Tag Archives: resort

Manukan Island, the Most Popular Island of Sabah

With over 200,000 visits annually, Manukan (Pulau Manukan) is the most frequented island by domestic and international tourists. It is only 15-minute away by boat ride, almost a no-brainer choice for people who want an island day trip near to Kota Kinabalu City (KK).

However, to be fair, the reason Manukan Island becomes the most famous island is not just because it’s “convenient.” It does have three other outstanding factors that make this beautiful island of South China Sea a favorite destination.

Factor #1. Manukan has long stretch of white sandy beach

Its long beach spans about 1,500 Meter at southern side of the island, facing a bay of crystal clear and tranquil sea. The water is so calm and shallow that it’s also suitable for non-swimmers. Families feel safe to let their kids playing in the water. No matter how far their children go, parents still can have a clear open view on what’s going on.

Manukan is the second largest island of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TARP in short), and its beach is vast. Though Manukan has hundreds of visitors every day, there is still enough big space for everyone. You won’t accidentally trip over a carpet of tourists sunbathing on the beach.

Factor #2. Manukan has the Most Developed Facilities

Tourists can find almost everything they need there, from toilet, shower room, restaurants, water sport activities, souvenir shop to accommodation. You can go to Manukan empty-handed (must bring cash!) and buy your things such as food, sunscreen and beachwear on the island. But please be informed nothing is cheap on the island.

Another thing I like about Manukan is its forested shore. After a swim in hot day, we can retreat to the shade, rest on the bench and enjoy the gentle sea breeze. It can be quite cooling under the trees.

There are a few lifeguards keeping an eye on the sea. They also know how to deal with injury caused by jellyfish sting and sea urchin. For crime prevention, there are some police on the island too.

Factor #3. Manukan Island has the Best Snorkelling Spot

Among the five islands of TARP, Manukan Island ranks top as a snorkelling site. Though its coral reef is not of world class, it’s still a wonderful treat to nature lovers. Sighting of Nemo is guaranteed. You can even see Nemo from the jetty, with thousands of other fishes.

In fact, many Hong Kong celebrities have been to Manukan Island. Usually they come to Manukan as personal trip and try to stay low profile. Don’t be surprised if you find WuChun or other superstars laying just next to you in Manukan.

The following is a 3-min video for you to see more beauty of Manukan:

Entrance Fee

You need to purchase ticket (which they call Conservation Fee) to enter the island. The table below is the ticket rates. Don’t forget to add return boat transfer and terminal fee (about RM30 in total, ≈US$9) to your travel budget.

Nationality	Adult	Below 18	Below 6	60 & above
Malaysian	RM8	RM5	Free	Free
Non-Malaysian	RM25	RM20	RM20	RM20

Conservation fee with effect from 1 Jan 2023

*Rates updated in Jan 2023. The entry is free for visitor with disability.

Pic: the jetty of Manukan Island, you can see many fishes under it.

Activities

You can have fun with many water sports on Manukan Island. The most popular and recommended activity on Manukan is Snorkelling. You can rent the snorkelling gears easily on Manukan or boat terminal on mainland. It’s ok if you don’t know how to swim, just wear a life jacket.

Consider this island is only 7 KM away from KK City Center, the variety of soft and hard corals on Manukan is really impressive. Nevertheless, you need to know where to look for them. Do not snorkel at the side full of people. The Best Snorkelling Location is in deeper water at the left of the jetty (when you face Manukan Island) and far away from “tourist beach.”

When you enter the water, you will see mainly sandy bottom for the first 10 Meters, then the corals become denser and denser, at last you will reach a large “coral garden” about 25 Meters away from shore. The water is only 4 to 7 Meters deep at this distance so the visibility is very good in sunny day.

Corals are the home of fishes, of course you will see many types of fishes such as Sergeant major, Trigger fish, Parrot fish, Butterfly fish and Cleaner Wrasse. The coral area is big and got so many stuffs to see, sometimes I spend 2 to 3 hours have fun snorkelling.

Last year, I bumped into a huge school of foraging fishes, thousands of fishes formed a long line and swam in same direction. I followed them and they didn’t seem to mind. On the way, many other fishes in different colors and species also joined the group. This is such an incredible phenomenon!

Pic: tourist trying out Scuba-doo (underwater “scooter”)

Below is a list of activities and prices just FYI. Get extra cash ready if you plan to play these:

Activity	Fee per person (in RM)	Fee (in US$)	Duration
Sea Walking	250	≈76	30 Min
Scuba-Doo	250	≈76	30 Min
Parasailing	90	≈27	15 Min
Banana Boat Ride	40	≈12	15 Min
Flying Fish	70	≈21	15 Min
Jet Ski	165	≈50	30 Min
Discovery Scuba Diving	300	≈91	2 dives

Tip: These are just Listed Prices. No harm to haggle.

Ladies, be careful when some “friendly” locals approach you and offer “snorkelling tour.” There were cases these so-called guides took their female guests to deeper water, making them panic, then took the opportunity to molest them. Just report to the police on the island if that happens.

Manukan Island Resort

You can overnight on Manukan Island if you love it so much. Manukan Island Resort is the only accommodation on Manukan and they have about 20 units of single and double storey chalets. The accommodation fees* range from RM560 (≈US$170) per room to RM1,500 (≈US$450) per chalet. You may look at their online booking page for room details and updated prices.
*full board package which includes accommodation, meals, island entrance fee and boat transfer

Pic: Hill Side Chalets near the beach

There are two types of villa, i.e. Hill Side Chalet and Beach Chalet. Hill Side Chalets have sea view but Beach Chalets don’t. FYI, camping is not allowed on Manukan Island.

Pic: Hill Chalets are on a slope and have fantastic sea view

Pic: Beach Chalets can be a bit noisy when tourists walking pass the place during daytime (8:30am-4:30pm)

For reservation, you may book the room online or contact Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (management of the resort) at:
Website: www.suterasanctuarylodges.com.my
E-mail: info@suterasanctuarylodges.com.my
Phone: +60 88-308914, +60 88-308915, +60 88-308916
Cellphone: +60 17-8335022
They also have a reservation center for walk-in guests (opposite to reception / ticket counter of Manukan).

Restaurants

Food and drink are readily available on Manukan Island but sold at “tourist price”. If you are price-conscious, I would advise you to bring your own food. Barbecue (BBQ) is forbidden on Manukan (some outdated websites say you can BBQ on the island).

Pic: Koktas Cafe offers the cheapest food. You can have rice and fried noodle from RM4 to RM14.50 (≈US$1.30-4.40). Light meals are also available for a few dollars. You may look at their list of food and prices (as of Apr 2015). Koktas Cafe opens from 8:30am to 4pm daily.

You will find many outdoor food stalls behind the beach. I asked one of the buffet stalls that seem to serve decent food. The price is RM86 (≈US$26, 6% GST tax included) per head and walk-in customer is accepted. They open from 11am to 2pm.

There are dozens of other makeshift food stalls belong to travel agents. They normally sell it as part of island tour package which costs about RM150 (≈US$45), which includes boat transfer, lunch buffet and snorkelling gears. They would accept walk-in customers if there is enough food.

Another restaurant, Arang Barbecue House also sells lunch buffet for RM86 per person. They open from 11am to 2pm.

Pic: Perahu Restaurant

Perahu Restaurant is the most established restaurant on Manukan Island. You can dine in their air-conditioning room. Sometimes they close for group function. They open from 11:30am to 4pm. Yes, beer and alcoholic drink are available here. Below is a summary of their menu (Prices as of Apr 2015 and subject to 6% GST tax) for your quick reference:

Fried Noodle, Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice: RM26 (≈US$8)
Sandwich, Burger, Fish & Chips: RM35 (≈US$11)
Coffee: RM14 (≈US$4.30)
Tea: RM12 (≈US$3.60)
Soda Drink (e.g. Coke): RM10 (≈US$3)
Fruit Juice (Orange, Pineapple, Watermelon): RM19 (≈US$5.80)
Beer: RM28 per tin (≈US$8.50)
Cocktail, Wine, Whisky, Vodka, etc.: RM28 (≈US$8.50) per glass

Other Facilities

This section is an overall of other facilities on Manukan Island. You may refer to the following layout map for location of these amenities:

Snorkelling gears can be rent next to Koktas Cafe. The rental fee for a set of snorkel, mask, fins and life jacket cost RM25 per day (≈US$7.60). You need to deposit RM70 (≈US$21), which is refundable when items return in good condition. Do bring more cash. Here is a list of all items available for rent (prices as of Apr 2015). You also can purchase other things such as beach wear, snacks, ice-cream, potato chips, instant noodle and cookies from the same shop.

Pic: public toilet and shower room of Manukan Island. It is divided into male and female sections, each has about 10 rooms. There are some shower heads outside to rinse yourselves. Two things I don’t like about this toilet – it is a bit too far away from the beach, and its floor is always wet. I wish it has dry surface for me to put my bag. Anyway, it’s not too bad.

Pic: toilet and shower room. Some doors have broken locks.

Pic: interlock walkway on Manukan, quite well-maintained

Pic: WW2 bombshells

The Marine Education Center of Manukan Island is used to exhibit some marine specimens such as seashells, turtle and corals. Currently it is close (since 25 Mar 2015) for construction of a Marine Touch Pool and may open again in June 2015. Now what they show are only a skeleton of Bryde’s whale and a shark head photo booth outside the hall.

FYI, there is no man-eating shark at Manukan Island.

Besides, there are football and volleyball fields in the center of island. For Muslims, Surau (prayer room) is available too. I wish they have locker service so I can store my belonging because I can’t bring my wallet to snorkelling. Without locker, life will be a bit difficult for solo traveler to Manukan.

Sunset Point

If you like jungle and have time to spare, you may go to Sunset Point in western edge of Manukan Island. Day trip tourists have to leave the island before 5pm so most of them don’t bother to walk 1.5 KM to Sunset Point that has no sunset. I’m not sure whether that can motivate them, if I tell them two rare mangrove trees, which are critically endangered and only 200 of them left in the wild, are found at Sunset Point.

There are two ways to reach Sunset Point, one by rugged and unpaved jungle trail and another one by jogging track. Do you love bugs and birds? If it’s a BIG yes, take the jungle trail, otherwise follow the jogging track. The bonus of exploring jungle trail is a chance for sighting of Philippine Megapode, a chicken-like bird with red face. If you are the first one entering the jungle trail in the morning, you would spot this elusive bird.

The jogging track is mostly flat path and probably accessible by wheelchair. Along the way, you would see some beautiful trees with interesting barks. The soil on Manukan is not fertile, so most trees are short and slim, with dense ferns, palms and vines growing among them. By the way, swarm of mosquitoes is present during wet season but can be none in dry month. Bring your insect repellent just in case.

Pic: the broken shelter at Sunset Point

After 45 minutes, I arrived Sunset Point. I didn’t even sweat because the track is well-shaded by tree canopy. Look at the photo above, do you see a narrow path at the left? Just follow that narrow route under dense Pandanus trees to descend to the beach. It’s a bit steep so please proceed cautiously.

Pic: view of Sulug Island from the Sunset Point. It is a rocky shore without nice beach. The scenery is nice anyway.

Pic: rare mangrove trees

Finally I saw the rare mangrove trees. They are locally known as Berus Mata Buaya (means “Eye of the Crocodile”). Its scientific name is Bruguiera hainesii, and only about 200 of them left in the world (mainly in Indonesia and Malaysia). I’m so happy that we have two on Manukan. I have no idea how they got here. These two trees look like a couple. Perhaps they purposely chose this sunset viewpoint as their landing spot? So romantic. There are two seedlings growing next to them. Seem like they are starting a family. Not only that, both trees were flowering and fruiting during my visit. Singaporean plant scientist Prof Dr Jean Yong said, “having the tree here is equivalent to China having pandas.” I got close-up video of these trees if you want to see more.

Overall, Manukan Island is a wonderful destination. I recommend it to tourists who don’t want to travel far to our east coast for island trip.

How to get there

Manukan Island (see Location Map) is a public marine park which accepts walk-in tourists. You don’t need to apply a permit or book any tour package to go to Manukan Island. Return boat transfer to Manukan is readily available from 8am to 4pm at any one of the boat terminals in KK City. Please note the last boat returning to KK City departs at 4pm or 4:30pm (unless you stay in resort).

More Photos

For better and bigger photos, please check out 100 latest photos of Manukan Island in my photo album:

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Little Hut, home sweet home in Mesilau

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Travelers always look for good attractions to visit and nice food to eat. After the tour, we all need a great place to stay. It is cool to be served by 5-star hotel but I prefer accommodation with nice surrounding. For me, Little Hut of Mesilau is special, not just because of its cooling temperature of 13-30°C (55-86°F) and spectacular view of Mt. Kinabalu, its homely atmosphere is something unique in homestay of Sabah.

Located at 1,460 Metres above sea level, Little Hut is only 12 KM away from Kinabalu Park and 3 KM from Mesilau Park, a convenient spot for me to stay a night and to enjoy the refreshing air far away from bustling Kota Kinabalu City (KK).

Pic: at the left is my hut (named Incredible Hut)

I checked into my chalet at 8pm and spent a night in Incredible Hut, a small house that have 3 beds and the only hut without kitchen. The tungsten light of the house looked warm and comfy from outside in the cold and windy evening, I really couldn’t wait to get in.

Pic: ground floor of Incredible Hut

After I collected the key from their staff, the 2-storey chalet was all mine. It’s like living in your own house, no room service that reminds you are an outsider. You would appreciate the sense of belonging and freedom here.

Pic: Incredible Hut has one bed in ground floor and two on top floor.

The space in Incredible Hut isn’t spacious, just nice for medium size Asian like me. If you are almost as big as Incredible Hulk, you may not be able to move so freely. Please note they have bigger chalets and I only show the photos of the smaller hut.

Mesilau is cool at night but not down to freezing point. The feeling is like being inside an office with strong air-conditioning. Putting on a jacket or fleece is enough to keep you warm. There is no heater (and not necessary) in house. Don’t worry, hot water shower is available.

The interior is simple and decorated with interesting ornaments. Each chalet has TV (with Astro satellite TV) and DVDs to kill your time. But the best activity to do here is to eat some hot stuffs in cold evening together with your friends and family, e.g. BBQ or steamboat. Little Hut can rent you the equipment but you need to bring your own food, which is readily available in Kundasang town only 6 KM away.

Pic: guess what is inside the treasure chest?

Pic: Toilet paper, shower gel and shampoo are provided. You need to bring your own towel and toothpaste.

Poetic Dream Houses

I had a very good night sleep in Little Hut. When everything lit up by the sunrise, I started to see the beauty of Little Hut. Seem like they “gardenize and villagize” every corner to give an idyllic and nostalgia touch to their place. They also insert some humorous elements for you to discover here and there.

Pic: Little Hut in the morning

The morning view of Mt. Kinabalu is a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know I could see it from Little Hut.

Pic: the view of Mt. Kinabalu and Little Hut. Note the small farm in foreground.

Pic: The little farm + garden in Little Hut is planted with variety of vegetables and flowers such as roses and spring onions. Housewives find this farm intriguing and are excited to tell their children what are those plant.

If I show the photos above to others without saying the location, most would think these are taken in countryside of European countries.

Pic: balcony of Hut Attack

Pic: village and farm view from the balcony

Pic: funny direction signages just to make you smile.

Pic: backyard of Little Hut

Hey, come and meet Miyao, the chubby and friendly 3-color cat of Little Hut. She acts like the owner of Little Hut and loves to hang out with people.

Pic: The Cat Residence. Miyao also has her own Little Hut, but she always looks for a chance to sneak into your hut, probably she enjoys the warm cuddling offered by the guests.

Pic: Miyao lazes around and as relax as the guests.

Little Hut is in Kampung Mesilou Village and surrounded by village houses.

You can take a stroll around the village, a friendly neighbourhood where you can explore around and say Hi to the locals.

Pic: the plantation in village. The property of Sabah city is super expensive nowadays, so I’m kind of envious of the big land they have here. I believe that’s the concept of Little Hut, which allows city people to experience the peaceful rural life once in a while.

The Chalets

Little Hut has a total of 5 chalets, each with different size, theme and amenities, so it’s important that you select the right hut prior to booking. You can visit their website for more photos and details.

Pic: from left: Unbreak My Hut, Incredible Hut, Bizza Hut, Hut Attack. Not seen in this photo is Hut Leluyaa, which is behind Bizza Hut.

Pic: Little Hut uses pun for naming their huts. The names are just for fun and don’t mean anything, so don’t be serious about them.

The following table is a summary of the chalets for your quick reference:

Hut	Rate (per day per hut)	Remarks
Incredible Hut	Mon-Fri: RM150 (≈US$42) Weekends, Holiday*: RM180 (≈US$50)	Accommodate up to 3 people, suitable for small group of friends and family. No kitchen
Bizza Hut	Mon-Fri: RM250 (≈US$70) Weekends, Holiday*: RM300 (≈US$83)	Accommodate up to 5 people, suitable for family and group of friends. Kitchen available. Good viewpoint for Mt. Kinabalu
Unbreak My Hut	Mon-Fri: RM150 (≈US$42) Weekends, Holiday*: RM180 (≈US$50)	Accommodate up to 2 to 3 people, suitable for couple. Blue & white Greece theme. Kitchen available.
Hut Attack	Mon-Fri: RM280 (≈US$78) Weekends, Holiday*: RM330 (≈US$92)	Accommodate up to 5 people. Kitchen available. View of Kg. Mesilou village and mountain range
Hut Leluyaa	Mon-Fri: RM210 (≈US$58) Weekends, Holiday*: RM250 (≈US$70)	Accommodate up to 2 to 3 people, suitable for couple. Kitchen available. Farm and village view

Rate as of Feb 2015. Please visit their website for latest rate and updated details.
*Public Holiday & School Holiday

Though Little Hut has no restaurant, most chalets have a kitchen with cooking utensils for you to cook, or you can rent BBQ rack and steamboat from them (food not provided).

Contact & Booking

You can book the accommodation with Little Hut up to 6 months in advance by e-mail or phone. You need to pay 50% deposit to secure your booking. The chalets could be full during peak season so it’s better to book earlier.

Tel: +60 16-8601416 (9am-8pm)
E-mail: littlehutmesilou@gmail.com / shiaohan@hotmail.com
Website: littlehutmesilou.blogspot.com
Facebook: mesilou
GPS Coordinates: N 6.014536° E 116.599023° (see Location Map)

Getting there

Little Hut is in Kampung Mesilou Village, about 100 KM away from KK (see Location Map). There is no bus going directly to Little Hut, so you need to get there using your own car or hire a taxi at Kundasang town. Most of the time you will drive on paved asphalt road until you reach Kampung Mesilou. After the village, turn to the 3rd junction at the left (which has two tyres as marker), then you have to drive carefully on the narrow concrete road, which you will reach Little Hut near the end (estimated 600 Meters).

I strongly advise you to go there during daytime so you can see the small road or signages clearly. If your car has low body and you can’t see the road clearly in the dark, the bottom of your car would hit the big rocks. You can find detail picture guide and map in their website and Facebook.

Photos taken in Mesilau, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Top 10 Hotels / Resorts of Sabah

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Do you like to stay next to beach, rainforest, mountain or city? Below is the list of Top 10 accommodation in Sabah, based on my years of observation and tourist feedbacks.

Your vote and comment will perfect the list, so please feel free to contribute to this open list.

[listly id=”2AF” layout=”full”]

Click Here to see more Hotels in Sabah.

Other Sabah’s Top 10

Sepanggar Island (Pulau Sepangar), the new island destination of Kota Kinabalu

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To enjoy a weekend on island, people of Kota Kinabalu city (KK) always visit Sapi, Manukan or Mamutik Islands. Though Sepanggar Island (Pulau Sepangar) is only 12 minutes by boat ride from KK, it was like a “nobody island.”

Twice the size of Manukan Island, Sepanggar Island looks like a giant manta ray from the sky (see location map) and ten of thousands of motorists see it from the busy road along Tanjung Lipat every day, but most don’t even know the name of this big island.

Pic: beach of Sepanggar Island

Sepanggar Island has all the elements such as nice beach and swaying cocnut trees to be a tropical island destination. When the neighbouring islands get really crowded with tourists, Traverse Tours sees the potential, they develop Sepanggar Island into a new attraction and name it Mari Mari Sepanggar Island.

Now you have another choice of island, besides those in nearby Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Instead of promoting Sepanggar Island as a cheap and mass tourist destination, this island is meant for visitors who want to stay away from the noisy crowd and chillax at a tranquil seaside.

You can laze around its white sandy beach and do nothing, or you can try scuba diving, discovery scuba diving (no diver license required), snorkelling, kayaking, fishing and jungle trekking. Sepanggar Island is a protected forest reserve and covered by thick tropical rainforest. The highest point is 160 Meters, where you can have a panoramic view of Likas Bay, Sepanggar Bay and Kota Kinabalu city. I haven’t explored their jungle but I think its undisturbed forest has interesting fauna and flora waited to be seen.

Pic: you can see Kota Kinabalu city from Sepanggar Island. The night view should be nice.

Last month I was in a 1-hour fishing trip around Sepanggar Island in the morning. My travel agent prepared the fishing rod and bait for me.

Pic: the sea of Sepanggar Island is also a fishing spot for local fishermen. There are 8 dive sites near this island.

Our boat passed by Sepanggar Island Water Village. The water was so clear and we saw a juvenile turtle swimming among corals.

Pic: Sepanggar Island Water Village (Kampung Pulau Sepangar)

We caught a few fishes about the size of a palm. You would get big fish if you are lucky.

We enjoyed our lunch buffet after the fishing trip.

Then we just relaxed at the beach side and felt the gentle breeze.

Pic: from the beach, you can see Mt. Kinabalu at the left and Gaya Island at the right.

Pic: Dive Centre (left) and Activity Centre (right) of Mari-Mari Sepanggar Island. They also have proper toilet, changing room, lockers, activity hall and dining area for the guests.

Pic: Forestry Department doesn’t encourage them to cut the trees so the centre is inside lush wood. Surprisingly there was very few mosquitoes during my visit.

Pic: for student group who wants to overnight on the island, there is a wide sleeping area to accommodate them.

Island Accommodation (Chalets)

The island has 1 unit of Beach Chalet (Double bed) and 5 units of Hill Chalets (3 units with Double Bed, 2 units with Twin Bed). All rooms are equipped with attached bathroom & soap dispenser, stand fan and towel rack/bar. Beach Chalet is near the beach and has great sea view. If you love to be surrounded by trees, you may stay in Hill Chalets on the slope but you need to take a short walk to the beach.

Pic: Beach Chalet with nice sea and night view of KK city.

Pic: Beach Chalet

All chalets can accommodate up to 3 people but it is a tight fit, so they recommend just 2 Adults + 1 Child for the Hill Chalet while the Beach Chalet can accommodate 3 Adults.

Pic: Hill Chalet inside the forest

As all facilities depend on solar power, electricity usage is kept to a minimum and there are no charging options in the room. However, they have a charging station at the reception area where you can charge your electrical appliances safely.

Their Beach Chalets and Hill Chalets have opened and now available for booking. You may download the Pre-Summer Promotion package for details (valid from 11 May – 30 Jun 2015).

IMHO, Sepanggar Island is a suitable playground to organise small private beach party and group outing. You can enjoy BBQ and beer at the beach, watching sunset and KK city night view and then spend a night on the island.

How to get there

The tour to Sepanggar Island starts from RM180 (≈US$57). To visit the island, below is the contact of the agent:
Company: Traverse Tours
(The tour operator has a counter (No.12) in Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, where their boat departs to Sepanggar Island)
E-mail: sales@mantananiisland.com, mantanani@traversetours.com
Tel: +60 13-883 4921 (Hotline), +60 88-260 511, +60 88-260 522
Website: www.mantananiisland.com
Facebook: Mantanani-Kechil-Island-Sabah-Borneo

However (I wish I don’t need to mention this), I need to tell you that you will see rubbish on the sea and other corners around Sepanggar Island. Most of these garbage are from the water villages of Gaya Island. I hope the government will relocate those villagers ASAP to inland, to solve the littering problem once and for all, because it is also affecting other nearby islands and island resorts. Other than that, the service and location of Mari-Mari Sepanggar Island is great, so it deserves to be the next popular destination.

More Photos

You may check out album of Sepanggar Island for more photos.

Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tabin, the Sanctuary of Borneo Wildlife

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Located in east coast of Sabah, Tabin Wildlife Reserve is one of the best kept lowland rainforest of Borneo. I don’t want to hide the fact that most lowland of Sabah is now blanketed by oil palm. Tabin is surrounded by sea of oil palm, making it an oasis of the ecology desert (oil palm). In fact, this 112,000-hectare protected forest reserve harbors some of the rarest and endangered Bornean animals such as Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Rhinoceros and Orangutan.

Last month I visited Tabin for 3 days. Though large part of Tabin is secondary rainforest being logged in the past, the forest regenerates really well over the decades. Tabin also has 9,000 hectares undisturbed primary forest known as the Core Area. Do you know that there are nearly 1,000 tree species in 50-hectare area of Borneo rainforest (Temperate Forest is up to 100 species only)?

Macaques

Guess what was the first animal I saw in Tabin. Can you recognise the “aliens” below?

Pic: “Aliens” in Tabin

LOL they are actually the butt of pig-tailed macaques, a common but cheeky monkey. At the left is a male with its testicles, the sexy red butt at the right belongs to a female ready to mate.

In late afternoon, you would see dozens of macaques gathering on the ground feeding, socializing and grooming one another. Tabin Resort doesn’t feed them so they keep a distance from human. But you better lock the door and leave nothing outside your room, because these monkey know how to open door and ransack your stuffs.

I was surprised to see a long-tailed macaque among a herd of pig-tailed macaques as if it’s one of the members. Wonder if both species speak the same language.

Pic: Bornean Gibbon foraging on a fruit tree. You can always hear their “whoop-whoop” loud and long call early in the morning at Tabin.

There are 9 primate species in Tabin, but gorilla isn’t on the list (though the movie says King Kong is from Borneo). The most famous primate here is Orangutan. Tabin is one of the releasing spots for rehabilitated orphan orangutan from Sepilok. To ensure they can survive in the wild, rangers will track and evaluate the new comers for 2 weeks.

Tabin Wildlife Resort

Tabin Wildlife Resort is the only accommodation and tour operator in Tabin Wildlife Reserve. To visit Tabin, you can book a full board tour package with them (Accommodation, meals, transport, activities and guide services are included). They also offer special tours such as bird-watching and frog camp. Please note walk-in tourist might not be entertained.

Pic: River Lodge of Tabin Resort

After an hour of bumpy ride on 44-Kilometres of unsealed road from Lahad Datu town, I checked-in to River Lodge of Tabin Resort around noon. River Lodge is just next to Lipad River and you would see foraging animals at the river bank sometimes.

The chalet looks small from outside, but the room is really spacious and completed with attached bathroom/toilet, private balcony, air conditioner, ceiling fan and hot water shower. The accommodation is comfortable and electricity supply is available 24×7. I’m happy.

Pic: Hill Lodge of Tabin Resort

For honeymooners, Hill Lodge offers more luxurious and private space, so nobody can hear what you both busy doing in your room. I think it’s great for family too.

Pic: Sunbird Cafe of Tabin Resort

Sunbird Cafe is where I have my buffet meals (and free flow of coffee) and it is the gathering point for all activities. The cafe has Wifi so you can check your Facebook, but the line would be slow if too many guests are sharing the connection.

Dusk Drive & Night Safari

Compared to my jungle trips in other places of Sabah, the activities at Tabin are really leisure, nothing made me gasping for air there. But I sweated a lot, as rainforest is warm and humid, when the dense trees trap the heat and moisture under their canopy during daytime.

We started our Dusk Drive at 5pm. Unlike Africa, where you can see hundred of animals on open grassland. In Borneo, you need to look quite hard for the animals hiding among the dense wood. Luckily, the guide does the job for us. A napping monitor lizard high on a tree set off the excitement.

As the habitat of about 260 lowland bird species (FYI, oil palm estate only hosts 9 to 12 species), Tabin is a favorite destination of bird-watchers. Out of 8 hornbill species in Tabin, I saw 4 of them (Oriental Pied Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Wrinkled Hornbill and Bushy-crested Hornbill) during my stay. If you are a hardcore birder, they will bring you to Core Area (virgin forest) to look for Blue-headed Pitta and Blue-Banded Pitta, which are endemic to Borneo.

Pic: Crested-serpent eagle is the most common eagle here. We also spotted Wallace’s Hawk-eagle and Changeable Hawk-eagle.

Pic: Bornean Falconet

The highlight is Bornean Falconet (a.k.a. White-fronted Falconet), which is endemic to Sabah and the smallest raptor in the world (about the size of a palm). There was a group of three perching on a tree very far away from us. Fortunately, our guide let us to have a better look with his high-power telescope. I tried to photograph them through the scope but the photo was blur, well. 🙁

Then we heard a loud roar from the elephants deep in the forest beside us. “It was a mother calling its calf”, our guide said. Though there are 200 to 300 elephants in Tabin, sighting of them is not guaranteed. We waited there for over 15 minutes but no sign of them coming near. When I almost gave up, two Bornean pygmy elephants emerged from the wood behind our truck! After wandering on the gravel road for a while, both of them headed to a neighboring plantation for juicy young shots of oil palm. Somehow this smart mammal figures out the time when electrical fence is being turned off lol.

The daylight was out soon and lot of fireflies flickering on the trees, but we didn’t stop the fun drive. On the way back to resort, our guide turned on the spotlight and here we went for a night safari. Besides a pair of sleeping Rhinoceros Hornbill on the tree, we saw other nocturnal animals such as Common Palm Civet and Leopard Cats. We were also watching a red giant flying squirrel took off from a branch, it could glide 100 Metres from tree to tree, we were told.

Pic: a Buffy Fish Owl. A Brown Wood Owl was nearby too.

Night Walk

Dusk drive is cool but it would be more thrilling to walk around and search for other forest dwellers in the dark. After dinner, everyone grabbed a flashlight and explored deep in the jungle. We pointed our light to the shrubs, tree top, forest ground, tree bark, etc. and came across something interesting.

Pic: Crematogaster inflata, these ants look like carrying a “gold” knapsack, which is the enlarged metapleural gland that can secrete whitish defensive fluid and their bites are very itchy. Thank you Arthur Chung for the ID.

A single tree of Borneo can house 1,000 insect species. There are at least 50,000 insect species in Tabin, which is enough for you to explore for a lifetime.

Pic: mushroom growing on an elephant dung. Everything in rainforest is recycled and exist for a reason.

Pic: a small snake waiting quietly for its prey.

Pic: a giant river toad covered with irregular bumps. The big glands behind its eyes secrete poisonous fluid so don’t touch it!

Lipad Mud Volcano

The next morning we went to the Lipad Mud Volcano, something that makes Tabin special. The jungle trail to the mud volcano is 700 Metres and requires only 20 minutes trekking. We saw some fresh and old elephant dungs along the way, an evidence that elephants frequent this area. Anyway, I only found a tiny mouse deer and a few forest leeches.

Pic: a coral fungus

Pic: the Lipad Mud Volcano is as big as a football field and it is still growing. This might be the largest mud volcano of Borneo. Can you spot the tiny people in the photo?

Pic: elephant tracks at mud volcano

Animals love mud volcano as it is rich in sodium and calcium, the vital minerals that are not readily available in their normal diet. That’s why this is a good spot for wildlife sighting, as animals come here regularly for “salt lick” in late afternoon.

We love mud volcano too, not for salt lick but for skin care. Some says the mud is really good for skin so we collect some for facial SPA later.

Some prefers to enjoy the muddy face mask on the spot.

However, the outer ring of mud volcano is dry mud mixed with coarse sand. To collect the finest and silky wet mud, you have to go to the sources located in the centre, where you can see fresh mud burping and bubbling up from the ground. The mud in centre is deep and soft, so your shoes would be trapped in it. Some even lost their pant here (yes, that happened before).

Pic: the 5-storey observation tower next to the mud volcano. You can overnight there for more animal sighting.

Pic: making handprint certificate with volcano mud.

Lipad Waterfall

After getting ourselves dirty in mud volcano, we got on our truck and moved to Lipad Waterfall. The nature trail to the waterfall is only 400 Metres but we needed to cross a river as deep as our waist level.

Because of the heavy rain the night before, the water looked a bit murky, but it was clean and cooling. We washed away our mud at the river and took a dip in the waterfall pool.

Pic: Lipad Waterfall, pristine and unpolluted.

Other Activities

There are more things to do in Tabin. Just to list a few here.

You may check out the exhibition in Trogon Hall gallery, where they display some photographs and information of Borneo bio-diversity.

Pic: elephant skull in the Gallery

After a long day of trekking, it’s time to relax your tired feet by trying out the Rainforest Foot Soak at Eagle’s Nest. Various traditional tropical herb and plants (e.g. Kaffir lime leaf, Aloe Vera, Lemongrass, Betel Leaf, Pandanus Leaf, Galangal, Tumeric) are put in the hot water, and you can rub your feet against the smooth pebbles at bottom.

So that’s my Tabin trip. You can see that our rainforest is an eco-treasure worths protecting and preserving. The good news is – Sabah government and NGOs are working together to connect all the isolated forest of Sabah, so wildlife can migrate freely among them for food and mates. In future, Tabin forest reserve will be part of the Heart of Borneo.

More Photos

Created with flickr badge.

Photos taken in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Accommodation on Mabul Island (Pulau Mabul)

Recommended Accommodations

I recommend the following accommodation based on my experience and feedback from others. Just a sharing of my personal view.

Budget: Uncle Chang Backpackers Lodge

Uncle Chang is a very friendly and sociable dude who likes to hang around with his guests for a smoke or beer in his lodge. He always wants his guests to feel at home. Sometimes I wonder if he opens this lodge just to party with guests.

Pic: Uncle Chang Backpackers Lodge

Anyway, his face and pony tail has become the trademark logo of the lodge. The lodge provides clean and comfortable basic accommodation. You can pay extra to get an air-conditioned room or chalet. At night, I like to sit on the boardwalk, to see turtles, baby sharks, cuttlefish and other ~~seafood~~ marine animals foraging under my feet (while the rest drank and sang Karaoke through the night).

Pic: BBQ seafood dinner at the lodge

Yes, you can arrange a diving trip to Sipadan with them. Same as Uncle Chang, the staffs are also very friendly and accommodating.

Pic: staffs and guests saying goodbye

Room Rate*: RM70 (Dormitory Room) – RM140 (Chalet) (≈USD21 – 42)
E-mail: world@ucsipadan.com, unclechang99@hotmail.com
Website: www.ucsipadan.com
Facebook: Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge
Tel: +60 17-8950002, +60 89-786988
Office Address: P.O.Box 37, 91307 Causeway Road, S.O.T.C. Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Mid-Range: Borneo Divers Mabul Resort (BDMR)

If you want something better than budget lodge but not too high-end and pricey, Borneo Divers Mabul Resort (BDMR) might be the one for you. BDMR is established since 1984 and run by 5-star PADI dive operator, so I’m confident about their quality of service.

Their 30+ units of chalet (with attached bathroom and hot shower) are air-conditioned and constructed of hardwood in a local style. When I was inside, the feel is like a standard hotel room, though not luxurious, it’s cozy.

Pic: sundeck at the jetty

Pic: swimming pool of BDMR, also a spot to conduct open water diver course.

BDMR is probably the accommodation with the most complete amenities on Mabul. From Wifi, dining hall, event hall, restaurant, mini bar, dive station, small shop to swimming pool, basically it is a 3-star hotel on island, except that it has no parking lot for cars, lol. If you want to host a function with over 100 people on Mabul, I can’t think of other places better than BDMR.

The food there is buffet style and great in variety (western and local food). The 1st night I had steamed boat and 2nd night a BBQ beach party. I gained some weight after the stay. During meal time, the resort is like an United Nations, as there are tourists from Europe, America and Asia. And we played some games together in the party. I felt great to be there, really.

Room Rate*: (Online Booking available) RM1,440 (≈USD400) for 3-day non-dive package
E-mail: information@borneodivers.info, reservations@borneodivers.info
Website: www.borneodivers.info
Facebook: Borneo Divers Mabul Resort
Tel: +60 88-222226, +60 88-221340
Office Address: 9th Floor, Menara Jubili, 53 Jalan Gaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

High-End: Sipadan Water Village Resort (SWV)

This classy resort is built over water on strong ironwood stilts and extends a few hundred Metres to the sea. To me, it looks like a floating palace on Mabul Island. Their 45 water bungalows are designed beautifully in Bajau architectural style and come with private sundeck.

You will be impressed to see their layout in Google map later, the resort is so huge that it looks like an island by itself, equipped with 5-star dive centre, dining hall, bar lounge, SPA area, etc.

To be honest, I never stay there before so I don’t have much to write here. As it earns TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013, it won’t be a wrong choice to spend your honeymoon on Sipadan Water Village Resort. I’ll feel like a king if I were there.

Room Rate*: RM3,800 (≈USD1,150) for 4 day 3 night
E-mail: info@swvresort.com
Website: www.swvresort.com
Tel: +60 089-751777 (Kota Kinabalu), +60 89-950023 (Tawau), +60 89-784100 (Semporna), +60 89-792231 (Mabul)
Office Address: TB231, Lot 8, 1st Floor, Town Extension II (Wisma MAA Building), 91000 Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

The following is an useful Infographics for divers to make better choice on accommodation (created by Asia Diving Vacation):

Other Accommodations

There are many other nice accommodation on Mabul too, and they could be better choice for you than my recommendation.

Seaventures Rig Dive Resort

It is hard not to notice this resort on the sea horizon 0.7 KM away from Mabul island, and that’s why they are on the list of unique hotels by TripAdvisor. This PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Resort is a re-purposed oil rig and now complete with dive centre, game room, conference lounge, bar, etc. From their photos, I thought they built a space station on the sea.

Room Rate*: Start from RM2,730 (≈USD827) for 4 day 3 night dive package
E-mail: info@seaventuresdive.com
Website: seaventuresdive.com
Facebook: Seaventures Dive Resort
Tel: +60 88-261669, +60 88-251 669
Office Address: G23B, Ground Floor, Wisma Sabah, Jalan Tun Razak, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Sipadan Mabul Resort (SMART)

Owned by Explore Asia Tours Sdn. Bhd., Sipadan Mabul Resort has 45 wooden duplex chalets near the beach.

See the lush coconut trees? These are planted by the resort over the years, now the trees add a very nice touch to the tropical ambiance of this resort.

Room Rate*: Package starts from USD401 (2 day 1 night)
E-mail: mabul@po.jaring.my, mabul@streamyx.com
Website: www.sipadan-mabul.com.my
Facebook: SipadanMabulResortSMART
Tel: +60 88-486389
Office Address: Lot A-1-G, Block A, Signature Office, KK Times Square, Off Coastal Highway, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Mabul Water Bungalow (SMART)

Another floating resort beside Sipadan Water Village Resort, with 15 units of wooden-type bungalows built on stilts. This resort also wins Tripadvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013.

Room Rate*: Start from RM2,000 (≈USD606) for 2 day 1 night non-diver package (Twin Share)
E-mail: mabul@po.jaring.my, mabul@streamyx.com
Website: www.mabulwaterbungalows.com
Facebook: Mabul Water Bungalow (SMART)
Tel: +60 88-486389
Office Address: Lot A-1-G, Block A, Signature Office, KK Times Square, Off Coastal Highway, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Scuba Jeff Guest House

A budget lodge run by a friendly diver named Jeff, who wants to share the beauty of Mabul by offering affordable stay to tourists.

Room Rate*: Start from RM65 (≈USD20) per night
E-mail: scubajeffsipadan@gmail.com, scubajeffsipadan@hotmail.com
Website: scubajeffsipadan.com
Facebook: Scuba Jeff Mabul
Tel: +60 19-5355229, +60 17-8614391
Office Address: 1st Floor, Lot 18, Block C, Semporna Seafront New TownShip, 91308 Semporna Sabah Malaysia

Big John Scuba

A lodge with 8 basic rooms with twin/double beds, attached bathroom and fan. Big John Scuba is quite well-known among HK and China tourists, and it earns very good reviews in TripAdvisor.

Room Rate*: RM90 (≈USD27)
E-mail: bigjohnlim@hotmail.com, bigjohnscuba1@gmail.com
Facebook: BIG-JOHN-Scuba
Tel: +60 14-2843723, +60 89-785399
Office Address: Jalan Kastalam No. 1 P/S 124, Semporna 91308, Sabah, Malaysia.

Mabul Beach Resort (Scuba Junkie)

Scuba Junkie wins the heart of many backpackers and sea turtles. They are the winner of 2012 Responsible Tourism Award (Best in Protection of Natural Areas and/or Wildlife Conservation) and own a 5-star PADI dive centre. Mabul Beach Resort has 24 en suite rooms situated on the beach front. You have a choice from basic dorm room to VIP air-con room.

Pic: office of Scuba Junkie in Semporna town

Room Rate*: RM110 (dorm) – RM485 (VIP room) (≈USD28 – 122)
E-mail: info@scuba-junkie.com
Website: www.scuba-junkie.com
Facebook: Scuba Junkie
Tel: +60 89-785372, +60 89-782372
Office Address: Block B Lot 36 Semporna Seafront, 91308 Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Billabong Scuba

A wooden stilt house that offers basic / budget homestay. Air-conditioned room with attached bathroom is available (at higher rate of course).

Room Rate*: RM70 – RM250 (≈USD21 – 76)
E-mail: bsds.sipadan@gmail.com, sip.billabong@gmail.com
Website: www.billabongscuba.com
Tel: +60 89-781866
Office Address: Lot 28, 1st floor, block E, Seafront New Township, Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Spheredivers Lodge

A budget lodge with 7 Units of twin sharing rooms. Family room available.

Room Rate*: RM890 (≈USD270) for 3 day 2 night dive package
E-mail: azharspheredivers@gmail.com
Website: www.spherediverslodge.com
Facebook: Spheredivers
Tel: +60 19-6657043

Sipadan Dive Centre Mabul Lodge

This lodge has 4 rooms equipped with 3 single beds (triple share) and ceiling fan, and 7 beach-front chalets equipped with 2 single beds (twin sharing), ensuite bathroom and air-conditioning.

Room Rate*: (Online Booking available) RM100 – RM165 (≈USD30 – 50)
E-mail: sdc@sipadandivers.com
Website: www.sdclodges.com
Facebook: sdcmabul
Tel: +60 88-240584
Office Address: Sipadan Dive Centre Sdn. Bhd., Lot No. A1103, 11th Floor, Wisma Merdeka, Jalan Tun Razak, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Seahorse Sipadan Scuba Lodge

A relatively new lodge that offers budget dorm and standard rooms.

Room Rate*: RM80 – 120 (≈USD24 – 36)
E-mail: infosshs@gmail.com
Facebook: Seahorsesss
Tel: +60 89-782289, +60 12-2797657
Office Address: Lot A1, 1st Floor, New Township Seafront, 91308 Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

Arung Hayat Lodge (Mabul)

This lodge has been in business since 1999. Besides accommodation, they also offer sea sports activities such as diving, snorkeling and day trip to most islands of Semporna.

Room Rate*: (Online Booking available) RM90 – 210 (≈USD27 – 64)
E-mail: sipadanadventures@gmail.com
Website: arunghayatsemporna.com, ahrscuba.com
Facebook: Arung.Hayat
Tel: +60 12-8229984 (mobile), +60 89-782846 (office)
Office Address: Jalan Pinggir Bakau, Peti Surat 245, 91308 Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.

The following are a few more other accommodations that I don’t have much info:

Below is a location map of the accommodation on Mabul Island:

View My Sabah Map in a larger map

Please note that a successful booking of accommodation on Mabul doesn’t guarantee you a trip to Sipadan. The number of visitors (include divemaster, snorkeler and picnicker) to Sipadan is limited to 120 people per day, so it’s demand over supply. Some resorts bundle the Sipadan trip with accommodation package, and some lodges sell Sipadan diving day tour (3 dives) for about RM400 (≈USD120) and above. Please contact them for info.

After checking out their websites with photos and read some reviews in TripAdvisor.com, you shall have a good idea which one to go for. Please note some accommodations listed here may not have proper license for occupation or land/boat transport for their guests. In case bad thing happens, that might affect your insurance compensation. If a fully insured tour is your top priority, you can always contact Sabah Tourism Board to check if your operator is licensed, before the booking. Last advice – set your expectation right, you will get what you pay for. Good luck and enjoy your stay!

Which one is your favorite accommodation?

Photos taken in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

The Tip of Borneo (Tanjung Simpang Mengayau) of Sabah

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Borneo is the third largest island in the world, and its northern-most tip is the meeting point of two big oceans, South China Sea and Sulu Sea. The Tip of Borneo is located in Kudat district and one of the most popular attractions in Sabah. The scenery is delightful but you may not know where you stand was used to be a watch-point for pirate invasion hundreds of years ago. That’s why the Tip of Borneo is also known as Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, which means the junction to the battle at the tip (in Rungus language).

Pic: The Tip of Borneo

Though most tourists doesn’t know the historical background here, they still love the scenic countryside, open sea and sandy beach at the Tip of Borneo. The best thing is – the entry is FREE. (Note: Tip of Borneo is closed for upgrade and renovation. No re-opening date is announced yet.)

Albeit the warning sign, many can’t resist to climb down the slope and walk to the tip for photo taking. It is not quite risky in normal day, but you must avoid standing at the tip during bad weather. Watch my video and you will know that the rough waves can wash you off the tip easily.

There are ample parking space at the entrance to the Tip. You only need to walk 3 minutes to a knoll which overlooks the Tip of Borneo. You will see the flagpole and globe monument near the end. Tourists like to take photos here.

The globe marks the location of the Tip of Borneo so you know where you are.

It’s always windy at the Tip of Borneo. In fact, many Chinese trading vessels were sunk here during the era of China’s Sung, Ming and Qing Dynasty, when they were on their way to Sulawesi, the Spice Island. Historians estimate that there might be twenty more undiscovered wrecks in the sea. Occasionally some lucky fishermen discover the ancient ship wrecks and sell the antique on the ships.

Pic: sea view at the Tip of Borneo

The fleet of Ferdinand Magellan, on its famous voyage to circumnavigate the globe, was said to have stopped here for 42 days to repair their ships. The Tip of Borneo was also the staging post of pirates and provisioning point for ships that needed water and fresh food.

Pic: the rocky shore next to the Tip of Borneo

Local Chinese calls the Tip of Borneo as Den Foh Liew (灯火楼 in Hakka dialect), which refers to the lighthouse on Pulau Kalampunian Island, to the east of the Tip.

Pic: panoramic view of the Tip of Borneo

The following are the photos of some interesting rocks crafted by prolonged wind and wave erosion. You will find some small caves and deep crevasses if you explore around the edge of the Tip of Borneo. Do you see the “fish”?

Pic: FYI, there are restaurant, parking lot, souvenir shop and toilet nearby for the convenience of visitors.

Beautiful Sunset

Don’t rush back home when you come here. The Tip of Borneo reserves the most magnificent sunset for those who are keen to stay put.

Pic: sunset over the meeting point of two oceans.

The sunset of the Tip is so beautiful that Sunset Music Fest is held here around June annually, to use sunset view as a backdrop. Some local and international artistes are invited to perform. The next one will be held on 20-21 June 2014. (Note: the Tip will be closed for the fest in the evening.) Do visit their website if you want to enjoy music in sunset, sea breeze and ocean view of Borneo.

Pic: Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Abdul Aziz was the guest of honor in Sunset Music Fest 2013, and welcomed by Rungus girls dressed in traditional costumes.

If you come to Sunset Music Fest, you may check out Coconut Festival in Kudat town. Both events happen on the same date.

Kalampunian Beach

On the way to the Tip of Borneo, your eyes will be drawn to the wonderful Kalampunian Beach (Pantai Kalampunian) located next to the Tip.

Pic: view of Kalampunian Beach from Tomanggong Kurantud, the highest point of the Tip (named after a brave Rungus warrior who led his people fought off pirate attack in 1880s)

The white sandy beach of Kalampunian Beach stretches over 4 Kilometers to the Tip. Bring your swimwear, sunblock lotion and towel when you plan to visit the Tip of Borneo, as it is so tempting to jump into the warm and crystal clear sea water.

However, the sea wave there is quite strong. Don’t let your kids swim too far. There is no lifeguard in this beach, so swim at your own risk.

Sometimes sea turtles would come to this beach to lay their eggs. To protect the baby turtles, the resorts and lodges nearby have been taking care of their nests, which is a great thing.

Other Activities

If you are an outdoor person, you have the choice of leisure to extreme activity at the Tip of Borneo.

Do you know that Kudat is the Coconut Town of Sabah? When the ugly oil palm is quickly replacing other crops, the view of swaying coconut trees is getting rare in outskirt, but not Kudat.

You can rent a bike or bicycle to have a relaxing ride near the Tip.

Around the Tip of Borneo, there are some villagers selling seashells at the roadside outside their wooden houses. A few of them even can post the seashell to your home country. But be informed that certain protected species such as giant clam might not be allowed to be shipped to your country.

During monsoon season from Dec to Mar, the tides at Kalampunian Beach can turn really rough. Bad news to beach goers but exciting news to surfers. Tip of Borneo is now one of the hot spots for local and overseas surfers.

I was told that there is a good scuba diving spot near the lighthouse. You may try to dive there. Who knows you would find an ancient ship wreck full of treasures? I’m not kidding.. A shipwreck of a Chinese merchant vessel from Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 A.D.) was discovered there, it’s the earliest maritime trade ship discovered in Malaysia.

How to get there

The Tip of Borneo is about 215 KM north of Kota Kinabalu city (see location map). You need to drive about 2.5 to 3 hours on a paved road (with a few small sections of gravel road) to reach there (via Kota Kinabalu → Tuaran → Kota Belud main road). Or you can charter a taxi (can take 3 or 4 passengers) for a return trip for about RM240 (≈USD73).

When you approach Kudat town, you will see many signage (note: some read “Tg. Simpang Mengayau” instead of “Tip of Borneo”) lead you to the Tip of Borneo.

Pic: compare to some years back (note the same tree), the road condition to the Tip of Borneo has improved a lot, though I still like the countryside feel in the past.

Accommodation near the Tip of Borneo

There are a few basic accommodation around the Tip of Borneo. I list them below and you may contact them for latest info / rate. Note for caller: 60 is country code of Malaysia.

1. TSM Merrimas Villa

– Next to the Tip of Borneo, has over 10 chalets, for honeymooners and family. Wifi available. Room with air-conditioner, TV, hot water and attached bathroom.

Rate: RM268 – RM568 (≈USD81 -172)
Tel: +60 19-8332199, +60 19-8923299
Website: www.merrimasvilla.com
Facebook: TSMmerrimasvilla
E-mail: reservations@merrimasvilla.com, webmaster@merrimasvilla.com

2. Simpang Mengayau Chalet

– Next to the Tip of Borneo, Chalets and rooms with fan and attached bathroom, Wifi available.

Rate: RM100-RM600 (≈USD30 – 181)
Tel: +60 13-8682112 (Betty), +60 13-5580801 (James), +60 11-19584515, +60 16-8273258, +60 17-3410237
E-mail: betty6763@gmail.com, simpangmengayauchalet@gmail.com
Facebook: SimpangMengayauChalet
Website: simpangmengayauchalet.blogspot.com

3. Tommy’s Place (Tip of Borneo Resort)

– 15 minutes walk to the Tip of Borneo, near to Kalampunian Beach, backpacker lodge with many activities (e.g. surfing, diving, snorkeling), winner of TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013, air-conditioned room. Wifi available. (Online Booking available)

Rate: RM140 – RM240 (≈USD42 -73)
Tel: +60 88 493468, +60 13-811 2315, +60 16-8321466, +60 16-8321488
Website: www.tipofborneoresort.com
E-mail: tipofborneoresort@yahoo.com
Facebook: Tip-of-Borneo-Resort

4. BorneoTip Beach Lodge

– 15 minutes walk to the Tip of Borneo, near to Kalampunian Beach, air-conditioned room for standard traveller and family group, with attached bathroom. Wifi available.

Rate: RM150 – RM300 (≈USD45 – 91)
Tel: +60 16 8170163
E-mail: borneotip@yahoo.com
Website: borneotipbeachlodge.blogspot.com
Facebook: borneotipbeachlodge.kudat

Below is a location map of the Tip of Borneo and the accommodation in its vicinity:

View My Sabah Map in a larger map

Personally I love the tranquility of this rural area and enjoy every peaceful moment of it. In city, every minute my brain works hard to process hundred of “noises” from TV, phone, road, computer, etc. In contrast, at Tip of Borneo, my body seems to enjoy the noises of sea wave, gentle breeze, rustling leaves, bird chirping… All these remind me that I’m a human being and part of the nature… The Internet and the latest technology have turned me into a half-cyborg LOL. Spending a day away from home is better than viewing and liking 1,000 photos on the Internet. “Get a life!”

Photos taken in Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Accommodation on Pulau Tiga

Pulau Tiga Resort

If you plan to stay on Pulau Tiga, Pulau Tiga Resort will be your first choice. You can book the tour online at their website at www.pulautiga.com.my, where all the packages and information are listed. You can even ask them to pick you up at Kota Kinabalu city (KK). It’s so easy. They also have an office on 11th floor of Wisma Sabah in KK city center to book your tour. Just call their hotline at +60 10-947 8888 (phone, Whatsapp, WeChat) or visit their website (Online Booking available) for any enquiry.

Pic: jetty of Pulau Tiga Resort
Normally tourists stay there for 2 or 3 days. After you check-in, you don’t need to worry about food and activities, as the resort will prepare everything for you. There will be guide and staff to answer all your needs.

Once you enter the island, they will brief you so you will have a comfortable stay there. Btw, mobile phone coverage is good there, but I’ll turn off my phone anyway, hehe..

Pic: the Activity and Dining Hall of Pulau Tiga Resort
You will have your 3 meals and afternoon tea break in this hall. Free Wifi is available there.

Food will be served in buffet style if there are many guests. The meals are usually a mix of Asian and Western food, just to name some, white bread, fried rice, noodle, fruit (watermelon, pineapple, papaya, etc.), vegetables (salad, cucumber, eggplant, etc.), hot dog, omelet, fish, squid, soy sauce chicken, french fries, lamb, mushroom soup. And free flow of coffee and water.

Pic: Survivor Bar in the dining hall, for you to get cold beer and carbonated drink

Pic: Sukau Room
You can watch TV (ASTRO satellite TV) in Sukau Room. Karaoke is open from 8pm to 11pm in Sipadan Room at other side. You also can play pool there (RM5.50 per game).

Pic: souvenir shop next to Survivor Bar in dining hall

Pic: you can have BBQ or play Ping-Pong here

Pic: Beach Volley Ball field

Pic: Watersport and Dive Center is nearby if you want to do kayaking, snorkeling and scuba-diving.

Pic: Survivor Lodge of Pulau Tiga Resort

Pic: the chalets are near to beach area

In brief, the Survivor Lodge of Pulau Tiga Resort has 20 standard rooms and 10 superior rooms (2 are family rooms). The resort can accommodate a maximum 70 people at a time.

Pic: the superior room in which I stayed
The room is well-furnished and gets everything I need. e.g. attached bathroom with hot shower, ceiling fan, air-conditioner, bed. The structure is a bit old but it’s clean and neat. Good job by their house-keeping service.

Pic: jetties of Pulau Tiga Resort (right) and Sabah Parks (left)

For latest promotion and updated info, you may stay connected with Facebook of Pulau Tiga Resort.

Sabah Parks Base Camp

Sabah Parks is a government agency under the Ministry of Environment. Their main role is to conserve and manage Pulau Tiga national park and they have no commercial interest on the island, though their rest house and hostel are open for public. I’m trying to hint… you should not expect to be pampered like a tourist, though their staffs are friendly.

Pic: jetty of Sabah Parks

Pic: you need to buy ticket (Conservation Levy) here to enter the island. It’s only RM10 (≈USD3) for non-Malaysian adult.

Actually Sabah Parks has good facilities. You may check out the layout map above for detail.

Pic: The chalet of Sabah Parks can accommodate 4 guests and is equipped with kitchen, bathroom and furniture.

Pic: The cabin of Sabah Parks has kitchen, one bathroom and two bedrooms, each with bunk beds and can accommodate 8 people.

The chalet and cabins of Sabah Parks are open for public. You can book a bed as cheap as RM30 (≈USD9) per night, so it is an alternative accommodation on Pulau Tiga. However, they don’t provide boat transfer and food. You have to hire a boat to come here and cook/bring your own food. Other than accommodation, you won’t get any other service.

If you still insist to stay there, you may call Kuala Penyu office of Sabah Parks (Tel: +60 87-884695) to book a bed / room. To charter a boat, call Mr. Faizal at +60 13-8702021. The cost per charter boat (can take a maximum of 12 passengers) is about RM700 (≈USD212) for return-trip. To save money on boat transfer, you should go in big group to share the fee. The boat man will still charge you RM700 per boat, even if there are only two people going.

You also can camp at Sabah Parks for a small fee (about RM5≈USD1.50 per adult)

Pic: BBQ area and shelter near the beach of Sabah Parks station

Pic: World War 2 relic

Pic: soccer field

The Sabah Parks base camp is more “student-friendly”, I think.

Pic: administrative office of Sabah Parks

Pic: you can check out the Mini-Exhibition in administrative office between 9am to 4pm (open daily). The entrance is free. You can learn about flora and fauna in Pulau Tiga Park, but the photographs and specimens are very old. To learn more about Sabah Parks, you may visit their website at: www.sabahparks.org.my.

Pic: there is a tidal swamp near Sabah Parks office, with beautiful mangrove and small lagoon. You can see many fishes trapped in the lagoon during low tide.

FYI, there is another island accommodation named “Borneo Survivor Resort” at east side of the Pulau Tiga island. Currently it is closed and taken over by new management from YTL. I saw them busy doing construction at the site. You can expect a new resort opens in near future.

More Photos

You may check out my photo album on Pulau Tiga Island if you would like to see more nice pictures:

Photos taken in Kuala Penyu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo