T25. SNORKELing @ MANUKAN ISLAND

Kota Kinabalu is one of the best city in Malaysia because of its location near the sea and not to mention the Kinabalu mountain.  So you have the sea and the mountain that can be visited in two days.  The city itself is the centre for shopping with weekend bazaar called pasar tamu where you can find everything tourists looking for, the Phillipine market for souvenirs, and of course many modern shopping complexes.  This would probably take another one or two days.

As sea is the first thing you will see waking up in the morning (if your accommodation is facing the sea la), there is always an urge to visit one of the many islands.  Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park comprises of five islands with the biggest island being Gaya Island.  The more popular island hopping will be the visit to three island, Manukan which means fish, Mamutik for shell collection, and Sapi which means moving buffalo.  Enough for history and background, further detail please check this link.

The jetty

It is not necesssary to book the island hopping package in advance, just walk to the jetty called Jesselton point, and choose from many boat operators that are ever willing to take you to the islands.

Our package choice?  The trip to Manukan island.  This is the second biggest out of five islands and this is where the administration of the marine park is located. 

Hop in

Welcome to Manukan Island

Usually you will be offered snorkeling gear rental by the boat operator, and you can choose to decline, but we decided to take the offer.  Just a saving of RM5 but why not.





Walk around the island first.

No attire rules to follow here.

Time to snorkel

Quite intimidating at the beginning, but the 'safe' area for snorkeling is marked with buoyant so you will not drift out of the area.  Chasing nemos in the sea is interesting, to say the least. Without knowing, you could end up at the neighboring island.

Some fishes.

Watch for oncoming boat

Time to go home, but where is our boat?  Don't think I can remember.  Let's just try.

Is this our boat? No......

Is this the one?

No....this is the one. Actually not.

You have to identify your boat, otherwise how are you going to return the snorkeling gear?  Actually we took the wrong boat, but doesn't matter, we met the right one at the Jesselton jetty.  Nice drive. Nice boat.  

T24. JAPANESE VILLAGE in MALAYSIA

You don't have to be in Japan to see and feel a Japanese Village.  As you drive eastwards from Kuala Lumpur, after the Genting Highland junction, you will notice a sign to Bukit Tinggi, a resort belongs to Berjaya Group.  This resort is called Colmar Tropicale, obviously a European concept.  I feel like being in France or Amsterdam.

Colmar Tropicale Resort.  

There are a number of places that you can choose to visit within this vast resort area, from rabbits park right up to Botanical Garden, Golf, extreme sports, or my favourite the forever lasting Japanese Village.

Here comes the tourists.

What is Japanese Garden without koi fish.

This place is rather cooling, not to mention the Village is located 3000 feet above sea level.  The best thing to do here is NOTHING.  I mean do nothing, just walk around and indulge the garden feeling, and I know not many of us can have this kind of garden behind our house.

This is what I mean by taking it easy.

Walk on.

 Soon enough you will find a SPA.

Tatami is the Japanese traditional mat. Just in case... 

I offered a treat to anyone who is interested.  None seemed to be, I wonder why.

Ahhh...maybe this is the reason.

As you walk on towards the exit, you will find a Japanese restaurant RYO ZAN TEI.  You can also try the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony here. 

For your benefit, I enlarge the price list here as well.  Not bad ha...

But if you still feel it is quite costly, there is an alternative....  Just next to the restaurant's entrance, you will find two individuals manning a kiosk......

Sorry sir we are still unloading.

I feel like I know them....ooo my family members......hehe.  Just joking bro.

Having had enough with the Japanese Garden, you can drive back to the resort, The Colimar Tropicale.  Don't even think of walking to the resort, it is quite far.  But if you stay at the resort, there is transportation provided but check with the operator first. 

  

T23. RANAU's FALLEN HEROES

We traveled further east from Kinabalu Park towards Kundasang and we found a monument that is called Kundasang War Memorial.

Kundasang is a small town which is about 6km from the Kinabalu Park.  The road we traveled is as expectedly winding but there was not so many vehicles.

What war are we talking about here? Here is a bit of history lesson, errr turn off those handsets please..

Pay attention..

Take note of these three towns, Kundasang, Sandakan, and Ranau.  Refer to the map again...

In 1945, during the occupation of Japanese army in the North Borneo, the prisoners of war (POWs) were forced to build an airstrip at Sandakan, yess for the Japanese army of course.

When the Allied forces land in Sandakan, yess again to free those prisoners la, the Japanese army ordered the prisoners to walk 250km inland to Ranau.  Got the picture? 

Walking 250km through swamps, jungles and mountains....

Out of 455 POWs, only 160 made it to Ranau,  from which only six would than live; five Australian and one British soldier.

From the remaining 885 POWs still left in Sandakan, 536 were forced to march to Ranau in the second marches.  The rest were left to die in Sandakan.  Out of those 536 POWs who marched, only 183 survived.

Sad......

At the end, only three Australian soldiers survived the ordeal and gave evidence in the criminal court in Tokyo.  The Japanese Captain Hokijima was found guilty and hanged.

The Australian built this memorial in 1962.

Those plaques contain the list of POWs who died.

Nelson Short also wrote:

To think that a man was going to survive. You saw these men every day when you were getting treated for ulcers. The dead were lying there, naked skeletons. They were all ready to be buried. You thought to yourself, well, how could I possibly get out of a place like this? We’re in the middle of Borneo, we’re in the jungle. How possibly could we ever survive? Sydney was a long way from there.

source:   http://www.borneotourstravel.com/sabah-history/sandakan-death-march/

But, at the top of the memorial, the view of Kundasang is awesome. How nice living in those little house on the hill overlooking the valley.

Yes it's me again....chowww.