AmyHuang
Orang-u-tans and turtles in Sabah
Our trip this time was to see places in Malaysia that we didn't get to see last time, so 2.5 hours flight from Kuala Lumpur later we arrived at Sandakan in Sabah, famous for the Orang-u-tans and turtle islands.
I arranged for us to stay at Paganakan Dii, a forest retreat near Sepilok. At first I didn't know what to expect, as our flight had arrived late at night and the further the taxi drove the more remote it got. 10 mins into the drive we thought we were being kidnapped!
However, never fear, when we eventually got off the taxi, I was pleasantly surprised. They really did mean 'retreat'. The accommodation is situated in the middle of a forest park, surrounded by dense vegetation and nothing else. The Malay style buildings are little guest bungalows with an open air bathroom and it was really nice to stay there. Going to sleep and waking up with bird / insect calls and sitting on the balcony sipping Tiger beer while looking out to the forest checking out squirrels. All this for only USD50 a night per room! And the staff are so friendly!
I mean, it's nothing flash. There are no tvs and no other forms of entertainment. There is one cook that does the meals and it's all very casual and trusting, but that's what we like. It felt like you are part of the local community.
Anyways, so we visited Sepilok Orang-u-tan centre, which has been featured on various travel shows. The centre is a rehabilitation centre for injured and orphaned wild Orangutans. They help these orangutans to over come their trauma and help them 'grow' up I suppose, so that they become socialable and self-sufficient to go back into the wild. The centre is made up of a large area of forest reserve with various feeding platforms so that there is a place for those orangutans who are not so confident in finding their own food a place to come and be comforted. Unfortunately they are still semi-wild so you can't predict their behaviours so at the feeding time we went we only saw two, but two is still two, and they are still beautiful.
Then we spend a night on one of the turtle islands and watched sea turtles come on shore to lay eggs. As they are now endangered. Turtles come on shore at night. A group of conservationists have set up hatching stations around these islands so they can at least protect the eggs from being eaten by lizards and sea birds (as well as their worst enemy - humans) and give them the bets chance of hatching and being released to sea.
Apparently, of those that survive to adulthood, no matter how far they are in the world, and although they'll never come back to visit, the sea turtles will always come back to the same, if not a nearby beach to lay their own eggs!
Amazing isn't it?
Unfortunately no photos here as we weren't allowed to use flash photography and with our crappy little point and shoots they wouldn't have turned out anyway....
Other than the turtles, the sea surrounding this part of Malaysia have some wonderful snorkeling and I guess - diving - sites, and straight off the beach too!
I arranged for us to stay at Paganakan Dii, a forest retreat near Sepilok. At first I didn't know what to expect, as our flight had arrived late at night and the further the taxi drove the more remote it got. 10 mins into the drive we thought we were being kidnapped!
However, never fear, when we eventually got off the taxi, I was pleasantly surprised. They really did mean 'retreat'. The accommodation is situated in the middle of a forest park, surrounded by dense vegetation and nothing else. The Malay style buildings are little guest bungalows with an open air bathroom and it was really nice to stay there. Going to sleep and waking up with bird / insect calls and sitting on the balcony sipping Tiger beer while looking out to the forest checking out squirrels. All this for only USD50 a night per room! And the staff are so friendly!
Paganakan Dii
How is this for a chill out area!
I mean, it's nothing flash. There are no tvs and no other forms of entertainment. There is one cook that does the meals and it's all very casual and trusting, but that's what we like. It felt like you are part of the local community.
Anyways, so we visited Sepilok Orang-u-tan centre, which has been featured on various travel shows. The centre is a rehabilitation centre for injured and orphaned wild Orangutans. They help these orangutans to over come their trauma and help them 'grow' up I suppose, so that they become socialable and self-sufficient to go back into the wild. The centre is made up of a large area of forest reserve with various feeding platforms so that there is a place for those orangutans who are not so confident in finding their own food a place to come and be comforted. Unfortunately they are still semi-wild so you can't predict their behaviours so at the feeding time we went we only saw two, but two is still two, and they are still beautiful.
2 of the centres orangutans at the feeding station
Then we spend a night on one of the turtle islands and watched sea turtles come on shore to lay eggs. As they are now endangered. Turtles come on shore at night. A group of conservationists have set up hatching stations around these islands so they can at least protect the eggs from being eaten by lizards and sea birds (as well as their worst enemy - humans) and give them the bets chance of hatching and being released to sea.
A hole dug by the turtles for their eggs - the eggs are removed carefully by the rangers and transferred to a hatching station
Each green nett contains one batch of turtle eggs from the same mother, labelled clearly the date, number of eggs on the boards so that when they hatch, the survival statistics can be recorded
Apparently, of those that survive to adulthood, no matter how far they are in the world, and although they'll never come back to visit, the sea turtles will always come back to the same, if not a nearby beach to lay their own eggs!
Amazing isn't it?
Unfortunately no photos here as we weren't allowed to use flash photography and with our crappy little point and shoots they wouldn't have turned out anyway....
Other than the turtles, the sea surrounding this part of Malaysia have some wonderful snorkeling and I guess - diving - sites, and straight off the beach too!
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And yes, the orangutans were very human like, we have something like 95% of the same genes or something, it's amazing!
Thanks for dropping by