The Sights and Sounds of Sabah

In this blog, you would have visited the sights and sounds of Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo and the magical city of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Here, I recall a montage of images of our visit to Sabah 7 years ago in 2010, as we encountered the wind, sea, and rain on the waterfront of Kota Kinabula, the capital city of Sabah, the moment we landed in the capital of this East Malaysian state. The brooding clouds that descend onto the horizon appears to be a recurring theme in the Pan Indo-Malayan archipelago, as the heavens and seas merge in this vital and living-giving water cycle of life.

As dusk falls, and the approaching tropical thunderstorm in the distant drench everything in its path, the dusk to dawn nigh-market magically opens, and not without an anticipation of urgency as families, traders, taxis, motorbikes mingle in this jingle of machines, humanity and produce, and everyone make the best of a few dry minutes before the rain makes landfall.

Here you can just about make out the vast waterfront market, the colourful canopies of the stalls against the greying dusk, even as the coastal vessel plies its work in the distance.

Dawn breaks the next morning with a soft crimson glow, and then the mild morning sun heralds a cacophony and bustle of waterfront crates, riding precariously on slim sleek speed-boats, while idles workers perch pier-side, and children swarms the sea’s edge like busy bees. Further north, the tourist boats unleash their mooring to ply their trade, as commerce give way to pleasure-seekers. Between these scenes lies the hustle and bustle of Jessetown Pier, where the Sea Dayaks congregate to briefly replenish their supplies on the vertiginous land. Meanwhile, street soccer is an essential and ubiquitous way of life., any day, anywhere.

Further inland, an excursion to the base-camp and headquarters of Kota Kinabula yield several arteries of interesting excursions for those who have neither the inclination or the stamina to climb the mountain. The journey begins with a sense of anticipation as one approaches the mountain, with several vantage points en-route, mountain-side stalls and a river hanging bridge at Kampong Damat.

Within the base-camp park, the Borneo rainforest offers a canopy for the subtle flora excursions.

Finally, we retreated to the sea-side resort and nature reserve at Rasa Ria, to enjoy the seas, the waves, and the waterfalls, once again before returning to our metropolis.