Sabah (Malaysian Borneo),

Brunei & K L Trip 2006

Our 2006 holiday took us to Sabah, the region of Malaysia that was formerly called  North Borneo.  Click HERE for a map of the area. We stayed in Kota Kinabalu, at the Magellan Sutera Hotel, part of the Sutera Harbour Resort. While there we took various excursions, to the most Northerly tip of Borneo, to the Kinabalu National Park and Poring Hot Springs, and an evening trip into the Mangrove swamp looking for Probiscus Monkeys and Crocodiles. We also managed a trip on the North Borneo Steam Railway which is operated by the Sutera Harbour Resort and took us on a 36 mile trip between Kota Kinabalu, the state capital, and Papar, an agricultural town, known as the rice bowl of Sabah The highlight of the trip was a short flight to Sandakan to see the Sepilok OrangUtan Sanctury We also managed to take a day trip to Brunei and it's capital Bandar Seri Begawan where we drove past the Lapau. Dewan Majilis, Sir Omar Ali Saiffuddien Mosque and visited the Royal Regalia Centre with it's Golden Coronation Chariots. Our first visit of the day was at the new Mosque - (Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque) with it's fabulous gold and marble. We had lunch near the largest watervillage in the world where schools, police stations and fuel stations are built above stilts, and took a water taxi around the village to see it at close quarters. We finished or trip with two days in the bustling and very modern city of Kuala Lumpur which unfortunately was covered in smog from forest burning in Sumatra and rather restricted our view of the city from the KL tower.