SABAH | MABUL ISLAND - FEBRUARY'2014
Saturday, March 07, 2015
SABAH | MABUL ISLAND TRIP
Date: 26 - 28th February 2014
Date: 26 - 28th February 2014
After the Bangkok trip'2012, I am now having another break away trip with my youngest sister to Sabah, Mabul Island.
Yes.. another trip after the 2 years.
Yes.. another trip after the 2 years.
An island trip with my sister for the very first time travel to there independently.
Adventurous? Yes, I will answered that.
For sure, not to expect it is high cost expenses, in fact I treat it as budget cost trip rewards.
Let's pictures speak my words.
Seat your belt and get ready to fly.
I would like to rate the accommodation as 2 stars, it was out of my expectation as it is really budget trip. There is no electric support during 6am - 6pm daily to save the power and green environment, which also encourages tourist could wake up early to enjoy the sun rise.
Adventurous? Yes, I will answered that.
For sure, not to expect it is high cost expenses, in fact I treat it as budget cost trip rewards.
Let's pictures speak my words.
Seat your belt and get ready to fly.
Finally, we are arrived at Tawau Airport.
After the 2-3 hours car travel, we will be arrange to transfer from Semporna to the destination (Mabul Island) via speed boat with 45 minutes.
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| Our Luggage. |
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| After 45 minutes, Arung Hayat is the home stay that we are to stay for 4D3N. |
I would like to rate the accommodation as 2 stars, it was out of my expectation as it is really budget trip. There is no electric support during 6am - 6pm daily to save the power and green environment, which also encourages tourist could wake up early to enjoy the sun rise.
The room serve with a small fan, simple wash tool, blanket. There are room come with wall fan, standing fan and also aircond room (extra charges for aircond room request).
The public canteen from Arung Hayat Home Stay Style.
We hope we could purchase it and eat as much we can but it was too much of seafood which we worry high cholesterol.. "-u-"
Here we go with speedboat. For sure, we will take photos for memories record. From photos, you can definitely saw the ocean with very clear water. It was good view while snorkelling in this clean crystal deep sea. Do not forget to apply more Sun block lotion too! *the weather is super Hot!*
Oh ya, while snorkelling, we saw a turtles very close to us who trying to show it's head on the sea. Truly amazing! It is just deep close to us, unfortunately don't get chance to take photos but it was a good memories for us.
Good chance!
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| The water mostly came from the sea which slight filtered, you will still feel sticky after bath still because weather is super hot! |
The public canteen from Arung Hayat Home Stay Style.
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On the first day, we do not have any activities and just chill by explore what surrounding us, taking photos.
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| Panaroma view of Arung Hayat |
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| Panaroma view of Arung Hayat |
On the Day 2, we are going out to nearby island for snorkelling after the breakfast.
Before we depart in the early morning, there are some small boat which believe is fisherman drop by to sell the fresh seafoods which caught by them.
Unbelievable, it was our first time ever bought the cheap and fresh seafoods there which cost around RM10 - RM50.
We hope we could purchase it and eat as much we can but it was too much of seafood which we worry high cholesterol.. "-u-"
In the end, we bought this strand of crab which cost around RM20 only.
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| The Fresh Crab |
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| The Large Mantis Prawn |
Here we go with speedboat. For sure, we will take photos for memories record. From photos, you can definitely saw the ocean with very clear water. It was good view while snorkelling in this clean crystal deep sea. Do not forget to apply more Sun block lotion too! *the weather is super Hot!*
Oh ya, while snorkelling, we saw a turtles very close to us who trying to show it's head on the sea. Truly amazing! It is just deep close to us, unfortunately don't get chance to take photos but it was a good memories for us.
Good chance!
After few hours, we are back to Arung Hayat for lunch and for some rest.
While waiting our fresh crab to serve, let's have a we-fie!
Say cheeseeee ~
Ta-da~ We request Arung Hayat kitchen to cook 2 different dishes for us, one with STEAM and another with CURRY Sauce. FYI, if you're the guest of Arung Hayat homestay, they do provide the FOC cooking request with your seafoods purchase.
I took the photos in close shot for your well review.
Watch out your saliva!
I believe you are getting slaver, because we are as we can't wait to unseal them... :D
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| Wow.. there is lot of crab egg yolk! O.O |
To be honest, we two are fan of seafood. We love fresh seafood!
Appologize of our eating expression..
In the evening, there are fisherman boat drop by to sell their seafood for those home stay resorts and also those tourists who hunger on fresh and cheap seafood. There are variety seafood for you to choose, such as squid, fish, mantis prawn, prawn, and so on.
You may try to negotiate with those fisherman with a reasonable price, do not let them 'hunt' your budget.
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| Can you imagine? it is really fresh and huge size of Squid. |
Before the dinner time, you can actually walk around their island village which you can explore some nice sea side view, nice cafe surround.
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| A nice cafe which served alcohol, foods, juice, ice-cream and some nice music. |
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| Save the turtles, by Pally. |
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| Save the turtles, by Florence. |
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| This is those island kid's daily activities during break time like playing mini Guli, playing sand, playing basketball. |
On the Day 3, another snorkelling session with a bunch of Hong Kong tourists. Before depart, let's enjoy some sea view surround us. There are boat dwellers surround the island here, which we could called as "on-water people". The Sama-Bajau refers to several Austronesian ethnic groups of Maritime Southeast Asia. The name collectively refers to related peoples who usually call themselves the Sama, Samah, or Samai, or are known by the eponym Bajau.
They usually live a seaborne lifestyle, and use small wooden sailing vessels such as the perahu, dijenging, balutu, lepa, pilang, and so on who also made their living on boats. They spoke different dialects, the differences between the sea dwelling and land dwellers were not based merely on their way of life. (source: wiki-pedia)
A Sama-Bajau child diving for coins thrown by tourists into the water. Those child also beg tourists for some foods & drinks to fulfil their stomach.
There are some small boat fisherman trying to sell those variety of seafood which eye-opener for me that first time saw strange seafood.
And my youngest sister fancy on the sea urchin.
I was like 'Oh My god, I never knew how does it look like inside as most of the time I could found from those Japanese restaurant shasimi.'
She even purchase all from the lady with cost RM5 for 5 pieces of sea urchin and RM10 for a medium size fresh fish.
And then after, the tour guide pass it to the kitchen and let the kitchen help us to unseal the sea urchin. They gave us some 'limau' (mini lemon) to remove the fishy smell before swallow it. You can see how their mini kitchen look like from island home stay.
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| They called it as seaweed, kind of sour taste. |
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| The very fresh sea urchin. |
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| She ate it all. |
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| Not for me. I just taste it one bite, I was like.... yucks...I can't hold the sea urchin smell. |
After some hours break, it's time for another snorkelling session near by Kapalai Island.
In fact, I should admit that I easily get seasick because I am not used to it.
We just have half and hours of snorkelling then we request to go back for rest due to seasick. Yet, it was still the nice view!
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| The Dinner of night serve with crab, fresh fish, vegetables. The fish meat is soft and fresh to bite |
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| A very simple breakfast. I brought own seaweed cereals boil for drink. |
After arrived Semporna, the driver pick us up and transfer back to Tawau airport. Due to time limit, we do not get chance to walk around Tawau town, we decided straight to airport. While in halfway to airport, drop by one of the fruit stalk to get some fresh fruits to eat and bought it back as souvenirs.There are variety of fruits to choose such as mangosteen, langsat, dragon fruit, watermelon, honeydew, mango, and so on.
We are actually tried to found this Buah Tarap (also called Marang in Philipines) is a fruit that is native to Borneo. They are related to breadfruit and Jackfruit. Tarap is very easy to open and the flesh is creamy white. You could pick them off the stem -- they come off with a slight twist/tug.
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| Buah "Tarap" - Fruit, Very nice smell and taste good. Kind similar to fruit Nanga/Cempedek (Jackfruit). |
The driver did also brought us to a place for a quick lunch which is near by Tawau airport. The restaurant named BIBIQ CORNER, there are famous with sup ekor, the beef cook dishes. Honestly, it taste nice!
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| The driver try to help us pack the bush tarap if we could check in baggage but too bad the airport custom not allow and want us to put it aside. Wrong info from driver but still thanks to them brought us have a taste on it. |
While waiting flight depart, we bump into the Malays couple tourists which same chalet and snorkelling with us. Have a quick photo with her, "Nice to meet you, Cik Siti Alawiah Neng." (from Pahang)
With different effects:
P/S: Save it as wallpaper if you like it.
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| Thanks to her that gave me a chance for this Mabul Island trip. |
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| Sefie is a MUST activities when travel! |
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Where would be the next trip to be explore?
Keep Looking.
Keep Explore.
Keep Adventurous.
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For the sake of a good experience and memories.
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