Backpacking in Kota Kinabalu

I’ve always been competitive when it comes to physical challenges especially those that require serious trekking, walking or running. That’s why when the most trusted low-cost carrier in the country, Cebu Pacific, in cooperation with Sabah Tourism Board, invited select members of the media and a couple of bloggers to participate this year’s Cebu Pacific Backpacking Challenge in Kota Kinabalu, I felt a sudden surge of excitement.

It was like being back on the track again after a long hiatus. Backpacking is something that I’ve been meaning to do but just couldn’t find the right time to do so. Suddenly, the opportunity came and I just had to pack wisely and then we’re off to Sabah, Malaysia.

The Land below the Wind

East Malaysia comprises two states—Sabah and Sarawak—and a federal territory, Labuan. The region is known for vast expanses of rainforest, mist-capped mountains and UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Kinabalu Park, Gunung Mulu National Park. Kota Kinabalu, popularly known as KK, is Sabah’s capital city. It is known as the gateway to eco-adventures such as diving, river cruising, mountain climbing, white-water rafting and caving.

KK was formerly known as Jesselton and most parts of the city have been reconstructed after World War II. Its population of nearly 3.1 million is made up of 32 ethnic communities, including Filipino Muslims who have been staying there for the past 30 to 40 years. Aside from the scenic spots, what makes KK beautiful is its friendly and hospital people.

In many ways, they reminded me of my own race. Perhaps it’s because the Philippines is near Sabah and for centuries, Filipinos and Malays haven trading. Evidence of this can be seen in one of the several museums in KK where an old decorative banca, which was used by Malays for trade here in the Philippines, is displayed in the entrance area.

The region lies at the northern part of the equator so the climate is tropical but pleasant. Because of its location, KK is generally free from climatic disturbances and it lies under the typhoon belt, thus the name Land below the Wind. It’s generally sunny in KK whole year round although people may experience rain showers during the months of September to February.

The [major part of the] challenge

We were divided into five teams, two members for each. Our team was called Kinabalu team and I thought it was very appropriate since our goal was to conquer Kota Kinabalu—well, ideally. My team partner, Jonel Uy of letsgosago.com was last year’s winner in the CEB Backpacking Challenge held locally so he had some tips to share based on his experience.

Prior to the challenge, my team mate and I planned our itinerary for the first day of the three-day challenge. He had been to KK once but according to him, he never really got the chance to explore the city so we had to research a lot about the must-visit places and must-do activities in and outside of the city.

I didn’t do my homework but it was a good thing that maps and fliers that contain information about tourism in KK were handed to us by the organizers not to mention that they are also available for free in the airport.

Continue reading at: Backpacking in Kota Kinabalu
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Rare stromatolites discovered at Mulu’s Deer Cave

KUCHING: The Deer Cave within Mulu National Park is famous for its huge passages and various species of bats that number in hundreds and thousands.

The cave has recently added yet another unique attraction with rare ‘stromatolites’ or layered sedimentary structures being discovered close to its north east entrance.

Researcher Prof Joyce Lundberg, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Otttawa, Canada, expressed amazement with the freshwater stromatolites, which were probably the first of its kind in the world.

While presenting a heritage talk organised by the Sarawak Museum Department on this unique geo-biological cave formation, she also informed that these rare stromatolites were being studied.

The stromatolites in the shape of horizontal shelves and about 20 metres in length are yet to be opened to the public.

Although these stromatolites have developed much recently, unlike the ones found elsewhere predating to the Precambrian period where life forms were simple and small, they still hold clue to the biological activities in the cave.

While Prof Lundberg could not say what the stromatolites indicated about the cave, she was confident that it could, among others, be used as a barometer to reflect the rainfall that the area has seen.

She said the next stage of research would determine the time since when the stromatolites have been growing, with the initial indication pointing to the period just before World War II.

“A typical two to three-centimetre thick stromatolite, probably represents a timeline of about 50 years,” she remarked, adding that embedded in the stromatolites were indicators like the amount of rainfall the place has seen, biological activities and fluctuations in the environment.

Continue reading at: Rare stromatolites discovered at Mulu’s Deer Cave
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First Encounter With Mulu National Park Sarawak

I never knew that a veil could be formed in the sky. That was what happened in Mulu National Park... A seemingly endless stream of bats surging out of Deer Cave in search of food. It was a sight to behold and I was awe-struck for the 15-20 minutes it took for the undulating black ribbon, and last bat, to leave the cave as dusk began to fall. Bon appetite! I thought to myself.

I stayed in one of the wooden chalet in the Park itself and experienced first hand the rustic ambience and the feeling of being close to nature. The hustle and bustle of city life seemed so far away, and it was. The complete darkness and quiet of the night, inside and outside, made me wonder whether I was the only human there, or in the room in this case. The gentle rustles of my sleeping colleague in the next bed revealed otherwise, and came as a relief too. I was and still am a bit of a faint-hearted boy.

The other excursion, which I was faint-hearted about, occurred the next day when I took a tour of Deer Cave. I realized to my horror that viewing the bats from a distance is very different from viewing them upfront. Not that I had personal conversations with the bats, but the fact that the cave was littered, everywhere in fact, with bat guano (bat shit) made it a very personal experience for me.

Deer Cave was dark and damp. The voice of the tour guide was nice enough but not overly reassuring especially when he advised us to watch our steps and to be careful of where we placed our hands. Needless to say, my concentration was not fully on his explanations of the cave's history. I was profoundly thankful that I did not slip and fell or touch any guano. I came away with a healthy respect of tour guides who had to do this for a living.

Clearwater Cave, as its name implied, had clear water rushing and flowing through the cave. I would have liked to dip myself into the river of crystal clear cool water but unfortunately due to the rainy season, the water level was high and currents too strong for a safe dipping. So I contented myself with staring at the churning water and trying to imagine what might have been.

Continue reading at: First Encounter With Mulu National Park Sarawak
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Sabah to seek joint World Heritage Status for Maliau Basin, Danum Valley and Imbak Canyon

Tuaran: The Sabah Government is taking steps to secure Maliau Basin, and Danum Valley and Imbak Canyon in perpetuity by applying for joint World Heritage Status for all three conservation areas.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, when disclosing the State Cabinet's decision at the 1st Borneo Carnivore Symposium (BCS) here, Thursday, said this was to ensure that nothing would disrupt the ecosystems in these areas in the long run.

"The reason behind this is simple; we want to protect our forests so no future corrupted politician can take it away."

He said it was crucial to protect Sabah's forests and wildlife to benefit future generations and to ensure its position as a tourism destination.

"Eventually, tourism will be the number one earner for Sabah and people will come from all over the world to see Sabah's nature and it makes business sense to protect our jungles," Masidi added.

This first ever symposium on Borneo's carnivores was organised by the Sabah Wildlife Department, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research of Germany, and attended by delegates from 15 countries comprising scientists, conservationists and representatives of government agencies.

During the one-week programme, they sought to ensure the future survival of Borneo's 23 carnivore species. The carnivores of concern are a group of mammals comprising cats like the Sunda Clouded Leopard, civets such as the Malay Civet (Tangalunga), otters and badgers such as Teledu.

One of the scientists present, Andre Hearn of Oxford University, said the three conservation areas being put forth by the State Government for the World Heritage Status application, were also home to the very mysterious and endangered species of carnivores such as the Borneo Bay Cat (Pardofelis badia) and Hose's Palm Civet (Diplogale hosei).

"The Borneo Bay Cat is found only in Borneo and has been recorded by camera traps in Danum Valley at relatively high frequency, compared to other areas in Sabah," said Hearn.

The first photograph in the wild of the Borneo Bay Cat was actually taken only in 2002 in Mulu National Park in Sarawak.

The elusive Hose's Palm Civet was not found during any camera trap surveys in the lowland of eastern Sabah including Danum Valley, but was found instead only in Maliau Basin, which is the most "eastern" record of this species.

Continue reading at: Sabah to seek joint World Heritage Status for Maliau Basin, Danum Valley and Imbak Canyon

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Royal Brunei Airlines gives Sarawak tourist destinations a boost

MIRI: Sarawak was given a boost yesterday when Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) brought in Australian travel agents to the state on a familiarisation tour.

“There is certainly a market for jazz and this is definitely a product catering for different segments of the market. After trekking in the tropical rainforest, they can relax and have a good time in the festival,” said RBA sales account manager Carol Baker.

The airlines yesterday played host to 10 Australia agents on a familiarisation trip to both Mulu National Park and Borneo Jazz.

According to Baker, the agents on the trip were mostly Borneo wholesalers and specialists offering special packages to Sabah, Brunei and Sarawak.

“They specialise in adventure and trekking holidays. They have come to experience what Sarawak has to offer to different Australian tourist market,” said Baker adding that Thailand, Fiji and Bali were traditional destinations among Australians.

The airline is looking at Borneo as a new exciting and energetic destination.

It is becoming a trend among Australians to appreciate nature through activities such as jungle trekking, caving, and boating.

The familiarisation trip is also to illustrate to the Australian agents the easy connectivity from Brunei to Miri by road (three-hour drive).

Meanwhile, Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Rashid Khan told The Borneo Post that the initiative was in response to the board’s trip to Australia where they had marketing talks with Royal Brunei Airlines in Brisbane and Tourism Malaysia’s Sydney office.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Royal Brunei Airlines gives Sarawak tourist destinations a boost
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Mulu National Park: Bats out of hell? Not quite

DEEP in the rainforests of Sarawak lies the largest limestone cave system in the world. There is no road to Gunung Mulu, but this UNESCO World Heritage Site has an air-strip. The journey by river-boat takes ages so most visitors travel by plane.

Over 250km of the caves have been explored, about 30% of the total. Deer Cave, the most impressive, has a cavern 174m high. That’s one and a half times the height of Dublin’s Millennium Spire! Caves tend to be sterile sepulchral places, but Deer Cave teems with life. Great jet-black patches cover much of the ceiling while other areas, seen through binoculars, have a whitish pock-marked surface. The black areas are gigantic concentrations of roosting bats. The pock-marks are swiftlet nests.

There are thought to be three million bats in the cavern. Nine species have been identified, each one staying in its own area to roost and breed. Bats are nocturnal, but the place is a hive of activity 24 hours a day. The swiftlets take the day shift, flying out to the rainforest in search of insects for their hungry youngsters. They navigate within the great cave by emitting loud clicking sounds and listening for their echoes from the rock faces. The bats, of course, have developed much more sophisticated sonar, but their clicks are too high pitched for us humans to hear.

Darkness falls quickly in the tropics and, as dusk approaches the swiftlets come home for the night. As soon as the birds are tucked up in bed the bat exodus starts. Their departure is a hit-and-miss affair. Bats know that few insects will be on the wing when it’s raining so they don’t venture out in wet weather. It’s the rainy season right now in Borneo. There are frequent thunderstorms and a deluge can burst forth without warning. !As a result, I was not rewarded with the great bat spectacle until my third nightly vigil at the mouth of the cavern.

Not that I’m complaining; the trek back through the dark wet jungle was an unforgettable experience. Insects, especially cicadas, produce the most extraordinary sounds, rivalled only by those of the frogs, while nocturnal birds provide an eyrie accompaniment.

Unlike the swiftlets, where every individual fends for him or herself, the bats stream into the fading light in huge formations. This may be a defence against predators; bat-hawks wait on cliff ledges outside the cave or wheel overhead, hoping for an easy meal.

Continue reading at: Mulu National Park: Bats out of hell? Not quite
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Deer Cave: A bats’ world in Mulu National Park

MULU, Sarawak: It was twilight and the entrance to the Deer Cave at the Mulu National Park was dusky.

While the rain had just stopped adding to the chill of the mountain air, a group of eager visitors took a vantage position some distance away from the mouth of the cave waiting to witness one of nature’s wonders about to unravel.

The cameras lenses were trained to the empty and silent sky above, with the vertical limestone walls of Mulu partially in view.

Then suddenly a burst of cacophony was heard before thousands of dark spots spiralled into the half-lit sky from the mouth of the cave.

What is seen as a rising twister from a distant is actually hundreds and thousands of bats making their way to feed.

From the initial spiral configuration, they then flew in a horizontal formation and then started circling like a whirlpool in the sky.

This nocturnal mammals then broke up into smaller groups and flew in numerous formations in the otherwise empty and dark sky.

Though bats lead solitary lives, they move in groups to look for food so that they are not vulnerable to predators.

Bats could travel up to 70 kilometres to look for food and while in the jungle they go on separate ways and even return alone to their nest.

Richard Burong, the tour guide from Tropical Adventure who led the group, pointed out that before getting out of the cave the bats start the rhythm for the exodus.

It normally starts with one bat circling within the cave and slowly followed by the hundreds and thousands or even millions in a manoeuvre to push the weaker ones outside the circle.

“Imagine the din and the swarm within the cave when up to three million bats start flying in circles.

“Even before they make their way out of the cave predators, especially the eagle and owl, are already waiting outside for an easy meal.

“And the weaker ones outside the circle are the most vulnerable”, Richard explained.

“It was a great one time experience to witness the bats emerging out of the Deer Cave in unbelievable numbers,” he said.

However, bats are not the only attraction at this world heritage site.

The Deer Cave derives its name from hunters who were familiar with the place.

The cave is said to be a favourite gathering site for the deer and other animals as the water there is rich in mineral.

Continue reading at: Deer Cave: A bats’ world in Mulu National Park
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British explorers map out 'never-ending' cave network underneath Borneo jungle

These incredible images show British scientists on an expedition to map a 'never-ending' cave network in a project that dates back more than 30 years.

The twisting network of caverns underneath Gunung Mulu National Park, in Sarawak, Borneo, contains the largest cave chamber in the world, the largest cave by volume and what is believed to be the largest cave passage.

Scientists carry out bi-annual visits into several caves and have so far mapped out an incredible 186 miles of the underground network.

Using lasers and other equipment they measured the dimensions of different sections of the numerous caverns stretching throughout the UNESCO World Heritage site and feed them into a computer to build up the map.

Working with Borneo's National Parks authority, the team of Brits also began mapping the area above the caves to help tourists trekking between the cave mouths know where they are.

Sarawak Chamber is the world's largest, the Clearwater Cave system is the largest by volume and Deer Cave is believed to be the biggest passage.

More than 30 years ago the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) led the first expedition to the cave system, which current team member Andy Eavis, 62, was part of.

Other members of the team - all British - included leader Tim Allen, 49, Dr Gina Moseley, 26, web designer Hugh St Lawrence, professor Pete Smart and cavers Matt Kirby and Robbie Shone.

The expedition saw the team camping for periods below surface during a three-week trip in May.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: British explorers map out 'never-ending' cave network underneath Borneo jungle
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