To Malaysia – Travel + Lifestyle + Architecture Blog

A Brief Two-Days Visit to Tawau and Lahad Datu,Sabah

Published on September 8, 2019June 20, 2021 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

Last August 26 to 31,2019, twenty five active bloggers and influencers from different ASEAN countries gathered in Kuala Lumpur, to participate in the Malaysia ASEAN Influencers and Key Opinion Leaders programme (MAIKOL 2019). The 6-days programme offered the participants a fun and engaging ‘Experience Malaysia’ activities and cultural exposure, aiming to promote Visit Malaysia 2020 tourism campaign.

The highlight of the activity was to let the participants see and experience Malaysia beyond the metropolis of Kuala Lumpur. On day 03, all twenty five bloggers and influencers were sent as solo travelers or in pairs to different provinces across the country, given the freedom to make their own itineraries for 2 days at the assigned place. I was particularly assigned to visit Tawau and Lahad Datu, which is located on the east coast of Sabah.

Airasia flies from Kuala Lumpur (KLIA2) to Tawau Airport daily. Direct flight takes three hours. Lahad Datu is a scenic 2-hours drive from Tawau.

Exposure: Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia

Lahad Datu is a coastal town located on the east side of Sabah, mainly living on palm oil and coco agri-business. The town is surrounded by vast plantations. As such, green is everywhere. Probably the greenest province I’ve visited so far. Population is relatively small, at around 27,000. The people here are generally Muslim Malay and a fraction of Chinese-Malay. The town centre is relatively small, very walkable and full of life during the late afternoon. Seafood Destination. As a coastal town along Denver Bay, seafood here is downright fresh and cheap. The seafood market is definitely a feast.
Rainforest Visit. Aside from being a Palm growers’ town, Lahad Datu is also the gateway to Danum Valley Conservation Area, one of Malaysia’s most well preserved and protected rainforest and home to the most precious birds and mammals of Southeast Asia. Danum has over 200 species of trees found in just one hectare, making it one of the richest rainforest in the world. A visit to Danum viewing park offers an overlooking view of Denver Bay and Lahad Datu coast.

For rainforest tour bookings, visit the official site https://www.amazingborneo.com (Photos of animals attached by Borneo Safari Tours).

Photo by Borneo Safari Tours

Exposure: Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia

Tawau is the third largest town in Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. The town is currently at its high time on industrial development. Commercial and hospitality facilities are booming. Tawau’s main product is Palm Oil. This coastal town boasts a well-established road network from the highland plantations to port.

Tawau Chocolate Industry. Blessed with fertile land, Tawau is also known for tobacco and cocoa produce. Tawau is said to be one of the best source in the world for raw chocolate material. Teck Guan Cocoa Museum is a must visit in Tawau. Also a good place to find local products; from organic body wash to export quality 70% pure chocolate bars.

Leisurely Stroll Around the City Centre. Tawau City Centre is full of color. The mid-rise commercial district is painted with burst of colors. Al-Kauthar Mosque is one of the most instagrammable locations in the city, with its perfectly-shaped green dome.

Rainforest Trekking. Tawau is also known as the gateway to some of Sabah’s most well preserved rainforests and nature conservation area. One of this is the Tawau Hill Park. It’s a 60 minutes ride from town center. Tawau hill park boasts some of the tallest natural rainforest trees in the world.

Here’s a Video Blog preview shot during my visit to Tawau Hills Park.

Other Nearby Places to see. Tawau itself is not that popular among tourist, though many arrive daily at Tawau Airport to travel via Semporna (3 hours drive east) to the fabulous diving spots around the islands of Sipadan and Mabul. I didn’t have the luxury of time to visit these islands. For more info on diving activities, just google “Amazing Borneo Tours”.

Where to Stay in Lahad Datu: My-Inn Hotel, Lorong Bandar Perdana 6, 91100 Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia

Where to Stay in Tawau: L.A. Hotel, Jalan St Patrick, Bandar Tawau, 91000 Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia

Airasia flies from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau daily. Check schedules here.

Highlights of Malaysia ASEAN Influencers Programme (MAIKOL 2019)

Published on September 7, 2019June 20, 2021 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

The programme was spearheaded by Tourism Malaysia of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Malaysia). They participants were hosted and sponsored by Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, with Airasia as partner airline.

Day 01

The activity kicked off at Kuala Lumpur. Day 01, the arrival day, was all about introduction, preparation and briefing over a sumptuous Malaysian dinner with the officers and major sponsors.

Day 02

Day 02 was a highlight, as the participants spent one day to enjoy Sunway Lagoon Amusement Park. Among the popular rides were the river rapids and scream coaster. Day 02 afternoon was spent at the Sunway Lagoon, which is the world’s largest surf pool to date. Check out the complete Sunway Experience and short video blog by clicking here.

Day 03

The main assignment of the activity was to let the participants see and experience Malaysia beyond the metropolis of Kuala Lumpur. On day 03, all twenty five bloggers and influencers were sent as solo travelers or in pairs to different provinces across the country, given the freedom to make their own itineraries at the assigned place for 2 days. A number of participants took the intercity train to Kedah, Ipoh etc. Two participants explored Sarawak. Reggy (Indonesia), Sam (Cambodia) and I flew to Sabah. I was particularly assigned to visit Tawau and Lahad Datu, which is located on the east coast of Sabah. My flight took three hours per way by Airasia direct.

Tawau, Sabah

Beautifully set at the east coast and facing Celebes Sea, Tawau is the third-largest town in Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. Tawau is a fast developing industrial town, mainly sourcing on Palm Oil industry. Blessed with fertile soil, Tawau is also popular for their cocoa products, which is said to be among the best chocolate raw material producers in the world. Apart from its industrial image, Tawau is best known as the gateway to some of the most well preserved rainforest and conservation areas in Malaysia (in the world actually). It is impossible not to notice its lush green hills and flat lands as the plane is descending. Among the highlights of my Tawau Trip was a quick half day trek to the Tawau Hills Park rainforest and see some of the tallest rainforest trees in the world up close. A trip to the popular Teck Guan Coco Museum is also worth mentioning. I hoarded boxes of chocolate drinks, as they are perfect giveaway to friends.

At the entrance way of Tawau Hills Park.

If given more time, it would have been nice to drive two more hours to Semporna and the other beach resort-islands, which is said to offer one of the best diving and snorkeling sites in the world. For tours, you may get in touch with Sabah booking though their official website by clicking here.

Day 04 – Lahad Datu, Sabah

View of Denver Bay as seen from Danum Valley Field Tower

On my day 04, i was assigned to explore Lahad Datu, which is around + 2 hours drive by land. Lahad Datu is a humble town, also sourcing mainly on the palm oil industry. On my way to my assignment, I dropped by Danum Valley Conservation Area Field Centre. Danum Valley is a 438 square kilometres tract of relatively undisturbed lowland dipterocarp forest in Sabah, Malaysia. It is one of the richest rainforest in the world, having more than 200 species of plants/trees in just one square hectare. Danum Valley is also home to numerous exotic Southeast Asian birds, pygmy elephants, the elusive Sumatran Rhino and Bornean Proboscis monkey. I wasn’t able to see the animals at their natural habitats as they are located 60 km deeper into the forest. However, I was able to see the vast green lands and the breathtaking view of Denver Bay from the 7 storeys high field centre tower. Lahad Datu is located right at the coastal line of Denver Bay, which can also be seen from the tower.

As a coastal town, Lahad Datu is abundant on fish and seafood. It was a delightful experience seeing fresh catch at Pasar Ikan Fish Market. Some catches there are actually not available in my country. I enjoyed the freshest grilled fish dinner at Jalan Mawar, which is located just at the opposite of the fish Market.

Check out my Tawau and Lahad Datu video blog preview below.

Day 05 – Kuala Lumpur Night Tour

On day 05, I flew back to Kuala Lumpur to reunite with the group. We also scheduled a quick late afternoon tour to KL Tower. Highlight was seeing Kuala Lumpur cityscape while inside a glass box, that is 420 meters above the ground level. Such a memorable experience it is. By night time, we headed to the Petronas Twin Towers for dinner and leisure.

Day 06 – Hari Merdeka, Malaysia’s Independence Day

Day 06 was an early call, as we were invited to attend Malaysia’s 62nd National (Independence) Day. The event, which was held in Putra Jaya, was packed with locals taking pride on the nation’s celebration of freedom.

Photo by Glen Santillan of Escape Manila

Day 06 was also the last day of the programme. All participants, organisers and sponsors enjoyed a night of fun and sharing over a sumptuous Malay-themed buffet. The programme was concluded by the announcement of the creative contest winners. The most creative photo was awarded to Abigail Javellana of Our Awesome Planet, Philippines, and the most creative video was awarded to PK of Cambodia.

Abigail of Our Awesome Planet’s winning piece

The contest winners

MAIKOL 2019 was indeed a remarkable experience for my blogging career. During the 6 days activity, I was able to find a deeper appreciation of Malaysia, its people, its land, its unique flavours and valued culture. The activity also earned me cultural exchanges, friendship and bonds with the other participant, as well as with the ever hospitable Tourism Malaysia hosts. ASEAN brotherhood and camaraderie lives on.

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Airasia flies Manila to Kuala Lumpur daily. click here for schedules and costing.

For Sunway City Kuala Lumpur bookings, click here.

The participants from the Philippines. Ian Ray Garcia, Tia Lacson, Abigail Javellana, Glen Santillan and Joseph Lim

Revisiting Malaysia with Sunway City Kuala Lumpur

Published on September 5, 2019September 6, 2019 by iamjosemanuel1 Comment

ASEAN brotherhood and camaraderie was celebrated once again during the MAIKOL 2019, held August 26 to 31, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event gathered 25 influencers and bloggers from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand, to take part on a 6-days Experience Malaysia programme. The programme was sponsored by Sunway City Kuala Lumpur and airline partner AIRASIA. MAIKOL stands for Malaysia ASEAN Influencers Key Opinion Leaders programme, aiming to promote Visit Malaysia 2020 tourism campaign.

Facts and Highlights of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Experience

Sunway City is the first fully integrated township of Malaysia. It was said that the location of Sunway City used to be a mining land. After the termination of operations and being unused for a span of time, the property was cleverly converted and developed to a township-complex comprised of condominiums, office towers, educational facilities, commercial centre and hotels. A lagoon-style resort/theme park with a man-made body of water was built at the centre, being the deepest part. This is the Sunway Lagoon Malaysia that we are enjoying today.

Aerial Photo credits to Sunway City Website

Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa

Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa is the 5-star flagship hotel of Sunway City. The hotel also operates the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, one of the largest convention centres in Malaysia.

Sunway Hotel’s entrance is impossible not to admire. The boldly detailed facade radiates a strong vibe of grandeur. The multi-levelled lotus-style canopy adds up to the rich vibe. Malay masonry craftsmanship at its best. The classic-mixed European style lobby interiors is instagrammable at every angle.

Sunway Pyramid Hotel

Sunway Pyramid is the 4-star property of Sunway City offering 564 Guestrooms & Suites. Sunway Pyramid was our host hotel for four nights during the recent MAIKOL 2019 programme. The hotel is directly connected to Sunway Pyramid Mall and Sunway Lagoon theme park.

Sunway Pyramid interiors is a fresh blend of contemporary design elements, textures and play of light.

Sunway Pyramid Mall is Malaysia’s First and only Egyptian-themed lifestyle and entertainment mall. The multi-storey commercial centre houses varied restaurant brands, indoor recreational facilities and lifestyle shops of the latest trends from local and international brands. It has direct access to Kuala Lumpur metro train and bus networks.

Sunway Pyramid Facade Photo credits to Sunway City Website

Sunway Lagoon Theme Park Complex

The complex consists of a Water Park, Amusement Park, Wildlife Park, Extreme Park, Scream Park and Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon. Among the most popular rides are the Gold Scream Roller Coaster, Colorado Splash and the 360-degree rotating pirate ship in the shape of a galleon. Also located in the amusement park is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world(as per sunwaylagoon.com) at 428m length. The bridge offers a bird-eye view of the entire park 60 feet above the lagoon.

Photo by Ian Ray Garcia

Sunway Lagoon Water Park is famous for its water rides and largest man made sand surf beach. The water park can be accessed from the amusement park thru the pedestrian suspension bridge.

Here’s a quick video-blog taken during our highlighting the best moments with our accommodation host and sponsor Sunway City Kuala Lumpur.

Learn more and book your Sunway experience by clicking here.

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Airline Partner : AIRASIA. Airasia Flies Manila to Kuala Lumpur Daily. Check schedules here.

Kota Kinabalu: A Lazy Two-Day Itinerary Around Sabah’s Capital City

Published on February 5, 2015May 9, 2017 by iamjosemanuel8 Comments

I felt a bit excited that Airasia has re-launched its Cebu-Kota Kinabalu route, which will start flying this March 2015. Based on personal observation, Kota Kinabalu is the cheapest “International destination” ticket when coming from Cebu, and even from Manila. Promo Flights can go as low as 2,500 round trip all in when booked 2 months in advance, and it could even drop lower, depending on season. Mentioned ticket price however, excludes Phil. travel tax and terminal fees.

Heres a quick glimpse of how I lazily roamed around Kota Kinabalu for two days. This charming city was my last stop from backpacking Northern Borneo last year. A bit tired, I just let myself loosen a bit from my planned itinerary to just spend afternoons strolling along downtown’s waterfront parks and commercial strips, and enjoy the view of the Sunset , which was totally gorgeous by the way, The best sunset I’ve seen so far .

Day 0 — Strolling around waterfront park and seafood tripping

I arrived at KK half pass 4pm via 9 hours bus trip from Bandar Seri Bengawan, Brunei , which gave me enough time to check in and settle my things and immediately rushed to the waterfront park nearby . I was just in time to view this gorgeous Sunset . It was surreal =)

SAM_5695_Fotor — Enjoy a bottle of beer while chilling on this deck by sunset.

SAM_5678_Fotor — Enjoy fresh seafood from the nearby Market , and they call it “Filipino Market” because there are a lot of Filipino stall owners here.

SAM_5679_Fotor — Affordable Halal BBQ Chicken .. you don’t see much of pork openly displayed in KK as the citizens here are mostly Muslim-Malay.

SAM_5671_Fotor — More Seafood at the Filipino Market . And as a traveler coming from Mindanao, these are a bit pricey.

Day 1 – Dat trip to Palau Manukan Island , around 20 minutes from KK by speedboat for around 23 Ringgit ( 6USD) including necessary fees. Palau Manukan is the biggest and most developed among three public island beach resorts that can easily be reached from KK. Tourist can also visit nearby islands to do snorkeling/diving , for additional fees.

SAM_5602_Fotor — The view upon docking at Palau Manukan Island

SAM_5659_Fotor — A view of Kota Kinabalu Cityscape from afar . which is 20 minutes away by speedboat

SAM_5638_Fotor — Expect to see a lot of Australians on the Beaches of KK, as there are daily flight routes connecting KK to different cities in Australia.

SAM_5667_Fotor — The Jesselton Port, where Boats to neighboring islands are docked.

Authentic Malaysian Food

20140403_204625_Fotor — Sup Daging from nearby Malaysian Eatery. Sup Daging (Beef Soup) is an aromatic broth serve with either noodles, rice or flat bread.

SAM_5447_Fotor — Beef and Chicken Satay with peanut sauce

SAM_5295_Fotor — Nasi lemak – considered as Malaysian national food, is a set of rice in coco milk (and sometimes with Pandan) , served with sambal (spicy sauce with shrimp paste), fried crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts, Hard boiled egg and cucumber. Usually this set is paired with Ayam (Chicken)

Day 2 — Day trip to Mt. Kinabalu World Heritage Site, packaged tour cost around 130 Ringgit ( 36 USD ) with hotel pick up and buffet lunch . Any hotel in KK can arrange this for you. Other blogs also mentioned a DIY tour to this mountain park via public bus , which is around 2 hours from the city (90 kms.). If budget permits, then a Visit to this mountain park is still worthy to do =)

SAM_5746_Fotor — Behind me is the majestic Mount Kinabalu , the highest peak in archipelagic Southeast Asia, rising at 4,095 m. (Philippines’ Mt. Apo is at 2,954 m )

SAM_5753_Fotor — Giant Insects still thrive in the protected areas of Mt. Kinabalu . Here in the frame is an actual Bornean stick insect.

SAM_5754_Fotor — An actual mummified Giant Moth of Mt. Kinabalu , mostly are endangered species. some have already gone extinct due to over harvesting. so sad.

SAM_5770_Fotor — Rafflesia Flower which thrives along the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu . This is around 15″ in diameter. Those in deeper woods can grow bigger.

Feast on Chinese Food in KK , as the Chinese holds a very strong influence in this Southeast Asian city. Hongkong Style Hawkers are almost on every corner.

20140406_202831_Fotor — Fishball soup and Teh Lou mee noodles , which is comparable to Filipino-Chinese Satemi , only that its more on the sweet side.

20140406_200326_Fotor — Freshly squeezed lemonade with Kiamuy sinkers. Interesting !

SAM_5265_Fotor — Hawkers Type Meal , a plate-full for around 5 Ringgit . 1.5 USD

SAM_5670_Fotor — Shaved – iced Durian ( not really ice cream, its just like durian milkshake , that has been freezed, then shredded and served )

Where I Stayed in Kota Kinabalu :

Travellers Light Backpackers Lodge at around 8 USD (Dorm Type) per night with light Breakfast and Unli Coffee/Tea , located at 19, Lorong Dewan, which was around 10 minutes walk to Jesselton Port and nearby Malls. The Lodge is owned by a Malaysian and his Filipina wife, Joy , whose from Iloilo .

SAM_5741_Fotor — The Lodge’s terrace where breakfast is served , and is usually visited by stray monkeys begging for a slice, which is kind of cute; But these ,monkeys don’t come near people so theres no point to be scared =)

SAM_5733_Fotor — Having dinner with fellow backpackers from Spain and China , Hosted by the owner, Joy !

Roaming around KK is accessible via public Bus or Taxi .. buses to the international airport however are limited, which almost got me losing my flight. haha ! I’ll be more vigilant with schedules next time . =)

SAM_5793_Fotor — Closed counter . Buti nalang nadala sa pakiusap ! Took this shot after I checked in =)

Sarawak-Brunei-Sabah : Backpacking Northern Borneo in 6 days

Published on October 6, 2014May 9, 2017 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

Visiting Northern Borneo was not originally part of my backpacking route last March- April 2014 . After spending more than two weeks in India and Nepal , my route supposedly was to head back to Kuala Lumpur , then Manila ( which was the cheapest option by the way if you think of travelling to central Asia. ) But apparently at the time of booking my tickets online, my lust for wander brought me to find super cheap promo tickets from Kuala Lumpur , to other key cities in Malaysia . Still having a few days left , I then decided to take the long way back to the Philippines, and see more of the south by passing through Miri ( Sarawak State in Malaysia ), the Kingdom of Brunei , and Kota-Kinabalu (State of Sabah).

My promo tickets were quite cheap with “Airasia” . Got a morning flight from Kuala Lumpur to Miri ( Sarawak State ) at 731 pesos (around 15 usd All in ), And Kota Kinabalu ( State of Sabah ) to Manila at 947 pesos ( around 22 usd All in ). Bookings were made around 3 months in advance. Apparently, low cost intercity flights within Malaysia are more flexi and affordable ( as compared to local Philippine flights ). More so when they are on sale, like what I got! =) In between the two Malaysian States , I hopped on local buses , which were a bit consuming , but still worthy to do!

Easy-practical route ? not quite. Up for another travel adventure ? Totally !

Travelling between cities in Borneo is heaven for Passport Stamps Collector

Heres why .

Travelling within Malaysia is quite interesting. Malaysia is composed of several states , and it is a policy of the country for foreign travellers to have their passport stamped approved when crossing between certain states, which is actually ideal to monitor foreign individuals roaming around the Malaysian peninsula. As such , travelling within Malaysia alone, would gain you quite a number of stamps , plus the stamps you get when crossing boundaries with Brunei. The lands of Sarawak and Brunei are interlocked , so If you are on your way to Sabah from Miri/Sarawak , public buses would most likely pass through the capital of Brunei , then through Tendungan/Limbang towns of Sarawak , then enter Brunei once again through Puni/Labu eastmost provinces, then enter Sarawak once again through Lawas, before reaching the State of Sabah. Just to give a simpler picture, here is how my 6 days travel from Miri to Brunei and to Kota Kinabalu by LAND/BUS went on..

Fly from Kuala Lumpur and Enter Miri, Sarawak — 1 stamp at the airport

Stayed one night in Miri

Exit Sarawak State at Sungai Tujuh ( Malaysia side ) — 1 Stamp
Enter Brunei at Sungai Tujoh ( Brunei Side ) — 1 stamp

Stayed 2 nights in Bandar Seri Bengawan, Brunei

Exit Brunei at Kuala Lurah — 1 Stamp
Enter Sarawak State at Tedungan — 1 Stamp
Exit Sarawak State at Dermaga Kastam Limbang — 1 Stamp
Enter East Brunei at Puni — 1 Stamp
Exit East Brunei at Labu — 1 Stamp
Enter East Sarawak at Lawas — 1 Stamp
Exit East Sarawak at Merapok — 1 Stamp
Enter Sabah State at Sindumin — 1 Stamp

Stayed 2 nights in Kota Kinabalu , Sabah

Fly out from Kota Kinabalu to Manila — 1 Stamp at the airport

Thats 12 stamps in Total =)

Bus Travel Details : Miri — Bandar Seri Bengawan — Kota Kinabalu

Miri to Bandar Seri Bengawan (BSB) — PHLS Express runs a direct bus between BSB and Miri for 45 MYR/18 Brunei Dollars . The bus leaves Miri at 7AM and 1PM and takes about 4 hours to BSB . Bus leaves Miri at Pujut Intercity Terminal and stops at the Riverside Promenade in downtown BSB.

Bandar Seri Bengawan to Kota Kinabalu — Jesselton Express offers direct bus from Brunei to Kota Kinabalu at B$ 45 / 114 MYR, which runs only once a day at 7 am . A bit pricey, but it is a direct ride so you wont have to change buses at the border. The total travel time is about 8 and 1/2 hours. Jesselton Express leaves BSB at the riverside promenade fronting Maybank Building, and stops at Kota Kinabalu City Center bus terminal.

Option to ride a ferry to Kota Kinabalu is also available. But I prefer bus ride to see more of the countryside. =)

Daily Expense Tip : Food is relatively inexpensive In Miri and Kota Kinabalu . 10 USD would be more than enough for a day’s allowance, as there are a lot of hawkers and street side cafeterias for budget conscious travelers. with price ranging at 2 USD for a full meal. Dormitories are much available for 5-8 USD per night, with breakfast.

Brunei however, might require you additional budget, especially with accommodation and getting around with public transportation. Brunei Dollars (BSD) is around the same Value as Singapore Dollars ( 35 pesos per 1 BSD ). An accommodation worth 20 BSD/pax was the cheapest that I came across in Brunei. But on a brighter picture , food in Brunei is relatively affordable , if you buy from Gadong night market and grocery stores. 20 – 25 USD per day per pax would probably be a safe budget when travelling in brunei , that includes accommodation, food and getting around. More of Brunei at https://iamjosemanuel.com/2014/09/14/weekend-itinerary-around-brunei-darussalam/

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Miri, Sarawak Malaysia Miri is a relatively small , but wealthy city of the northern part of Sarawak State. ( The more famous city in Sarawak is Kuching at the south ) . Miri may not talked about by usual Pinoy tourists like us , but this city is quite famous to westerners, as well as Australians , as the gateway to the nature reserved mountains of inner Borneo , which is valued for its biodiversity and protected tropical wildlife sanctuary. Aside from that, Miri is also known as the oil producing province of southern Malaysia. Miri was just a transit city for me because I only stayed for one night. Aside from the nature parks and reserve (which I did not get to visit) , theres nothing much to do within the city of Miri . But I did have a good rest though, the dorm and the people were nice.

SAM_5268 — Miri Public Park . very quiet

SAM_5261 — There are no buses Miri Airport to City enter. I was forced to take a taxi at 23 MYR (around +300 pesos, 8 usd) for a 15 minute ride. =(

Where I Stayed In Miri : Coco Guesthouse ( Dormitory of 8 capsule type beds per room ) at 35 MYR per Bed (+400 pesos)
Good places to eat : A lot of Hawkers around, serving Chinese food. There are a lot of Chinese in Miri , and even more chinese restaurants than Malay . But they do have malls and fastfood like pizza hut and Mcdonalds

SAM_5265 — Hawkers food just along the streets of Miri

SAM_5266 — Coco Guesthouse where I stayed. Just tell the taxi driver to bring you to this place beside the Grand Hotel.

SAM_5292 — Auntie Rita , whom i met at the guesthouse . She helped me find a local bus to Pujut inter city terminal ,where I got my bus to Brunei .

SAM_5294 — Humble ticket kiosk at Pujut inter city bus terminal

SAM_5293 — PHLS Express runs a direct bus between Bandar Seri Begawan and Miri for 45 MYR/18 Brunei Dollars . The bus leaves Miri at 7AM and 1PM and takes about 4 hours to BSB

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Bandar Seri Bengawan , Brunei . The peaceful Islamic Kingdom

Refer to this for more of Brunei –> https://iamjosemanuel.com/2014/09/14/weekend-itinerary-around-brunei-darussalam/

SAM_5297 — Sarawak – Brunei Immigration Border Crossing

SAM_5300 — Bandar Seri Bengawan does not have a formal Bus Station . Inter city Bus stops at this riverside promenade , opposite MayBank Building.

SAM_5306 — among the nice government offices you’ll pass by when entering BSB city center.

SAM_5322 — Sultan’s Mosque at BSB , among the first sites you’ll see upon the arrival of the bus at the city center.

Where I stayed in Brunei : With a couchsurfing friend . https://iamjosemanuel.com/2014/08/30/my-couchsurfing-family-in-brunei-darussalam/

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Travelling from Brunei to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Direct Bus Ticket Brunei to Kota Kinabalu at B$ 45 / 114 MYR by Jesselton Express , which runs only once a day at 7 am . A bit pricey, but it is a direct ride so you wont have to change buses at the border.

Jesselton Bus, The only direct bus from BSB Brunei to Kota Kinabalu , which travels daily at 7 am . It is an 8 and 1/2 hours ride.

Where I Stayed In Kota Kinabalu : Travellers’ Light Backpackers’ Lodge , #19, Lorong Dewan, Pusat Bandar, 88000 Kota Kinabalu , at 25 to 30 MYR/Night . Joy, the owner’s wife, is a Filipina and is very comforting to have a chitchat with. I Definitely recommend this place. You may get in touch with them through Agoda.com and https://www.facebook.com/travellerslight

303304_120418155633643_STD — Photo credits – Joy of Travellers’ Light

2966275080_bce97d5051_m — Photo credits – Joy of Travellers’ Light

SAM_5733 — Fellow guests at Traveller’s Light Backpackers’ Lodge https://www.facebook.com/travellerslight

SAM_5741 — Terrace and Dining Area at Traveller’s Light , just around the perimeter of Kota Kinabalu’s mountain park . The Lodge occasional ets monkey visitors at this area, especially during breakfast. =)

Around Kota Kinabalu . Will upload more of this soon. =)

SAM_5581 — Jesselton Ferry Terminal In Kota Kinabalu

SAM_5661 — Beach of Pulau Manukan Island

Melacca, Malaysia

Published on October 8, 2013October 9, 2013 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

When we were still planning our backpacking itinerary, I made sure to include visiting the Historic Melacca , even for just a day .

The inter City Bus Terminal . Catching the bus to Melacca , around 2 hours travel . VIP bus for just 9 ringgit ( around 110 pesos)

Melacca is rich in History and is a known international port since the dawn of Asian Trade between Malay, India and China. It was also said that in the 15th Century, the princess of China’s Ming Dynasty was married to the Sultan of Melacca , which signified strong ties between the 2 kingdoms. The Melaccan Monarchy was abolished during the 16th Century with the colonization of the Portuguese . and later on , captured by the Dutch. As such, European Architectural influence is much evident in this part of Malaysia .

Sample of an Old World Malay Architecture , with its prominent high pitched roof suitable for Malaysia’s tropical Climate

The Xavier Church on top of a Hill .

Jonker Street , Melacca. Malaysia did a good job in preserving the old streets of this town . Indeed you would feel like you’re in an old world Chinese town when you walk on this area.

Enjoyed Free tastes on this Chinese/Malay delicacy station =)

Yogurt ice cream shaped like an egg. 5 Ringgit . I tried the Passion Fruit Flavor .

Kuala Kumpur , Malaysia

Published on October 8, 2013October 9, 2013 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

It was my first time to visit Malaysia and I was among the few lucky ones to avail the lowest Cebu Pacific promo ever, which flew me from Manila to Kuala Lumpur for just around P 250.00 including fuel surcharges VAT and booking fee. I booked this flight around 13 months in Advance.

Cebu Pacific Landed on the KL Budget Terminal so I was not able to see the Main KL airport which was modern – eco friendly, as described by many . KL airport was more than an hour journey to Central Kuala Lumpur . The airport complex was surrounded by vast Palm Plantation ; No prominent Residential / Industrial developments in its surrounding, which was very ideal.

We arrived at KL Central Station around 7pm and transferred train to Imbi Station , walking distance to Jalan Alor , and the off streets which is one of the backpackers’ area in central KL.

Modile Beverage shop along Jalan Alor. — Mobile Beverage shop along Jalan Alor.

We stayed at i2inn Guesthouse along Jalan Tong Shin (the street after Jalan Alor) .

http://www.i2inn-guesthouse.com/location.html

Highlight : The 6 Ringgit ( P 13 x 6 ) Breakfast Buffet just along Jalan Alor . They say its Buffet, but really its a one round plate but you can put there all the food you can eat . I actually thought at first that it was a literal buffet , so I went back for more. I was Charged + 3 ringgit for the second round . Not Bad Still . Me Goreng noodles and the malaysian chicken curry was awesome ! didnt get hungry for hours . hahaha

KL Central Station . for Inter City / International Trains . Also has check in counters for KL Airport . KL has one of the most efficient transportation system I have experienced . and Cheap fares too!

My first stop was the Batu Caves at the northern tip of KL where the Hindu Shrine is situated . There is a large number of Hindu in Malaysia , Mostly Indian immigrants. The cave is pretty amazing . By far the biggest I’ve got in to ; fully developed into a temple , so the errryyy cave feel is not there anymore.

The rest of the day was just spent walking around Central KL.

The entrance to the Food court at the Basement of Isetann , along road 50 (near the pavillion mall) . Read in blogs that this was a good food court.

The 8pm fountain show at Petronas Complex.

Petronas looks more dramatic at night, and is by far the best looking building I’ve seen . More than just its towering form and dimensions , this building put Malaysia in the Map as one of the Most Aggressive nations in the world.

I have also visited Merdaka Square and nearby landmarks of Kuala Lumpur but didn’t get to take pictures because my Camera got wonky. =(