Sabah

An environment of excitement

Words by Gabriel A. Dela Cruz
Images by Zean Villongco

The call to adventure comes to the eager traveler, seeking to explore the natural wonders found in this province, on the island of Borneo.

Less than an hour after we’d landed in Kota Kinabalu, my companions and I leisurely walked through the near-empty sidewalk of Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, delighting each other in stories of past travels while on our way to the Night Market. It was 4 a.m. on my first day in Sabah, and even then, I could not help but feel a stirring in my chest. The call of adventure was strong here.

Despite the late hour, local merchants who were gathered at the market looked up at us with eager expressions on their tanned faces. They called out to us in Malay, then switched over to strained English after they realized we were foreigners, to inform us of the cheap prices of their produce.

The Night Market was our first chance for sightseeing, and there was certainly a lot to see, from the oversized mangoes and chili peppers, and crabs and lobsters crawling over each other inside their bins. Yes, this first fascinating encounter of life in Sabah, a Malaysian province found on the beautiful island of Borneo, seemed like the recurring theme of my journey.

Capturing the golden hour in Sabah.

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A sweet snack called Kuih Penjaram.

A sunset cruise to start things off

That afternoon, Tourism Malaysia invited me and 36 other journalists from 11 different Asian countries on a cruise along the city’s waterfront. On the roof deck of a yacht operated by North Borneo Cruises, deputy director general (for planning) Zulkifli bin Md. Said officially launched the “It’s Summertime in Malaysia” Mega Familiarization Tour. It is a program meant to provide international media with first-hand experience on the attractiveness of Sabah through various culture, heritage and eco-adventure activities.

After launching the tour, we were invited below deck so we could enjoy a buffet of local and international dishes, meant to tickle the fancy of those seeking to enjoy one of Sabah’s most sought after culinary experiences. Who wouldn’t want to spend that golden hour feasting on both Beef Satay and Chicken Nuggets while being serenaded by a live band singing popular Asian tunes? It was a treat we savored. Later, we were treated yet again to an especially magical sight; the sun dipping down to the sea while bathing the horizon in its golden glow. Even now, days after I laid eyes on it, that moment at the rear deck of the yacht alongside many of my new acquaintances while we watched the sunset, remains a highlight of my Sabah adventure.

A boat ride over the placid river leads to the lush interiors of Sabah.

Sightseeing cruise down the river

Our next stop for that afternoon was the pristine Klias wetlands. Located 112 kilometers from the city, the Klias River Cruise promised a serene voyage down the river while introducing us to local fauna, exclusive to the island of Borneo.

During the afternoon cruise, we were lucky to spot two different species of monkeys. The first was the long-tailed macaque, small brown-furred animals we glimpsed through the dense foliage. The second was the proboscis monkey, another species endemic to Borneo, famous for its fleshy, pendulous nose. Although we were told the creature was a rare sight, strangely enough, five appeared in the trees above us, providing us plenty of chances to admire their brown behinds from our seats in the open boats.

Dinner was a sumptuous village-style feast, and famished as I was from the recent adventure, I found myself stacking my plate with fried rice, black pepper beef, sweet and sour fish, and some chicken curry.

But as enjoyable as the afternoon river cruise was, it was the night cruise through the mangrove swamp that I considered the highlight of the entire trip, not just because our boats were graced by fireflies and their show of flickering lights, but because the moonless sky had become a canvas of stars above us. As a city dweller, I’d never seen such an unobstructed view of that sea of stars, and to witness such a dazzling sight immediately sold me on the idea of ecotourism.

A mini waterfall at the end of the trek in Tinapikon Park.

The unique flora and fauna, its lush landscapes and diverse cultures should certainly be enjoyed, but must also be preserved.

Discovering heritage

In Mari Mari Cultural Village, in the remote forest in Kionsom, Inanam, far from the hustle and bustle of Kota Kinabalu, our guide, Mohammad Harif, asked, “Anyone knows the meaning of mari, mari?”

No one could give him the correct answer, so he simply laughed and said, “It means come, come. So when I say mari, mari, you all come, come.”

We visited the Dusun, Rungus, Lundayeh, Bajau and Murut huts, five of the largest ethnic communities found in the region, all with their own charming cultures that gave one a broad idea of Sabah’s heritage.

The Dusun indulged in black magic and a rice wine called ragi. The Rungus, known for their long huts, demonstrated how to use bamboo made tools to start a warm fire. The Lundayeh, who worshipped alligators as deities, shared insight on techniques used for turning tree bark into ropes and vests. The Bajau, descendants of a tribe that migrated from the Philippines, introduced my stomach to a sweet snack called Kuih Penjaram which was made from pandan, sugar and rice-flour ingredients. Finally, the Murut, the last of Sabah’s headhunter tribes, showed off their wooden trampoline, made entirely of rattan wood, which they used in a jumping game that performers happily demonstrated for us.

The finale for this visit was the cultural show, and Mari Mari Cultural Village did not disappoint. Village performers introduced us to the Sumazau, Magunatip, and other cultural dances. The last portion of the show urged guests to join performers on stage to try Magunatip, as we were taught how to hop in and out of two clapping bamboo poles, making it quite the enjoyable interactive experience for all gathered there.

A performer shows the authentic moves of a native Sabah dance.

To witness such a dazzling sight immediately convinced me about the idea and advocacy of ecotourism.

Seeking thrills on a mild rafting adventure

On our final day in Sabah, we arrived at the Traverse Adventure Centre in Kampung Rangalau Lama, Kiulu, Tamparuli, greeted by the smiling operators of Riverbug Asia, our guides on this final adventure, which I admittedly had mixed feelings about. This was largely due to anxiety caused by the memory of a recent trip to the neighboring Malaysian province of Sarawak, where I’d fallen into a river and lost my glasses while on a 10-kilometer kayak ride.

I needn’t have worried however as the 15-kilometer river rafting adventure along the Kiulu River was an incredibly fun experience that washed away the memory of my past journey. It helped that I’d paid special attention during the earlier safety briefing to ensure there would be no second accidental dip into another Borneo river. Weirdly enough, I would opt to jump into the Kiulu myself when our river guide informed us it was time for a swim.

The river ride, only between Grade I and II, was two hours of mostly pleasant cruising along picturesque river scenery, with Mt. Kinabalu rising majestically behind us.

The excitement begins when the water turns turbulent.

Sustainable adventure travel

During our tour of Sabah, Tourism Malaysia also invited the media to the recently concluded Pacific Asia Travel Association Adventure Travel Conference and Mart 2020, held at Sutera Harbour Resort last Feb. 13.

We arrived for their opening session where the first speakers, Raj Gyawall, founder of Socialtours, and Adventure Tourism Expert, Natasha Martin, discussed adventure tourism in 2020. They spoke at length about responsible and sustainable adventure travel to ensure a sustainable future, where our children could enjoy the same beautiful environment that we do today.

Concluding my own recent eco-adventure here in Sabah, I couldn’t help but imagine that this slice of paradise at the heart of Asia was exactly what those speakers were referring to. The unique flora and fauna, its lush landscapes and diverse cultures should certainly be enjoyed, but must also be preserved so that future generations could experience the same kind of heart-thumping adventure I did on this trip.

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