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Borneo Bound Malaysian Borneo is teeming with travel opportunities according to Monica Majors. Photos by Monica Majors.
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fter falling in love with Penang, I decided to have another go at one of Malaysia’s islands. This time my travels took me to the island of Borneo, which Malaysia shares with Brunei and Indonesia. It’s the third-largest island in the world, and the Malaysian state of Sabah, with its sister state Sarawak, make up only about one quarter of the island. Borneo is well known for its flora and fauna and nature lovers can easily spend a month traipsing through jungles, over mountain peaks or exploring underwater. Throughout my few days there I was able to do just a little bit of this, taking advantage of the convenience of Sabah’s capital city, Kota Kinabalu, colloquially known as KK.
Chillin’ in the KK
Located on the north-western shore of Borneo, KK is accessible via flights from Kuala Lumpur. If you’re looking to head out into the other parts of Malaysian Borneo, you’ll likely fly into KK first. The capital city was originally called Jesselton, a name that remains on the harbour today. It has been under Bruneian, British and Japanese occupation, before joining Malaysia in 1963. In 1967 its name was changed to Kota Kinabalu, though there is some confusion over whether the etymology refers to ‘mountain city’, or its ancient meaning of ‘revered place of the dead’. Both Lonely Planet and the New York Times call the city “quaint and genuine,” but also “bustling with markets, and fiery sunsets.” And they are absolutely correct. The city runs along the shoreline and is bookended by verdant jungle. Its market is extensive and pushes up against the shore, knocking its shoulder with the lively harbour. Seafood is the ubiquitous cuisine on offer here, and I highly recommend you seek out a local delicacy known as hinava. Each part of Malaysia abounds with its own signature dish, and in Sabah this is a must-have. Raw mackerel is mixed with salt, shallots, lime juice and chilli and served fresh, usually as an appetiser. You can find it either in the market stalls or in the more expensive restaurants, but be sure you don’t leave without having experienced it. Unlike most visitors to Borneo, I had only a few days, and so chose to take day excursions from the city rather than hop around. I dived locally rather than heading to the underwater heaven of Sipadan, 38 AsiaLIFE HCMC
following strong “do not travel” advisories from several embassies. I also had a lovely hotel bed in which I was more than happy to hide while it was pouring outside, plus access to the hotel’s executive lounge for free drinks and all the hinava I could handle
Chugging Along
There are many day-trips out of the city to consider. I only had time for a few. The first was to the most historic remnant in the state: the North Borneo Railway. Established in 1896, the line was constructed during British rule, commissioned by William Clark Cowie of the British North Borneo Chartered Company as a way to tap into internal resources like timber, tin and lands for cultivating tobacco and pineapple and transport it to the port. Heavily damaged during Allied bombings in World War II, it was reconstructed by the 1960s in time for steam power to be ruled obsolete by the 1970s. It was reopened in the year 2000 as a tourist attraction and currently runs twice-weekly on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. As you board, you’re provided with a delicious local breakfast, setting the tone for a leisurely half-day of travel. The train passes through five townships, stopping at two of them where travellers can de-board and explore. The journey is scenic and inspiring, often catching glimpses of the jungle, Buddhist temples, grazing water buffalo and more lush greenery. While returning to Tanjung Aru station, travellers are treated to a traditional tiffin set lunch, most definitely the highlight of the trip. More
hinava, followed by stir-fried fern shoots with prawns, a fish curry with okra, BBQ chicken with steamed Sabah brown rice and local fruits; the perfect way to round out the journey.
Eerily Human
Even if you’re staying put in the city, a trip to Borneo isn’t complete until you’ve seen orangutans. We share just about 97 percent of our DNA with these hyperintelligent mammals, and they are almost certain to go extinct in our lifetime. It’s a sad story placated by a few sanctuaries dotted around the world. There are two in the state of Sabah: Shangri-la Rasa Ria Nature Reserve and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Only the former is accessible via KK without having to take an internal flight. While I cannot speak highly enough about taking any opportunity you get to see orangutans in their natural environment, I would recommend you instead head to the Semenggoh Nature Reserve one state over in Kuching, Sarawak. At Rasa Ria I was severely disturbed by the number of obnoxious tourists and propaganda issued by the palm-oil partner of the centre. Regardless of my experience, they house two baby orangutans and it was refreshingly emotional to watch them bumble around the canopy and smack one another on their adorably fuzzy bottoms.
Nature by Numbers
About a two-hour drive from KK is Mount Kinabalu. Surrounded by a state park, many visitors travel here to summit the
4,095-metre-high peak. It’s a reasonable overnight hike, and does require prior booking. The 75,370-hectare park is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its immensely important ecosystem. The park contains more than 5,000 vascular plants, including representatives from more than half the families of all flowering plants. There are 1,000 orchid species, 78 species of Ficus and 60 species of ferns. A walk through the botanical garden is both informative and picturesque, and will offer you a glimpse at the infamous pin-head orchid and Rotschild’s Slipper Orchid, considered the most expensive in the world.
Additionally, many threatened or vulnerable species of mammals, amphibians and invertebrates live there alongside 326 species of birds. Not far from Mount Kinabalu is the heavily-trafficked Poring Hot Springs. Exceptionally popular as a local hangout, there’s a great canopy walk and treks to nearby waterfalls. Other than the canopy walk at Rasa Ria Nature Reserve, this is the closest one to KK City. While tame in comparison to those of the Danum Valley, it’s a thrill nonetheless. However, the real reason to venture here is to see the world’s largest (and stinkiest) flower, the rafflesia.
It can measure up to 100 centimetres in diameter, and opens only for one to three days. Many locals make their living by selling admission to their land where flowers happen to be in bloom. You’ll pay a pretty penny for a chance to gaze at it from across a cordoned off area, but is exceptionally funky to look upon, and exists only in sporadic areas of Southeast Asia. If you ask me why I keep travelling to Malaysia, I’ll first tell you that it’s the best mash-up of worldly cuisine in Asia. Secondly, it’s super convenient to and from Ho Chi Minh City. And third, it’s simply gorgeous. AsiaLIFE HCMC 39