock structure of Taralamas River Canyon

According to Dr. Felix, technically Taralamas is a small river canyon. It was formed by stream erosion along a vertical fracture on the sedimentary rock sequence of the Trusmadi Formation. The sedimentary rock sequence comprising of dark shales and thin sandstones that were deposited about 60 million years ago in a deep sea area. The canyon itself was formed much later after the sedimentary rock sequence were uplifted and exposed on land about 15 million years ago. (Me: Wow, this canyon exists about 7 million years earlier than Mount Kinabalu.)

Left: smooth rockface of the canyon, Right: the bluish-gray stones on the riverside

Dr. Felix also said that there are other small canyons in Sabah too, but they are quite inaccessible. One such canyon can be found along Baliojong River in Kampung Togudon, Tandek in Kota Marudu. In terms of geological significance, Taralamas tells the geological history of Sabah during the Paleogene Period and illustrates the ongoing geomorphological process that shapes the surface of the earth. (Me: It’s also an extraordinary geotourism destination.)

Stories of Taralamas

My first impression of Taralamas is its hauntingly beautiful and mysterious vibe. Locals believe that some guardian spirits are living in this canyon. They don’t appreciate noisy people and dogs.

The big rock at the left looks like the face of a beast

Mr. David Julian, the founder of Tiang Lama Village Ecotourism, has been working on the tourism project there since 2019. He shared some stories of Taralamas with me. He thinks this canyon was probably discovered by the villagers who fished and hunted around Widu River in 1930s.

Left: misty forest of Tiang Lama village, Right: snake swimming in river canyon

The name “Taralamas” originated from the local word Dalamas, which means wall of big rocks at the river, or tall and slippery giant rocks along the river. Before Taralamas was open to tourists, it’s a fishing ground of the villagers.

People of Tiang Lama Village. Most of them are Dusun, the largest native group of Sabah.

Though the river there is teeming with fishes, the spirits can make fishermen go home empty-handed. Therefore, before the villagers catching the fishes together, their Bobolians (high priest) would perform a ritual to request for a bountiful caught permitted by the bunian (elf). As most villagers are converted to Christians or Muslims nowadays, they are no longer doing this, but they still remain respectful to the spirits in the canyon. That’s why shouting, cursing and offensive behaviours are not acceptable at Taralamas.

Another story is a group of hunters were chasing a deer at Taralamas. A dog and deer fell into the canyon. When the hunters went down to search in the river, they were shocked to find that the dog and deer have turned into rocks and sticked on the wall of Taralamas River Canyon. The figures are still there, but faded now due to water erosion.

Fees & Booking Info

To visit Taralamas River Canyon, you can book the tour online with one of the village operators listed below. Both operators offer different packages and services. Besides entrance and guiding fees, you can order add-on such as packed meals, transportation and homestay / camping. And hardcore hikers can opt for the longer trails (8km and 12km) to visit Sadoron Waterfall and Gibai Peak.

Left: Mimpori Nature Homestay, Right: sunset view of Mount Kinabalu at Tiang Lama Village

1) Noponu Adventure Center

Website (booking): noponu.com
Facebook: @noponucamp
E-mail: davidjulian5583@gmail.com
Phone: +60 19-5803558

2) Tolungan Daralamas River Canyon

Website (booking): tntdaralamas.com
Facebook: @taralamasofficial
E-mail: tntdaralamas@gmail.com
Phone: +60 19-5826269, +60 13-2343949

Note: They would cancel the tour if the weather is bad (canyon flooded). If you plan to overnight in Tiang Lama Village, do bring some warm clothing. It’s very cold at night (about 16°C).

How to get there

Tiang Lama Village is a remote site located between Ranau and Tambunan districts. If you depart from Kota Kinabalu City, the driving distance is about 170 Kilometres (or 106 miles). The last 25 KM to the village is a gravel road, while the rest is paved road in ok condition. It takes 3.5 or more hours to reach the village by car. For day trip, you better move as early as 5am.

Left: 4-wheel-drive is the best transport to Tiang Lama, Right: van stranded in muddy road

The junction (GPS: 5.858062880692335, 116.50639939196654, see Location Map) to Tiang Lama is next to the main road between Ranau and Tambunan towns. The 25-km gravel road is muddy after rain, so getting there by 4-wheel drive is highly advisable. Or you may book the transportation with the operator, who can pick you up in Ranau or Tambunan town.

Things to Bring

The following is a list of recommended items to bring for day trip. It’s for your reference only, you may not need them all.

Left: outfit for the hike, Middle: waterproof casing for phone, Right: leech repellent

Drinking water & bottle
Backpack with rain cover
Dry bag
Raincoat / poncho
Cash
Jacket or windbreaker
Gloves (for using ropes)
Anti-leech socks
Waterproof casing for phone or camera
Power bank and charger cable
Swimwear / Spare clothing
Towel
Extra socks
Plastic bag (to store wet or soiled clothing)
Toilet paper
Tissue paper or wet wipe
Hiking sticks
Insect repellent
Optional: Lunch Box + spoon, energy bar / snacks, personal medicines, hat, sunglasses, sunblock lotion

Photos taken in Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

How to prevent leech bite?

32 Replies

Some of us might get bitten by leeches when we trek in the Malaysia forest. Leeches don’t kill but they are extremely irritating and disgusting blood suckers. I was first bitten by the forest leech when I was on the way to Poring waterfall. I still hate leech bite, so I never stop asking the experienced trekkers how to avoid leech bite. Below are some of the tips that I’ve collected so far.

Above: Tiger leech gets its name from its orange stripes

Above: a fully-fed happy brown leech

6 Ways to Prevent Leech Bite

1. Anti-Leech Socks

Anti-Leech sock is the MOST effective way of preventing leech bite. It does not contain any chemical to drive away the leech. Basically it is just an oversized sock that you wear it over your trousers as outer layer to cover the opening of your sock and jean. If a leech crawls on your leech sock, then you can spot it and get rid of it. FYI, you can buy anti-leech socks online shop such as Shopee (search by keywords “leech socks”).

Left & Middle: anti-leech socks cover the opening of your trousers. Right: Herb that can stop the bleeding caused by leech bite.

Click Here to read “How to use and where to buy anti-leech sock?” if you want to get a pair of leech socks

2. Tobacco Sock

Tobacco can kill leech in minutes. Spend a few dollars to buy some grinded tobacco leaves from the tamu or pasar (local market). Put it in a container and soak it in water (but not too much). Soak the socks in the tobacco water overnight. Leave the socks dry up next day. If you wear the sock, leech may crawl on it but it’ll halt moving after a while due to the poisoning by tobacco.

To see if tobacco can kill leech, I sprinkled some tobacco leaves on a leech and it died within a minute.

3. Dettol

Heard this from the villagers in Long Pasia. During World War II, people were wondering how the Japanese soldiers bear the leech bites in jungle warfare. Later they learn that the army applied Dettol on their hands, necks and legs. The strong smell kept the leeches away. However, if you go for wildlife watching, I won’t advise you to do this because your smell will scare away all the wildlife hundred feet away.

Above: the body size of leech can double or even triple after sucking blood. One full meal can last it for several months.

4. Lady’s Stockings

I heard from someone that there is a scientist in Danum Valley, who enters the forest frequently for research and seldom got leech bite, though he wears short pant. His secret is to wear the stockings (yes, the pantyhose used by lady).

5. Insecticide Socks

I got this tip from a friend who works for a lumbering company. Just got a pair of long soccer socks, like the one wore by ah pak (old uncles) for jogging. Wear it all the way up to your knee (also cover the opening of your jean). Then spray Baygon brand insecticide on the sock and shoe. FYI, other brands such as Ridsect does not work well. The leech dies almost instantly the moment it touches your shoe or sock.

Pic: Baygon insect (pest) spray, only some supermarkets or stores selling it.

6. Insect Repellent

The easiest way is to buy a bottle of Mosi-Guard at Guardian (also available in other local pharmacy / drugstore) and spray it on your shoes and socks. It is an insect repellent but its eucalyptus extract can prevent mosquito, as well as leech attack up to 6 hours. Insect repellent with DEET is also effective but it is very hard to find here (probably local restriction on such chemical). You may click the picture below to read the article:

Above: Mosi-Guard insect repellent also can repel leeches. You can find it in many pharmacy shops in Sabah.

I spray Mosi-Guard insect repellent on my shoes and anti-leech socks, and I almost got 0 leech bite during jungle trekking in most leech-infested area of Borneo. This repellent only makes you smell terrible to the leeches. A few stubborn leeches still want to get on your shoes but most of them won’t move on.

More Useful Facts

1. Leeches live in humid area. So you can expect more leeches near the river and during the rainy session. The forest that has more wildlife tend to have more leeches too. Leeches not only hide on the ground, you also can find them on the leaves and twigs of low shrub. Leech is the most abundant in lowland forest. I encounter leeches in altitude of 800 Meters above sea level, but the number is a lot lesser. However, in drought season, you may not see a single leech in the forest.

Above: tiger leech can attack you from any direction.

2. Some says, if you walk in group, the people at the front have less chance of getting leech bite, most victims are people at the back. Leech is sensitive to body heat and vibration. The first person passing by will “wake” them up, making them active and look for the next comers. Well, based on my experience, everyone has equal chance. In fact, first person gets very high chance of leech bite because he always has to stop to wait for the slow movers behind, giving leeches more time to crawl onto his body.

3. Leech is blind and likes to bite warmer area (due to thinner skin) such as armpit, skin between toes and butt. That’s why I hate it. It loves sensitive spots. You better wear long sleeve and tuck in your t-shirt. How does it gain access to your butt? For example, fashionable girls who like low cut jean, or you do your no.2 in the forest. Whatever, just don’t bite my balls.

4. Some may tell you that leech can leap / jump to you. It’s just an exaggeration from people who are so afraid of leeches so their imagination goes wild. Leeches only can crawl. That’s it. I have walked hundred of Kilometers of forest trail and never see any leech that can jump.

5. Someone even say if you cut a leech into half. Each half will grow into a new leech. It’s bullshit. I tried that before. The leech just turned pale and died.

6. I don’t believe the widely circulated non-sense + scary leech stories such as leeches grow in your brain. But I do believe that if you let leech got into your nose, it will live inside permanently due to free flow of food supply. My mom personally saw this happened to one of her dogs. Avoid washing your face in forest stream and don’t swim in still water.

Pic: fully-fed tiger leech sleeping on a twig

I was bitten by leech. What should I do? OH NO, Help!!! I’m going to die!

Don’t panic, don’t scream. It’s just a bug as weak as mosquito. If you are bitten by a leech, do not try to pull it away by force. This would leave permanent scar on your perfect skin. You can apply salt, tobacco, eucalyptus oil, lime fruit juice, tiger balm or medicated oil (e.g. Minyak Kapak or 驱风油) on it and it will shrivel and drop. Or just let it finishes its meal and drop off itself. The last resort is to put your finger on your skin next to its oral sucker, then gently (but firmly) slide your fingernail toward its mouth to detach it from your skin.

Above: bleeding caused by leech bites. Look scary, but from their smiles, you know it is no big deal. Just treat it as a leech therapy. You won’t bleed to dead anyway. Leech also doesn’t carry any disease and poison.

Due to anticoagulant to facilitate blood flowing, leech bite will cause your wound to bleed for hour but it will stop eventually. A guide taught me to stick a small pieces of paper on the wound to speed up the clotting and it works! Apply anti-septic cream on the wound to prevent infection and you will be fine. Keep your wound dry and clean. It will itch for a few days before fully healed, but don’t scratch it.

Types of Forest Leeches

There are 2 types of leeches in Borneo rainforest, namely, tiger leech (species: Haemadipsa picta) and brown leech (species: Haemadipsa zeylanica). The Tiger Leech can extend its body more than 6cm long, while Brown (ground) Leech is much more smaller, only about 2 cm. The bite of tiger leech is sharp & painful (like 5 mosquitoes bite you on same spot). If brown leech bites you, you may not feel anything at all, due to the anesthetic chemical in its saliva.

How to use and where to buy anti-leech sock?

37 Replies

The 130-million-year rainforest of Borneo is older than Amazon, but there is one small bug that scares its visitors. Like other rainforest in South East Asia, the best lowland forest of Malaysia is always infested with forest leeches, the little wiggling and slimy blood suckers, which are extremely persistent to crawl onto your naked skin for a feast.

Their bite is nothing more than a minor cut, but the anti-clotting agent in their saliva causes you to bleed profusely for hour, some find the bloody view a terrifying experience. I was always shocked by the screaming of the girls who find leech on their skin, so I decide to write this guide.

Leech sucks, so how to prevent being leeched? The MOST EFFECTIVE way to prevent leech bite is by wearing anti-leech socks or leech-proof socks (leech socks in short), as shown in the photo above. Leech socks have become a standard part of the outfit for jungle trekking in Borneo.

So you want a leech sock huh?

There are 4 types of leech socks (see following photo). In most cases, you only need to pick type no.1 or 2. Type 3 and 4 are less common and listed here FYI only:

Please see photo above for numbering.
No.1: Elastic-strap leech socks – most commonly used.
No.2: “Deluxe” leech socks – expensive but the best.
No.3: String leech socks – old fashion but still in use.
No.4: Long leech socks – same as No.1 but longer.

Though look different, all of them employ the same simple mechanism to keep leeches at bay. Basically they are just oversized socks for you wear over the trousers, to block leeches from accessing your skin from the opening of your trousers.

1. Elastic-strap Leech Socks

A pair costs RM18 to RM24 (USD5-USD6.50) and made of cotton cloth. It is the most commonly used. If you don’t want to read further, just buy this one.

FYI, you can buy anti-leech socks at online shop such as Shopee (search by keywords “leech socks”).

To use it (it is easier to wear it in sitting position), (1) wear it like socks all the way up but at outer layer, so you can cover the opening of your pant. (2) Then pull the elastic strap to tighten and seal the opening. (3) Note the adjustment knot to control the tightness of the strap. (4) repeat the steps for another foot and put on your hiking boot or shoes.

Keep your legs comfortable, an extremely strong tight is not necessary. I know you worry that leech might sneak in through the sealed opening but that’s very unlikely. The closed loop of the strap always hooks on something in forest, so you may want to hide it behind the socks.

Below is a 1-min video to show you how to wear this anti-leech sock:

The Good: reasonable price and comfortable to wear.

The Bad: during long walk, the socks will slide down gradually. You have to pull it up regularly. It is made of cotton cloth, so it gets wet easily during rain or if the trail is muddy.

2. Deluxe Leech Socks (Water Resistant)

A pair costs RM38 (USD11.50) and made of nylon material (upper part) and linen cloth (lower part). I call it “Deluxe” because it is very expensive.

Just wear it like other leech sock. This leech sock has internal elastic grip on top and bottom of the nylon (blue part), so you don’t need to tie any string. But I find it a bit tight though. Maybe it’s new.

Above: close-up of Deluxe Leech Socks

You may watch the 1-min video below to see Deluxe Leech Socks:

Personally, I think this is the BEST leech sock, due to the reasons below.
The Good: The materials are more water-resistant and durable. That means the socks can be cleaned (e.g. mud) and dried quickly. This is important for long period of jungle trip, because wet sock is very hard to dry up in humid forest of Borneo. The double grip points also keep the leech sock in position.

The Bad: the most expensive type. For that price, you can buy two pairs of other leech socks.

3. String Leech Socks

A pair costs RM15 (?USD4.50) and made of cotton cloth too. This design is phasing out and replaced by Elastic-strap Leech Socks.

The design is similar to other cotton leech socks. Since it has no elastic grip, you need to tie a noose on the cord to seal the opening, like how you tie shoe lace.

The Good: cheaper. If you know the right technique to tie the knot, the socks won’t slide down.

The Bad: The strap is not elastic so you have to tighten it stronger to hold the sock in place. However, this causes extra stress and discomfort to my skin. After long day of jungle trekking, it will leave thin lines of bruises on my skin at the strap area.

4. Long Leech Socks

A pair costs RM34 (?USD9) and made of cotton cloth.

In general, it is same as Elastic-strap Leech Socks, but it is a few inches longer and have two elastic straps.

To compare the difference, I wear both long and short leech socks, as shown in photo above. I think it’s for people who wear short pants.

The funny thing is – leech sock is for leech-phobia tourists. Our local people don’t wear leech socks. Those villagers who always go in and out forest normally wear long soccer socks, less effective (60-70% leech proof) but costs only a few dollars. In fact, most of them don’t really bother about leeches.

If you can’t find any leech socks for sale, you can use soccer socks instead, which is readily available and cheap. Make sure you get the long one with very tight weaving that leaves no tiny seam for leech to wiggle its way in. The soft-bodied leech only needs a loose hole as tiny as pencil tip to puncture your skin for blood.

Does anti-leech sock make me 100% leech-proof?

Good question! The answer is NO. But it’s 90% leech-proof and does make a big difference. To understand why, you need to know how leeches “attack”.

There are 2 types of leeches in Borneo jungle, namely, Tiger Leech and Brown Leech. Brown leeches are smaller and usually active on ground level with wet leaf litter. Occasionally you may see it crawling on grass. When it crawls on your leech socks, you can just flick it off. Brown leech can be fend off easily by leech socks.

However, for tiger leech which is bigger and active from ground to waist level, you have to be vigilant all the time. Especially in wet season, tiger leeches will hide and wait in the leaves and twigs of shrubs along the trail. If your body touches the bushes, you will pick up tiger leeches on your legs or waist. The leeches will crawl up and look for exposed skin on upper part of your body, for example, armpit, neck and belly. Leech socks won’t work in this case. So you need to keep an eye on your body (or ask your buddy to check regularly). Anyway, just avoid contacting any low shrub and you shall be safe.

When leeches crawl to your leech socks, 90% of them will go inside your shoes. Leech dislikes dry surface so the dry cloth of leech sock deters them slightly. You will find half-death leeches in your shoes. But it is different story when it rains and your leech sock is wet.

Where to buy leech socks?

You can buy them in online shops such as Shopee and Lazada (search by keywords: “leech socks”).

There are also a few places in Kota Kinabalu where you can find anti-leech socks. I only name two shops here. When you buy leech sock, check the sewing and make sure there is no hole on the socks.

Montanic Adventure Store

Montanic Adventure Store is on the second floor of Suria Sabah shopping mall (in Kota Kinabalu City).

Below is their contact:
Address: 2-78, 2nd Floor Suria Sabah Shopping Mall, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: +60 88-274538
Facebook: @MontanicSuria

Some popular nature destinations such as Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Danum Valley also sell leech socks in their souvenir shops, but at higher price. Please share with us here if you know any other shop selling leech socks.

To learn more tips to combat leeches, you may Click Here to read “How to prevent leech bite?”.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Why You Should Climb Maragang Hill

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Can you believe that you only need to hike 1.6 Kilometers (about a mile) to the peak of Maragang Hill, for one of the most spectacular views of Mount Kinabalu (the highest mountain of Malaysia)? I felt a bit guilty when I conquered Maragang Hill, so easy that it’s like cheating. The closer you are to Mount Kinabalu, the more stunning her scenery, and Maragang Hill is probably the hill nearest to Mount Kinabalu.

The peaks of the Eastern Plateau of Mount Kinabalu can be seen on Maragang Hill, which is named after the Red (or Maroon) Leaf Monkey endemic to Borneo.

With a height of 2,232 Metres (7,323 Feet) and located in Mesilau (of Kundasang, Sabah), Maragang Hill is a gigantic stairway for climbers to meet our giant mountain up-close. Maragang is the Dusun (Sabah’s native) name of Red or Maroon Leaf Monkey (Scientific Name: Presbytis rubicunda), an elusive monkey endemic to Borneo. You can see Red Leaf Monkey as a “hill monkey”. Unlike other primates which avoid high altitude, Red Leaf Monkey is adapted to the highland habitats. In Jan 2021, four Maragang were spotted in Panalaban (3,272 Metres above sea level!!!) of Mount Kinabalu and the discovery went viral.

Maragang Hill is near the border (light green line) of Kinabalu National Park. The distance between the highest peak of Mount Kinabalu and Maragang Peak is only 5 KM!

About the Climb

Climbing Maragang Hill requires very little preparation and the trip takes only half-day. You only need to book the tour in advance. The hiking distance to the peak of Maragang Hill is only 1.6 Kilometer one way. You can reach the summit in an hour if you are really fit. Normally most people take 1.5 hours to reach the top. Yes, 2,232 Meters sounds high, but the climb starts at 1,835 Metres above sea level, so you only need to move up 397 Meters to conquer Maragang Hill.

The height of Maragang Hall is 2,232 Meters (7,323 Feet), and the climb starts at 1,835 Meters above sea level.

Time Table

The following is the standard schedule of the climb:

6:00am Registration at the admin office (in Mesilau)
6:30am Transfer to the starting point
6:45am Safety briefing by your guide
7:00am Start climbing
8:30am Reach the peak of Maragang Hill
10:00am Descend to the starting point
11:30am End of climb

Sunrise Hike starts at 3:00am but the flow is the same.

My Climbing Experience

I was climbing Maragang Hill with 4 friends last month. We didn’t want to drive 3 hours in midnight to rush from Kota Kinabalu (KK) to Mesilau, so we spent a night in Kundasang, which is only 15 minutes away from Mesilau by car. Next day we waked up around 5am to prepare for the climb. It was so windy and chilling in the morning. Though it’s only 20°C (68°F), I wore three layers of clothing (two T-shirt and a jacket) to keep warm. You can watch the walkthrough video below if you don’t want to read further.

We arrived the registration center (admin office) of Maragang Hill in Kampung Mesilou before 6am. After parking our car in the village, we registered, made payment, met our guide, and signed the indemnity form. Funny thing is, it wasn’t windy at Mesilau.

Registration Center and Admin Office (orange building) for climbing Maragang Hill, with Mount Kinabalu at the background.

The paper work only took us a few minutes. Then we and our guide were transferred by a 4-wheel drive to the starting point about 4 KM away. On the back of the truck, we had an open view of the scenic mountain and countryside views along the way. We passed through Mount Kinabalu Golf Club and the lovely pine tree road.

We were transferred by 4-wheel drive to the starting point of the climb for Maragang Hill.

Our vehicle reached the starting point of our climb within 15 minutes. The place is not far away from Mitraville Meditation Centre (慈观法林). There is a toilet for climbers. A mountain guide is assigned to my group because nobody is allowed to climb without a local guide, for your safety. A guide can take care up to 5 climbers.

Moving to the starting point of the climb and reached a viewpoint in one minute.

After a short briefing by our guide, we started our 1.6-KM hike at 6:23am. We reached the peak at 8:10am, after 1 hours and 47 minutes, slightly longer than the average 1.5 hours. This is because we went slow and stopped many times to take pictures.

The trail is a bit steep in the beginning, but don’t worry, only a few sections are slightly challenging.

The first 200 Meters of the climb is quite steep but not difficult. In fact, I prefer to call this as hiking, as there was almost no climbing at all. There are support such as boardwalk, ropes and wooden steps at some steep sections. It is not tough, even to people who are lack of exercise.

We can see Mitraville Meditation Centre from the higher ground (note the white stupa).

Most of the time we walked under the cover of canopy, which protected us from harsh sunlight. The cooling temperature reduced the fatigue and dehydration of our overheat muscles. 500ML of drinking water is sufficient, which is half the amount of my hike in lowland.

We reached the 200-Meter trail marker after 15 minutes.

After 500 Meters of hiking, our bodies were getting warm, so everyone took off their jacket. There was no leech (pacat) in our trail. But my sweat attracted a few buzzing and annoying blood sucker, deer flies. They hovered around me, trying to land on my skin for a feast. They lost interest and left when I stopped sweating profusely.

We walked under the shade of dense trees most of the time.

At 6:56am, we took a short break at a gazebo, which has a toilet behind it. You can refill your drinking bottle with untreated water from the big water tank there (not recommended though).

About 20% of the summit trail to Maragang Hill is relatively flat.

In general it’s an undulating terrain, with flat ground in between. Whenever I was about to get exhausted, a gentle slope or ridge would come next and allowed me to catch my breath.

It took us less than 30 minutes to reach the 500-Meter mark.

We reached trail markers labelled with 200 M, 500 M, 1 KM, and 1.3 KM, which show the distance we have covered, at 6:38am, 6:51am, 7:21am and 7:51am respectively. For me, they are morale boosters.

The resting gazebo after 500 Meters. There is a squat toilet hut behind it.

The vegetation on Maragang Hill is tropical montane cloud forest, similar to the high altitude forest of Kinabalu park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its plant diversity. Most trees in montane forest are shorter than 15 Meters. It’s also known as cloud forest because it’s frequented by mist, and characterized by tree trunks and branches blanketed with ferns, mosses, liverworts, epiphytes and other moist-loving plant.

Group photo in Tropical Montane Forest of Maragang Hill. I’m the uncle in blue short-sleeve T-Shirt lol.

The tropical montane forest (or cloud forest) near the peak of Maragang Hill looks like a garden.

To be specific, Maragang Hall is dominated by Ericaceous Forest thrives between 1,800 and 2,400 Meters. Red Leaf Monkey loves to feed on the nuts from the oak trees here. The gnarled and stunted forms of Leptospermum and Dacrydium plant turn the forest into a strange garden. If it’s flowering season, you would see native orchids and wild rhododendron blooming along the trail.

Pengimpaan Point is translated as Imagination Point.

Occasionally we stopped to give way to the descending climbers who return from their sunrise hike, which started at 3am. I was told that the sunrise hike was fully booked (40 slots) and it’s more popular than standard day hike, which had only 11 climbers that day. We already plan to do sunrise hike in the future before we finish our normal hike.

We met other climbers returning from sunrise hike. One of them carried a toddler on the back.

At 7:47am, we came to a long boardwalk that looked like red carpet. A few minutes later we passed by the 1.3 KM marker, and finally we reached the peak after another 20 more minutes. We walked out of the dense bush and greeted by the majestic Mount Kinabalu.

Passing by the 1 Kilometers marker, the peak of Maragang Hill is only 600 Metres ahead.

All of us rushed to the platform and took selfie with Mount Kinabalu like crazy, as if we saw a superstar. What a brilliant idea to build 2-Meter raised platform above the summit shrubs, so there is no tall shrub obstructs our 360 degree view.

The longest boardwalk is after 1 KM. Look like a red carpet to the peak.

The 1.3-Kilometer trail mark tells us that there are only 300 Meters left. “Dekat Sudah” means “Almost there” in Malay language.

There are three platforms connected to one another by 20 Meters of boardwalk, forming a U-shape walkway. Each platform offers different viewpoint of the mountain and its vast landscape. The second platform gives us a panoramic view of Mesilau and Kundasang from Maragang Hill.

Reaching the peak of Maragang Hill after 1.5 hours of climbing

Only on Maragang Hill, climbers can have a good look of the jagged peaks on Eastern Plateau such as Red Rock Peak, Lion Head Peak, King Edward Peak, Mesilau Peak, and Mesilau Pinnacles. Red Rock Peak is the most prominent due to its crown shape.

Hiking only 1.6 Kilometers to get this view? It’s a steal!

It’s a sea of green carpets the foothill of Mount Kinabalu. The lush rolling hills are dotted with flowering trees. I noticed some exposed rockface in the forested slopes, the scars left by landslide in earthquake of 2015. Sad but our mother mountain will recover.

The raised platform on the peak of Maragang Hill gives you a 360 degree unobstructed view of the surrounding mountains and forest.

To have better chance of seeing Mount Kinabalu in clear view, it’s advisable to reach the peak of Maragang Hill before 8:30am. In most days, the mountain would be enveloped in dense fog after 9am. Probably that’s why many climbers opt for sunrise hike, so they can get up here as early as possible, and the starry sky is also a bonus view.

We are lucky to have this nice group photo because of the clear day and no other climbers around.

You can fly a drone on the peak as long as it doesn’t fly inside the boundary of Kinabalu Park administered by Sabah Parks. Maragang Hill is managed by Mesilou Ecotourism Association (META) of the local community. They claim Maragang Hill is the highest community nature reserve in Malaysia.

View of the third platform. The signage says “Maragang Hill 2,232M. The best view comes after the hardest climb”.

Loop Trail

In most cases, climbers choose to descend from the same trail. To explore more, we went for the loop trail (Ascending 1.6 KM to the peak and Descending 2.7 KM via different route), which is more challenging and longer than the ascending trail.

The descending trail is less pristine and looks like a regenerated secondary forest in good condition. The trail is steeper and narrower, with many rope support. Some interesting flora and fauna are spotted on the way down, for example, mushroom and fungus, liana vines, trilobite beetles (Duliticola sp.) feeding on rotten wood. We heard calling of montane birds such as Crested Yuhina, white-throated fantail, Mountain Barbet, Barber and Trogon, and also a wreathed hornbill flied over the canopy.

Interesting flora and fauna on the descending (loop) trail of Maragang Hill. The crimson fruits in top left are earth figs (*Ficus malayana*). This species is one of the most common figs in the mountain forest of Kinabalu Park and Crocker Range. The dark fungus in lower left is Dead Man’s Finger (species: *Xylaria polymorpha*). Lower Right: We saw many trilobite beetles (*Duliticola sp*) feeding on rotting wood.

Our guide asked us to watch out for Fire-lipped Keelback (Scientific name: Rhabdophis murudensis), a rare snake endemic to Sabah. When threatened, it can exude a white milky venom from the back of its neck as a defensive mechanism. I wished to see one though.

A clean and cold river in loop trail of Maragang Hill.

My group descended at 9:16am and arrived the ending point at 11:54am. 800 Meters before the ending point, you will cross a small and crystal clean river and exit through D’La Sri Cottage after 15 more minutes.

The loop trail of Maragang Hill hiking ends at D’La Sri Cottage.

A few advices to those who want to try loop trail:

Carry at least 1 Litre of drinking water to stay comfortable and hydrated.
Bring some energy snacks with you. You will need these.
Loop trail is not suitable for climbers with knee problem.
You will use rope to descend a lot so gloves are necessary for soft skin.
Hiking pole can help you to move down easier.

How to Book

Maragang Hill is highly rated and should be in the bucket list of Mount Kinabalu fans. Walk-in is not advisable, especially during weekends, as the daily limited slots of 80 to 200 climbers can be fully booked. You can book the tour in advance at maraganghill.com.my or text / Whatsapp them at +60 17-8952753.

There are two types of hikes:

Day Hike (starts at 6am)
Sunrise Hike (starts at 3am)

The starting price for Day and Sunrise Hike are RM115 (about USD27) and RM155 (about USD36) respectively. FYI, you can save a lot more by group booking. You can have up to 5 climbers per group (to share the same guide), and you only top up RM15 for each climber. For example, if you climb alone in Day Hike, you pay RM115. But if you have 5 climbers in your group, the total price is RM175 per group, after dividing the cost among yourselves, each of you only pay RM35.

The boardwalk on Maragang Hill is well-maintained. There are about 150 Metres of them in different spots.

Besides guiding service, the price has included return transfer (usually by 4-wheel drive) for moving climbers between registration office and starting point. Certificate is optional and cost RM5.

A 4-wheel drive picked us up at the ending point

You need to pay RM30 deposit to secure your booking (and settle the rest in registration office before climbing). However, currently their website doesn’t accept payment by credit card and Paypal. You need a bank account (e.g. Maybank, RHB, CIMB, AmBank, UOB) to bank-in the deposit via FPX.

The descending route of loop trail is long and steep

Booking Loop Trail

By default, climbers use the same 1.6-KM trail for ascending and descending (they call it Normal Trail). You can request for Loop Trail when you check-in at their registration office before the climb. There will be an additional fee of RM30 to RM70 per group, depending on the group size. You can check out the price in their website.

Campsite near the peak of Maragang Hill (Picture from the Facebook of Maragang Hill)

Lastly, they have a campsite with basic amenities near the peak, in case you want to camp on the hill for stargazing. You can message the operator via their Facebook page (@MaragangHill) if you need more information.

Things to Bring

Cash
Mykad / Passport / Identification document
Face masks
Warm Clothing (e.g. windbreaker, jacket). Temperature ranges from 15°C to 22°C (59°F to 72°F).
Extra clothing for change after climb
Sunscreen
Hiking outfit & gears (e.g. hiking pole, gloves, hat, hiking shoes)
Backpack (best with rain cover)
Drinking water and energy snacks
Raincoat
Camera
Phone & power bank
Toilet paper
Personal medicines if any
Optional: LED headlamp (for sunrise hike), sunglasses, selfie stick, tripod

How to get there

Book the climb in advance. Before you climb, you need to report to the registration office of Maragang Hill (GPS: 6.012919616415158, 116.59744029807099 [see Location Map]) in Kg. Mesilou, which is 97 KM away from Kota Kinabalu city (KK). This location is highly accessible by highway and paved road.

Climbers can find many great spots to take photos with the beautiful montane trees.

If you don’t want to drive nearly 3 hours in early morning from KK to Mesilau, you can spend a night in Mesilau or Kundasang, which offers variety of accommodation. The accommodation nearest to the registration office is Sulap. After registration, they will provide the return transportation to the starting point (GPS: 6.033364907654647, 116.58989023443904 [see Location Map]).

If you love climbing and hiking, you may check out my article on 10 Breathtaking Hills and Mountains of Sabah.

Photos taken in Mesilau, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Dangerous Animals of Sabah

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30% of Sabah is in wilderness, and there are something that we should watch out for, or they will remind us that they deserve our respect. My eyes roll whenever I hear tourists say something ignorant like, “Oh dear, the orangutan / elephant / monkey is so cute!!!” Wildlife is not our house pet. They don’t like human so don’t expect they welcome us (though they may look or act friendly).

1. Elephants

Bornean Pygmy elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) is the biggest mammal in Sabah, and there are less than 1,500 of them left. With 2.5 Metres in height and body weight in tons, you know you can’t afford to trust this giant babe.

Above: the habitat of our elephants is destroyed by logging and oil palm plantation. Read more here…

Due to oil palm plantation, logging and land clearing for farmland, the loss of lowland forest has brought the elephants into more contact and conflict with people. Bornean Pygmy Elephant is timid but a very protective parent. The overexcited tourists, who come too close to the herd that has calf around, would find themselves in danger.

Pic: Memorial stone for Jenna O’Grady Donley

In 2011, a Australian tourist, Jenna O’Grady Donley, was stabbed to death by a bull elephant in Tabin Wildlife Reserve. She was an animal lover and sadly she was too close to a bull elephant which was said to be mentally unstable. Rest in peace Jenna. On 25 Dec 2022, a Borneo pygmy elephant gored its handler to death at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, when he was tending a wounded calf.

Above: the elephants are in stress even at this distance. They round up to protect the calf. Photo of Kinabatangan.

In the video below, you can see that an elephant was agitated when we were too close to them:

2. Crocodiles

Saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest crocodiles in the world and they are found in rivers and swampy areas of Sabah. Crocodile is the master of sneak attack, so it is a threat to the villagers who wash their cloth and fish in the rivers.

Above: this crocodile killed a few villagers. Photo of Tuaran Crocodile Farm

Basically there is no hope for survival when we are grabbed by the powerful jaws of this 4-Metres aggressive monster. Sometimes people see them having sun bathe in unlikely places such as Tuaran and Papar.

Above: warning sign at Kinabatangan River

On 1 Dec 2022, a crocodile attacked a father and a one-year-old son who were rowing a boat on the river of Lahad Datu. Unfortunately, the boy was killed. Between 2020 and 2022, there are a total of 12 crocodile attacks reported in Lahad Datu, out of which eight were fatal.

3. Snakes

One drop of venom from the banded sea krait or yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrine) can kill three adult and there is no antidote. Sea snakes are trapped in the fishing net occasionally. When the unlucky fisherman is busy sorting out the fishes, he might be bitten by sea snake without knowing it, due to the anesthetic effect of the venom. The poison will dissolve the muscles of his body and his urine will turn into cola red color. At last, he dies in enormous suffering. Good news is – sea snakes are not aggressive unless threatened, though all sea snake species are highly venomous. Sometimes they approach scuba divers just out of curiosity but they mean no harm.

The most dangerous snakes in Borneo forest are pit vipers and king cobra. You would encounter a viper if you hike in jungle that is frequented by small animals such as rodents and frogs. King Cobra is known for aggressively guarding its nest. The locals believe that carrying a Kayu Tas wood can drive the snakes away.

Above: sea snake is more poisonous than cobra but it’s not aggressive. Photo from Banggi Island

Above: yellow-lipped sea kraits in fish tank of the Green Connection

Above: reticulated python can eat a human if it is big enough

4. Jellyfish

This passive little semi-transparent marine life lurks in the sea, but can kill the unfortunate swimmers by its deadly touch. The two dangerous species found in our water are the Box Jellyfish or Chironex fleckeri, whose toxin could kill victims in less than five minutes, and Ubur-ubur merah.

Above: jellyfish warning on Manukan Island

The application of vinegar, which contains acetic acid, can disable the jellyfish’s nematocysts that have not yet been discharged into the bloodstream. After the death of a few tourists, vinegar is always available for such first aid in islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. If you are stung, look for the lifeguard on the beach immediately, they know what to do.

5. Hornet and Bee

If one stung is painful, 100 stung will be a painful death, so terrible that nobody would want to commit suicide by intentionally provoking the hornets, especially Lesser Banded Hornet (Vespa affinis). If you are allergic to bee sting, a few jabs can cause anaphylactic shock that is potentially fatal. It is also advisable not to agitate a hornet near a nest, as the distress signal will trigger the entire hive to attack. If that happens, submerge into the water is probably the only way to save you. For your info, perfumes can be mistaken as the pheromone of hornets and set off the attack too. The same advices go to giant honey bee (Apis dorsata), which is far more aggressive than other honey bee species.

Hornet also likes to build nest under the roof and water tank of houses. The nest may be as small as a tennis ball in the beginning. But if you don’t eliminate it in early stage, it will grow to the size of sandbag and pose a serious threat to the residents. By that time, only Fire Department can help you to remove the huge nest safely.

If you are too close to a bee hive, the patrolling bees will come and buzzing around you to investigate if you are a threat. It’s very important that you stay still and don’t agitate them (with sudden move or swatting them). After the guard bees leave, move slowly away from their territory. In contrast to honeybee, a hornet can sting multiple times. If a child has anaphylactic reaction to bee sting, attack by one hornet is deadly enough.

6. Mosquito

Finally the last one but not the least is mosquito. If one mosquito gets into your room, you know you will have problem sleeping whole night long. Anyway, causing bad sleep is not how mosquito kills hundred of people every year. Mosquito is deadliest disease vector which spreads infectious diseases such as Malaria, Dengue and Yellow Fever. Parts of Sabah are the red zone for Malaria. Therefore, please make sure your house is free of stagnant water that serves as a breeding ground for them.

Pic: Among all mosquito species, Aedes aegypti (locally known as Nyamuk Aedes) is the most dangerous, as it can spread diseases such as dengue fever and yellow fever. It is easily recognized by white stripes on its legs and body.

7. Cattle / Cow

The domesticated cattle of Kota Belud town always roam in middle of the road. You will need to be extra careful when you drive in the countryside. Do not honk them, otherwise the group will disperse and running like mad cow in all directions on the road, causing danger to other motorists. Well, I will not pay a single cent of compensation for accidentally knocking down a cattle, because it is illegal to let them wander around in the first place. But do you know what’s more dangerous? The angry villagers who don’t reason with you.

8. Wild Boar

In contrast to their domesticated cousin (pig), wild boars are agile and the favourite target of hunting game because they are difficult to catch. Wild boars are elusive and prefer to flee from our sight in most cases, so it is hard to believe that they have the record of killing bears and tigers in battle. Wild boars rarely attack but they can pose a danger to people who act like a threat to their piglets. Jungle trekkers are best to move away quietly and leave them alone.

Above: adult wild boar has long tusk that can kill.

There is no tiger in Borneo, in case you wonder why it isn’t on the list. As you may see by now, dangerous animal is not necessary a man eater or a big animal. Even if it can look friendly and adorable, wildlife is wild, never treat it like a pet. Most of the time, those wildlife look timid and afraid of human, and tourists can get away most of the time. But you need only one incident to lose your life.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Underwater Post Boxes of Sabah

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A postcard from your friend who travels aboard is a pleasant surprise. But if it’s a postcard from underwater, you should feel really special because this takes your diver friend a lot of efforts to deliver this mail from the deep blue. Sabah has two underwater post boxes, one at Layang-Layang Island in West Coast, and another at Mataking Island in East Coast. Mail from each postbox carries a special postmark that depicts their underwater postal service.

Mataking Island (Pulau Mataking) is a popular honeymoon destination for the newlyweds.

1. Mataking Island, the First Underwater Post Box

The first underwater post box of Malaysia is at Mataking Island (Pulau Mataking). Located 39 KM off the Semporna town, Reef Dive Resort on Mataking is a luxurious island resort that attracts a lot of European honeymooners, who seek for a romantic island vacation with lovely beach and sea view. There are over 30 dive sites around Mataking Island for divers who want to explore the amazing sea lives and corals in the ocean.

Mataking 1 shipwreck, the first underwater post box of Malaysia

The underwater post box is mounted at the front of the shipwreck wheel of a 40-foot cargo sheep named Mataking 1. In 2006, this old ship was sunken at house reef in front of the resort as an artificial reef. After laying under 20 Metres for many years, this shipwreck becomes a home for marine lives and an interesting diving spot for scuba divers.

Postcard from underwater post box of Mataking Island

Sealed waterproof envelope with postcards inside

If you want to send an underwater postcard there, you can buy the postcards and waterproof envelope from the gift shop on Mataking Island. The following is a list of the expenses:

Postcard: RM4 per piece
Waterproof Envelope: RM15 each (can store up to 5 postcards)
Stamp (Mailing): RM3

The total cost to send one underwater postcard is RM22. But if you send five cards in one waterproof envelope, the average cost is lower to RM10 per card. The postman diver will collect the mails twice a week.

However, Mataking is a private island, so only their guests can enter the gift shop to buy postcards and plastic waterproof postal bag. If you go diving around Mataking Island with other dive operators, you may be allowed to hang around in the designated beach area but not the resort. Please check with your dive operators in advance, if you plan to send underwater postcard (different application is required for the permission to enter premise of resort). The following are the contact of Mataking Island for any enquiry:

Website: mataking.com
Phone: +60 89-770022
Email: sales@mataking.com
Facebook: @MatakingIsland
Instagram: @matakingisland

Sending postcard from the underwater post box of Mataking Island

2. Layang-Layang Island, the Deepest Underwater Post Box

The deepest underwater postbox of Malaysia is located in Layang-Layang Island (Pulau Layang-Layang) and this record is backed by the Malaysia Book of Records. Layang-Layang is one of the best dive destinations in Malaysia and an oceanic atoll in the Spratly Islands nearly 300 Kilometres off Sabah mainland. Layang-Layang Dive Resort is the only accommodation on Layang-Layang, and equipped with a dive centre. Layang-Layang is famous for sighting of large school of hammerhead sharks.

Layang-Layang is an oceanic atoll in South China Sea

In 2015, POS Malaysia installed an underwater postbox 40 Metres below sea level at Layang-Layang. Scuba divers can bring their waterproof postcard, which is made from synthetic paper and available for RM10 (postal fee included) at the resort, and drop it in the underwater post box. The mails will be collected by the diver and dispatched by a MAS-Wings’ airplane to Kota Kinabalu City for delivery to the receivers’ addresses.

Front and back of waterproof postcard from Layang-Layang underwater post box. You need special ink to write on the postcard. Note the hammerhead shark postmark and Malaysia Book of Records sigil.

The postcards sent from Layang-Layang underwater post box will be stamped by a special hammerhead shark postmark, depicting the signature fish there, and with a Malaysia Book of Records sigil on the card. The post box also comes with a postcode 88005, a special number for this isolated Malaysian territory in South China Sea. Besides waterproof postcard, waterproof underwater case covers are available for keeping letters and other mail items dry.

Divers installing the underwater post box for Layang-Layang. This environmentally-friendly and corrosion resistant postbox weighs about 500 Kg and is made of fibreglass with galvanised steel frames.

However, an Internet search would show that Susami Bay of Japan has the the deepest postbox in the world, which is only 10 Metres deep. That record is definitely outdated as the underwater post box of Layang-Layang is 4 times deeper. Time for Guinness World Records to update their record.

Underwater post box of Layang-Layang is 40 Metres under water, the deepest postbox in the world.

Layang-Layang Island Resort has opened for booking in year 2022. You may contact them if you are interested in diving with them:

Website: layanglayang.com
Facebook: @LLIRMalaysia
Instagram: @layanglayangislandresort
E-mail: res@layanglayang.com
Phone (Whatsapp): +60 18-220 2838

Sending underwater postcard is fun but the highlight of Layang-Layang is its stunning corals and marine lives.

To send underwater postcard or letter in these dive sites, you need to be a certified Advanced Scuba Diver (e.g. PADI Advanced Open Water Diver) who is allowed to dive beyond 18 Metres (60 feet), the depth limit for basic divers. Why not sending two postcards in Sabah, one in underwater post box and another one from the highest postbox of Malaysia on Mount Kinabalu? You may check out my article on sending postcards from the highest postbox of Malaysia.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Scuba Diving at Mabul and Sipadan Island of Semporna

Our world is beautiful and more than half of it is in the sea, where divers can enjoy zero gravity and swim freely among the fishes. Last year I was bogged down by a project and got it over after half a year. Life was stressful, and I really deserved a break. When my friend Dodo was calling divers for a 5-day diving trip in Semporna. Without hesitation, I joined.

After months of waiting, finally, 10 divers met at Tawau Airport. Even though we are from different background and places, and I met most of them the first time, we had so much fun together in the next few days, and it was so hard to say goodbye at the end. I always recall the wonderful moment. Miss them all. ♥♥♥

Poisoned by Scuba Diving.. I always dream about this scene after I left Mabul.

The resort picked us up at Tawau airport, after one hour of land transfer and one hour of boat ride, we reached Mabul Island.

Seaventures Dive Rig Resort

There are dozens of accommodations available on Mabul Island. We stayed in Seaventures Dive Rig Resort, which is an oil rig being converted to a PADI 5-Star dive resort and ranked as one of the most unique hotels in the world by TripAdvisor.

The dive resort is about 700 Meters in the sea off Mabul Island. This fortress-like structure is so cool that I had been wondering how it’s like staying there. The setup is basic. The room is small. The food is great. Their staffs are friendly and helpful. If you don’t expect 5-star service & facilities and particular about small things, you will be quite happy.

One of the awesome features of Seaventures is its elevator for entry and exit (I got this recorded on a video). Some crazy guests can’t resist to jump into the sea from the deck for fun. However, the resort discourages this because you can hurt yourselves.

I was staying in dormitory room (air conditioning available). They also have twin-sharing and VIP rooms. A 4-day dive + accommodation package starts from RM2,730 (about US$700). You may visit the website of Seaventures for more details.

Upper deck of Seaventures Dive Rig. Some are nut enough to jump into the sea from here. It’s about 20 Meters high!

Someone calls the islands of Semporna the Maldives of the East. Though Semporna has over 1,000 dive sites in Celebes Sea, the best dive sites are concentrated in the “Top Three Triangle”, namely, Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai, which are only 30 minute from one another by boat.

Dive map of Sabah and Labuan. You can download the pamphlet here.

Mabul Island (Pulau Mabul)

If divers talk about diving in Sabah, Sipadan is always No.1 choice, and Mabul is nothing close. The most likely reason divers stay on Mabul Island is due to its proximity to Sipadan Island, but they would find that Mabul is the most memorable part of their trip with friends.

Mabul Island is famous for its world-class muck diving. Many dive sites have artificial reefs made up of rubble, ship wrecks, planks and various junk that you can imagine. This might be an eyesore to divers, but for most marine creatures, it’s a perfect shelter.

Therefore, with observant eyes and guiding by good divemaster, you will spot many little gems, some are rare or colorful, hidden among the rubbish and corals.

I saw nudibranch, flatworm, frogfish, pygmy seahorse, flamboyant cuttlefish, whip coral shrimp, eel, barracuda, lobster, stingray, lion fish, sweet lip, skeleton shrimp, robust ghost pipe fish, stone fish, and many other critters.

In fact, Mabul has become a paradise for underwater photographers who search for bizarre and exotic macro sea lives. Just check out the videos of Borneo From Below, most of their footages were shot in Mabul.

The visibility of most dive sites in Mabul is only 5 to 6 Meters, and it’s quite dim after 17 Meters deep. Inexperienced divers can have panic attack sometimes, so you better stick with your buddy and group all the time.

If you dive with large group which has divers with poor buoyancy skill, it would be quite irritating if someone keeps stirring up the sediment of sandy bottom and make the water more murky. Hehe I did that too by accident because being pushed by the strong current.

We wanted to enter this recompression chamber for fun but the hole is too small.

Not every life in Mabul is tiny. Turtles and giant groupers are quite common here. Sometimes divers are delighted by surprises such as leopard shark, dolphin, and devil ray in the water of Mabul.

This eel didn’t expect a photograph I guess

Some dive sites such as Lobster Wall has astounding density and variety of corals. The current is quite strong, and we had some fun with drift diving.

If you love nudibranch, you will love Mabul. So many of them there.

One of the benefits of staying at Seaventures is – you can enjoy unlimited dive in their House Reef under the rig, which is an excellent muck diving site too. We spotted long snout pipefish, snake eel, cleaner shrimp, cockatoo (wasp fish), lion fish, small barracuda, flatworm, big eye fish, etc.

Sipadan Island (Pulau Sipadan)

Sipadan Island is one of the top 10 dive sites in the world, so it needs no introduction. Everyone wants to go to Sipadan, but the maximum number of visitors is limited to 120 people (snorkellers and divers) per day, to minimize the impact to the environment.

Therefore, if you plan to dive in Sipadan, you better book with your dive operator a few months before the trip. Do at least 3 dives per day if you get the permit.

In contrast to Mabul, the visibility in Sipadan is superb and can reach more than 20 Meters.

This is my third visit to Sipadan, and it is still another amazing journey. Turtles are everywhere, and they only mind their own business and oblivious about our presence. Early morning is the best time to dive when the marine creatures are most active.

For first timer to Sipadan, dive sites like Coral Garden (wall diving), South Point (large pelagics), and Barracuda Point (sharks and barracuda tornado) are highly recommended. But I didn’t see school of barracuda this time.

Nevermind that there is no barracuda tornado. We had fun entering Jackfish Storm anyway.

Bumphead Parrot Fish? I didn’t even need to dive deep to see them. Other seafood, no, I mean sea lives I saw included white tip reef shark, bat fish, leopard shark, ghost pipe fish, octopus, grey reef shark, and moray eel.

Being so excited, some divers would be tempted to “interact” with charismatic sea creatures, for example, chasing or touching the turtle. Do keep in mind that divers are not allowed to harass any aquatic animals. You, or your group, could be banned from diving, if divemaster finds that you got itchy hand. They are very serious about this, so it’s not a joking matter.

Kapalai Island (Pulau Kapalai)

At Kapalai Island, we only did only one dive at Mandarin Valley, where we saw octopus, school of baby barracuda, nudibranch, cuttlefish, ornate ghost pipefish, gobby, etc.

They build some “fish chalets” (House Reef) with artificial reef (racks) to house the fishes and to promote the growth of corals. This site is popular for its colorful Mandarinfish (like fish wearing a Cheongsam), but too bad it’s not our day.

Walking around Mabul Island

Seaventures Dive Rig Resort is on the sea, but they have boat transfer to Mabul Island at 5pm (return time: 6:30pm) every day, for you to shop for some supplies or just to explore around.

Mabul Island has become an Accommodation Center for divers who want to dive at Sipadan (which has no resort). You can find resorts and lodges range from budget to luxury type on the island.

Most of the villagers on Mabul Island are living in poverty. I felt sad seeing those shabby houses and ragamuffin children who asked tourists for money. The islanders are very friendly, and it’s definitely ok to explore around. Most residents are conservative Muslims. To be courteous, please don’t walk around with “overly exposed” swimsuit in their village (though they are used to it). Wearing at least a T-shirt and short.

You will find dozen of small shops that sell souvenirs, seashells, cigarettes, diving stuffs and many other items. Personally I won’t buy any seashell, coral or shark products because I don’t want to encourage them to harvest these, sorry..

Besides, you can buy fresh seafood from the locals. On the island, there is a turtle hatchery maintained by Scuba Junkies and Sabah Wildlife Department. The tour operators have been educating the villagers on sustainable fishing, turtle and corals conservation, and garbage management. The progress is slow, but we see positive changes gradually.

Dive ❤ Party ❤ Friends

Diving and Drinking with Friends were what we did on Mabul most of the time. We had 3 to 4 dives per day, and at night we partied hard, it’s a dream vacation ~~to get wasted for 4 night~~. We had so much fun and already talked about the next trip.

I’m not a good drinker. After some shots, I would doze off with glass held in my hand. When I was awake hour later, they refilled my glass then I got K.O. again. This went on until late night lol.

Great dive buddies and divemasters = Happy Moment

As alcohol is one of the highlight, you can buy beer and hard liquor in Semporna town. One of such shops is located between Restoran AR Rahman and Crystal Coffee Shop, and opposite to Agro Bank. You can call Mr Lim (+60 14-6743069) or Ms Lim (+60 16-8121169) for info. I tell you this because many foreigners think it’s difficult to find alcohol in Sabah. You are welcome.

Though my dive buddies rocked, this diving trip would be less fun without the company of Suki, one of the best Divemasters I’ve ever met. She is very professional, serious but playful.

Adding 12 awesome dives into our log book with stamps from Suki.

While diving with her, I was so impressed by her perfect buoyancy skill. OMG, is she a mermaid? Her enthusiasm was contagious and all of us got excited diving next to her. Thanks to Suki, she taught me a lot to improve my diving skill.

Is Semporna Safe?

I’ve been asked this question by readers many times. Tourists concern about their safety in islands of Semporna because of the abduction in the past. I would say Semporna is relatively safer than most places on earth, so don’t worry too much about it. Nowadays, no place is 100% safe due to threat by IS. Some countries make hoo-ha about kidnapping cases in Sabah and forget that more of their citizens were dead in terrorist attack. As a local, I can tell you that Sabah is safer than London, Paris, and Sydney.

I have visited Semporna many times and won’t hesitate to travel there again. Most tourist destinations in Semporna have garrison. I’ve seen how the armed force works. They are serious and vigilant day and night, to keep the tourists safe. They are not sitting there drinking and gambling. With curfew and more proactive defense mechanism in place, hopefully Semporna will be totally safe.

How to get there?

To go to Mabul and Sipadan Island, you can take a 40-minute flight, operated by Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia, to fly from Kota Kinabalu City (Code: BKI) to Tawau City (Code: TWU). You can use Google Flights to check the schedules and prices.

12 is the number of tanks I used in 4 days

At the Airport of Tawau, you can hire a taxi to go to Semporna Town, which takes an hour. You also can request your dive operator or resort to fetch you at the airport. I advise you to book the tour or accommodation before you come to Sabah. You can walk-in to enquire, but the resort or tour could be fully booked during peak season.

It’s also possible to travel from Kota Kinabalu City to Semporna Town by long distance bus.

Special Thanks to Dodo and Dora for contributing most of the photos and videos to this article.

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Boobs Rock, Waterfalls and Black Honeybees at Maranggoi, Kota Belud

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This year I celebrated my birthday differently. No Internet, no birthday cake, and no cozy bed. For me, to feel great being alive is to do something I love. Touching some boobs would be awesome, so this birthday wish brings me to Batu Nenen (Boobs Rock) in Maranggoi of Kota Belud.

(Left) Photos next to a Liposu fruit tree. (Right) Oh dear I am (in middle) so fat. At the right is Risin (my guide) and left is Uncle Sinuar (cook)

About Maranggoi and Pinolobu

Located in Pinolobu Village (Kampung Pinolobu), Maranggoi Eco Tourism is a new destination of rural tourism, which promotes travelling in countryside of Sabah. This village is blessed with forest, waterfalls, spring water and clean river. Maranggoi is the name of the river, which is named after a missing young man Maranggoi, who used to collect resin in forest around that river. But one time he didn’t return home after 3 days, which he normally did. The villagers went out looking for him and shouted his name, but they only found the cigarette butt Maranggoi left.

Kampung Pinolobu is a village about 17 Kilometres away from Kota Belud town. Pinolobu means breaking into a new frontier. Most of the population in Pinolobu Village is Dusun Tindal people and majority of them are farmers. Fruits and crops are everywhere in Pinolobu, to list a few, tapioca, pineapple, mango, rambutan, durian, sweet potato, and rubber. The entire village is built on hill area. To move around neighbourhood, you would need to walk up and down some slopes.

Visit the Boobs Rock (Batu Nenen)

Last month I booked a 2-day-1-night tour with the operator of Maranggoi. I drove 2 hours from Kota Kinabalu to Kampung Pinolobu. I was a bit worried about the bad weather lately, and wished the sky would be kind to me on my birthday. Luckily, the day was clear in the morning and by 7:30am I met Risin, who was my guide. Risin is married with 4 kids and own a farm in Kampung Pinolobu.

After a light breakfast in a local shop, we headed to the starting point of jungle trekking, to visit four waterfalls and Boobs Rock in Maranggoi. The hike started in the base camp, which is nearby the first waterfall, Wasai Telupid. Telupid is the name of a rare exotic tree that bears sour fruit, its leaf also has strong flavor of sour, and both can make mouth watering pickle and food.

First waterfall (Telupid Waterfall) in Maranggoi river trail

To reach Batu Nenen, We needed to walk over 2 KM along Maranggoi River and passed by a few waterfalls. As this is upstream, the boulders are huge and the stream is crystal clear. Risin says there is no more village upriver so the water is unpolluted. Maranggoi River also seldom floods, even in rainy season. Do bring swimwear if you want to enjoy the clean and cooling water. All waterfall ponds are shallow and safe for a soak.

Telupid tree, a rather rare and exotic tree with edible sour fruits and leaves

The nature trail to Boobs Rock is pretty challenging for tourists who are not used to jungle trekking. We have to cross a few streams and climbed over many slippery boulders (Do expect to get wet until knee level). Besides, half of the time I walked on narrow soil trail along the side of the slope, a misstep could cause a bad fall down the slope. Most of the steep sections don’t have rope or rail support. Landslides blocked our way a few times, and we had to clear another path to get around them. Just to warn you that this is a rugged trail. Most visitors can do it but casual tourists would feel uncomfortable.

Left: zombie forest ants infected by parasitic fungus (commonly known as *Cordyceps*). Right: big caterpillar

Due to hunting activity, no big wildlife is spotted, so forest leech is absent too. We did see some fresh holes dug by wild boars foraging for food. According to Risin, Konexer captured the video of a Tufted Ground Squirrel (species: Rheithrosciurus macrotis) in camera trap there. Tufted Ground Squirrel is also known as Vampire Squirrel, it’s very rare and endemic to Borneo. It has the world’s fluffiest tail.

The riverine zone is a regenerated secondary forest with dense undergrowth. Risin shows me some interesting trees and herb that we spotted along the trail. Some fruit trees have spread into this forest, like rambutan, tarap, and cempedak. We passed through quite a number of farmland and rubber plantation in forest edge but didn’t see anyone else though.

Withered flower (left) and bud (right) of *Rhizanthes lowii*

The most exciting plant I saw is Rhizanthes lowii, which is endemic to Borneo and a parasitic flowering plant without leaves, stems, and roots. Rhizanthes is a corpse flower same family as rafflesia flower. Its flower lasts only a few days. Though I saw only the withered flower and bud, this is already worth my trip.

After 1.84 Kilometre, we arrived the second waterfall, Gotokon Waterfall, which is a cascading waterfalls with the highest tier around 4 Metres in height. Personally I think it’s the most beautiful waterfall in Maranggoi river. Gotokon is derived from the term that describes the action (Togop) of scratching tree bark to collect sap. The sap is sticky and can be used as strong glue for bird trap.

Gotokon Waterfall is about 1.85 KM away from campsite

The next waterfall, Ronggu Waterfall, is less than 400 Metres ahead. Because I kept stopping for pictures so we were slow and it’s already 12:33pm, so we decided to have our lunch next to this waterfall. Risin brought some rice and traditional side dishes. We sat on the rocks and enjoyed our food.

Ronggu Waterfall (about 2.12 KM away from campsite)

We continued our hike after lunch. Within 15 minutes, we approached a rockface with flowing water. Probably due to the natural minerals, the water leaves a black trail on the surface it flows through. Risin says, “this is spring water (mata air) that percolates through rocks! We have a few spring water sources around Maranggoi. They never dry up even during drought. Instead, they even overflow in dry season occasionally. Sometimes I bring buckets of natural water from Maranggoi to my twin daughters who study in Tamparuli because they are not used to drinking the chlorinated water in town.”

Natural spring water coming out from the rocks next to Maranggoi River. Note the picture at the right, the mineral deposits in the spring water turn rocks into dark color

Finally, we made it to Batu Nenen (Boobs Rock) at 1:33pm. The local myth mentions about Batu Hujan (Rock Rain), which is a display of the wrath of God. Everything hit by this rain will turn into rock. The Boobs Rock was probably an unlucky woman hit by the rock rain, but no confirmation about its origin. When I wanted to have some quality time with the boobs rock, heavy downpour suddenly came. We left in a hurry. Bummer!

Risin enjoyed grabbing Boobs Rock (Batu Nenen) lol

A strange tree near to Batu Nenen (Boobs Rock). It looks like p….

We walked back to the village. After nearly 2 hours I saw rows of whitish trunks of rubber trees, I knew we were home.

Watu Kepungit Waterfall looks mythical with the vines

What I Ate

I like to acquire new tastes so I requested them to provide local meals. Their traditional village food is not bad, as it is freshly caught or harvested locally and not high in fat and sugar. White rice is always the “main course”. The rice is compacted and wrapped in big Doringin (Dillenia beccariana) leaf and they call this rice pack linopot. Farmers always carry linopot to the field because such packing prevents the rice from spoiling fast.

Breakfast

I had some Linuput rempis (fishes wrapped and cooked in multiple layers of doringin leaves). The small fishes are from the river next to our camp. “Palm heart” soup is new to me, the soft core of palm trees such as banana and coconut are edible.

Lunch

These are what I ate at the waterfall. I love sour food so the liposu fruit has become my new favorite. The fruits are cut into slices, red color is the raw pulp and whitish color ones are smoked liposu.

Dinner

Rice with Bahu (Mango pickle with red chili) and raw tarap soup. The older the Bahu mango, the more sour it is. The seeds of tarap fruits are edible and taste like peanut.

Fruits

The highlight is Sukang durian, a mini durian grows in the wild but now also widely cultivated in Sabah orchard. The fruit is smaller but creamy and meaty. The durian aroma isn’t too overpower. Besides, I also bought 7 Kilograms of rambutan fruit (RM3/Kg) from a villager. I’m lucky because it is fruiting season.

Second day of the my trip is to tour around Kampung Pinolobu, a relaxing day.

Stingless Bee (Kelulut) Farm

Stingless bees are also honey producer. It’s called Kelulut in Malay language but sounds similar to something negative in local language, so the local people prefer to call it Tantadan. Stingless bees don’t sting and Kelulut honey can fetch higher price than normal honey, so more and more villagers rear stingless bees at home.

I visited an organic stingless bee farm that is built by local community in Pinolobu Village. There are 75 bee houses in the farm. If they include bee houses of whole village, there will be a total of over 300. Each hive produces about 2 Kg of honey per month, and it is sold for RM20 per 100 grams, a good side income.

This kelulut farm is placed under the rambutan fruit trees and next to clusters of Honolulu creeper flowers (air mata puteri), the preferred host plant for the stingless bees. Sometimes beekeepers feed the bees with rambutan and banana fruit if the bees can’t go out harvesting nectar during rainy season.

There are about 75 Stingless Bee (Kelulut) houses in this farm

Stingless bees are a lot smaller than honeybees, so they can access tiny flowers and extract more nutrients. They build their nests in tree hollows and crevices. When the villagers find their hives in the wild, they would cut the log section that contains the nest and transfer them to the bee house. This has to be done at night, after all the worker bees return to their nest.

The taste of kelulut honey varies in flavour depend on fruit and flowers they visit. In general, kelulut honey is sourish sweet, usually sweetness is the base taste, with a bit of sourness or bitter, or a mix of all, sometimes with a hint of fruit aroma. The colour of the stingless bee honey can be yellow, brown and even pink (rare and more expensive but no difference in nutrients).

Stingless bees store their honey in the containers called honey pots. The fun part of the visit is to sip the honey from these pots with a straw. The stingless bee honey is sticky so I need to suck harder. It’s sourish sweet, with a bit of durian aroma.

This stingless bee farm has more than 6 species of stingless bees. Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica are the preferred species for beekeeping, as they are more productive. I was attacked by a swarm of Lophotrigona canifrons when I got too close to their nest for filming. Their bite is like ant bite, not really hurt but definitely unpleasant to have the bees all over your face lol.

Risin says a teaspoon of kelulut honey twice a day can improve the immunity system. If you want to learn more about kelulut honey and beekeeping, you may check out my last post.

Burung Jinak (Tamed Birds)

The last stop is to check out the tamed birds. There are 5 or more wild Magpie robin that can be hand-fed. The villager just brings some mealworms and whistle to call them. The birds gathered and chirped on a tree nearby. Then the birds fly to him and pick up the worms from his hand. It took them some years to gain trust from these wild birds.

Calling and hand-feeding wild magpie robin birds

I’ve been feeding some feral pigeons for a long time. Even today they still don’t want to befriend me. So the lesson is – only nicely treat those who appreciate your friendship. Some freeloaders are just takers and don’t deserve to be your friend.

Camping Grounds

There are two camping grounds in Maranggoi. Bunti Campsite has better environment and facilities. Wasai Telupid Campsite is quite basic (shelter and toilet only) but it offers more camping experience, and it’s a short walk to a beautiful waterfall. Mosquitoes may present during dusk. Insect repellent and mosquito coil would be useful. The night is quite cooling like air-conditioning. Do bring a good sleeping bag, mat and some warm clothing. Both campsites have no phone service (only weak signal of Digi in higher ground).

Bunti Campsite. The big building is the house of Uncle Sinuar. I overnight in the small hut (picture at the right)

I was staying in Bunti Campsite, which is well maintained by Uncle Sinuar. He also cooked for my meals with produces / caught from his farm and river. This 70-year-old and friendly villager is still active in farming. He worked as a carpenter before, so he builds all the hut and gazebo there himself. Visitors can choose to sleep in camping tent or the hut.

Camping ground and river (where I bath) at Bunti Campsite

Booking and Contact

You can find more information and photos in their Facebook page @ Maranggoi. It’s more fun to camp with a group of friends. Below is the price list for your perusal (rates as of August 2020).

Entrance Fee

Adult: RM3.00
Senior (65 and above): Free
Child (7-12 years old): RM2.00
Child (Below 7): Free

Activity Fee

Hiking: RM5.00
Visit Stingless Bee Farm: RM5.00
Camping: RM7.00/Night (bring your own camping tent)
Camping Tent Rental: RM15.00/unit

For full-day or overnight trip, you may consider the following packages. I was going for package no.2. For further information or booking, please call or Whatsapp 0111-514-7226 (Risin Ituk), 0111-530-7865 (Jalni), 019-880-3344 (Lazrus)

Package 1 (Preface)

Price: RM56.00 per person / 1 Day
Hiking & jungle trekking (4 Waterfalls)
Stingless honey bee farm visit
Fish feeding
Lunch
Guide(s)
Certificate

Package 2 (Night with Maranggoi)

Price: RM100 per person / 2 Days 1 Night
Hiking & jungle trekking (4 Waterfalls)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Stingless honey bee farm visit
Cultural night
Fish feeding
Guide(s)
Certificate

Package 3 (Maranggoi Outdoor / Survival package)

Price: RM150 per person / 2 Days 1 Night
Hiking & jungle trekking (4 Waterfalls)
Camping
Bonfire
Night hiking (optional)
Cultural night (optional)
Guide(s)
Rice (provided)
Certificate
Gathering foods from the river and forest

How to get there

Maranggoi is situated in Kampung Pinolobu (GPS: 6.254638, 116.490666, see Location Map) of Kota Belud district and about 84 Kilometres away from Kota Kinabalu city (2 hours by driving). There is paved road in good condition from Kota Kinabalu to this village, except the last 7KM of gravel road (still accessible by sedan). Or you can request them to pick you up in Kota Belud town or Kota Kinabalu city.

Gravel road to Maranggoi Eco Tourism site (Kampung Pinolobu)

Photos taken in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo