The Sabah Experience: Land Below the Wind

[2206]

Mount Kinabalu

http://ruohshiang.blogspot.com/


Tuaran Mee!!!

[2206]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/azmanjumat/6233769386/
image hosted on flickr

[2206]

The View From Kapalai
http://www.flickr.com/photos/azmanju...n/photostream/
image hosted on flickr

[2206]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmkz_ph...n/photostream/
image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[2206]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmkz_ph...in/photostream
image hosted on flickr

[2206]

Wind Paradise Mongolian Resort - First Mongolian Resort In Malaysia
http://aboutsabah.com/hotel/first-mo...t-in-malaysia/



Located in the chilly and rolling hills of Kundasang, this is the first Mongolian Resort in Malaysia. Welcome to The Wind Paradise Mongolian Resort.

Wake up to a beautiful view of the countryside and the fresh mountain air. Kundasang is at the foot of Mount Kinabalu and is a great place to get away during the holidays.

The Wind Paradise Mongolian Resort is off the beaten path, near the Desa cattle ranch. The design of the huts are in authentic Mongolian style called a Yurt, and can sleep 3 to 4 persons. You will be sleeping on beds, no reason not to be comfortable, you are after all on a holiday.

The Wind Paradise Mongolian Resort offers conventional rooms as well as the Mongolian Yurt. The design of the resort is in typical Kundasang design, wooden structures that reminds you that you are out in the countryside.

[2206]

Tambunan - Switzerland of The East


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oLw1BzoXZb...0/tambunan.jpg


http://dpshots.com/images/landscapes...a-kinabalu.jpg

[AFL]

Originally Posted by 2206

Tambunan - Switzerland of The East

Beautiful photos. But, I think the slogan is more suitable to Himalayan nation of Bhutan. I think Tambunan can be called as 'tropical Appalachian of the East'

[2206]

POM POM ISLAND
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zenlee/...th/6597345439/

image hosted on flickr

Sabah - Pom Pom Island by ZenLee, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Sabah - Pom Pom Island by ZenLee, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Sabah - Pom Pom Island by ZenLee, on Flickr

[2206]

[2206]

94m-long dragon the biggest draw at festival

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...073&sec=nation

KOTA KINABALU: A performance featuring a re****cord 94m-long dragon was the highlight of a festival held to usher in Chinese New Year.

This was among those put up by nearly 100 troupes performing at the Dragon, Lion Dance and Unicorn Festival launched by Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman at the historic Padang Merdeka here on Saturday.

The public was also entertained by a 24-drum performance by Chung Hwa primary school.

Noting that the festival had attracted thousands of people of various communities and religions, Musa said this reflected the uniqueness of Malay*sians, especially those in Sabah.

“It is good to see that Chinese New Year, like other festivals, is being celebrated by Malay*sians of all communities by attending open houses and other activities.

“This demonstrates that unity and harmony among the people of Sabah have always been strong,” he added.


http://starstorage.blob.core.windows...ion/Padang.jpg

[2206]

Nexus Resort Karambunai

image hosted on flickr

Kota Kinabalu - Malaysia by Eden Viaggi, on Flickr

[2206]

http://www.e-sabah.com/viewthread.ph...extra=&page=19

[2206]

pulau banggi ( banggi island )
http://www.sensiborneo.com/about-sab...au-banggi.html

Pulau Banggi is part of a group of islands located within the Kudat Division and is off the northern coast of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. With an area of 440.7km square, it is the largest island in Malaysia followed by the islands of Langkawi and Penang. The area around Pulau Banggi has the second largest concentration of coral reefs in Malaysia and contains an important mix of habitats including mangroves, seagrasses and open sea providing safe haven for endangered animals such as turtles and the dugong.

The Sabah State Government has proposed Pulau Banggi, along with neighbouring Pulau Balambangan, Pulau Malawali, Pulau Balak and Pulau Molleangan amongst others, for gazettement as the Tun Mustafa Park under the jurisdiction of Sabah Parks. This Kudat-Banggi conservation area forms the southern half of the Balabic Straights which separate Borneo from the Philippines and is the meeting place of the Sulu and the South China Seas. The Tun Mustafa Park being over 1 million hectares will be the biggest marine protected area in Southeast Asia.

To reach the main town of Karakit on Pulau Banggi there are daily one hour ferry services that depart from the northern fishing town of Kudat. Kudat is a three hour drive from Kota Kinabalu – the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia.

Diving around Pulau Banggi is astounding and bursting with diversity, due to its proximity to the Balabic Straight Corridor the currents can provide more than a challenge. The corridor serves as a passageway for marine life forms from plankton to whalesharks and all the creatures in between such as dolphins, various species of sharks and whales, turtles, and shoals of oceanic fishes. Dive sites are encased in a stunning variety of corals such as gorgorian fans, bubble coral, staghorn, lettuce corals and many other hard and soft corals. Making their home in the corals are batfish, squid, shrimp, eels, nudibranchs and countless other creatures. There are several merchant ship wrecks in the area, two of which lay in 20-25m of water, and another that is laying at 50m. There are records of countless others just waiting to be discovered.

Thick virgin rainforest covers more than 70% of Pulau Banggi which is largely unaffected by development, and gorgeous white sand beaches wrap around most of the coastline. Over 20,000 people of various ethnicity call Pulau Banggi home. The main town on Pulau Banggi is the town of Karakit; here you will find the Bonggi Resort on the waterfront. They have basic rooms with fan and shared bathroom, or you can go a step up with air-con and attached bathroom. For the more adventurous, Banggi-style wooden huts are available and those who are both adventurous with no fear of heights can opt for the tree houses that present beautiful views of the sea and surrounding islands.

Pulau Banggi has something for everyone, be it lazing on the pristine beaches, wildlife and bird watching, jungle trekking, deep-sea fishing, island hopping, exploring local cultures, scuba diving snorkelling and swimming.


image hosted on flickr

pulau banggi ( banggi island ) by ShutterShuk, on Flickr


image hosted on flickr

DSC01391 by ShutterShuk, on Flickr

[2206]

Tatagan Island, Semporna
image hosted on flickr

Tatagan Island by wanzai99, on Flickr

[ntly1]

Braving dangers to capture Sabah’s beauty from airby Anna Vivienne. Posted on February 24, 2012, Friday

At 9pm tomorrow, 25 Feb, a new documentary that features two professional photographers Jonathan Tan and Cede Prudente flying paramotors and braving risky weather conditions to capture breathtaking bird’s-eye views of Sabah’s tropical rainforest and sea will be aired over the Bio Channel (Astro 731).

The ‘Shoot for the Sky’ documentary will take viewers to various locations, including the mangroves on Sandakan coastline, Semporna islands, the reefs and home of the sea gypsies and foothills of Mount Kinabalu.

According to its director Julian Shori, the production of the show involved huge physical and emotional challenges.


“It all started in Kuala Lumpur when we had to pack and transport over 500kg of equipment to Sandakan. We encountered many technical, logistical and weather problems.

“In the early stage, the fuel was contaminated and could not be used. So the engines had to be emptied and cleaned, then refueled.

“We also had to travel by boat each day from Semporna to the islands and had to return by late evening with the heavy equipment,” he said.

Julian said the time for taking better photographs varied from location to location.

“In the Sepilok area, good lighting for photographs was in the early morning and late afternoon. At the islands, the ideal lighting condition was around noon when the light was from above. At the mountain the only time they could photograph the eastern ridge was in the early morning,” he said.

“So it was a nightmare for me. Could they ever accomplish their mission with all these conditions and all the obstacles in our way?

“This programme was completely unscripted and therefore the talents were not directed at all in anyway. We, the crew and I, had to anticipate what would happen and be there when it did.

“It was difficult to say the least, but we succeeded in most situations,” he said, adding that “Murphy’s Law” was their guide all along, which means that if anything goes wrong, it will go wrong.”

Julian said they spent four days in Sandakan as they realised that Cede and Jonathan needed some more time training with their cameras.

They then spent three days in Semporna and two days in Kinabalu Parks.

The weather conditions posed a safety risk, with the winds frequently changing in strength and direction. .

“They were in some form of danger most of the time. We were concerned about their safety most of the time. At the Sepilok Forest Reserve, the take-off and the flight over the forest and water were quite dangerous,” said Julian.

“But most of all my concern was whether they were paying attention to James who was the safety officer as well as trainer. They were at times so absorbed with the view that they forgot to pay attention to James’ instructions,” he said.

James Matthews Irving Gibss of Sydney, Australia is the director of Air Venture, a sports aviation training business.

Cede and Jonathan underwent an accelerated training course with Air Venture and it proved to be all they need to safely tackle the challenges.

“After their training week I was very pessimistic about their success, but after we started on our journey I was amazed at the determination and persistence of the two new pilots and my pessimism turned to cautious optimism,” Julian said.

“I am glad that we have managed to accomplish what we did and the two pilots accomplished their mission,” he said.

So come tomorrow, Sabahans and other viewers can follow Cede and Jonathan to enjoy spectacular sights of the Land Below the Wind, which is home to one of the world’s oldest tropical rainforests.

source: The Borneo Post

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02...auty-from-air/

[dcOhiney]

Just retin from sabah last week. Great experience except for the food poisoning the entire family got thanks to kundasang's water supply.. Or dirty restaurant

[AFL]

Originally Posted by dcOhiney

Just retin from sabah last week. Great experience except for the food poisoning the entire family got thanks to kundasang's water supply.. Or dirty restaurant

Oh, how pity. I think that might also caused by flies from nearby cabbage farms. My family and I stayed in Kundasang Pine resort few years ago, and in the morning, flies were all over the place on our breakast! Very annoying.

[2206]

Nexus Karambunai

[2206]

Tip Of Borneo
image hosted on flickr

The Blues by nelza jamal, on Flickr