The Dusun Lotud ‘Milamak’ Wedding

Living in heterogeneous and culturally diverse Sabah gives you the opportunity to witness numerous customs of more than 30 ethnic races and wedding ceremonies – modern as well the traditional ones.

Count yourself fortunate if you have the opportunity to attend a Dusun Lotud wedding. The fascinating wedding ceremonies and festivities give expatriates as well as locals a unique outlook to gain insight into the Dusun Lotud culture and social ethinicity. The Dusun Lotuds are indigenous ethnic group residing in Tuaran district and also known as the Kadazandusuns.

I was lucky that I got to witness a re-enactment of a full Dusun Lotud ‘Milamak’ wedding ceremony at a cultural village. Even though it was not an actual wedding, but I was informed that this ceremony is still strongly practised in the Dusun Lotud community... so it was like attending a real wedding anyway.

Before getting married, the family of the groom-to-be had to ‘monunui’ or visit the family of the bride-to-be to seek permission for both bride and groom-to-be to get married. At the same time, both families had to discuss on the ‘berian’(dowry) which normally comprise of money, water-buffalo or cow (to be slaughtered on the wedding day) and other items that are requested by the family of the bride-to-be. During the ‘monunui’, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be were officially engaged and exchanged rings while being witnessed by their family members. A week later, the couple got married. However, nowadays most couples want to wait for six months up to one year before they get married so that they will have ample of time to prepare for their weddings.

On the wedding day, the bride wore the complete Dusun Lotud traditional costume which I think was the most comprehensive gear that I had ever seen... especially on a bride! The ‘Sukub Kopio’ is a long-sleeved black cotton tailored blouse with red tinobogi (needle-weaving technique of interlaced flanel stitches) at the seams, a curvilinear motif of a bamboo shoot with sequins decorates the cuffs while gold threads are couched onto the fabric. ‘Tombuku’ (golden coins) sewn onto the ‘Sukub Kopio’ are used to button it up. A very long colourful cloth was wrapped around the bride’s upper body part – from chest to abdomen. The knee-length black cotton tube skirt is called the ‘Gonob’. Around the hips is a strip of tinobogi with a panel of Linangkit’, a hand-woven cloth using multi colour threads, sewn from the waist down. The gonob is held up by a strip of white cloth or what they call the ‘haboi’. Sometimes, a batik sarong is worn over the short ‘gonob’ to avoid exposure of the legs especially when sitting down. The bride’s accessories included the ‘Lilimbo’ (red wide girdle of interconnected loops of split rattan worn around the hips), ‘Loti’ (a chain of small silver coins placed in the middle of the ‘Lilimbo’, ‘Porotina’ (silver belt with a diamond-shaped clasp), Sigar (a headband with red rattan rims. The narrow band is decorated with rectangular or square plates of embossed goldleaf or modern substitute), ‘Simpai’ (hollow upper arm bracelets made of embossed silver), ‘Lansung’ (hollow and embossed silver anklets), ‘Mandapun’ (stiff ornamental collar of red cotton with embossed and leaves-shaped gold or silver plate), ‘Siwot’ (ornament for the head which is stuck into the hairbun and consists of four bunches of red cloth and black cock feathers with strings of silver-green beads with bits of red cloth dangle over the forehead from the first bunch, and downward from the last one) and ‘Karo’ (a necklace made of mostly long barrel beads of glass, shell and carnelian. In between these are hollow silver beads and concave ornaments over a wooden base. Usually two or three karo are worn together with cone-shaped ornaments which are arranged symmetrically with the points downwards). As I said earlier, there are loads of knick-knacks and details when it comes to the bride’s costume, but it contributed to the uniqueness of the whole wedding ceremony.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Bride getting reading on the wedding day

When the bride was all ready, her mother and bridesmaid escorted her to the groom’s house, while other family members and relatives followed from behind. At the front yard of the groom’s house, a group of elderly women or priestesses were standing in two straight lines. Three other priestess were holding a large piece of cloth in open semi-circle and the groom with his bestman were standing inside it, on a piece of bamboo mat.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Bride arrived at the groom's house

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Bride and groom standing in the semi-circle cloth with priestesses

The groom was clad in full Dusun Lotud costume which consisted of ‘sukub’ (a black cotton shirt with similar decoration as the women's blouse), ‘Binandus’ (black trousers with a square piece of ‘linangkit’ at the back just under the waist) and ‘Sundi’ (a dastar or head gear). Similar to the bride, groom also wore some accessories such as the ‘Supu’ which is a silver chain with an attached round silver tobacco container (worn around the waist) and two pieces of Ulungkaris’ (also known as ‘Tatarapan’) which are actually the normal keris or dagger, a stiff red cotton belt with a big chunk of embossed oval and flowery-shaped gold plate and a ‘karo’.

So back to the ceremony! As soon as the bride arrived, all of the priestesses started to ‘Bandak’ or sing some continuous Dusun Lotud rhyme which sounded more like mantra to me. I was told that the ‘Bandak’ is just like chanting but most commonly used during a wedding ceremony to bless the newlyweds.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Groom's mother welcomed the bride

The groom’s mother welcomed the bride by placing a ‘Karo’ around her neck as a symbolic of giving her approval and warm welcome to the bride as a new member of the family. The bride then stood next to the groom inside the semi-circle cloth, facing the group of priestesses. The head of the priestesses started another round of ‘Bandak’ followed by the rest of the priestesses. Once they stopped, the family members at the ‘soriu’ or veranda played the gongs and ‘kulintangan’ (small sets of gongs) while the priestesses performed the traditional dance, ‘Sumayau’. Every movement of the hands was in harmony with the rhythm of the gong music although the feet movements were slightly slower, looked like walking with very small steps in an unhurried manner.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Priestesses doing the 'bandak' - blessing the newlywed


Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Priestesses performed the 'Sumayau'



Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Family members or relatives playing the kulintangan and gong

Once the gong music stopped, the head of the priestess led the other priestesses to enter the groom’s house while reciting the ‘milamak’ which they regarded as pristine blessing and a custom way of inviting the bride and groom into the house. The newlywed couple and their family members then entered the house and proceeded to the wedding dais inside the house. Then, the bride and groom fed each other with two to three mouthful of steamed rice as a symbol of unity. They sat at the wedding dais for quite a while so that relatives and friends can have a closer look at the newlyweds... and some even wanted to take photographs of the couple as well as themselves with the couple, for remembrance.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Newlyweds at the wedding dais

All in a sudden, the village’s elders started the ‘Bandak’ at the veranda and followed by the priestesses. This marked the beginning of the ‘Moninjau’ or ice-breaking session with the elders. While the bride and bridesmaid waited at the wedding dais, the groom and his bestman brought two plates of steamed rice and walked out to the veranda to sit with the elders and priestesses. They sat down facing the elders and placed the rice in front of them. The elders put the ‘kirai’ (hand-rolled cigarettes derived from dried leaves) and ‘sigup’ (tobacco) on a plate and poured the ‘bahar’ (dark orange coconut wine) into a bowl which are placed in the middle – between them and the groom. Then, a family member served some fried and boiled ‘ikan basung’ or sardines which were also placed in the middle. The elders told the groom and his bestman to start eating while they did the ‘Bandak’ together with the priestesses – a blessing for the groom to start a new life as a married man. Once they had finished eating, the elders started to drink the ‘bahar’ and passed the bowl around among themselves included the groom and and his bestman. After that, everyone joined in the feast.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Groom with the elders

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: The groom and his bestman had their meals while the elders and priestesses were doing the 'Bandak'

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Passing around the 'bahar' between the elders and the groom

I was informed by one of the elders that normally the feast would last for the whole day and night. Some of the Dusun Lotud families prefers to have the wedding and feast at the bride’s house first, where the groom will go there on the wedding day and stay for a week. Then a week later the wedding ceremony continues as they escort the newlyweds to the groom’s house. There are also big number of families who combine both traditional with western wedding culture. But whatever it is, I must say that I was totally astounded by the whole process of the Dusun Lotud ‘Milamak’ wedding ceremony and it was an honour to experience it. This wedding ceremony is totally unique and one of its kind as it can only be seen in Sabah.

Remarks:

This editorial is also published in the following:

* http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=94330

* http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/article.asp?id=63131

* http://www.etravelblackboard.co.nz/article.asp?id=65626

Big Bikers Roared Around Sabah

After a successful event last year, it was time for the Harley Owners Group Sabah Chapter, also known as HOG, to have another rally around Sabah.

Last year, HOG collaborated with a five-star resort in Kota Kinabalu and raised RM71,433 for charity through the auction of a 105th anniversary special edition Harley (the “Ultra Classic Electra Glide”), a lady’s leather jacket, a man’s leather jacket, a custom-printed T-shirt, two special pewter plaques and a Harley Davidson staff shirt during a charity dinner at the resort.

Proceeds of the auction will be donated to two local charity organizations namely Seri Mengasih Centre and Beringgis Children’s Home and to “Care For Children” a corporate social responsibility programme supported by the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group.

It was interesting to hear when Choo Kai Mun, the president of HOG Sabah Chapter, said that the rally was not only meant for members of HOG to get together but also to play their role in corporate social responsibility and give something back to the community.

“As Harley-Davidson owners we also rally to discover new rides, make new friends, and visit with old friends. We laugh, we party, and we find new adventures. When motorcyclists are welcomed by a biker friendly area we know we have a unique opportunity to be a part of a special motorcycle rally experience,” Choo added.

This year, the nine-day 6th Malaysia National HOG Rally commenced from 16 to 24 May and brought together hundreds of Harley Davidson owners and enthusiast from all over Malaysia, Australia, Brunei, France, Indonesia, Macau, Singapore, Thailand and the United States of America. I would say that this year the HOG rally is living the bikers’ dreams - travelling the road less travelled where adventure looming around every bend and plethora of roads from Tawau, Semporna, Lahad Datu, Sandakan, Ranau, Kudat, Kota Belud to Kota Kinabalu.

The first day in Tawau was only for registration as well as briefing of the rules and regulations for the bikers. Numerous type of Harley Davidson bikes that you have never seen before were on display and each one of them had to be refueled and gone through the safety inspection followed by a welcome dinner hosted by the Tawau Town Council at Marco Polo Hotel.

It was an early start the next day, breakfast as early as 7:00 am. At 8:00 am, most of the bikers were festooned in memorabilia consisting of patches and badges sewn or pinned onto venerable leather jerkins and traditional biker wear, were getting ready for the flag off at Tawau Town Council. In groups, the bikers roared out of Tawau with their “thunderous rides” and rode along roads fringed by palm oil estates to Semporna where they had a transfer by fast boats to Mabul Island for lunch and check-in. After a long ride, the bikers spent the whole day in Mabul with just lazying around, swimming, snorkeling and even scuba dive at Sipadan, rated to be the world’s top five diving spots.

Since they had to spend two days in Mabul, the bikers took the opportunity to visit the sea gypsies - the Bajaus, in their temporary quarters on the island. HOG has also been actively involved in conserving the the environment. On the second day in Mabul, bikers who are also qualified divers took the live corals they found on land and planted them on the ocean bed. A commemorative plaque stated “HOG International has laid this bed of corals in its efforts for conservation of our seas” was securely placed on the bed of corals. This effort and activity was the first ever done by any bikers group and those corals will be monitored and maintained by the Malaysian Fisheries Department.

Another early morning on 19 May when the bikers had to rise at dawn and had breakfast at 6:00 am in order to catch the boat transfer to semporna at 7:00 am and then headed off to Sukau where they got on a river cruise down the Kinabatangan River to spot wildlife in their natural habitat. The cruise itself was an adventure as the cruise had to overtake river debris like logs, crocodiles and even dead bodies (yaiks!). Kinabatangan River is well known among the villagers because they managed to capture a huge crocodile that had feasted on six villagers a while ago. Well, you definitely do not want to fall into that river ever! At noon, the bikers stopped by at a riverside restaurant for lunch while enjoying the nature.

The following day, the bikers had to go through a long and winding road to the Borneo Rainforest Consevatory in Ranau. Sabah has the oldest rainforest that is more than million years old ... so back to Mother Nature again! Getting on a canopy walk at the Borneo Rainforest Conservatory enabled everyone to have a closer look of the oldest trees and a glimpse of Mount Kinabalu. Around 12:30 noon, the bikers group arrived at Kampung Luanti in Ranau, a place famous for “fish massage” among the locals as well as tourists. Everyone got into the stream where a school of fish would “attack” - biting or sucking on dried skins off the human bodies. I must say that those who are very ticklish may want to think twice before getting this infamous fish massage.
The villagers around were amazed when a group of bikers wearing black leather jackets on big motorbikes riding past them. Even when these bikers had lunch with the villagers, you can see that everyone was whispering and smiling – it was a rare experience for the villagers to be visited by a big group of bikers.

On the way to Kota Kinabalu, these bikers just could not resist to stop at the town of Nabalu for some photography sessions and they were lucky enough that they got a clear view of Mount Kinabalu in the background. That evening the bikers called it a day at a resort in the city... time to re-energize and relax the cramped muscles.

After breakfast the next day, everyone had their gear on and was ready to hit the road – next destination was the tip of Borneo, Simpang Mengayau. Some part of the roads were gravel which made the journey a bit slow. However, they finally arrived at the tip of Borneo after three hours which was not too bad. A quick group photography session and they had to start moving to Kota Belud, the town of “Cowboys of the East” (The Bajau horsemen). The most interesting thing about a Bajau horseman is his horse or rather pony. It has its own costume and is more gaily dressed than the rider. Some of the bikers had the opportunity to ride on a horse and also water buffalo – a great experience for those who come from outside of Malaysia. On the way back to the city, they had a spectacular view of the Borneo sunset from the highland.

The next morning, the bikers roared out of the resort to the Monsopiad Cultural Village located in the district of Penampang, about 20 minutes away from the city. It is the only cultural village in Sabah built to commemorate the legendary Kadazan and head-hunter warrior – Monsopiad. A visit to the House of Skulls where more than 42 skulls are hung from the ceiling was one of the attractions in the village. The bikers decided to have their lunch at the cultural village while being entertained by live traditional dance performance. Then, they returned to the resort to freshen up and rest before they rode on their bikes again to the city council (Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu) that evening for dinner. The locals were welcomed to join in the bike games under floodlights simultaneously whilst the bikers enjoying their ‘tucker’... indeed a not-to-be-missed by the locals as they learned how to handle the bike, pick it up, take corners and much much more.

On the eight day, the bikers hit the road to Kiulu right after breakfast. It was a day for a white-water rafting adventure and trust me these bikers are not the faint-hearted kinds at all! After almost three hours of rafting along the rapid river, everyone finally reached the other end of the river...and a barbeque lunch was a perfect ending. Once reached the city, they headed to the port to arrange for shipments of their bikes then returned to the resort for a farewell dinner hosted by the Sabah Tourism Board.

After eight exhilarating days biking around Sabah, it was finally the end of the 6th HOG Rally! The HOG brothers and sisters reluctantly had to say goodbye to each other but took the friendships and memories home with them. For Harley Davidson fans who plan to join the group will have a year to polish and improvise their bikes for the next rally in May 2010.

Remarks:
This editorial is also published in the following:
* http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=93377

* http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/article.asp?id=62520

* http://www.etravelblackboard.co.nz/article.asp?id=65238

Mystical Sabah – A Journey of Worthwhile Experience

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Sabah Fest 2009

Photo by Sabah Tourism Board: Sabah Fest 2009

If you think Mardi Gras or Oktoberfest are flamboyant and colourful, wait untill you see the spectacular Sabah Fest in the Land Below the Wind, which is an annual event organized by Sabah Tourism Board. Sabah Fest 2009 kicked off on 2 May 2009 and had successfully bedazzled the locals and visitors with its vibrant cultural extravaganza with this year’s theme “Mystical Sabah”.

The fest was a prelude of a month-long celebration in concurrence with the Harvest Festival and the first two days at Magellan Grand Ballroom in Sutera Harbour Resort were mainly showcasing some of Sabah’s ethnic groups through traditional songs and dances combined with a display of rarely seen rituals and scenes of their daily lives. When I was invited to attend the cultural show on the first night, I just could not say “no”. After hearing a lot of remarkable feedbacks from so many people on the Sabah Fest last year, I knew for sure that this was something that I had to witness myself – seeing is believing. Even being a local here, it is still interesting to learn a lot more about other ethnic races and their culture or traditions.

It was interesting how the entrance of the ballroom was set up with bamboos and a group of women fully clad in traditional costumes welcomed visitors with friendly smiles. As I walked down the stairs to the grand ballroom, the walkway was all covered with black cloth to make it looked as if you were entering a cave. “Skulls” were hanging on both sides of the walkway which shifted you back to the era of headhunters – back in the olden days, the Kadazans and Muruts were known as the headhunters and skulls symbolized the warriors’ strength. The more skulls collected the higher the warriors were ranked in their community.

At the ballroom foyer, there were numerous booths exhibited local crafts, traditional games, arts and paintings – basically almost everything was on display – something that never ceased to attract your attention and kept you amazed as you strolled along the foyer. Four young boys were showing off their skills in top spinning or gasing. The gasing is quite big and heavy so it was rare to see young boys spinning the gasing because it requires skills of great dexterity and precise timing. Then, there was a group of young boys and girls demonstrated to the tourists on how to play the popular traditional game called congkak.

I was captivated with the mock village setup of the Lotud tribe from Tuaran – the Linangkit Cultural Village. Linangkit refers to a hand woven selected cloth using multi colours thread (normally red, yellow, green, blue, maroon and gold) which is the significant costume decoration for the Lotuds. Linangkit is the striking feature when worn together with the Lotud’s black ceremonial costumes. From the circular sashes, knee-lenth skirts the back waistband of men’s trousers (called binandus), all are embellished with Linangkit. The one that was on display that evening was about 12.5 metre long which rated it as Sabah’s longest hand woven Linangkit. I was informed that a physically challenged (deaf and mute) woman, Julita Gayang, spent nearly every day over the two and a half years weaving that stunning and full of details masterpiece.

Everyone was also given the opportunity to have a glimpse of the mock Lotud wedding. The bride and groom in full Lotud costumes sat on a beautifully decorated four-post bed while being surrounded by their family members, also bedecked in their colourful traditional costumes. The Lotud community strongly believe that every festivity should be celebrated in big scale involving all family members.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: The longest Linangkit in Sabah

Another interesting display was a chain of fangs that the Lotud priestesses believed to be the “fangs of thunder” and this item is nornally used together with a slaughtered chicken during a cleansing ritual. Then, there was a section where they placed the 200 years old “gusi” of sacred jars which are the main spiritual paraphernalia for the Lotuds. The Lotuds regard the “gusi” as a place where their ancestors’ spirits rest peacefully. Seeing all these spiritual bits and pieces gave me some goose-bumps especially when recorded ritual chanting was played in the background because I can imagine how the actual ritual ceremony was conducted by bunch of priestess in black costumes to cast away evil spirits. A little bit mystical but the whole ritual thingy was an interesting fact to know.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: 200 years old sacred jars

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Fangs of Thunder

I continued strolling along the foyer and saw more eye-catching exhibitions such as the Bajau craftsman from Kota Belud making some of their signature handicrafts, Bajau Laut craftsmen from Semporna giving a live demonstration on making miniature lepa or single masted sailing boat, a Lundayeh woman making colourful bead works and a lot more.

I can easily spend the whole day browsing through each booths during the fest but I had to be in the ballroom for the much anticipated cultural show and I did not want to miss any second of it. There were so many people seated in the ballroom and I noticed that there were many tourists too, guess they also wanted to enjoy the natural charms of Sabah that night.

Lights were switched off and the show began with short sketch of a “grandmother” and her “grandson” standing on the stage and sort of telling a story (they were just miming what the emcee was saying) of the Lotud tribe before they walked down to the hut at the left corner of the stage. After that, a group of women in black costumes with long veils lined up on the stage and started to dance following the beat of the gongs, a short but entertaining intro.

Then, the Tantagas of high priestesses with 80 followers chanting away from the back of the ballroom until they got up on the stage. This was the first time that Sabah Fest ever showcased this rare Lotud ritual of “Mamahui Pogun” or cleansing of the universe, which is a lost-in-time ceremony to appease the spirits and restore the balance of the universe. During the “Mamahui Pogun”, a group of 30 young children performed the sumayau (traditional dance of the Lotud tribe) as part of the ritual.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Mamahui Pogun ceremony

From a spiritual ceremony, the whole atmosphere was transformed into a fast pace performance by the Bajau tribe of Kota Belud or also known the “cowboys of the east” – except without the horses! The mock tamu scene complemented the popular economic activity amongst the Bajau people.

Pangalay Agung, the traditional dance of the Suluk people from Sandakan, was attention-grabbing too. It also told the story of how the dance was drown from the legend surrounding the a female Suluk aristocrat with mystical powers that did not allow her feet to touch the ground. Therefore, the Pangalay Agung has been regarded as a royal welcoming dance.
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Photo by Sabah Tourism Board: Pangalay Agung Dance

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: The a female Suluk aristocrat with mystical powers

Next highlight was the Brunei people who performed their dance and songs while playing the Gambus, a traditional lute which has its origins in the Middle East. What make this Gambus unique is what it made of – carved out of jackfruit wood (with inticate carvings on its body) and the bore is covered with either lizard or goat skin.

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Brunei tribe with gambus

The Mongigol Sumundai which is a dance of the Rungus tribe, Monsilad (Dusun Gana) and Anggalang Manunatip (dancing with the bamboo) were among the other dance performance that I enjoyed that night before everyone was invited to join in the merry-making which marked the end of the festivity.

Photo by Sabah Tourism Board: Mongigol Sumundai of Rungus tribe

Photo by Sabah Tourism Board: The Murut Tribe

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: Children from the Murut Tribe

Photo by Karen Tukalan-Pinn: The merry making

So many cultures, dances and music to delight in one night! Every year, Sabah Fest brought the best of Sabah’s natural charms closer to everyone... mark next year’s event on your calendar.

Remarks:

This editorial is also published in the following:

* http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/article.asp?id=62245

* http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=92949

* http://www.etravelblackboard.co.nz/article.asp?id=64971

* http://www.etravelblackboard.us/showarticle.asp?id=89255

Sapi Island – Small but rich with beauty

What can you do for a day or during a short visit in Sabah? Whether it is exploring the nature and coral islands or visiting the historical sites - there is plenty to do and see on land and on the water while visiting this part of Malaysia.

The island hopping is a popular pursuit among the tourists as well as the locals as you are spoilt with so many choices of islands that you can go to such as the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, which is Sabah’s second national park. It comprises of five beautiful coral islands namely Gaya Island, Manukan Island, Mamutik Island, Sapi Island and Sulug Island which are the alternative retreats for those who have become jaded with bustling Kota Kinabalu city.

Well, seeing is believing so I decided to get away from the city for a day – to enjoy the sun, sea and sand in Pulau Sapi. This small 10-hectare island is known for its clean beaches, crystal-clear water and coral reefs fringing the shoreline. I was also advised that it is one of the best places for snorkelling.

Sapi Island does not offer any accommodation facilities but camping is allowed only with a written permission from Sabah parks office in the city. However, since this island is not far from the city, everyone can easily go there in the morning, stay for a few hours and then come back to the city late afternoon.

It was a fine morning, so I packed my gear and of course never go to the island without the sunscreen to protect the skin from the harmful rays. I took a boat ride from Jesselton Point jetty where there are so many tour-operated speedboats available and depart on hourly basis. If you want a hassle-free and more organized trip to the island, you can get a local tour company to arrange everything for you from the transfers, activities or tour on the island and even lunch. I prefer to go to the island and free to do things on my own pace, so I skipped the tour.

I bought a return ticket to Sapi Island for only RM30 at the Jesselton Point jetty. Renting the snorkelling gear costs RM15 and a beach mat for RM10 – my suggestion, better bring your own beach mat if you have one. The speedboat took about 20 minutes to Pulau Sapi and throughout the journey I cannot cease to enjoy the blue seawater, broken only by the froth of the waves.
The moment I arrived at the jetty of Sapi Island, I had to walk along the boardwalk and it was amazing to be able to see schools of fish in the clear water, from small fish to sword fish. Sometimes you can even spot the Clown fish or some people here would call “Nemo” based on the famous animation movie.

I had to pay an entrance fee of RM3 (RM10 for non-Malaysians) which was not much. Well, the Sabah parks has to maintain the island for visitors and the fees will be used towards that.
I can see so many people lazing on the white sandy beach although there are wooden tables and benches provided for visitors. I found an area underneath a big tree, a good place to rest and settle my belongings. The park warden told me to watch for the macaque monkeys that sometimes come out from the forest to prey on visitors’ belongings. I only saw one of them not far from where I was sitting, but it stayed on the tree while spying on everyone who walked around the island.

Even though you did not buy any tours at the jetty earlier, you are still able to delight in a host of activities offered on the beach at minimal charges such as parasailing, jet skiing and banana boat ride. Swimming in the clear water allowed a vivid encounter of the marine life and different species of coral reefs such as the staghorn, mushroom, cabbage, brain, and more. When snorkelling, a group of small fish approached and gave tingly bites on your body but they are harmless. You can get on a glass bottomed boat which leaves you in no danger of getting either wet or impaled with sea urchins.

Forest trails with well maintain walk way through the interior provide an excellent opportunity for nature appreciation. During low tide the sea water decreases so low that it allow ones to walk around the island along the beaches, although some part is more challenging with rocky surfaces. For the less energetic, the beach is there for you to laze and bronze on while being lured to slumber by the sound of waves lapping on the sand.

Do not worry about lunch, snacks or drinks because there are shop, restaurant and food stalls on the island. Bear in mind that the prices are a little higher than normal though. For lunch, I just had some barbecued chicken wings because I cannot resist from the nice aroma.

But obviously I was not the only one who was attracted to smell as I saw bunch of monitor lizards crawled from the forest toward the nearby restaurant and stalls. The monitor lizards belong to the same group of carnivorous lizards like the komodo dragon. They were about three to five feet long and have rough skin, long necks, potent tails and claws, well-developed limbs. Their thin long tongues, which look almost similar to snake’s tongue, were like their sensors and led them to the BBQ pits – they were not afraid being close to humans. Everyone on the island was awed with these creatures and took loads of photographs as some of them claimed that they had never seen a monitor lizard before. The park warden warned us not to get too close to these monitor lizards because their bites are venomous, just like other deleterious lizards and snakes.

After lunch and laze about on the white sandy beach, I enjoyed another swim to cool my body down. Pretty soon it was time for me to leave Sapi Island. Although I was there for half a day, it was a picnic excursion that I enjoyed very much. The speedboat left around 4:15 pm where the sun was mild with the shadow of Sapi Island lurking in the distance, seemingly beckoning me to return.

So what else can you do next in Sabah? Watch this space for other destinations.

Remarks:
This editorial is also published in the following:
* http://www.etravelblackboard.co.nz/article.asp?id=64446
* http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=91839
* http://www.etravelblackboard.us/showarticle.asp?id=88753

A Cheese Haven in the Land Below The Wind

When you think that you need to get away from a bustling city for the weekend or if your ideal vacation consists of sipping chilled concoctions while dipping in the pool or dozing off under a swaying coconut tree, then the Langkah Syabas Beach Resort fits your bill to the tee.


Spectacular Borneo sunset

Owned by an Australian national, Peter Cantwell, this serene piece of paradise is only 25 minutes from Kota Kinabalu city centre and 15 minutes from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Over 15 years ago, Peter had a vision of creating a tranquil resort within a traditional rustic Sabahan village and the perfect setting of the Kinarut Laut had turned his dream into a reality.

Married to a Sabahan lady and have two lovely daughters, Peter has created a resort with unique personalised service with all the combined comforts of Australian and Asian hospitality. Up to date, the resort has welcomed numerous visitors from countries like Australia, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Brunei as well as local tourists from all over Malaysia.

A total of 18 chalets with balconies overlooking the swimming pool or azure South China Sea allow you to breathe in the balmy sea breezes that wafted through your windows while the magical sounds of ocean waves lull you to sleep at night. With every delight at your fingertips, the true spirit of escape is undeniably natural and there are just many things for everyone here.



Recreational appeals include a swimming pool underneath the green trees and a wide range of tour activities which you can book through the reception. On a fine day, you can even get on a horse ride around the resort for only RM15 per ride. If you just want to rest in your chalet, you can even borrow some DVD movies or books from the reception free of charge. You don’t have to leave the resort for meals as The Balcony Restaurant offers wide selection of high standard of cuisine with an emphasis on western dishes together with many favourite Asian specialties. I always hear among the expats as well as the locals that the Langkah Syabas Beach Resort’s Sunday Roast buffet lunch is something that no one should ever missed! So one Sunday, I decided to try and find out what is so special about it. As I walked up the staircases to the restaurant, I was totally drawn to the pleasant smell of roast meats.

Traditional roasts such as beef, lamb and chicken along with its accompaniments of Yorkshire pudding and baked potatoes are on full display for the guests to enjoy on a relaxing Sunday afternoon while enjoying some cold beers. Then there is cheese section, something that I could not say no to.

Soft brie cheese, sweet as cream. A tasty camembert cheese with slightly salty taste. Where did this cornucopia come from?


A selection of cheese – Brie, Camembert, Feta and marinated Feta

“It’s all from around here,” the waitress said, gesturing vaguely toward a white-painted building at the back of the restaurant. “We make the cheese here, the home of Kinarut Beach Cheese.”
A cheese factory in Sabah? Well that surprised me which made me so eager to find out more about the person who had come up with the brilliant idea of making cheeses in this hot and humid place.


Cheese factory

I managed to meet up with the manager of Kinarut Beach Cheese, Shelley Blew, an Australian who is proud enough to say that she is a Sabahan as she has been living in Sabah for a long time. According to Shelley, three years ago a couple of retired cheese makers from Kangaroo Island in South Australia, Mos and Liz Howard, were having their first holiday in twelve years. When they stayed at Langkah Syabas Beach Resort, Peter Cantwell popped up the question on whether it was possible to make cheese in Malaysia.


Shelley Blew - manager of Kinarut Beach Cheese

Who ever thought that the question has led Mos and his family moved to Kota Kinabalu and stayed for six months to teach two local ladies, Judith Lojingki and Ng Siew Kyun, the fine art of cheese-making. Then the rest was history!


The cheesemakers - Juidth Lojingki and Ng Siew Kyun

Are there enough sources of milk in Kota Kinabalu? Surprisingly, Shelley said she gets supply of milk from a local supplier, known as Korporasi Pembangunan Desa. At this stage, all cows’ milk is used and they are delivered to the factory three times a week. As back-up, cows’ milk is also purchased from another supplier which is the Sabah International Dairy.

“It takes a whole day to make cheese so we only make them about three to six times a week.” Shelley explained. “For now, we make at least 100 kg of cheese every month. Our busiest time to make cheese is in July because we need to cater for hotels and resorts in August when it is the busiest month for them” she added.

Shelley was so kind to give me a quick tour around the cheese factory. Even though it is only a small factory, being in there had given me a vivid idea on the meticulous processes involved in making cheese. The cheese can last for two months but normally after 1 month, the smells turns a bit pungent and slightly of ammonia, so you need to unwrap the cheese and let it breath. Some people like cheese with strong smell and some don’t, so it is up to the individual on how long they want to keep the cheese for. Although the Kinarut Beach Cheese factory is only making Brie, Camembert, Feta and marinated Feta, Shelley mentioned that other sorts of cheese such as Blue cheese will be added to the list soon.

Kinarut Beach Cheese distributes its cheese to leading hotels and resorts such as Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa, Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort, Hyatt Regency Kota Kinabalu, Nexus Resort Karambunai and Le Meridien Hotel Kota Kinabalu. The cheese is also available at leading supermarkets like Merdeka Supermarket, Chua Kah Seng Supermarket and Giant in City Mall with a plan to supply to hotels and supermarkets in Kuala Lumpur.

So when you think you need a break in a paradise with something to titillate the palate, it is yours to discover at Langkah Syabas Beach Resort!


Remarks:
This editorial is also published in the following:-
* The Expat Magazine (April 2009 issue)
* Senses of Malaysia (May 2009 issue)
* http://www.etravelblackboard.co.nz/article.asp?nav=1&id=64082
* http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?nav=1&id=91024
* http://www.etravelblackboardasia.com/article.asp?nav=1&id=61033