Recently, I was hugely astonished to learn that Biryani Rice in a restaurant that I frequented has increased in price to RM9!  What the heck!  They say it’s to cover the minimum wage requirements.  Mind you, this is not an air-conditioned restaurant – this is the authentic Indian restaurant that serves roti kosong, etc, at usual price.   Some friends think that maybe the cost of basmathi rice has increased.  I really can’t comment on that.

However, I distinctly remember back in the days (only a few years ago actually) when the family’s favourite Nasi Ayam Rohayu (Chicken Rice) was sold at RM4, Biryani Rice was about RM5.  Now, Nasi Ayam Rohayu is RM6 and Biryani has increased tremendously.  Next year, when GST is enforced, I’m pretty sure that the prices of Nasi Ayam and Nasi Biryani are not going to sit still.  Fortunately, my wife and I cook quite regularly.  One could go bankrupt eating in the local restaurants!

Not being a frequent restaurant-goer, I was quite delighted to come across Restoran D’Kenyalang when I was in Tuaran town recently.  It is highly recommended by our fellow blogger, Blogger Mus of My.Mustaffa for it’s Mee Kolok.  Thanks bro!  Of course, I tried out the Mee Kolok (RM6) of Restoran D’Kenyalang.

According to Mus, the cook is 100% Sarawakian and the mee is also brought in from Sarawak.  The other dish we tried was the Nasi Kukus Ikan Keli Berlada (RM7.50).  The mee is quite thin, but not as thin as bi-hoon.  At first, I ate it without the curry soup.  I could taste a hint of spices in the mee.  Then, I pour in the curry soup and it tasted much better.

The Nasi Kukus Ikan Keli Berlada was also quite nice, and I believe it’s not easy to find restaurants serving ikan keli here in Kota Kinabalu.  So, if you happen to be in Tuaran next time, do drop by Restoran D’Kenyalang.   Look for the huge G-Mart or One Stop Superstore yellow signage (quite new shoplots), then drive straight till you reach the last building.  Restoran D’Kenyalang is situated somewhere in the middle of the last building.

- Mee Kolok at Restoran D’Kenyalang, Tuaran

If you should come to Sabah, you really must journey to Sandakan.  In case you’ve missed my earlier posts, I’ve written about Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary at Mile 19; and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Borneon Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok, Sandakan, Sandakan Orchid House, the Crocodile Farm and Agop Batu Tulug Museum, and believe me, there are still more to see in Sandakan.  You are sure to shed more than a few kilos if you thoroughly explore Sandakan!

Pic credit: www.sabahparks.org.my & www.sabahtourism.com

Aside from all those places or after visiting all those places, if you still have plenty of time and cash to spare in Sandakan, you could venture to the Selingan Turtle Islands where you can witness turtles laying their eggs.  It covers an area of 1,740 hectares which includes the surrounding reefs and seas.  The islands are also ideal for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving, though the number of daily visitors is strictly limited.

Another attraction is the Gomantong Caves, situated 32km south of Sandakan.  It is home to hundreds of thousands of swifts which build their nests high on the cave walls and roofs.   Other than swifts, the caves are also inhabited by millions of bats and creepy crawly creatures such as cockroaches, centipedes, etc.  I believe the visit requires strong hearts.   Imagine – stepping on living things all the way!

Probably one of the most wondrous places in the world would be the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary where various species of wildlife may be seen such as leaf monkeys, macaques, gibbons, exquisite insects and birds (including eight species of hornbills, kingfishers, egrets, darters, owls, kites, eagles, broadbills, doves, storm storks, herons, hawks, ospreys, falcon, pheasants, parakeets, bee eaters, woodpeckers, pittas, bulbuls, forktails, babblers, warblers, flycatchers, orioles, flowerpeckers, spiderhunters,etc), slow loris, snakes, crocodiles, monitor lizards, and the proboscis monkeys (which is found only in Borneo).   One may also catch a glimpse of a wild orang utan and the Borneo Pgymy Elephants (the smallest known sub-specie of elephants in the world).   Aren’t the naturalist in you tempted…?

I was told that in some of the schools in Kinabatangan, the children sometimes couldn’t attend school  because the pygmy elephants decided to rest on the jetty that day, so the kids couldn’t get into the boats for their ride to school.  Isn’t that just an adorable story? It’s honest truth!

The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary which covers an area of 26,800 hectares, forms part of the Kinabatangan region which is the largest floodplain in Malaysia covering 16,800 sq. km or a total of 23% of the land area of Sabah.  Declared by the State Government as Sabah’s ‘Gift to the Earth’ in 1999, it was gazetted in 2005 as the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary under the state’s Wildlife Conservation Enactment of 1997 – thanks to the conservation efforts of WWF-Malaysia and various stakeholders.

The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary has an amazingly diverse ecosystem from coastal mangrove swamp, to riparian, freshwater and dipterocarp and oxbow vegetation teaming with wildlife supporting ten species of primates including orang utans, proboscis monkeys, to Borneo pygmy elephants, 50 species of mammals, 20 species of reptiles and over 1,026 species of plants. If you would like to see pictures of some of the wildlife living there, see this ‘Wildlife of Sabah’ brochure.

Pic credit: www.sukau.com

So, as you can see, Sandakan offers an amazing journey which you definitely can’t find in the cities – and a whole week would not be sufficient if you want to see them all!

- SANDAKAN, The Nature City of Malaysia: Land of Diversity and Conservation Part V

When was the last time you went to a museum?  I can’t remember the last time I went to a museum – probably 5 years ago.  The kids were still small, so they can’t remember it, too.  The only thing that I can vividly remember about the visit was the very cold temperature inside the museum.  I think there was a huge skeleton of something, but I can’t recall what it was – obviously, I need to revisit the place.

Sabah State Museum

So during the recent school holidays, we dragged our kids, ranging from 5-15 years old, to the Sabah State Museum.  We figured that all kids need such visits in their memory – at least one memorable trip to the museum, in addition to the zoo, the park, etc.  Our teens were reluctant (museums really need to update its image), but the younger ones were excited.  I estimated the trip to last about 1 hour or less, but we ended up spending more than 4 hours there, and we could have spent a whole day if not for a previous engagement.

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It turned out to be a fun time for us all – lots of walking, a bit of hiking, visiting houses, getting mosquito bites, viewing paddy field, admiring water lilies in a pond, getting on railway trains, sitting on and in classic cars, etc.  And all of those memorable adventures were on the outside of the museum building.

Perched on a hill, the Sabah State Museum’s main building was opened in 1984 and it is architecturally inspired by the longhouse.  Located about 5 minutes’ drive away from Kota Kinabalu City centre, at Jalan Muzium, it can easily be seen from the road.  It we take the bus, it is merely 5 minutes’ walk away from the bus stop.  Notable buildings near to the Museum are Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital, MUIS building and the Wisma Kewangan.

We arrived before the Museum opened, so the areas were not crowded.  We noticed peculiar scents coming from some of the plants gracing the area.  We found out later that the plants around the Museum grounds are not mere eye candy, some of them are actually part of the Museum’s ethno-botanical garden.  The plants consist of local medicinal and food plants – mostly herbs, I guess.  I am hopeless at differenting between the grass, weed or the herb…

Trains & Lepa Pasil

After we paid for the entrance fees, we decided to visit the surrounding areas first before entering the main building.  It was early in the morning, so we figured that when the air becomes too hot to endure, then we’ll march into the air-conditioned part of the Museum.

We started our adventure in the outdoors with the old train with wooden compartments.  The kids loved climbing up and down the dear thing and it really looked polished.  Then there’s this beautiful life-sized model of a sailing boat (perahu layar) called Lepa Pasil from the Semporna District from the East Coast of Sabah.  It has nice intricate motives carved onto it.  Would you believe it – these type of boats used to sail around the small islands of Borneo, Philippines and Indonesia.  What a daring feat!

Classic Cars

If you’re an admirer of classic cars, there are many lovely models kept in the Museum.  Among them are Vauxhall Velox (1956), Audi (1972), Wolseley (1959), Austin (1960), Ford (1930s – used as a bus) and a Rolls Royce.  The Ford was our favourite because it looked small from the outside but can easily carry 16 passengers and it has wooden doors!  The thing about classic cars is not the style or design – it’s the looks, very individual.  It’s not every day that we come across classics, but if it were really up and running, that would have been a huge bonus.  However, the cars really needed a nice polishing…

Hanging Bridge

A few metres down, we reached a gently swaying hanging Bridge.  Those who are afraid of heights would have a kind of adventure here, feeling the heart quickened as the bridge moves.  Those who really could not tolerate height (just a few metres above a lake) can walk down the steps to reach the other side of the lake.  The hiker in me would really like to explore the hills and surrounding woods, but most of us were not properly attired for the hilly walk, so we decided to turn around and visit the Heritage Village instead.

Heritage Village

The Heritage Village consists of authentic life-sized re-creations of traditional homes, including Rungus and Murut longhouses, and other houses such as Bajau, Iranun and Bruneian.  And we had a look at another Lepa Pasil in the Village.  I could almost imagine the community living in each house in the olden days.  However, some of the houses were not opened to public, probably requiring some repairs.  The Village is built around a lake with lovely water lilies floating in it.  There is also a typical Chinese farm house, complete with furnishings, and good luck charms pasted on the walls.

Paddy Field

Near the end of the walk, we came upon a small paddy field – well, not really a field, just a tiny plot.  I really had fun showing the kids the tool shed or hut for processing harvested paddy and for keeping the farming tools (Sulap Memproses Padi).  In it were stone pounder (lesung batu), cart for buffalo to pull (gagayatan), harrow (ragus), rake (sisir), wooden plough (radu) and the scare crow.  Some of the implements actually reminded me of gym equipments…

The Main Building

When we went into the main Museum building, we were greeted by the sight of a huge bone structure which turned out to be the skeleton of a blue whale.  On the left side of the whale, is a path that leads to Ethnography section where we can see interesting displays of ethnic crafts, traditions and costumes of Sabah’s major ethnic groups.

Just behind the whale is a history of ‘Mengayau’ or headhunting in Sabah.  On display are various photos taken of the last people that practiced headhunting, and also some old weapons used for decapitating enemies’ heads, as a mark of bravery and manhood.

From Mengayau, we walked towards a replica of the interior of the Batu Tulug Caves (which I had previous posted in this blog) and then to the ‘Tunnel of Time’ which is mostly adorned with photographic display of Sabah’s history from the days of the British North Borneo Chartered Company in 1881 until the creation of Malaysia in 1963.

Up on the first floor of the Museum we got to see an impressive collection of Ceramics and also had a nice look at the gallery of Natural History.  Naturally, the kids spent quite some time admiring the preserved animals and learning their names.

At the time of our visit there was a special exhibition of photographs taken by Mr Robert Knowles from 1940s to the 1960s.  There were, of course photographs of notable names when they were younger.  I believe the next exhibition will be on Agnes Keith, the lady who wrote the book ‘Land Below the Wind’.

Sabah State Museum’s Opening Hours & Admission Fees

So, if you are in Kota Kinabalu, and have the time to spare, do visit the Sabah State Museum.  It opens daily from 9am – 5pm and the admission fees as follows:

• Malaysian : RM2.00
• Non-Malaysian : RM15.00
• Free entrance for all senior citizens, disabled, students and taxi drivers.

- An Adventure at the Sabah State Museum

The post An Adventure at the Sabah State Museum appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Antara tempat percutian popular di Sabah adalah di kawasan tanah tinggi di Kundasang Ranau. Suasana yang sejuk, nyaman dan segar membuatkan ramai yang terpikat untuk ke sana. Tambahan pula ia adalah tidak jauh dari kawasan tarikan pelancong yang lain seperti Taman Negara Kinabalu Sabah, Desa Dairy Farm Mesilau Highland dan juga kawasan air panas Poring. Alang-alang ke sana apa kata kita bermalam sahaja di resort atau hotel yang terdapat di Kundasang.

Jika anda tanya saya, saya cadangkan anda tinggal sahaja di Kinabalu Pine Resort Kundasang.

Hotel Dan Resort Di Kundasang

Walaupun terletak di tanah tinggi, anda tidak perlu risau kerana terdapat banyak hotel, resort, homestay mahupun rumah tumpang di sini. Oleh kerana ramai pelancong yang suka bermalam di Kundasang, maka industri pelancongan dan hospitaliti agak BOOM di daerah ini. Sekiranya ingin ke sini dimusim cuti, saya nasihatkan anda semua tempah awal-awal tempat tinggal. Selalunya FULL HOUSE bila musim cuti.

>> BUAT TEMPAHAN DI KINABALU PINE RESORT <<

Sayangnya tiada usaha-usaha untuk mencantikkan kawasan ini dan membuatkan pelancong lebih selesa. Mungkin ada dalam perancangan, cuma saya yang tidak tahu. Wallahualam..

Diantara tempat penginapan yang agak popular di sini termasuk Kinabalu Pine Resort Kundasang, Perkasa Hotel, Ceyln Resort Hotel, D’Villa Rina Ria Lodge dan Mesilau Nature Resort. Kebanyakkan tempat penginapan ini boleh ditempah secara online. Tidak perlu susah payah untuk cari rakan di Sabah untuk membantu tempah tempat tinggal anda. Yang penting, anda pilih resort atau hotel yang sesuai dengan anda.

Jadi, mana satu yang patut di pilih?

Sukar hendak membuat perbandingan sebenarnya. Mungkin perlu buka dompet dulu dan tanya harganya..

Kinabalu Pine Resort Kundasang

Sekiranya keselesaan dan pemandangan indah yang anda mahukan, saya rasa Kinabalu Pine Resort Kundasang ini amat sesuai untuk anda. Dengan kemudahan yang disediakan serta keselesaan yang diberikan, harga yang dikenakan amat berbaloi sekali. Ia terbaik bagi percutian keluarga (family vacation).

Resort ini terletak kira-kira 15 minit pemanduan dari Taman Negara Kinabalu (Kinabalu Park). Anda perlu terus memandu selepas tiba di pekan Kundasang. Ia terletak di sebelah kanan anda jika anda memandu dari Kota Kinabalu. Ada papan tanda besar di hadapan pintu masuknya dan terdapat banyak pokok pine dalam kawasan resort ini.

>> BUAT TEMPAHAN DI KINABALU PINE RESORT <<

Anda boleh menikmati pemandangan indah Gunung Kinabalu dari hampir kesemua chalet yang terdapat di resort ini. Chalet-chalet ini dilengkapi dengan kemudahan TV satelit, Wi-Fi, intercom dan sebagainya. Tinggal di sini tak perlu guna aircond. Memang dah semulajadi sejuk terutamanya di waktu malam.

Keadaan dalam chalet amatlah selesa dan bersih. Ia dijaga rapi oleh pihak pengurusan di resort ini. Malahan keselurahan kawasan di resort ini agak bersih dan menyegarkan. Oleh itu, tidak hairanlah, resort ini telah memenangi banyak award dan pengiktirafan serta menjadi pilihan ramai pengunjung di Kundasang. Antara award yang dimenangi termasuklah:

• Malaysian Tourism Awards – Excellence in Hotel Services

• National Landscaping Awards – Champion of the Champions

• Clean & Green Premises Awards (Environment)

The Pines Restaurant

Sekiranya anda terasa lapar, anda tidak perlu turun ke pekan Kundasanag untuk mengisi perut. Pergi sahaja ke The Pines Restaurant yang menghidangkan pelbagai hidangan yang lazat lagi menyelerakan. Restoren ini juga mendapat sijil pengiktirafan HALAL sejak tahun 2009 lagi.

Ok, tidak lama lagi cuti sekolah akan bermula. Bagi mereka yang belum ke Sabah dan bercadang hendak ke Sabah, maka masukkan Kundasang dalam destinasi anda nanti. Untuk penginapan yang lebih selesa di Kundasang, tinggal lah di Kinabalu Pine Resort ya.. Tempah awal. Nanti penuh pula nanti.

- Kinabalu Pine Resort Kundasang Sabah

The post Kinabalu Pine Resort Kundasang Sabah appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

I came to Sabah about 17 years ago. I was very young and adventurous then. A lot of things had changed since. But, one thing remains the same: Sabah is a beautiful place and has a lot of beautiful and friendly people, too.  Frankly speaking, I don’t think I’m ever going to leave this place. But, then again, you never know, right?

It never ceases to surprise me whenever I go back to Semenanjung to find that many West  Malaysians have never been to Sabah before. If budget is the issue, rest assured that travelling is now easier and cheaper than before, with proper planning.

And if you’re one of the many Malaysian who have travelled across the globe but has yet to step on the Land Below the Wind, I’d have to ask: what’s holding you back?

Travel To Sabah

For those who wishes to visit Sabah, be they Malaysians or foreigners, whether in the near future or just as a note in your bucket list, here are my suggestions on things you might want to do when you do travel to Sabah, starting from the gateway to Sabah, Kota Kinabalu.

Try the Local Foods

I know some of you can’t wait to eat seafood in Sabah with the many seafood restaurants and stalls around.  But why not try the other traditional local cuisines and cakes such as Hinava, Ambuyat, Tuhau, Tuaran Fried Noodle, Kolupis, Wajit, Roti Kawin, etc.

Of course, if you still crave for seafood, there are many seafood restaurants in Kota Kinabalu such as Port View Restaurant (in KK city centre), Kampung Nelayan Seafood Restaurant (at Tun Fuad Stephens Park), Gayang Seafood Restaurant, Salut Seafood Restaurant, etc.  At Kampung Nelayan Seafood Restaurant, if you arrive before 7.30pm, you might get to see some cultural performances while enjoying your dinner.  Or for a merrier and less expensive seafood fare, there are also open stalls near the KK Central Market.

You’ll get to pick and choose from the varieties of live seafood available for the chefs to cook on the spot.

Take A Speedboat From Menumbuk To Labuan

If you intend to visit Labuan from Kota Kinabalu, then you should forget using the ferry (as it’s time-consuming with limited day trips) and take a bus from Kota Kinabalu to Menumbuk and then continue on a speedboat to Labuan. Let’s do something more fun and challenging.

You’ll also get to enjoy the local scenery along the way without the need to stay overnight.

Climb Mount Kinabalu

Mount Kinabalu is the highest peak in Malaysia. It is also the 20th most prominent mountains in the world by topographic prominence. It will be quite an achievement for you to scale this mountain. If you are fit and have the time to do it, then I suggest you include climbing Mount Kinabalu in your itinerary.

Please ensure that you are well prepared before embarking on this adventure. It is advisable to stay in the Kinabalu Park or a highland resort prior to climbing for high altitude acclimatization. You will face numerous steps and steep slopes during the climb and the temperature will be very cold as you climb higher. It normally requires 2 days and 1 night to complete a Mount Kinabalu climb.

To be on the safe side, please book through licensed local operator listed in Sabah Tourism Board.

Stay Overnight At Kundasang

Even if you don’t intend to scale the magnificent Mount Kinabalu, you would not regret an overnight stay in Kundasang.  Day trip from KK without an overnight stay is possible but would be too hectic and you would miss some of the loveliest spots that the highlands of Kundasang has to offer.

There are many family-friendly activities to partake in Kundasang such as visiting the Dairy Farm where you can meet the friendly cows and get fresh supplies of milk, visit the enchanting Sabah Tea Garden, have fun at Poring Hot Springs, be mesmerized by the flora & fauna at the Kinabalu National Park, and many more sights to see.

Travel To Kudat And Be At The Tip Of Borneo

Well a visit to Borneo won’t be complete if you’ve not been to Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.  Simpang Mengayau means ‘lingering junction’ as it is here that the South China Sea lingers and meets the Sulu Seas flowing from the east. This place is also located at the northernmost tip of Borneo. Hence,  it is called “The Tip Of Borneo”. Do enjoy the stunning view here.

You can stop at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau if you are on a trip to Kudat. It’s just about 30  minutes drive from the town of Kudat. While there, you should also visit the Gombizau Honey Bee Farm, step into the Bavanggazo Rungus Longhouse, and enjoy the hospitality of the friendly Kudat folks.

Snorkelling At Sipadan Island

If you love diving and enjoy the underwater panorama, Sipadan must be in your itinerary.  Offering a diversity of marine life, this dive mecca is indisputably the most famous scuba destinations in Malaysia.

Visit Sandakan – Land of Diversity and Conservation

Fancy waking up to the chirping of birds and being greeted by all sorts of flora & fauna?  Sandakan may be your place.  Be charmed by the enchanting orangutans at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre; be mesmerised by the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary; watch turtles at Selingan Turtle Islands, enjoy the scenery at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok; step into Gomantong Caves; climb the steep stairs of Agop Tuluq Museum and many more activities to fill your days in Sandakan.

Danum Valley and Tabin Wildlife Reserve

From Lahad Datu, you can visit two main national parks : Danum Valley and the Tabin Wildlife Reserve. Danum Valley is a 438 square kilometers unspoiled primary rainforest (lowland dipterocarp) while Tabin consists mainly of secondary forests.

Danum Valley has one of the most complex ecosystems in the world.

Take A Train To Beaufort

Once back in Kota Kinabalu, if you have time to spare, why not take a trip to Beaufort via Sabah State Railway? If you take the 7.30am trip, you should be back in KK before 2pm.  You’ll have about 1 hour of sightseeing in the quaint town of Beaufort and then enjoy the trip back.  Of course, you could also take a much later trip and spend 5 hours in Beaufort.

The wonderful thing about the journey is the sights along the way.

Shop At Filipino Market

Now, before your journey home, do shop for some local souvenir at the famous Filipino Market and also at the Dry Market located next to the Filipino Market.  Or, you could also have fun bargaining at the Night Market at Kampung Air.

These are just some of the things to do when you’re in Sabah.  There are, of course, many more wonderful things which I shall reserve for next time.  Have fun!

- 10 Things To Do When You Travel To Sabah

The post 10 Things To Do When You Travel To Sabah appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Kota Kinabalu, ibu negeri Sabah, pintu masuk bagi kebanyakkan pelancong-pelancong dari luar negeri ke negeri di bawah bayu (Land Below The Wind). Jika anda salah seorang pelancong yang ingin tahu di mana tempat menarik di Kota Kinabalu, maka teruskan membaca dan kita lawati satu persatu destinasi pelancongan anda.

“Boleh bah, kalau kau..“

Sabah

Umum mengetahui yang Sabah adalah salah satu negeri dalam Malaysia yang terletak di Kepulauan Borneo. Ia juga merupakan negeri paling utara dan timur di Malaysia.

Oleh itu dan sebelum terlupa, izinkan saya mencadangkan anda membaca juga posting Tanjung Simpang Mengayau yang letaknya paling utara di kepulauan Borneo.

Nikmati keindahan alam yang mempersonakan di tempat ini.

Perjalanan darat ke ‘Tip of Borneo‘ hanyalah memakan masa kira-kira 3 jam setengah dari Kota Kinabalu. Maka, jangan lepaskan peluang untuk ke sana semasa berada di Sabah.

Baca juga artikel: 10 Things To Do When You Travel To Sabah

Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kota Kinabalu (KKIA)

Sebagaimana yang telah dinyatakan di atas tadi, kebanyakkan pelancong samada dari luar negeri atau dalam negeri tiba ke Sabah menerusi bandaraya Kota Kinabalu. Tak kira apa jua syarikat penerbangan yang anda gunakan, anda akan mendarat di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kota Kinabalu atau ringkasnya, KKIA.

Terdapat dua terminal di lapangan terbang ini iaitu:

• Terminal 1 – pintu masuknya adalah di Lebuhraya Kepayan-Putatan
• Terminal 2 – pintu masuk di Tanjung Aru

Jarak perjalanan antara kedua-dua terminal ini tidak sampai 10 minit jika jalanraya adalah lengang. Namun anda harus diingat yang kedua-dua kawasan ini agak sesak diwaktu-waktu tertentu.

Oleh itu pastikan bila tiba masa untuk pulang, anda merujuk kepada pihak hotel dan tanyakan mereka bila masa yang sesuai untuk ke lapangan terbang.

Dari kedua-dua terminal ini ke bandar Kota Kinabalu juga tidak jauh. Dalam sekitar 10 minit juga.

Rujuk peta di bawah:

Ada beberapa opsyen untuk ke pusat bandar dari KKIA:

• teksi
• bas
• kereta sewa (dilengkapi GPS)
• prebet sapu

Cara paling selesa, cepat dan selamat adalah dengan teksi. Tambangnya adalah dalam sekitar RM 30.

Untuk lebih murah pula, gunakan bas:

Tempat Tinggal Di Kota Kinabalu

Ada banyak tempat tinggal untuk anda pilih sepanjang percutian anda di Kota Kinabalu. Jika anda punyai keluarga di sini, maka ia bukanlah satu masaalah lagi. Namun, jika tiada pun, anda tidak perlu risau.

Terdapat banyak tempat penginapan di Kota Kinabalu yang boleh anda pilih.

Ada boleh memlih tempat yang sesuai untuk anda berdasarkan keselesaan dan bajet anda samada untuk tinggal di sini.

Antaranya:

• hotel
• resort
• rumah tumpangan
• lodge untuk backpakers
  
• homestay
• hotel apartment

Jika keselesaan yang anda cari dan bajet bukanlah halangan, maka hotel-hotel bertaraf lima bintang seperti Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Sutera Harbour Resort, Le Méridien dan Hyatt Regency Hotel adalah terletak di kawasan bandar Kota Kinabalu.

Begitu juga dengan hotel apartment yang luas dan selesa bagi seisi keluarga di Marina Court Condominium.

Hotel-hotel yang baru dan selesa ada terdapat kawasan Warisan Square, manakala budget hotel dan lodge kebanyakkan di kawasan Kampung Air dan Lorong Dewan.

Homestay pula kebanyakkanya terletak di luar bandaraya. Anda boleh cari di kawasan Kingfisher dan menuju ke arah Sepanggar.

Tempat Menarik Untuk Di Lawati

Sebelum anda menjelajahi ke seluruh Sabah dan kepulauan Borneo, mungkin ada baiknya anda melihat tempat-tempat menarik di bandar ini.

Di Kota Kinabalu Sabah memang terdapat banyak tempat yang boleh lawati dan kagumi.

Berikut adalah antara tempat-tempat yang ingin kami cadangkan.

Perdana Park

Bagi mereka yang tiba di Kota Kinabalu menerusi terminal 2, anda akan melawati taman ini sebaik sahaja keluar dari kawasan terminal. Taman Ujana Perdana Park (Perdana Park) ini telah rasmikan oleh Perdana Menteri pada 28hb Januari 2011 dan kini menjadi antara tempat riadah/rekreasi buat penduduk tempatan.

Baca artikel: Jom Pergi Perdana Park Tanjung Aru

Di sebelah siang, ia lebih kepada tempat berehat, berjogging dan bersenam. Namun, di sebelah malam ia bertukar kepada satu pusat tarikan pelancong dan aktiviti kekeluargaan.

Dua aktiviti utama di sebelah malam:

• Makan-makan di cafe
• Menyaksikan pertunjukkan air pancut berwarna-warni (tarikan utama)

Jika anda datang bersama keluarga atau anak-anak kecil, Perdana Park di Tanjung Aru adalah sesuai dimasukkan dalam itinerary anda.

Tanjung Aru Beach

Tidak jauh dari Perdana Park, terletak pula pantai Tanjung Aru yang indah dan nyaman udaranya. Pemandangan di tepi pantai amat cantik terutama ketika matahari mula terbenam (sunset).

Bagi berminat dengan fotografi, mungkin anda patut ke sini.

Terdapat banyak aktiviti di kawasan ini. Selain dari tempat mandi manda dan bermain bolasepak pantai, terdapat juga kapal-kapal layar di pantai ini. Ada juga padang golf berhampiran pantai. Ini kerana Pantai Tanjung Aru ini adalah kediaman buat Kinabalu Golf Club dan Kinabalu Yacht Club.

Di sebelah malam, suasana agak meriah. Ramai yang berkunjung di sini untuk makan di gerai-gerai sambil menikmati keindahan pantai.

Terdapat juga restoren seafood dan kelab malam buat pelancong yang mahu berhibur.

Jika kat sini, jangan lupa makan ‘sayap ayam panggang’ dan ‘jagung rebus’.

Ramai yang kata ianya ‘the best in KK’.

Sunday Fair Gaya Street

Sekiranya anda tiba di Kota Kinabalu di waktu hujung minggu dan tinggal di kawasan bandar, jangan lepaskan peluang untuk ke pasar minggu yang amat ‘popular’ di negeri di bawah bayu ini dan di bandaraya ‘Nature Resort City’.

Baca juga: Sunday Market Gaya Street Kota Kinabalu

Saksikan pelbagai kraftangan tempatan, produk tempatan dan gelagat pengunjung di sini. Jika berminat, belilah juga kopi Borneo, Sabah Snake Grass dan Mangga King. Berhibur juga dengan persembahan artis amatur tempatan dan andai kata kaki anda penat, cubalah berurut dengan geng urut OKU (mereka yang cacat penglihatan) di sana.

Berehat sambil menderma.

Kawasan ini agak sesak dan panas menjelang tengahari. Pastikan anda tiba awal di sana.

Rumah Terbalik Borneo

Rumah ini semakin popular di Sabah sejak ia diperkenalkan beberapa tahun yang lalu. Bagi mereka yang tidak pernah merasai masuk ke rumah yang silingnya di bawah dan lantainya di atas, silakan ke Rumah Terbalik Borneo.

Semasa di sana jangan lepaskan peluang untuk menjamu selera di Mango Garden Restaurant.

Apa yang istimewanya restoren ini?

Anda boleh ketahui dengan terperinci di artikel: Mango Garden Restaurant of Rumah Terbalik Borneo

Menaiki Bot Ke Pulau Manukan

Pulau Manukan adalah salah satu pulau-pulau yang terdapat di Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park . Pulau-pulau lain adalah  Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Sulug and Pulau Mamutik. Dari segi kecantikan pantai, boleh dikatakan bahawa Pulau Sapi lebih cantik.

Akan tetapi bagi yang berminat dengan snorkling dan sebagainya, anda digalakkan ke pulau ini kerana hidupan dan dasar laut yang lebih menarik dan berwarna warni.

Anda boleh akses ke Pulau Manukan dari jeti bot di Jesselton Point. Caj bayaran dalam lingkungan RM 100 hingga RM 200. Nikmati pemandangan laut yang indah serata tiupan angin yang menyegarkan sepanjang perjalanan ke pulau ini.

Pastikan anda boleh tahan dan tidak mabuk laut pula.

Terdapat resort di pulau ini iaitu Manukan Island Resort. Selain dari kemudahan tempat tidur, resort ini turut menyediakan aktiviti seperti  sewaan kayak, kelengkapan snorkling dan jaket keselamatan.

Bermalam Di Bukit Kokol

Bagi mereka yang sukakan suasana aman dan udara yang nyaman, anda tidak perlu pergi jauh hingga ke Kundasang bagi merasai persekitaran sebegini. Anda hanya perlu ke Bukit Kokol yang tidak jauh dari pekan Menggatal Kota Kinabalu.

Ada banyak resort yang selesa pada harga yang berpatutan untuk anda tinggal di sana.

Antaranya adalah: Kasih Sayang Resort yang telah kami promosikan di blog ini tidak lama dulu.

Nikmati pemandangan indah dari atas Bukit Kokol dan udara yang segar lagi menyegarkan.

Kunjungi Tempat-Tempat Bersejarah Dan Mercu Tanda

Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu punyai banyak tinggalan sejarah buat mereka yang berminat dengan subjek ini. Ia juga punyai pelbagai mercu tanda yang ada baiknya anda kenali.

Antara yang anda mungkin berminat untuk kunjungi termasuklah:

• Menara Tun Mustapha
• Tugu Peringatan ‘Double Six’
• Atkinson Clock Tower
• Petagas War Memorial
• Tugu Pahlawan
• Padang Merdeka

Selain dari itu, anda boleh menziarahi Muzium Negeri Sabah. Ia amat luas dan punyai isi yang agak menarik.

Baca artikel ini: An Adventure at the Sabah State Museum

Lawati Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu

Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu juga dikenali sebagai ‘masjid terapung’ kerana ia dikelilingi tasik buatan manusia dan terletak di kawasan Likas.

Ia merupakan masjid utama ke dua buat bandaraya ini selepas Masjid Negeri.

Selain dari tempat ibadah, masjid ini juga adalah tarikan pelancong di negeri Sabah. Rekabentuk bangunannya yang menarik dan bercirikan Masjid Nabawi di Medina Al-Munawarah serta lokasinya ditepi laut dan ditengah tasik membuatkan pengunjung-pengunjung terpesona.

Untuk pengetahuan semua, Masjid Bandaraya adalah masjid terbesar di negeri Sabah.

Mari-Mari Caltural Village

Ingin menyelami budaya dan tradisi penduduk tempatan? Inilah tempat yang amat sesuai sekali untuk anda. Di Mari-Mari Caltural Village anda akan lihat budaya bukan satu, tetapi 5 etnik Sabah:

• Kadazan-Dusun
• Rungus
• Lundayeh
• Bajau
• Murut

Untuk masuk ke Mari-Mari Caltural Village ada jadual waktunya iaitu:

• 10 pagi hingga 12 tengahari
• 2 petang hingga 4 petang
• 6 petang hingga 8 malam

Setiap dua jam tour ini, anda akan saksikan sendiri kebudayaan, sejarah dan ada resam kaum-kaum etnik ini. Lihat juga tarian mereka dan rasai sendiri makanan tradisional serta berhibur dengan pelbagai aturcara yang bakal mencuit hati anda.

Pada tahun 2012-2013, Mari-Mari Caltural Village telah dianugerahkan “Best Tourist Attraction (Culture & Heritage)” dalam Malaysia Tourism Award.

Nikmati Pemandangan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu Dari Signal Hill

Signal Hill atau Bukit Bendera adalah lokasi tertinggi di tengah bandaraya Kota Kinabalu. Oleh itu, ia adalah satu tempat yang paling sesuai untuk anda meninjau dan melihat sendiri bandaraya ini.

Di atas bukit ini, anda boleh dapat melihat dengan jelas bangunan-bangunan utama seperti Suria Sabah, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wisma Merdeka dan lain-lain lagi.

Tempat yang sesuai untuk berehat, mengambil udara segar dan fotografi.

Bird Watching Di Kota Kinabalu Wetlands Centre

Minat dengan aktiviti ‘bird watching‘? Di Kota Kinabalu ada tempat menarik dan sesuai untuk aktiviti ini. Jika anda berkesempatan, singgahlah ke Kota Kinabalu Wetlands Centre, yang terletak di kaki Bukit Bendera dan tidak jauh dari Kompleks Sukan Likas.

Terdapat kira-kira 80 spesis burung di sini.

Anda juga boleh lihat hutang paya bakau dan hidupan lain di kawasan ini yang seluas 24 hektar.

Baca artikel ini: Bird Watching At Kota Kinabalu Wetlands Centre

Melihat Ikan Kerapu Hibrid Gergasi

Suka makan ikan kerapu?

Bagaimana pula dengan ikan kerapu hibrid bersaiz gergasi? Sanggupkah anda makan?

Ikan kerapu hibrid ini adalah antara tarikan yang terdapat di Muzium Hidupan Laut di Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Ada pelbagai hidupan laut lain juga yang di letakkan dalam akuarium di sini. Ia pasti mengembirakan si kecil anda.

Oleh kerana kawasan ini tidak besar, maka lawatan anda di sini mungkin hanya mengambil masa setengah jam sahaja.

Maklumat lanjut di sini: Hybrid Grouper & Co At The Marine Aquarium & Museum UMS

Membeli-Belah di Pasar Phillipines

Pusat Kraftangan atau lebih dikenali sebagai Pasar Philippines ini memang amat popular dikalangan pelancong yang datang ke Sabah. Mana-mana agensi pelancongan yang anda gunakan pun, pastinya akan membawa anda ke sini untuk membeli ‘souvenir‘ atau buah tangan untuk di bawa balik nanti.

Saya rasa barangan yang paling kerap dibeli dan punyai permintaan paling tinggi di tempat ini adalah mutiara.

Apa-apa pun berhati-hati semasa membeli di sini agar tidak di tipu oleh penjual.

Ramai yang mengambil kesempatan terhadap pelancong yang kurang arif dengan harga di sini.

Oleh itu, bila membeli, pastikan anda menawar serendah yang boleh dan cuba survey beberapa tempat sebelum membuat pembelian.

Bergambar Di Tempat-Tempat Menarik Di Sekitar Kota Kinabalu

Selain dari melawat tempat-tempat menarik dan bersejarah serta melibatkan diri dalam pelbagai aktiviti, anda pastinya ingin juga bergambar di tempat-tempat menarik di sekitar Kota Kinabalu.

Ada beberapa tempat yang boleh kami cadangkan.

Antaranya:

• Shopping Complex terbaru di KK – Imago
• Waterfront Kota Kinabalu
• Side-Walk Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens
• Restoren Seafood Kampung Nelayan (datang waktu malam)
• Jesselton Point
• 1Borneo Hypermall
• Suria Sabah
• Jambatan Sungai Mengkabong
• Taman Awam Teluk Likas
• Taman Tun Fuad Stephens
• Masjid Negeri Sabah
• Masjid Universiti Malaysia Sabah
• Taman Buaya

Penutup

Sebenarnya ada banyak lagi tempat-tempat menarik yang boleh di lawati anda semua semasa berada di bandaraya ini. Contohnya: berakit di Sungai Kiulu, Scuba Diving di Pulau Sepanggar, melawat Monsopiad Cultural Village dan lain-lain lagi.

Namun, buat masa ini, hanya ini sahaja yang dapat kami kongsikan bersama anda. Jika ada kelapangan, kami akan cuba kemaskinikan lagi artikel ini dengan memasukkan lokasi-lokasi tersebut pula.

Apa-apa pun kami berharap, maklumat ini berguna buat anda semua yang mahu ke Kota Kinabalu.

Terima kasih kerana membaca blog ini.

The post Tempat-Tempat Menarik Di Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Negeri Di Bawah Bayu appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

In ‘Discovering Sabah‘, a beautiful book by Natural History Publication (Borneo)(2002 ed.), it is stated that :

“Sabah is relatively small, just 75,0000 square kilometres or one-tenth of the total land area of Borneo, yet its borders encompass an astonishing diversity of peoples, landscapes, plants and animals.”

So true.

Amazingly, there are still many places in Sabah that we have not been to – raising 5 kids while juggling time and priorities between the many demands in life can be pretty challenging.  But it’s do-able, so when there were a 2-day holiday in December last year, we drove to Tambunan with the kids and other family members.  We hope to continue with the tradition of at least 1 day away from the city with the kids.

Fortunately, the kids love being in natural surroundings. In 2014, we had the opportunity to spend it in the rural town of Matunggong and the township of Kudat.  We enjoyed the trip so much, that we revisited Gombizau Bee Farm and Simpang Mengayau again in 2015 – but that was a day-trip only.

Now, let us share with you about Tambunan.

Tambunan

Locally known as the Switzerland of Sabah, as opposed to the New Zealand of Sabah (Kundasang Dairy Farm), Tambunan is a district in the interior of Sabah with a population of 24,000.  Located about 81km from Kota Kinabalu City, travelling to Tambunan takes about 1.5 – 2 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu through the winding and mostly uphill roads on the Crocker Range.

Luckily for us, during our trip we only had to queue behind 1 trailer and 1 big truck – so the uphill drive through the twisting mountain road was not too agonizingly slow.  It could have been worse.

Although we have passed through Tambunan many times on our way to Keningau, we have never really explored it before. 

Tambunan is actually a quaint little township with the most enchanting qualities of tranquil countryside, undulating views of green hills and mountainside, and with spring-like cool fresh air aplenty.  There were also more than a couple of cows grazing by the roadside – sights which always delighted us all as we hardly see cows in Kota Kinabalu.

Among the places that we passed through or visited on our visit to Tambunan were:

• ‘Tagal’ at Tinopikon Park
• Gunung Emas
• Kipandi Butterfly Park
• Gunung Alab/Trus Madi Crocker Range
• Tandarason Resort & Country Club
• Mahua Waterfall
• Rafflesia Conservation Centre

Along the roadside on our uphill trip to Tambunan, we also came across many mushroom farms by the roadside.  The farms are carried out by Tambunan folks in partnership with a local state agency, KPD. Once we were within Tambunan area, we were greeted with sights of charming kampong houses with landscapes of lush green and golden padi fields (padi bukit) or other vegetations, bordered with the most adorably sweet traditional bamboo fences.

It took me a while to realize that there are an abundance of bamboo plants in Tambunan.

I found out that, during British colonial era, it was the law that for every bamboo cut off, 20 bamboo sprouts must be planted. 

It’s actually a pretty smart law and ensured that Tambunan not only has the lovely bamboo trees adorning the land everywhere, it also manages to profit from the manufacturing of bamboo furniture.  Hence, there were a rattan factory outlet shop a short distance away from the town which we were unfortunately not able to visit as it was closed during the holidays.

7-Lodge Tambunan

We spent a night at the 7-Lodge in Tambunan and experienced a very cold night there, described by many as spring-like climate – which to me is more like early winter.   It made me wonder – how am I ever to survive in a real winter climate?

Nonetheless, it was a totally wonderful place if you want to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.

What we didn’t know then was how easy it was to find local accommodations at affordable prices using HotelsCombined, which won the World Travel Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015 for the World’s Leading Hotel Comparison Website category J.

With HotelsCombined, we can compare all the top travel sites in just one search to find the best hotel deals within our fingertips. 

I wished I knew about it last year, it would have saved me hours of searching online through FB and such.

Convenient and fast searches using HotelsCombined

See, complete with pictures of the places!  Then, you need only click ‘View Deal‘ for more info on the hotels/hostels or to make a reservation.  We chose the 7-Lodge Tambunan because we love the privacy and the huge space that it provides for the family.

Read here on the wonderful qualities of 7-Lodge Tambunan and stay tune to our future posts on some of the beautiful places that we visited during our visit to Tambunan.

The post A Visit to Tambunan appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Dalam perkongsian terdahulu, saya telah menceritakan secara ringkas mengenai tempat-tempat menarik yang kami sekeluarga lawati di daerah Tambunan semasa cuti hujung tahun lepas. Percutian yang pendek itu (cuma 2 hari, 1 malam sahaja) melibatkan bermalam di Tambunan dan tempat penginapan yang menjadi pilihan kami adalah 7-Lodge Tambunan.

7-Lodge Tambunan

Rupanya, terdapat banyak tempat penginapan di daerah Tambunan tetapi saya rasa ‘online presence’ tempat-tempat lain tidak sehebat 7-Lodge Tambunan.

Ia mendapat review yang baik dan caj bilik juga sederhana.

Saya cuma membuat carian di google – tidak terfikir pula untuk mengunakan aplikasi lain sebab memang tidak tahu tentang sebarang aplikasi yang sesuai kecuali laman untuk membuat tempahan terus.

Tempahan

Tahun ni barulah saya sedar bahawa terdapat beberapa laman web yang memudahkan pengguna melihat pilihan hotel yang terdapat di sesuatu tempat dan seterusnya membuat tempahan bilik secara online di beberapa portal online seperti booking.com, agoda.com dan sebagainya.

Saya menempah bilik di 7-Lodge Tambunan dengan membuat panggilan telefon dan emel – sungguh ketinggalan zaman!

Di antara laman web yang memudahkan carian dan penempahan penginapan adalah HotelsCombined.my – bukan tempat untuk membuat tempahan penginapan tetapi suatu alat yang menyenaraikan tempat penginapan yang sedia untuk ditempah.

Ia membantu pengguna membuat perbandingan harga yang ditawarkan online di pelbagai laman pelancongan terkemuka seperti Expedia, Booking.com, Holels.com dan sebagainya (termasuk laman yang kurang terkenal seperti Amoma, Skoosh, dan lain-lain.

Hanya perlu taipkan nama tempat dan tarikh yang sesuai, lantas nama hotel/asrama/homestay beserta caj bilik akan tersenarai hampir serta merta.

Bukan itu sahaja, gambar tempat penginapan tersebut juga disertakan.

Maka anda akan dapat membuat pilihan berdasarkan bajet dan citarasa.  Keunggulan perkhidmatan HotelsCombined ini telah menyebabkan mereka menerima anugerah World’s Leading Hotel Comparison Website category J semasa World Travel Awards pada tahun 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Jadi, bolehlah guna HotelsCombined untuk mencari penginapan yang paling sesuai dan pada kadar terbaik sebelum anda membuat tempahan hotel di mana-mana.

Berbalik kepada 7-Lodge Tambunan. Terletak lebih kurang 5 minit dari pekan Tambunan, ianya terdiri daripada beberapa buah bangunan iaitu:

1. Billian Villa – 8 buah bilik di sebuah rumah banglo 2 tingkat
2. The 7-Lodge – 7 buah bilik di bangunan utama di mana terletak pejabat dan sebuah restoran
3. Salangan Resthouse – 4 buah bilik di sebuah rumah yang berbentuk panjang.

7-Lodge Tambunan menghidangkan para tetamu dengan suasana desa yang dikelilingi dengan tumbuhan hijau dan pelbagai jenis pokok.

Bagi saya, ia merupakan tempat penginapan yang sangat mesra keluarga kerana kemudahan yang diberikan memberi peluang kepada keluarga mengadakan pelbagai aktiviti riadah di dalam perkarangan kawasan tersebut.

Antara aktiviti riadah yang boleh dilakukan di sana adalah memancing, barbeque, bersukan dan berkhemah (peralatan berkhemah boleh disewa di sana).

Selain kemudahan-kemudahan yang biasa disediakan di hotel-hotel seperti tuala mandi, kemudahan membuat kopi/teh, rancangan ASTRO, wifi, pendingin udara, dan sebagainya, ia juga menyediakan kolam ikan air tawar, tempat untuk memanggang (selepas pancing ikan di kolam, bolehlah terus memanggang) dan kawasan untuk melepak/jogging yang sangat luas.

Salangan Resthouse

Kami telah menempah bilik-bilik di Salangan Resthouse yang dilengkapi dengan dua buah meja makan keluarga yang ditampatkan di kawasan verandah. Maka itu, dapatlah kami sekeluarga makan malam bersama-sama di luar bilik sambil menghirup udara segar dan dingin.

Cuma perlu ketuk pintu-pintu bilik untuk berhubung.  Budak-budak melompat-lompat atas katil pun boleh didengar di bilik sebelah….sabar je le…. Buat macam rumah sendiri!

Anak-anak cukup riang ria di Salangan Resthouse sebab kami dapat ‘privacy’ dan tidak perlu kontrol volume suara sepanjang masa. Kenderaan pun diletakkan hanya beberapa langkah dari pintu bilik, maka mudah bagi kami memunggah keluar dan masuk barang-barang.

Tengoklah – seluas-luas kawasan untuk kami sekeluarga (10 orang).  Kebetulan pula masa itu, cuma kami yang menginap di Salangan Resthouse, jadi memang betul-betul macam rumah sendiri.  Kalaulah masa percutian panjang, tentu kami akan memancing dan memanggang ikan di situ.

Secara ringkas, 7-Lodge Tambunan (terutama sekali Salangan Resthouse) adalah tempat penginapan yang sangat sesuai untuk seisi keluarga dan untuk mereka yang menghargai suasana desa yang tenang dan nyaman.

The post 7-Lodge Tambunan appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Sambil melayan muzik di YouTube, saya terbawa ke video lagu Keindahan Pantai nyanyian allahyarham M.Shariff. Ini buat saya teringat kepada trip ke Pantai Tanjung Simpang Mengayau semasa cuti sekolah baru-baru ini.

Ia trip yang tidak dirancang dan bertujuan membawa keluarga abang saya yang kebetulan bercuti di Sabah. Walaupun ada banyak pilihan lain untuk melancong, namun Kudat tetap antara pilihan yang menarik di Sabah dan mudah untuk disusun terutamanya jika ianya pelan mengejut.

Pantai Tanjung Simpang Mengayau

Artikel mengenai pantai ini telah pun diterbitkan di blog ini tidak lama dahulu. Bagi yang belum pernah membacanya, anda bolehlah merujuk di artikel ini:

Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, The Tip Of Borneo

Keindahan Pantai

Keindahan pantai Tanjung Simpang Mengayau ataupun dikenali juga sebagai The Tip Of Borneo memang tidak dapat dipertikaikan. Kalau tidak, takkan lah ramai yang sangguh datang dari jauh-jauh untuk ke tempat ini kan?

Kami luangkan sedikit masa bermain di pantai sambil mandi. Airnya amat bersih dan jernih sekali. Boleh nampak ikan-ikan kecil yang berenang-renang di dalam air.

Lihat gambar-gambar di bawah:

Bagi yang tidak pernah ke sini pula, kami ingat bertanya:

Bila lagi?

The post Keindahan Pantai appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (Kota Kinabalu City Mosque) ini dibuka secara rasmi pada 2hb Februari 2000 selepas Kota Kinabalu diistiharkan sebagai Bandaraya.

Ianya merupakan masjid rasmi ke dua di negeri ini selepas Masjid Negeri di Sembulan.

Terletak di Likas Bay, ia kira-kira 15km jarak memandu dari Bandar Kota Kinabalu.

Rekebentuk Masjid Bandaraya

Rekebentuk Masjid Bandaraya diinspirasikan dari Masjid al-Nabawi di Madinah.

Dikelilingi oleh tasik buatan manusia, Masjid Bandaraya amat cantik dan menjadi tarikan pelancong di Kota Kinabalu Sabah.

– Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu

The post Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Our much anticipated Visit to Tambunan last year was planned 3 months before the journey.  Waa….why so long?  You might ask.  Because a journey involving more than 10 people and include kids of various ages requires lots of thought.  And to ensure that we have a place to stay, I booked the accommodation at 7Lodge Tambunan about 1 month in advance.

We commenced the journey to Tambunan from Kota Kinabalu City and the first place to visit on our itinerary was the Tagal Tinopikon Park, located about 12 km from Donggongon Town and about 30 minutes from KK City.

Reaching Tagal Tinopikon

To reach Tagal Tinopikon is no easy feat, for those who have never been there. Not because of bad roads or anything, but because there are so many junctions left and right on the way that it’s easy to miss it. We chose the road from Kota Kinabalu to Donggonggon, so upon approaching the iconic Donggongon roundabout, we turned left and drove straight on.

Along the way we passed Kasigui Water Treatment, Shell Petrol Station, Jalan Inobong and Moyog Water Treatment Plant.

Tinopikon Park

Honestly, we were not at all familiar with the Tinopikon Park because none of us have ever been there. And I couldn’t find a perfect map anywhere. So, we paid close attention to road signs and when we saw the Kampung Babagon signage, we slowed down a bit and kept a lookout for Taman Tinopikon signage on the right hand side.

Fortunately, we were driving behind my sister, and guided by my brother who are both very good with directions.

If it were up to me, I would definitely have missed the spot as the signage was not very prominently displayed – not to me, anyway.

We were greeted by pretty little flowers blooming on the parking grounds. My fingers were itching to pick the dainty pink flowers but I had to abandon the idea as the kids were excitedly rushing down the stairs leading to the Park.

Climbing down the stairs to reach the hanging bridge requires care, especially after a rain as the stairs could be slippery – that’s where sports shoes would come in handy. Sights of plants and vegetations on the way down claimed my attention and slowed my steps.  An on-and-off terrible gardener (yeah right!), I am easily fascinated by the sights of healthy fruit trees and vegetations – which filled my heart with admiration for the unknown persons who planted them.

Walking on Suspension Bridge

The way to the Tagal involves a few minutes of walking down wooden stairs and crossing a sturdy suspension bridge.

On the way towards the hanging bridge, we also encountered a few photographers with impressive photography equipment sitting on a clear path and also on other spots. Some of them were shooting at the river, while a few were sitting quietly in the woods and waiting for what…? We could only guess.  They looked so focused that we were hesitant to greet them, only managed to smile a bit.

A few metres after the stairs, stood the suspension bridge over the river – definitely not for the faint-hearted. Although the bridge appeared way sturdier than the stairs, to those who are afraid of heights (like one of my sons), walking on the bridge posed quite a challenge. Therefore, the crossing also demands understanding from other braver souls especially when the bridge moves and sways whenever anyone steps on it.

Unfortunately, on that day, excitement overcame sympathy so when there were more than a few pairs of feet excitedly marching (and even running) on it – well, let’s just say that someone held on to the ropes of the bridge for dear life!

It was quite hilarious, really.

Before I stepped on the bridge – I breathe the air and stopped for a while to take in the view. It was picturesque, to say the least. Tagal Taman Tinopikon of Kampung Noturuss is an impressively clean river teeming with fish.

During my research prior to proposing the visit to the family, I learned that in the local KadazanDusun dialect, ‘tagal’ means ‘no fishing’ or ‘prohibited’.

You could be fined if you fish in a Tagal area without permission or dirty the river.

Tagal Taman Tinopikon is part of the Moyog River and is under the supervision of the Malaysian Fisheries Department.  Looking at the surrounding areas, pristine waters and droves of big, fat fish in it, I would say that this Tagal area is a success story of an environmentally protected and preserved area.

The community running the Tagal area deserves to be proud of their efforts.  Kudos to all the parties involved!

In this serene site, we can experience fish swimming towards humans instead of away from humans – the fish know that we will not harm them and actually anticipate us feeding them.

And why not, when visitors are encouraged to feed the fish and fish food are sold for RM2 per pack. Visitors can sit on the rocks and enjoy a fish foot spa – well, at least once they’ve conquered their fear of the bite from the toothless Pelian/Kelah fish.

Hahaha, it was rather ticklish, actually!

I believe that if I had the time, I would sit on the huge river rock and meditate for hours, surrounded by the green trees and plants, with sounds of the water flowing down river and abundance of cool fresh air filling my lungs – really invigorating.

One of our kids ‘slipped’ into the water, so it would be a good idea to bring extra clothing, towel, anti-slip slippers, etc., just in case. I wore sport shoes, but I think bringing along anti-slip slippers is a good idea if we want to enjoy the water and don’t want to wet the shoes. ‘Falling’ or ‘slipping’ into the water also happened during our second visit (yes, we visited it again not long after) – don’t know how the kids always manage to ‘accidentally slip’ into the waters every time we visit the beach and the river….???

In my experience, no amount of precaution, nagging and warning can stop it from happening – so better be prepared.

If you want to experience a wholly authentic village hospitality (including kampong meal cooked using firewood (I guess the menu includes fresh fish from the river), jungle trekking, tour of village houses, traditional dance performance, river spa, etc, visit Sabahtourism.Com for more info.

There are tour services available for those who wishes to experience authentic Noturuss Village kampong life while in the area.

Anyway, I was informed by the villagers that it’s ok to have a swim in the river and they even pointed to me the areas that are good for a swim.

Perhaps next time….

Imagine – it’s so near to KK and yet I only found out about this jewel last year, while researching for places to visit on the way to Tambunan!

I guess the Tagal in Kampung Luanti, Ranau is more popular with folks around here.

The Park is open daily from 9.30am – 1pm and 2.30pm – 6pm.

Our next stop was the Kipandi Butterfly Park.

The post ‘Tagal’ at Tinopikon Park Penampang appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Kami bukanlah peminat Nasi Ayam Penyet. Bagi kami ia makanan yang agak berat (heavy) dengan satu pinggan nasi berserta ayam, tempeh, timun dan tomato boleh dikongsi bersama dua orang dewasa. Jika sambal yang dihidangkan tidak mencapai tahap piawaian peribadi pula, ia akan menjejaskan rasa nasi ayam penyet tersebut. Oleh itu, makanan ini adalah sesuatu yang kami makan hanya sekali sekala.

Ayam Penyet

Perkataan ‘ayam penyet‘ ini, pertama kali saya dengar, agak mengelirukan. Perkataan ‘penyet‘ jika tidak silap saya merujuk kepada keadaan yang hancur apabila dihempap atau dipijak (smashed). Oleh itu, jangkaan awal saya semasa memesan makanan ini adalah ayam dalam keadaan hancur atau leper dipenyet sesuatu. Namun, apabila tiba hidangannya, peha ayam masih dalam keadaan yang asal dan gebu sekali.

Ayam Penyet dimakan biasanya bersama nasi putih dan oleh itu, adakalanya kita panggilnya sebagai Nasi Ayam Penyet.

Apaila dipanggil begini pun sekali lagi ia boleh jadi mengelirukan kerana kita akan bayangkan ia dimasak bersama nasi seperti nasi goreng.

Makanan ini dikatakan berasal dari Jawa Timur (East Java) dan asal usulnya dikaitkan dengan bandar Surabaya Indonesia. Pakar-pakar ayam penyet diharapkan boleh membetulkan fakta ini jika ada yang tersilap menerusi petak komen di bawah.

Penyediaan Ayam Penyet

Bahan utama membuat ayam penyet adalah semestinya peha ayam yang diperap terlebih dahulu dengan bahan-bahan seperti jintan, ketumbar, halia, lada putih, garam, kari dsb. Untuk dapat rasa yang lebih hebat, ayam akan diperap semalaman. Namun, untuk tujuan komersial, perap 3 hingga 4 jam pun, rasanya ok juga.

Ayam yang telah diperap akan digoreng dan dihidangkan bersama tempeh dan tauhu goreng beserta sayur timun dan sambal. Ada juga makan bersama sup sekali. Namun, yang penting pada pendapat kami adalah ayam itu sendiri dan sambalnya.

Sekiranya ayam dapat diperap dengan baik dan digoreng cukup masak, ia akan memberikan rasa yang amat lazat dan lebih hebat dari KFC. Dicampur pula dengan sambal cili padi yang pedas berapi sehingga berair di mata akan memberi kesan yang amat hebat bagi mereka yang menikmati makanan ini.

Nasi Ayam Penyet Wak Doyok

Baru-baru ini kami telah mencuba makanan di sebuah restoran di Karamunsing Capital, Kota Kinabalu. Nama restoran tersebut ialah Dapur Nur Adelia. Ada banyak hidangan yang disajikan termasuklah Oxtail Asam Pedas Aaron Aziz, Sup Tulang Jantan, Nasi Goreng MUFC dan Set Ambuyat. Mungkin admin baru blog ini (yang agak layu kebelakangan ini) boleh ceritakan lebih lanjut di posting akan datang. Insya-Allah...

Apa-apa pun, saya pilih Nasi Ayam Penyet Wak Doyok untuk makan tengahari pada hari tersebut. Al-Maklumlah, perut dah lapar kerana lambat makan tengahari. Kami tiba di Dapur Nur Adelia pun sudah pukul 1.15 petang. Maka, masa untuk makan makanan berat.

Bagi saya Ayam Penyet Wak Doyok sedap rasanya.

Ayam dimasak dengan baik dan segala ramuan di dalamnya dapat dinikmati. Tahniah. Saya suka juga tempeh yang rangup dan sedikit masin. Memang kena cara penyediaannya.

Mungkin yang kurang adalah sambalnya. Bukan tak sedap. Cuma kurang pedas bagi saya. Saya lebih gemar yang panas berapi. Sambal ini mungkin bagi mereka yang tidak tahan pedas. Sesuai juga namanya Wak Doyok yang merujuk kepada selebriti fesyen Malaysia iaitu ‘Wak Doyok‘ atau nama asalnya Mohd Azwan Md Nor. Ia tidak pedas tetapi mencuit hati.  (Admin baru tumpang menyampuk di sini : tahap kepedasan ngam2, just nice….kalau mau lebih pedas, boleh minta tambah cili api )

Apa-apa pun, bagi mereka yang berminat untuk mencuba makanan ini, bolehlah ke  Dapur Nur Adelia di Karamunsing Capital Kota Kinabalu.

Wak Doyok pun dijemput sama untuk mencubanya.

The post Ayam Penyet Wak Doyok Karamunsing Capital appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Like many Malaysians, I am a fan of the glorious local traditional dish – Satay.  Satay is a dish consisting of skewered meat, chicken, etc, grilled over charcoal fire and served with peanut sauce.  The usual accompaniments are cucumber and nasi impit (rice).

Being hitched to an anak Muar, who was used to having satay for breakfast, makes me love Satay even more. 

And being a Sabahan, I also love Kelupis, which hubby also loves.  We are a family that enjoy having Satay and Kelupis – moderately, of course.

So, imagine our delight when we came across a restaurant that serves both satay and kelupis so near to our home.  The merry and cozy restaurant is called Brunei Satay House III (BSH III), located in Taman Indah Permai shophouses, Sepanggar.

A quick search reveals that BSH was started in Beaufort and BSH III is one of the branches.

Brunei Satay House III (BSH III)

What I like about BSH III, beside its delicious food, is the very courteous and helpful staff.  Therefore, it’s no wonder that it’s very often filled with customers.  And BSH III is very easy to contact – just message or whatsapp, and you’ll get a reply.

Photo Credit : Brunei Satay House Indah Permai FB

We have sampled all their satay variations – ayam, daging, perut and kambing,  and also tried the kelupis, kouchung and Mee Kari Brunei Sate House – all are absolutely delicious.  I tell you, it’s not easy to get satay perut, satay kambing, kouchung and kelupis in one place in KK.  If I’m not mistaken, the satay are especially made in Beaufort and brought to KK.

And I also agree with most of its satisfied customers that the sate portion is bigger that the usual satays served elsewhere in KK.

Look at this lovelies!  The wrapped pieces are kouchung and kelupis.  Kouchung is basically glutinous rice, cooked with coconut milk and mixed with some crushed peanuts.

The same goes with Kelupis, but without the peanuts.  The key to their wonderfully different taste and aroma is the type of leaves used to wrapped them in. ie, pandan, nyirik, etc.

Kelupis would also be smashingly yummy when eaten with rendang or curry dish.

So far, we’ve ordered twice for family special occasions.  I just drop by the restaurant a few days before the event, make my order, agree on the date and time to pick-up the order, and pay a deposit.   They’ve proven to be very dependable and professional.

And here is the menu:

So, if you’re in Kota Kinabalu, do visit Brunei Satay House III and if you plan to visit Kota Kinabalu, do add BSH III to your 10 Things To Do When You Travel to Sabah. 

BSH III opens daily from 9.30am – 10.00pm, except on the 3rd Monday of the month.  For any enquiries, feel free to call 014 6921233 (Shop) or 016 8435981 (Ag Shahril).

Me – I’m planning to try their cendol and rojak next!

The post Satay & Kelupis at Brunei Satay House III appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Our much anticipated Visit to Tambunan last year was planned 3 months before the journey.  Waa….why so long?  You might ask.  Because a journey involving more than 10 people and include kids of various ages […]

The post ‘Tagal’ at Tinopikon Park Penampang appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Kami bukanlah peminat Nasi Ayam Penyet. Bagi kami ia makanan yang agak berat (heavy) dengan satu pinggan nasi berserta ayam, tempeh, timun dan tomato boleh dikongsi bersama dua orang dewasa. Jika sambal yang dihidangkan tidak […]

The post Ayam Penyet Wak Doyok Karamunsing Capital appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Like many Malaysians, I am a fan of the glorious local traditional dish – Satay.  Satay is a dish consisting of skewered meat, chicken, etc, grilled over charcoal fire and served with peanut sauce.  The […]

The post Satay & Kelupis at Brunei Satay House III appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

Saat yang dinantikan telah tiba.  Maaf ya, Admin lambat post nama pemenang #SGshopMerdekaGiveaway  disebabkan blog dilanda angin kus2 yg mesti diselesaikan terlebih dahulu sebelum kami publish posting penting ini. Proses DLSL mencari 20 orang pemenang shopping kredit SGshop Malaysia bernilai RM100 setiap satu adalah sangat mudah, kami guna randomresult.com. KATEGORI BLOGGER Pemilihan dibuat untuk kategori Blogger dahulu.       Oleh kerana terdapat 19 penyertaan daripada blogger, pastinya 9 blogger yang tidak berjaya di kategori ini akan secara automatik termasuk dalam kategori terbuka. Nombor penyertaan setiap blogger adalah berdasarkan senarai dalam artikel kami yang terdahulu. Dipendekkan cerita, pemenang kategori Blogger adalah

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Snacks are an important part of every child’s diet. They serve not only to manage hunger but also fill nutrient gaps, and improve the wellness of kids.  However, preparing healthy snacks everyday can be challenging. On some days, you might run out of recipes to create healthy yet delicious snacks. According to the dietitians at Mount Elizabeth Hospitals, here are some fuss-free snack ideas: Fruit and dip – Apples and peanut butter taste really amazing together. Bread or crackers with molten cheese – Choose whole grain crackers or bread and low-fat cheese, to make a healthy meal. Cereal topped with

The post Easy And Delicious Recipes Kids Can Help Make appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.

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Ramai yang tersalah anggapan bila menyediakan resume/CV untuk memohon kerja. Resume atau CV tidak perlu tebal dan berwarna-warni. Tidak perlu habiskan banyak wang untuk presentasi. Yang penting ia dapat menunjukkan yang anda sesuai bagi jawatan yang dipohon. Oleh itu, jangan pula hantar resume anda untuk kekosongan jawatan yang anda tidak layak. Baca semula artikel ini: Job Search: Put Your Best Foot Forward. Apa yang perlu ada dalam resume anda? Bagi majikan, sebelum memilih calon-calon untuk ditemuduga, garis panduan atau syarat-syarat hendaklah ditetapkan terlebih dahulu. Biasanya ia dinyatakan di dalam iklan kekosongan jawatan. Contohnya: Baca dan teliti iklan baik-baik. Jika anda

The post Contoh Resume / CV Terbaik, Lengkap Dan Terkini 2017 appeared first on Dulu Lain Sekarang Lain.