Malaysia Highlights

Highlights of Malaysia

From southern Thailand and the town of Trang I took a bus to Satun and a truck taxi out to the ferry dock on my way to Langkawi, Malaysia. There are a lot of ways to get into Malaysia but Hat Yai was having some terrorists with homemade bomb issues so it was better to go by water and avoid unwanted drama that has nothing to do with me. Remember, Thailand was under Marshall Law and still is until they hold fair elections.

My visa was one day over the limit so I had to pay for the extra day and the immigration officer said it was okay for me to come back in when I’m ready. It’s a nice thing to know as the officer put the 500 baht in his pocket with a smile.

Langkawi is a big island and the ferry dock is on the southeast side so a taxi or rent a motorbike to get around to the east side where most of the beaches are lined up. The weather had changed to mostly rain so I didn’t stay too long. My next stop was Cameron Highlands where I’ve been many times and still enjoy it every time.

Cameron Highlands is a hop from Langkawi and a bus ride to Ipoh and another bus ride up the 60 kilometers of winding hills and deep river gorges. Cameron Highlands is one of five hill stations in Malaysia. Cameron Highlands is now mainly made up of a massive Boh Tea Plantation, Strawberry growers, and most recently a power station with the building of a dam for a turbine reservoir.  The hiking in the area is incredible and the ancient forests in the mountains are worth the time it takes to find them.

All this is just warming up for my time in Borneo. I needed to get to Kuala Lumpur and fly from there to Borneo but I caught a bug on the bus that knocked me out for two days.

There are a few airports in the Borneo area and I chose the east coast to Sandakan where I was closest to the national parks and diving locations that others had recommended. From here south everywhere I went nature and rare flora and fauna surrounded me. The rivers and forests teamed with wildlife in the sky, in the water, the trees. I saw animals that you can’t see anywhere else in the world.

Danum Valley was a great place to hike and listen to the scientists and volunteers working the naturalists. A wild Rhino was caught prior to me getting there and a 4 kilometer fence has been erected to pen in the Rhino and a female hopefully to teach her the ways of the wild and if luck has it make a baby Rhino to begin a new age for the Borneo Rhinos. Cross your fingers.

A few years ago I was in Sumatra following the Orangutans in the jungle but there is a difference between the Orangutans in Sumatra and here in Borneo, the Orangutans are for the most part still wild where as in Sumatra they have been orphaned by depletion of forest for palm trees that produce palm oil. Deforestation and palm oil are unfortunately big business in both Sumatra and Borneo. Rubber plantations seem to be on the decline.

I took a van to Samporna where tourists are being kidnapped and held for ransom from Philippine pirates from the southern islands. It’s not a far distance from the Philippines to Borneo. Of course the pirates have on land help that facilitate the abduction coordinates. From Samporna I took a boat out to Mabul Island where I dove for a few days at different spots. The water was clear even though a storm had just passed the day before.

We dove twice a day, one in the morning and one dive after lunch and we could adjust our spots due to the weather. Mabul is a small island with approximately seven good dive sights and a few moderate ones.

There are a lot of photo ops and it’s worth the value of an underwater camera. I’m not sold on the GoPro except for size but for more clarity you have to bite the bullet and get a bigger camera with a pressure shell that you clean with fresh water after every day and dry it out completely.

  The best diving I had was in Northern Sulawesi coming up next.

www.davidcdagley.com

Semporna, Borneo,Malaysia To Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Semporna, Malaysia, Borneo To Manado, Indonesia, Sulawesi.

I woke to a storm in Mabul and decided if I dove I’d miss my free ride off the island but I also knew I’d dive again. So I regretfully passed on the late morning dive and got my way back to Semporna and I made light arrangements to get to the airport in Tawau. There was a kidnapping in Semporna that very night. Of course I heard it from my taxi driver who took me to Tawau Airport. He said Semporna is a dangerous place. I found out at the airport that I needed an Indonesian visa before hand because this is basically the back door into Indonesia. So off I went to Indonesian Consulate and had to change in a bathroom into pants to get in. There were signs everywhere and the security guard at the door pointed down the side of the building to the bathrooms. I then signed in and got a temporary guest card and sat in front of window 4. Through a series of forms and money they gave me my visa but it was too late to catch the plane to Tarakan.

 I changed my plans at the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau after I spoke with a guy named Alec from Mother Russia. He didn’t know that there are still Russian Orthodox villages in Alaska that never left when the U.S. bought Alaska for 3 cents an acre way back when. ‘Little did they know what lay just there on the surface and below.’ Anyway we were having a chat and he was saying that going to Derawan entailed a flight to Tarakan, a ferryboat to Tanjund Selor, a taxi to Tangun Batu and a speed boat out to Derawan that could cost 200,000 to 300,000 Rupiah for the whole boat but if no one else is going, it’s a bit over the top. Alec suggested Manado on Sulawesi and GREAT diving. The fact that I’m wandering around means I can change plans and wander where ever I want; I chose two flights and a short drive to the harbor and islands surrounded by dive sights near a town called Manado.

As I was getting my Indonesian Visa two Germans came into the Consulate wearing shorts, totally disregarding the signs posted everywhere. They were trying to get to Tarakan in an hour. They rushed the window, filled out the forms but didn’t have enough money for the two visas. I volunteered the money to get them out of the way. We ended up leaving at the same time and shared a taxi to an ATM. They had missed there flight and were heading for town to jump a ferry to Tarakan but they didn’t get there, they only got half way and spent the night on an island waiting for another ferry and arriving same time as I did. They paid me back before they ran off. They were racing past the best of the best diving in this area of the planet to go to Lombok and Gili Trawngan, a party island; to each his own.

I booked a flight for the next day and stayed in Tawau for the night and had some great curried chicken, roti and sweet tea. I went back to the Grace @ Chester Hotel that is moderately priced, clean, and central. (Ph. # 089 751115). From my window I watched the port activity with a cup of tea in hand. By 7 pm the streets were empty and shops locked up. Lightening strikes flashed in the distant East, precluding rain in town.

My taxi driver from the day before picked me up at 10 am and off to the airport we went for a 1210 to Tarakan. At the Tarakan Airport, 40 minutes later, Garuda quoted a ticket to Manado at 2,600,000 Rupiah. I could only get 1,500,000 out of the ATM. I asked what time the flight left and Garuda said 1245 in the afternoon. I did have a stack of Ringgit and the taxi drivers in front of the airport were more than willing to exchange money but of course at a lower rate. I grabbed a taxi in to town because I needed a room anyway. The taxi driver was more than willing to stop anywhere I wanted but I told him to go to a cheap hotel. He got me there and I asked how much and the receptionist said, 200,000 Rupiah. I smirked and stood up to leave and they panicked and asked me to sit back down and he quoted me 80,000 Rupiah. I said okay to $7.50/night. It’s funny how bargaining works really well around here. P.S. Always bargain unless the rates are written down because they will try and tare money out of your wallet at any chance. 1USD = 12,000 Rupiah. Even the money exchangers are trying to get a cut out of you. There it was 4,000 Rupiah to 1 Ringgit and it’s three Ringgit to 1 USD and 30 Baht to the USD. In 2012 I was in Java and Sumatra having fun with some university mates out on the Mentawi Islands surfing, fishing and checking out the Tsunami damage. The Rupiah was 9,000 Rupiah to the USD. I’m living large now.

I continued down the street and picked up my forth SIM card and went and bought a ticket through Lion Air for 1,530,000, 1,000,000 Rupiah cheaper, approximately 80.00 USD lower than Garuda.

My hotel I stayed in had a screaming child that rode a four wheeler up and down my hall until 2300 screaming for it’s mother who was sitting in reception at the end of the hall. I watched the World Cup replays until the child stopped screaming.

Tarakan to Balikpapan, Balikpapan to Manado, I’m now traveling on pure faith that Alec knows what he’s talking about. In Manado I receive a text saying that someone is waiting to take me to a hotel and to a boat the next morning. He says, you’ll be easy to spot being the only foreigner in the airport. We meet and he drove me to Hotel Wisata. (Jl. Sam Ratulangi No 7. Ph # 62-0431-860908. Manado, North Sulawesi). It was 200,000 Rupiah/ $18 USD with breakfast included and the room was massive, air-con, big bathroom, OH and HOT water, kind of a special touch, not that you need it but it’s nice. Mario and I made plans to meet at 8 am the next day and dump me at the harbor where I would catch a boat to Bunaken Island off the coast of Manado township and Daniel’s Homestay and Immanuel Divers. It’s the cheapest and most fun on the island. I floated in a little late and the divers were all out doing their thing. It was all right with me, I had been watching the World Cup all night again in the hotel so chill and write was all right with me. There was a major break threw in the manuscript of my third novel and I’m trying to catch up to my mind and that ladies and gentlemen is no small undertaking; turtle!

The night was classic. After a short walk through the village to see the Christian Church and get a water bottle, because water, tea and coffee are free at Daniel’s Homestay but you need a water bottle. I had none and should have bought at least two big bottles in Manado and anything else you will want, just to get it in Manado to get it started. Like this bridge, it's been like this for 15 years, hanging over the harbor. I think it's because there have been two presidents since it the project began.

 We all joined up for dinner and a professional photographer, Hans Gert Broeder, who has been living here for six months taking the most incredible underwater shots I’ve ever seen. The time he takes with his shots is pure pleasure for him and all the viewers. He’s an inspiration to an amateur like me. Besides the pictures on the walls, he’s in more contests than I have fingers and he’s making money with his art.

I woke up at some ungodly hour and started writing before the roasters started crowing and the light was just kicking in. Manuscript is fine and the blog needs to be addressed for you and me. I did two dives, one at 0830 and another around noon. Both dives were around 20 meters and oh my, now I know why Hans Gert Broeder hangs out here.

I took a walk with a Slovenian woman through town and on down past where we’re staying. There’s no one at Daniels and we saw more people walking than anywhere else. It’s not a big island and it’s not over run. No one bothers you; no one is selling you anything. I haven’t been so chilled out since I can remember. All I want to do now is dive and drift and shoot amateur photos until I understand what I’m doing, OH an Orangutan Crab!

I saw no sharks but heard stories of pods of dolphins 200 strong passing through the islands. Tomorrow is another day in the same place. See you then

www.davidcdagley.com

Semporna To Mabul Island, Borneo

Semporna To Mabul Island, Borneo, Malaysia 

I took a minivan back to Lahad Datu and spent the day searching for another minivan to take me to Semporna the following day. I was told to be ready to go at 7 am at the mini bus station. I got there and had to wait for 10 other people to show up to fill the mini bus seats. We left at 9am and drove for three hours to Semporna. I booked a room for the night and made transport arrangements with Scuba Junkie to catch a ride to Mabul Island where I was recommended to go to Scuba Jeff’s Home Stay. It worked like clockwork.

 I arrived and was pointed towards Scuba Jeff’s. It’s a homestay over the water with it’s own boats and meals are included. I managed to snorkel on my own the first day and get four dives in 2 days.

There are many highlights and most of them were 14 and 24 meters of clear warm water. There had been a storm that had kicked up a lot of sediment the night before I got there so I snorkeled the first day and that was a good choice. By the next morning the visibility had returned to 10 to 15 meters and then more.

The instructor staff was mostly locals with two yanks from Ohio leading the dives and having just arrived themselves still excited about the dive experience. Most of it was still new to them and they are both confident and well trained. They made it fun and so did the locals.

 Every night was live music and a chorus of Malay songs and some western, one French woman in particular, played guitar and had a beautiful voice singing both Malay and western songs. There’s four or five guitars in use at night and of course it gets really fun when they ad the local rum or whiskey for 10 ringgit/bottle. Some mix, some don’t but everybody is smiling by the end of the second bottle and someone is on the run for more. It’s not my flavor of choice but I did manage to find some places on the beach with really COLD beer.

There are a few man made reefs where many species have claimed as home or a few shipwrecks. Every dive was enjoyable and the staff at Jeff’s bent over backwards to help everyone achieve their diving goals and never the same dive twice.

Storms blow in with a stiff gust that persists for about three hours accompanied by torrential rains and lightening. Then it lightens up and the visibility returns and scuba diving is back on the menu.

www.davidcdagley.com