Travel Weekly editor at large Nadine Godwin recently returned
from a visit to Malaysia's Sabah. Her report follows:
abah is a Malaysian state, and
one of two (with Sarawak) that make up East Malaysia on the island
of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu (K.K.) is the state capital.
While nationally about half of its citizens are Malay and the
majority are Muslim, in Sabah -- which accounts for 10% of the
nation's 23 million population -- there are more than 30 indigenous
ethnic groups, our guide said, in addition to the more numerous
Malays, Chinese, Indians and others.
Christians are in the majority at slightly less than 60%, with
Muslims accounting for a little less than 40%, he said.
So much for the stats. Other, more colorful factors determine
how to judge Sabah and its likely appeal for specific clients.
What follows is a potpourri of just such factoids about a
destination that is, perhaps, too seldom on American tourists'
radar screens:
• Sabah is a renowned dive destination. According to Tom
Lastick, trip coordinator at Asia Transpacific Journeys in Boulder,
Colo., the best diving is at relatively out-of-the-way islands;
however, diving can be a day trip from K.K., to islands like Gaya
and Sapi, which are among the five islands that constitute the
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. They are a 20-minute ferry ride from
Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort.
• A land of rain forests and natural island ecosystems, Sabah has
six parks. Mount Kinabalu, at 13,435 feet, is the centerpiece of
the eponymous Kinabalu National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site.
About a two hours' drive from K.K., the park, at 291 square miles,
is larger than Singapore.
Climbers must engage a guide, and the associated fees are about
$50. For those without the time (at least two days) or inclination
for that, there are guided walks. Ours took in the 5-acre Mountain
Garden, a showcase for the diverse plantlife on the mountain.
My favorite was the tree that produces a berry called the
kerosene fruit; when its juices are squeezed free, it can be set
afire like fuel in a cigarette lighter. It smells like kerosene,
too.
The mountain boasts nine species of "pitcher" plants, so named
because they look like little pitchers. They are carnivorous,
trapping insects on their rims; but the largest of them has been
known to "eat" rats, too.
We viewed many orchids, but nothing like the 1,200 species found
here. Our tiniest sighting was about the size of a fingertip, but
the smallest of all would sit on a pinhead.
The park also is home to the world's largest flower, the
rafflesia, whose red blossom spreads to more than three feet
across.
Visitors also could focus on animal life, particularly the
colorful birds, or try the canopy walkway.
• Fishing villages are another highlight. One of the more
colorful, Menkabong, is accessible as part of a boat trip that
departs from a jetty at Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort.
In farm country, locals celebrate harvest festivals, which help
turn May into a popular season for visitors.
• The orangutans at Sabah's Sepolik Orangutan Rehabilitation
Centre are too good to miss. (See related story, Orphaned apes stars of orangutan
refuge.)
• Kota Kinabalu, a provincial capital on the other side of the
globe, is no backwater. It is a city of 375,000, with a modern
infrastructure and sleek high-rises. Even along highways outside
the cities, we saw signs for Internet cafes.
• Philippine gunmen took hostages from the islands of Sipadan
and Pandanan, dive sites off Sabah's eastern coast, in 2000. Since
then, the U.S. State Department has said it remains concerned about
further attacks, but Malaysian police and military are patrolling
the eastern coast and islands of Sabah. Lastick said the patrols
have focused on off-shore dive destinations such as Sipadan as well
as the Turtle Islands Marine Park. Due to U.S. and Philippine
military action against the group (Abu Sayyaf) responsible, he
said, "we feel the risk does not outweigh the reward, but
individuals have to make their own decisions."
Some dive sites, like Layang Layang and those off K.K., are to
the west of Sabah and more distant from Philippine waters.
• Malaysia's national language is Bahasa Malaysia, but English
is spoken widely. The schoolchildren in the out-of-the-way fishing
village of Kampung Penambawan were most happy to show off their
skills.
• Sabah, like Sarawak, requires domestic arrivals from
peninsular Malaysia to go through its customs and immigration
operations. The requirement does not encumber travel.
• Malaysia Airlines sells the well-priced AccessAsia Pass, which
covers roundtrip air from the U.S. to Kuala Lumpur, plus options to
fly to 24 other Southeast Asian cities, including K.K., within 30
days. The fare is $899 through May 31; it rises for the peak travel
season.
• Hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge and 5% tax.
Tipping is not the custom in Sabah. My lunch bill in a Shangri-La
hotel included these words: "no tipping."
• Islam is the national religion of Malaysia, and most Muslims
here are moderates -- one reason foreign investors stay in the
country.
Certain local papers weren't friendly to America, but
Malaysians, in my experience, were, and offered sympathy over the
9/11 attacks.
• Malaria is a risk, so a prophylactic is recommended.
• Like other countries in the area, Malaysia is affected by a
haze produced by seasonal fires started by loggers and
slash-and-burn farmers.
Travel medicine specialist Dr. Bradley Connor said respiratory
illnesses could be exacerbated by the fires, so travelers with
respiratory problems should travel with appropriate medications.
Eyedrops may be a good idea for some.
Haze can occur from April through the fall but varies year to
year.
• Prices on goods and services are attractive in Malaysia partly
because the dollar is strong. In outdoor markets, sellers
invariably open bidding below the sticker price, and there is still
room to dicker. Common items are baskets, mats, beads, woven cloth,
batik and pottery.
• We were welcomed to Malaysia with the typical touchdown
announcements by Malaysia Airlines staff, except for the
single-sentence warning that there is a mandatory death penalty for
bringing in drugs. Michael Cottan, general manager at the
Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur, added that the penalty really is meant
for dealers.