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Public Zone 公開區 => Travelogues 遊記相薄 => Topic started by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:24:55

Title: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:24:55

We went to Kota Kinabalu during the Chinese New Year holiday. We took the DragonAir Holiday package and would like to stay a few more days longer. But the travel agents told us there was no flight before or after the package.

And then on the way back, we found out that the flights to/fro were special additional/charactered flight, and not only we got to sit in the same seats, the people around us were ALL the same people!

I suspect that the travel agent (Lotus Travel) had incentive to keep us on that same flight and lied about availability of later flights.

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:33:42

Initially we were booked to stay at the Shangri-la Rasa Ria. But about a day or two before the payment day, we were told that not only we would not get the seaview room as booked, we would have to paid addional 20% for the peak season. To me this reads "rip off" so we changed to Neuxs Resort.

The hotel has a very good setting - one side is a gold course, the opposite side the sea and beach. Lots of trees and birds and even monitor lizards.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02109.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090124_DSC02103.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:49:37

The design and layout is very typical of hotels in the Phuket, Bali & Hainan. The room amenities need more attention.

The only major disappointment was their upscale Mediterranean restaurant Olives. The food quality and preparation were very good but the services were terrible. The table was not prepared properly, and the waitress did not know about the food and the preparation, and they did not paid attention or anticipate the customers’ needs. On the next day I found out that Olives’ waiting staff is the same as the breakfast buffet staff, whose job was sole taking the finished plates.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02116.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090124_DSC02105.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090124_DSC02095.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:53:15

The 2nd day in Sabah. We visited the Sunday market.

Just by chance we first visited the food market. It looks like a 天光墟 - market that only opens in the morning and closes by mid-day.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02120.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02121.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:54:03

The food market we visited was right next to the pier or a fishmen's port.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02128.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02134.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:55:09

Sunday entertainment?

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02142.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02144.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:55:44

What are they selling? Seaweed?

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02129.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02139.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:56:57

Then the dried food. I bought a pack of the dried seahorses.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02146.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02149.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 02:57:48

Very young shop keeper.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02156.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02155.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:01:10

Back to the hotel in the afternoon. Inside the hotel is a serious of ponds with many lotus, birds and minitor lizards! At one point I saw about three of them hanging out in one pond. The hotel has a warning sign telling people not to feed the lizards.

This lizard was about 1.5m long.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02180.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_DSC02188.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:03:22

My kids riding horses on the beach.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090125_P1000217.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:04:19

These lotus seem only bloomson in the evening until early morning only.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02205.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02208.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:06:00

Today we took a local tour to see the famous rain forest canopy walk. Inside the tour bus were lots of post cards of the famous local touist traps.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02260.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:07:52

A stop to see and photograph the famous Mount Kinabalu. We could still see the top of the mountain at this time, but very soon it would be completely covered by clouds.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02264.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02274.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:09:03

Arriving at the park.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02285.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02330.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:12:32

I was actually very disappointed at the canopy walkway. It almost looked to me like a cheap tourist trap. The line was long, and we were not able to actually stop and spend the time to see the top half of the rain forest. There were not much explanation either. Perhaps it would be better to charge more but have a better quality experience?!

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02343.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:30:32

Our tour guide said that he would try to find an opportunity for us to see Rafflesia - the largest flower in the world. Supposedly the largest ever recorded was almost 1 meter in diameter. The flower is a parasite, and could take years before blossom. And the flower would last only a few days. When blossom, the flower would give a foul smell.

Our driver told the tour guide that he knew one Rafflesia was blossoming the day before. A few minutes after we left the park with the canopy walk, we saw a large by simple sign on the roadside advertising the Rafflesia blossom. There was a small van on the road side charging equivalent of HK$45 each person to see the flower. The flower was about 30 meters into the jungle, with a small trail hacked through the trees.

This one was about 50cm in diameter? Compare the size with the bamboo and grasses.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02387.jpg)

A close up photo of the flower. The small black mushroom like thingy at the top left corner is the bud, we were told.

After seeing the pictures, my dad asked if the flower could be a fake one to fool touists. I guess it could be but with my 20 million pixels resolution digital SLR camers, I could see the very fine details of the flower petal, and I would think this one has too much detailed to be a cheap fake.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02396.jpg)

Another picture taken by Grace with her digicam.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_P1000252.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:35:46

Before going back to the hotel, we got the chance to stop in a botanical garden. The garden is inside a national park bigger than Hong Kong.

This plant has leaves that is asymmetrical.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02414.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:36:29

Another interesting formation. The new leaves seem to have roots?

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02421.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:47:04

This plant is called Paphiopedilum Rothschildianum. The guide said it's very rare, worth how many tens of thousand GBP, and told us stories of people smuggling this out of Malaysia but got caught in London, etc...

But I guess the smugglers were successful afterall.... because...

After came back to Hong Kong, I showed my orchid growing/collecting friends these pictures. They told me that it's Chinese name is "拖鞋皇" (Slipper King) and a very popular "原生種" (means not artificially cross-bred with others to form a new bred.) This is not rare but hard to keep because it needs to be wet.

[I recently went to my friend's orchid show and saw a smaller relative of this flower. The Chinese name is 拖鞋蘭 or Slipper Orchid. See #9 in http://chinman.com/index.php?topic=92.0]

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02432.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090126_DSC02434.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:48:58

Today we go fishing. My kid was playing with a cat before our boat is ready.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02465.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02468.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:49:55

Crab trap. But we did not get any crab.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02485.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:53:41

Houses and fish farms on the side.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02495.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02581.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:54:40

Local fishermen.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02505.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02578.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02577.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 03:56:35

After an hour, we got only two very smaller fishes and this strange creature. Oh well, there goes my first ever fishing trip.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02548.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_P1000284.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 01 March 2009, 04:07:21

The beach in Nexus was very good. The sands were really powder like and soft. We had lots of fun body boarding there.

Two random shots of other visitors.

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02711.jpg)

(http://chinman.com/uploads/200901_Malaysia/20090127_DSC02714.jpg)

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: oo8 on 27 September 2009, 13:39:10

Food in Sabah is not bad at all. Very cheap indeed . . . .  

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: oo8 on 27 September 2009, 13:40:50

More food from Sabah . . . . . .  

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: oo8 on 27 September 2009, 13:42:19

Our family went to Sabah in August. We went to the same market as Chin did.  

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: oo8 on 27 September 2009, 13:44:27

Sabah is place for people who like wild life .  . . . .  

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: oo8 on 27 September 2009, 13:52:40

more pix from Sabah . . .

Title: Re: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 馬來西亞沙巴 (Jan-2009)
Post by: chin on 27 September 2009, 23:22:56

This pic is very good!

(http://chinman.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=95.0;attach=4711;image)