An 'Eden' at the edge of the sunken Sundaland

Located in the middle of South China Sea, between east (Borneo) & west (Peninsula) Malaysia, lies the stunningly beautiful archipelago of Natuna Islands.

Officially a part of the Riau Archipelago province, Natuna Islands is actually the northernmost group of islands of Indonesia. This 272-islands archipelago is indeed a true and true ‘eden’ of the sunken Sunda Shelf of the Malay Archipelago!

Mountain tops or tiny islands? Or both?

The ‘eden’ of Natuna Islands are the ‘scattered’ mountainous parts of the sunken Sundaland/Sunda Shelf which had managed to stay ‘afloat’ above the sea level.

Well…you see…at the height of the Last Ice Age (about 20,000 – 18,000 years ago), almost all of the South East Asia lands and seas (ie the Gulf of Thailand and the Java Sea) were all dry and thus formed a continent twice the size of India – called Sunda Shelf or Sundaland.

Dramatic and catastrophic rise in water level occurred between 8,000-7500 years ago (at the end of the Last Ice Age – the 3rd Great Flood).

Experts claimed that record shows that the sea indeed rose at least 120 metres during those 3 Great Floods! The flooding of South East Asia resulted in major loss of parts of the flat land of the Sunda Shelf.

Now…back to the present time… the archipelago of Natuna Islands offers unspoiled beaches – with landscape & culture that is absolutely worth a visit! They are also famous for their lovely woven textiles. And not forgetting… those graceful and mesmerising traditional dances too.

Natuna Besar Island (or locally known as ‘Ranai’) is the largest in size and also northernmost of the islands. Mount Ranai in the island is the highest mountain in the Natuna Archipelago (1,035m). It also has extensive accommodation facilities, ie hotels, resorts and inns. Despite of its size, Ranai town is indeed quite a lively place. There are traditional markets, large supermarkets and also modern medical facilities available on the island.

According to local historians, the 1st ever habitant of Natuna Besar Island was a young boy from Siam (present day Thailand). He was ‘swept away’ on a log and marooned on the island. The boy was later known as ‘Demang Megat’. He was later married to a princess from the Kingdom of Johor (southernmost state in Peninsula Malaysia) by the name of Engku Fatimah.

The archipelago of Natuna Islands are vitally important due to the fact that they actually sit in waters that carry MORE than HALF of the world’s supertanker traffic! And of course, fisheries resources are enormous!

But more importantly… very, very significant reserves of oil and gas are believed waiting to be exploited right under the sea! Indeed, some claimed that the largest gas fields in the WORLD has been found… right here!

So how one gets to enjoy the magical beauty of this ‘floating Eden’ of the sunken Sundaland? Well, the easiest way is to fly. Go to Batam and head straight to Hang Nadim Airport. The small Fokker aircraft seats 45 passengers and takes about 1.5 hours to reach Ranai Airport on the Natuna Besar Island. The price? US8O per pax/one way.

Alternative mode of transport? Well… you can ride a boat from Kijang Harbor of Tanjung Pinang, Bintan Island. The boat takes 12 hours to reach Natuna Besar Island and the service is available only once a week! Not a bad idea if you want to be ‘marooned’ for 7 days…continuously… on a lost- lovely- island of ‘eden’ of the long forgotten sunken Sundaland…:) Awesome!

Berhala Island of Sabah, Malaysia

Berhala Island, or better known as ”Pulau Berhala’ by locals, is definitely not a ‘Shutter Island’. At least not in this century!

That ‘hellish’ island depicted in Martin Scorsese’s  ‘Shutter Island’ is far too ‘gruesome’  in comparison to this awesomely unique ‘tropical eden‘ of Berhala Island.

But then again… the condition on the Berhala Island might not had been like how it is now in the last century. Back then… it might had looked like as ‘chilling’ as something out of a scene from ‘Shutter Island’ instead!

Claudette Colbert in a scene from 'Three Came Home'.

Berhala Island indeed had been used as a ‘quarantine station’ for labourers from China and Philippines before the WW2 era.

It was later turned into a colony of leper patients.

Then the WW2 happened. The Japanese turned Berhala Island into a POW camp. A lady by the name of Agnes Newton Keith was among the many POWs held here…

Agnes Keith was an American author best known for her 3 autobiographical books which related her accounts of life in a place simply referred as ‘North Borneo’ … the present time Sabah.

One of these, called ‘Three Came Home’ was made into a film in 1950. Produced by 20th Century-Fox and directed by Jean Negulesco, the film was hailed by a New York Times viewer as “shocking! disturbing! will tear your heart out…but it will fill you fully with a great respect for a heroic soul!”.

Now… back to the present time… Berhala Island is indeed a wonderful place to visit. Swimming, snorkelling, sightseeing, jungle trekking and even ‘rock climbing’ are some of the activities one can do when visiting this forested little island.

The most striking feature of Berhala Island is the awesome dusky-pink range of cliffs that drop straight into the water! And of course…it is also blessed with white fine sandy beach and crystal clear water. And no… no traces of POW camp or whatnots:)

I’m not sure how other visitors made their way to Berhala Island. As for me, this is what I did. I first went to the fish market located at the jetty in Sandakan town. There I asked if any of the fishermen ( while they were still in their boats) willing to take me for a ’round-tour’ to the Berhala Island.

Jetty of Water Village, Berhala Island

Within minutes I already had someone willing to do so and wanted to charge me RM10 for the service! What? Only for RM10? And I could have the boat all to myself? He seemed  very sincere and equally excited as I was… so without a second thought I accepted his kind offer.

The red cliff rises out of the blue sea!

He first took me for a ‘short tour’ to a nearby Sim Sim Village. This was a ‘water village’ located adjacent to the fish market.

From Sim Sim Village he then took the boat across the Sandakan Bay and headed straight to Berhala Island.

The island was located about 8 km from the jetty (of the fish market) of  Sandakan. And it took only 15 ” from Sim Sim village to go to Berhala Island. My first stop was the water village of Berhala Island.

He then took the boat for a ’round tour’ of the island. Berhala Island is about 5ha in size. So, it is a very tiny island, indeed.

Picnic spot on Berhala Island

The water village is located on the west part of the island. And to the north is where the most striking feature of the island is to be found – the dusky red/pink color sheer cliff that seemed to rise out of the deep blue sea! This tall & towering cliff is estimated to be about 600′ high.

It was already getting late in the evening by the time we reached that lovely ‘picnic spot‘ of Berhala Island. So I did not have the opportunity to enjoy a swim at this lovely white sandy beach. I would love to come back here again soon. To me, Berhala Island is truly a lovely tiny eden in the Bay of  Sandakan. And… ‘Shutter Island’ this place is definitely not:)

eSa waved to kids of water village

The beautiful Berhala Island of Sandakan, Sabah, MALAYSIA

The 272 steps leading to the 'cathedral' cave (main cave)

Lord Murugan statue @ Batu Cave

When we arrived at the main gate of the Batu Caves complex, we were ‘greeted’ by a tall golden statue of Lord Murugan.

Standing at 43meter (135 feet) this is claimed to be the tallest statue of Lord Murugan in the world!

Completed in January 2006, the statue cost RM 2.6 million to build and used 1,550 cubic metre of concrete and 300 litres of gold paint.

A family taking a break mid-way the climb.

Now…to reach the main cave, which is popularly referred to as the ‘cathedral cave’, one needs to climb up those 272 steps. But not to worry, the view one gets as one goes higher is worth the climb! Tired? Loosing the breath? Well…take a break! Sit on the step and enjoy the scenery:)

Monkeys roam the steps all the way to the top. Get your camera ready!

The last time I was here I could not enjoy this luxury:( It was on a Thaipusam day and there were millions of people (devotees and curious visitors like myself) climbing those steps… all at the same time! I did not even have to ‘try’ to climb…I was literally ‘pushed’ from the 1st step on the ground all the way to the final step on the top… by the crowd! Talk about good ‘vibes’ and ‘energy’…:)

An 'opening'.

Located at the top of the staircase is actually the main cave.

My friends and I continued venturing deeper into the cave.

The cave formations were really wonderful. Long stalactites hanging down from the ceiling. Stumpy stalagmites rising up from the floor.

I was also informed that these stalactites and stalagmites were indeed still very much alive! And growing! Whoa!

A 'green mouth opening'.

It is also claimed that the rock forming the cave is actually 400 million years old! Indeed, I was told that the cave itself is about 60-100 years old. But the most fascinating fact I found was that the limestone rock (of the cave) was originally formed from layers of shells and corals once UNDER the sea! They were then uplifted into hills and mountains!

We also found a strange looking rock formation at the most end side of the main cave. Strangely enough, this unique shaped rock (…or rather stalactite) remind me of my trip to Koh Sa Mui in Thailand. Over there I found a rock formation which was almost similar to the one in Batu Cave. The only difference is… Koh Sa Mui’s rock  stood erected by the sea while this one in Batu Cave was found hanging down from the ceiling…

Rock @ Batu Cave - Pic 1

Rock @ Batu Cave - Pic 2

Now… compare with these photos I took @ Koh Sa Mui, Thailand…

Rock @ Koh Sa Mui - fondly referred as 'Grandpa' by the locals.

eSa with 'grandpa' (in orange circle)

Chicken in the Cave!

We ended our day at the Batu Cave with a stop at a small cafe located in the complex.

I ordered a cup of ‘teh tarik’ (tea with milk – done in a very ‘Malaysian’ style) and … soon after I found myself ordering another cup of the same thing! The reason? That was the best ‘teh-tarik’  I’ve ever tasted in Kuala Lumpur… ever!

Rock Climbing activities @ Batu Caves

On the way out, we came upon a group of people actively participating in rock climbing activities. Well… this only proved that there are actually  lot of things one can see and do when visiting Batu Caves nowadays. Cave exploration, rock climbing, nature walk-about … just to name a few. And of course, on a Thaipusam day, you can watch the colorful and fascinating ‘kavadi’ parade too.

So… if you visit Kuala Lumpur I would recommend you to include Batu Caves in your ’10 Things Must See in KL’ list simply because… Batu Caves ROCKS!

The PETRONAS Twin Towers (in orange circle) seen from Batu Caves

The wall paintings found in the Painted Cave of Niah depicting the boat journey of the dead into the afterlife. A feature in traditions shared by both the dwellers of Niah and the Nile...?

I had actually paid a visit to Niah some years prior to my holiday in Egypt. Back then, Niah was not as popular as a tourist destination as it is now. Hence, it was not a ‘smooth sailing’ event for me to get there. From Miri town (distance-110km) I had to take a bus to a place referred to as ‘Niah Rest Stop’.  It was located on the Miri to Bintulu road. There was no direct bus from Miri (or even from Bintulu – distance:131km) to Niah then.

Niah Cave has 8 entrances - the biggest is the west entrance, also known as the 'WEST MOUTH' - one of the world's most spectacular cave entrances!

From ‘Niah Rest Stop’ I then hopped into a minibus to take me to the Niah Park Headquarter located in a place called Pengkalan Batu (about 3 km from Niah). I had to pay RM10 for the Park’s Entrance Fee (only RM5 for Child) and another RM5 for Camera Permit (and RM10 if you take a videocam with you).

Now…to get to the cave, I had to take a small motorized ‘sampan’ to cross the Niah River.

Cost only RM1 per pax then. Not sure how much it costs now.

After safely reached the other side of the river’s bank, I then I continued walking the 3km plank-walkway. The raised plank-way was built above a dark forest swamp and cut through a dense tropical rainforest.

Upon finally reaching a cliff, the path started to ‘climb’. It looke like a ‘tunnel’ to me. Soon enough, the ‘tunnel’ opened up into the great ‘Dragon Mouth’…  or better known as the West Mouth of the Niah Cave Complex.

The West Mouth is 60m high and 250m wide! It is indeed one of the world’s MOST spectacular cave entrance! It is believed that about 40,000 years ago the cave was populated by prehistoric men. To be precise… the dwellers were of the Paleolithic times (the earliest part of the Stone Age).  Indeed, they were believed to be the earliest human in the South East Asia region!

Today the caves remain important for locals for their birdnests and guano (bat & bird manures/faeces) collection. The birdsnest collectors use bamboo poles and ladders made from Belian wood (ironwood) to climb to the cave’s ceilings. It is believed that there are about 1/2 million swiflets live in the caves!

Leaving the main cave behind, i then continued to the next ‘attraction’ – the ‘Painted Cave’. I had to pass through another cave called ‘Moon Cave’, walked in almost total darkness for awhile before emerging into daylight. A short trail followed and before I knew it, I was already standing inside the ‘Painted Cave’.

‘Painted Cave’ houses wall-paintings depicting the boat journey of the dead into the afterlife. The site is believed to be the burial sites of people of the Paleolithic and Neolithic times. Set on the cave wall were numerous paintings of  ‘boats’ loaded with up to 20 people. Some crumbling dug-out canoes, which had acted as coffins, were also placed against the wall of the cave.

Back then, I had not  paid that much attention to the significant of those paintings and  ‘death canoes’. And it never crossed my mind that I would be seeing something similar in places thousand of miles apart and some seas away from this humble cave of Niah. The ancient people of these two places seemed to have had shared the same ritual in putting the ‘lovely bones‘ of their loved ones to rest. And…’that’ other place I meant was no other than … the land of pyramids, pharaohs and the Nile… Egypt!

…of Niah & Nile

eSa with Travel Buddy in 'sampan' on Niah River

eSa infront of 'Dragon Mouth', Niah Cave

eSa with Travel Buddy @ Niah

eSa @ GIZA

eSa in ASWAN

eSa on NILE

Pyramid, Sphinx & eSa

QUICKIES

There are now direct buses to Batu Niah from Miri and Bintulu…

Miri – from the Miri Bus Station – ‘quite’ regular – 1 hr to 2 hrs journey time

Bintulu – from the Bintulu Bus Station – 2 to 3 hrs journey time

Batu Niah to Niah HQ (Pengkalan Batu) – there are 3 alternatives:

1) motorized boat

2) taxi

3) walking – 45″ stroll along the riverbank

The Niah Cave Park opens from 8am to 5pm.

Now…  many of us have seen that ‘horrifying’ sequence  trailer of the very much anticipated ’2012′ movie (attached below). And some even commented that if ‘ it’  was really to happen… would Mount Kinabalu be the safest bet to escape that catastrophic event within this region?

Errr… wellll… I don’t know about that. Indeed I don’t really believe that it would actually happen (as depicted in the movie). But then again… in this post I would like to share with you my own experience of climbing this gorgeous mountain. Yeah, it was yearsss ago when I first ascended the summit of Kinabalu. So, be warned, some of the photos you see here are quite old, really:) But the experience has always been fresh and new on my mind… forever.

Stairways to Heaven...

Good thing is, no climbing experience is really required to conquer the peak of Borneo… that is if you take the main route. So, like many other ordinary average people, I started from the main starting point located in the Kinabalu Park. The park is located less than 2 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of  Sabah.

When the going gets tough...

Average person, me very much included…:) takes about 4 to 6 hours to reach about 3/4 of the way to the summit. This mid-way spot is called Panar Laban(3,270m).

I was also informed that presently the Sabah Parks limits the number of climbers to only 192 people a day. Why such an odd figure, eh?

Dreamy Ascend...

Anyway, given the popularity of the Mount Kinabalu, it is advisable to book your adventure/climbing at least 3-4 months in advance! Indeed, some have claimed that they have to book as early as 6 months prior the climbing! Whoa! Try to beat that!  Truth is… Mount Kinabalu is really, truly that immensely popular. And why not? The site has even been declared by UNESCO as a WORLD HERITAGE SITE.  So there you go…

Finally... after 4 hours of climbing... catch the glimpse of your 'Reward-Of-The-Day'!

I finally reached Panar Laban where I stayed overnight at the Laban Rata Rest House. Mind you, camping is a big ‘NO, NO!’ (as strictly stipulated in the National Park’s rules & regulations). So, you are left with the choice of very limited accommodation choices. There are actually other accommodations ‘available’ beside the Laban Rata Rest House, ie ‘Gunting Lagadan’ and ‘Sayat Sayat Huts’. And that’s about it:( So, sadly, in the event that there is no accommodation available here, it is not possible for you to continue with your climbing plan. And, oh yeah, a Mountain Guide is compulsory.

Now... the 'real' climbing starts

At that time I had to pay only RM30 for a bed (in a dorm). And RM10 for dinner… a bowl of Instant Noodle Soup! I thought that was already wayyy too much for me. But listen to this… the current price for a bed plus meals (a packed box, buffet lunch, dinner & breakfast) for one person is a whopping RM330! And this rate is valid for Malaysians, Permanent Resident of the country and also for those with Malaysian working permits.

Dont get sloppy on the slope!

The real challenge for me started on the next day. Very, very early on the next day indeed. By 4 am I was already in the midst of  struggling to grope the rope (and tried to do my best not to get myself strangled in the process…)  in order to ascend the slope leading to the peak.

Now… the thing is…if you reached the summit too early, it will be too freezing cold to wait for the sunrise. So, listen to your Mountain Guide’s advise. He/She knows best.  And for me, that last part of the climbing…with ropes and slippery slopes and all… that was the hardest!  But then again… below here are the rewards…

View from Top

'Aki Nabalu': literally means 'Home of the Ancestral Spirits' in Kadazan/Dusun(the natives of Sabah)

So, every Malaysian (and also those who come to visit this blessed country), if you are able to find time and means, I would strongly recommend you to climb this beautiful, gorgeous mountain… at least once in your life time. Well… you don’t have to wait until the year 2012 to do that. Go now if you can. The experience is, honestly, beyond any words that I could print in here. But if I were to sum it up in only one word, the word would simply be… AWESOME!

Sing now...'Shine on me...!'

eSa @ Kinabalu Park. Before the climb

LifeLine

Yeeehaw! Made it to the Top! eSa clutching tight to the Visitors Record Book!

Living on the Edge

'Bad-Hair-Day' at the top

Fascinating fishing villages of RIAU

Riau Archipelago was once THE heartland of the Malays of the Malay Archipelago region. Indeed, it was here that the 1st ever book of Malay Grammar , the ‘Bustanul Katibin’ was written & published in 1857. So, it is not surprising to know that this beautiful region is indeed the cradle of Indonesia’s Malay-based  national language & culture.

'Silat' - Malay art of self-defense

So with that thought on mind, I decided to take a ‘peek’ at this fascinating clutters of edens. Accompanied by a dear friend  from the Philippines, I started my ‘Malay soul-searching’ trip by boarding a boat from Setualang Laut, Johor, Malaysia heading to Batu Ampar Port of Batam. Batam is the nearest island of the Riau Archipelago to Malaysian & Singaporean shores. The one-way boat ride cost RM56 (including Port Tax).

Nagoya Town, BATAM.

From the port, we hopped onto two  ‘motorbike taxis’ and headed straight to Nagoya Town. RP5000 for the ride. We then went to look for a room and finally settled with a small, clean room located right in the heart of the town. After few hours of going around town, I then decided that I did’nt really fancy Batam at all! Batam to me is nothing more than a ‘playground’  for Singaporean (and some Malaysian too, I suppose). Of course, due to its strategic proximity to Singapore, Batam has also been designated as a centre of industry and trade for the region.  Whatever. Truth was,  I couldnt wait to get out of Batam at the soonest  possible time and to  continue exploring further into the very heart of  the Riau Archipelago… and maybe even try to go  beyond that.

The main jetty of Tanjung Pinang, BINTAN Island, RIAU.

So, early next morning, we took a cab to Telaga Punggur Port. The cab ride cost us RP30,000.  We hopped into a boat and about 1 hour later we were already at the Tanjung Pinang Jetty of Bintan Island. I immediately liked what I saw and knew that we had made a good decision:)

Interesting crowd on main street of Tanjung Pinang town of BINTAN

Tanjung Pinang on Bintan Island is a busy little town. A large section of the old port of this town was built in traditional local style – on stilts, over the water. Nice!

We took our own ‘sweet-time’ and enjoyed the ‘energy’ of the town. We had tea at a nice roadside kiosk and chatted with some locals. They were very friendly and helpful indeed. Well, we even managed to get some ‘tips’ on good accommodation on the island!

eSa & friend @ Tanjung Pinang Corniche. The rest-house where we stayed in was located on top of the hill in the background of this photo. A room with a view... awesome view, indeed!

We decided to stay at an old rest-house located  on top of a hill overlooking the sea & part of  Tanjung Pinang town.

The view from the room’s balcony was AWESOME!  We could clearly see the Penyengat Island and its famous landmark, the bright yellow color building of the Sultan Masjid.

The Sultan masjid of Penyengat Island. Some locals claimed that in the past, the 'masjid' was painted bright yellow by using egg-yolks! Whoa! How much egg-yolks do you think they had to use in order to achieve that effect? Awesome!

The next day, we took a small ‘sampan’ (a small sailing vessel) and sailed across to Penyengat Island. Cost us only RP5,000.  The very first thing I noticed when I stepped onto the island: the whole place was sparkling clean! Really! I was impressed:)

eSa with 'beautiful souls' of Penyengat Island

And then… oh those children! Runing around everywhere with their bright smiles and warm greetings. ‘Assalamualaikum’ (Muslim greeting) was heard over and over again… in every nook & corner that we went.

Well, we were even invited by a middle-aged woman and her children to join them for a feast of grilled fish! They were grilling their fishes when we passed by their house. You bet, we did not even think twice and gladly accepted her generous offer. So, there we were… sitting under a big, shady tree… surrounded by small little ‘angels’… and grilling some fishes while chatting-away happily.

eSa @ 'Green Grave' Complex

Truth to be told, I was actually almost brought to tears when such warmth and friendliness was extended to us… strangers from no where… and being greeted in such manner by the islanders. And this was especially true with the kids of this tiny island. Lovely, beautiful souls of the island. Erm. I sound a bit melancholic and sentimental now, am I not?  Well… blame it on RIAU:)

We continued exploring the island and visited some ancient masoleums of significant personalities of the Riau Malay kingdom, ie Engku Puteri and Haji Ali. We also ventured into old palaces of Engku Puteri and Engku Bilik. According to the locals, ‘Penyengat Island’ was actually a ‘wedding gift’  by Sultan Mahmud to his bride Engku Puteri who was the daughter of Raja Ali Haji. Ermmm… how romantic.

One of the many old & abandoned palaces & villas found scattered on the tiny island of Penyengat. This one belonged to Engku Bilik - an inlfuential figure of the by-gone 'Golden-Era' of RIAU Malay Kingdom

Since then, Penyengat Island had become THE centre of government, tradition, Islamic religion and Malay culture.  Indeed, Bintan and Penyengat islands have been known among the dwellers of the Malay Archipelago region as the ‘doorstep of history’.

The famous Arab explorer who was known as the ‘Arabian Marco Polo’ – Ibn Battuta – had been claimed to have said “Here there are little islands, from which armed black pirates emerged, possessing armed warships; they plunder people BUT do not enslave them”  when referring to the islands of Riau Archipelago.

Stairs leading to an old palace on Penyengat Island

“Tanah air tinggal airnya, Kolong berserakan, Singapura timbul, Singkep tenggelam…”. Loosely translated : ‘ The land (island) is left only with water (and no land/soil on sight), the hollow cavings are scattered all over the place, Singapore risen, while Singkep is sinking…’ . This poetic statement by a blogger named Socrates aptly described the next island that we visited, Singkep Island.

Possibly, the longest jetty in the Malay Archipelago region: Jetty of Singkep Island

Singkep is located at the most end of the Riau Archipelago region.  So, I did fulfill a promise to myself of wanting to venture right to the end of the archipelago… and maybe to go even beyond that.

The boat trip to Dabo,  Singkep island itself was truly an awesome experience. Almost magical, indeed! Almost immediately after the boat left Tanjung Pinang, we were confronted with awesome views of numerous islands, mountain peaks peeking out of the clouds, lonely ‘kelongs’ (fishing huts on pillars) rose from the calm and shallow sea, small huts and houses scattered along the waterside… but most awesomely was the fuzzy contours of Daik Mountain which begun to appear as the boat was approaching the Lingga Island. Immortalised by the Malay in their famous poems of  ‘Gunung Daik Bercabang Tiga’ (Daik Mountain with its 3 sharp peaks), the mountain has served as the symbol of strenght and durability for the Malays since aeons ago.

Sadly, though, when we arrived at Singkep Island, we almost immediately realised that this was a very sad place, indeed.  When we asked around, one local had even answered us by comparing the present condition of the island to a  ”negeri dilanggar Garuda” ( a land which is left devastated by the attack of a ‘Garuda’ – a mythical giant bird ).

Indeed. The small Singkep Island was full of holes! Deep, hollow holes. These horrible environmental casualty was the result of hundred of years of tin mining activities. And to make things worst, the sand/soil of this tiny island has also been ‘exploited to the hilt’  in the recent years. Not to mention the abuse of the island’s already- very- limited wealth of the forest.  Indeed, if Singkep Island is viewed from above, it may well look like as if the island has been ripped apart… savagely! And by night time (yes…we did spend a night on Singkep Island), as early as 8pm, the whole town was turned into a VERY, VERY quiet and eerie looking place! With its ‘extra dimmed’ street lights (they were ‘extremely’ dimmed, somehow, for some unknown reasons … lack of electric supply maybe?) , the town looked like a backdrop of scenes in horror movies! Really sad. Almost tragic.

Well, after all said and written about Singkep Island, let us not too quick to make any judgement, though. In other words, let us not 100% to… Blame It On RIAU.

eSa @ Sultan Masjid, Penyengat Island

Wishing Malaysians a very MEANINGFUL MERDEKA! And to Muslim readers, ‘RAMADHAN AL MUBARAK!’…

The strecth of beautiful white sand on Li Pe

My quest for the legendary & mythical ancient Malay kingdom of ‘Langkasuka’ next took me to another fascinating place. An ‘eden‘! A long-lost- and- only- now- newly found paradise! A small, immensely beautiful island called Li Pe. But my journey to this heavenly place had almost turned into a ‘nightmare’ …one that I would remember for a very long, long time…indeed.

A 'sampan' in the sea @ Li Pe

The eventful day started beautifully. It was sunny and bright when I took a ‘tuk-tuk’ from Pra Ae to the pier in LANTA town. And as scheduled, the ferry to Li Pe left Lanta sharp at 11 am. I was happy. Indeed, everything was so ‘honky-dory’ that I truly enjoyed the ferry ride till that moment…

2 Chao Lye (Sea Gypsies) kids playing swing on the beach

The ferry stopped at Koh Mok, and then again at Pak Bara (Satun) taking more passengers. I was later transferred to a smaller boat – more like a speed boat, really – in order to continue my journey to Li Pe. Luckily, the boat was almost half-empty. And I was the only Asian passengers, the rest being Europeans and a few Australians.

The beach-front chalet where I stayed @ Pattaya Beach, Li Pe

It started to rain when the boat left Pak Bara jetty. It was windy. Indeed, the wind was getting stronger as the boat went into the open sea. Not long after, the wind and rain became more forceful. I could see from the side of my window that the waves were as high as the boat itself! But the boat kept on moving forward.

View from the chalet's verandah

Now there was no more land or any island in sight. The sea was also cleared of any other sea-vessel. I was getting worried. The boat was rocked fiercely by the becoming-stronger waves. I could see panic and frightened look on other passengers faces, especially mothers with young children. Some of the kids started to cry. And one particular lady seated 2 rows behind me was crying while holding her 2 children.

Me in my newly found 'paradise'...

There were times when the boat felt as if it was about to be overturned by those choppy gigantic waves! Nevertheless, amidst all the suspense and confusion, the boat rode strongly cutting through the waves. When the boat fiinally approached Li Pe island and the rain and wind had subsided,  I thanked GOD that we had safely reached our destination.

And what a destination it was! It looked like as if we had stumbled upon a long-lost paradise after braving a deadly storm! Just look at these pictures… Li Pe is truly a gem in the Andaman Sea. If you have the means & time, I would strongly recommend you to visit this paradise island before it turns into another Phuket, Pattaya, Langkawi, Pangkor or even Sa Moi!

Kids at Chao Lye village in Li Pe

QUICK FACTS of LI PE

Ferries -

frm Langkawi (Malaysia): depart from Telaga Harbor/twice a day- from November to May/ other months – only on weekends/ 1 hr ride

frm Pak Bara (Satun): daily – all year round

frm Lanta: daily – from November to May only.

NO jetty/pier at Li Pe – the local Chao Ley will fetch passengers with longtailboats from the ferry/boat and take them to the beach. Be ready to wade the knee-deep water before reaching the beach. Fee: about 50 BHT.

NO ATM on the island, but some resorts and chalets do accept credit cards.

NO cars on the island, except for a few motorbikes. So, people go around by walking! Good for YOU! By the way, Li Pe is such a small island (about 2 – 3 km wide) that you can do a full tour of the island in less than 2 hours!

3 main beaches:

1) Pattaya Beach – the most popular

2) Sunset – the smallest

3) Sunrise – has small Chao Ley village

Captivating sunset viewed from Lanta beach

Hmmm…maybe they were ALL right? Being such a great & majestic kingdom of its time…maybe the kingdom was indeed located all the way from the most southern part of the Isthmus of Kra (that slim piece of land that separates South China Sea on the east from Andaman Sea on the west) stretching to the south right until Perlis, Kedah & Kelantan (the most northern states of Malaysia)? Hmmm…as always…me & my wild guesses:)

Anyway, on my ‘island-hopping-trip’ on the Andaman Sea, I came upon this beautiful place called…LANTA. So what if I didnt find a trace of Langkasuka?…at least I stumbled upon a lovely island which bears a name similar (well…only half of the name anyway) to that legendary kingdom. I was happy enough:)

The calm sea viewed from the traditional jetty of Lanta

My ‘island-happy-hopping’ trip began in Krabi. After 3 nights in Krabi, I hopped into a boat that took me to Phi-Phi. Another 2 nights in that ‘tsunami-surviving’ island and then again I found myself on another boat  that took me to Lanta. 3 nights in Lanta brought me to many beautiful, laidback, almost ‘tourist-free’ places on this lovely island.

A narrow lane in between wooden shops in Lanta Old Town

The old name for Lanta was ‘Pulau Satak’. And that is ‘Satak Island’ in Malay. Yes, Lanta’s population consist of about 80% Malays. Anyway, the old name was later changed to ‘Lantas’ and finally in 1917 it was renamed ‘Lanta’.

There are actually 2 main islands in Lanta: Lanta Noi & Lanta Yai. The one that I went to was Lanta Yai.

Just a word of advice: if you are planning to go there (Lanta Yai) by taking the land route, just be prepared to spend sometime to board… not 1… but 2 ferries! The 1st one is from the main land (at Baan Hua Hin) and the 2nd one is to cross the small channel from Lanta Noi to Lanta Yai. At least that how it was a year ago.

Hard working Malay women of Lanta

Lanta was first populated by Sea Gypsies or locally called ‘Chao Lay’. They were believed to be originated from Aceh, Indonesia. That was 500 years ago. Then about 200 years ago, the island saw the emerging of Muslim community who came from the south, ie Malaysia and Indonesia. And finally, the Chinese made their way to island about 100 years later.

Me infront of a small 'boutique cafe' in Lanta Old Town

The ‘Chao Lay’ or Sea Gypsies formally lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle. The whole of Andaman Sea was their ‘home’. One interesting aspect that I managed to observe about the ‘Chao Lay’ is their passion in entertainment: a popular folk-dance called ‘Ronggeng’. This is actually also (eventhough not popular now like how it was before) one of the traditional dance in Malaysia! Another fascinating factor that I observed was that the popular local dishes of the islanders are ‘Massaman Curry’ and ‘Chicken Biryani’! Yes indeed, I felt so at ‘home’ on this lovely, lovely island!

Nice way to relax after a full-day of exploring Lanta Island

Could they be the descendants of the legendary & almost mythical ancient Malay Kingdom of Langkasuka...?

The Tip of Borneo

If Sabah was a woman, then Mount Kinabalu (highest peak in the Malay Archipelago region) would be the precious crown perched on her head and Sipadan Island would then be her awesomely mysterious heart. And… as for a place called ‘Simpang Mengayau’…that would definitely be the tip of her long, silky, sensous black hair! Sabah … a truly beautiful land endowed with many,many exotic, mysterious, beautiful and mesmerising sites. Exactly just like what one would have found in an awesome, hot, sultry woman. Well… as always… that was just me and my usual ‘over-the-top’ statement:)

A little-bit-of-heaven...the beach of Simpang Mengayau

This time around I would love to share with you my experience visiting a place known as ‘The Tip of Borneo’, Simpang Mengayau. Needless to say, the pictures here would speak more volume than my words, but then again maybe there are a few interesting info about this gorgeous place that I could share with you here.

Look Behind! Thats where the two great seas meet!

Me at the end of the road...

Simpang Mengayau is located about 50 km from Kudat town. By the way, Kudat was actually the first capital of Sabah from 1881 to 1883. Kudat is home to the Rungus people – one of the last few indigenous communities who still live in the longhouses. The beautiful, clean town of Kudat is situated only 200 km from the present capital city of  Sabah, Kota Kinabalu. There is a good paved road that connects these two towns. Quite strangely enough (well, at least for me) Kudat and its surrounding areas are influenced by an ‘unpredictable’ weather condition…hence the longer than normal dry season experienced in this region.

South China Sea on LEFT/ Sulu Sea on RIGHT

One can actually drive all the way from Kudat town to Simpang Mengayau. It takes approximately 30″ to reach this breathtaking spot from the town centre.

Simpang Mengayau Bay

The journey itself is so, so ‘AWESOMELY’ interesting! You will pass million of coconut trees and many small friendly villages. The beauty of the place is also enhanced by the presence of many pine trees lining up the road leading to Simpang Mengayau.

Friendly Soldiers of Simpang Mengayau Post

Mind you… if you were like me…you would probably end up taking much longer than the usual 30″ to reach the place! I just simply could not restrain myself from stopping at many beautiful spots along the way and thus the ‘prolonged’ travel time to the place.

South China Sea in the background

Sulu Sea in the background

Yes, you may have heard it before… Simpang Mengayau IS the place where the 2 great seas meet: the South China Sea and Sulu Sea. And yes, as you may have also heard, sunset viewed from this Tip of Borneo is truly a MIND BLOWING experience! I found out later  they are very true indeed…and much, much MORE!

There’s also hardly any signs of modernisation here, just amazing views and all the tranquility that this place nature has blessed. And from the tip, you can clearly see the islands of Banggi, Mantanani and the triangle-shaped Kelambu Island.

This country has been blessed with many heavenly 'edens'...

I’m not so sure how I can explain it to you in words…you really have to visit the place to experience it. All I can say is that… the experience I had at Simpang Mengayau was so … so… sensous!  So, dont be surprise if  you heard me saying that the place is so ‘sexy and sultry’. Dont believe it? Try it yourself…and share with me & other readers of what you think about Simpang Mengayau. I bet you would be saying… the place is truly awesome!

'Desert' of South East Asia

Impossible? Ridiculous? I absolutely could not believe my ears when I first heard about it. Yeah, I had never known that a place like a ‘Sahara’ desert could even exist in humid, tropical condition of the Malay Archipelago region. Well, there is such a place indeed, and it is located in Java.

When I was planning a trip to the ‘Golden Triangle’ of Java, Bandung-Jogya-Surabaya, I had never came across any info, articles or even photos related to this phenomenal site. It was only when I was browsing for some brochures at a travel kiosk in downtown Jogya when I happened to see a brief write-up of this sand dune site. I then made up my mind to go and  check-out the place on the very next day!

The dreamy little 'oasis' of Parangkusumo

I took a trishaw from my bungalow-hotel and went to the Umbulharjo Bus Station. Actually the bus station was located quite a distance from where I was staying, but the trishaw rider seemed to know short-cut routes  which took us through some residential areas. He eventually didn’t even take the trishaw on to the main road at all!  But then again, it must had been a very tiring trip for him for that day… God bless him!

Soul searching under the sizzling sunset

The bus I took was destined to go to Parangtritis, the most popular beach in Jogya area. A beautiful beach which is legendarily linked to the mysterious legend of  ‘Queen of South’,  the ‘Ratu Kidul’. Together with her confidante, the feared ‘Nyi Roro Kidul’, the ever youthful and beautiful Queen, ‘Ratu Kidul’, reigns over the sea nymphs and spirits of the seas around Java!

The soft, smooth, mobile sand dunes of Parangkusumo

Whoaaaa… and how did I get to know about these fantastic tales? Of course, from my other fellow passengers in the bus! Me, being my usual self, could not help but to strike conversations with those who seated close to me. Lo and behold! These people were so friendly and welcoming that they were more than happy to relay to me interesting stories of Parangtritis, Ratu Kidul and all:)

They even advised me not to put on any green color clothes when I visit the beach. Why? That they did not really tell me. But it was simply enough for me to understand when one of them said its for some sort of showing respects to this mystical site. Luckily, I was not wearing any clothing with any slight hint of green color on that day! But then again, honestly, these people were really very, very sweet…

The One & Only Sand Dunes in the Malay Archipelago!

Parangtritis Beach is about 35 km to the south of Jogya.  I didn’t really feel the time passed while I was journeying on that bus because as you would’ve already known by now I was busy being entertained by those stories told by my fellow passengers.

Indeed, it was one of them who shouted to the Bus Driver to stop the bus at the entrance of the Parangkusumo Beach.  I was at that time still happily ‘yapping-away’ with some old women talking about the Queen and of her legendary love stories.

Slide & Ride the Dunes!

Now, Parangkusumo is actually located on the western section of Parangtritis Beach, about 1 km away from the beach. So, if one travels from Jogya City, one would actually have to pass by this beach (Parangkusumo) before reaching Parangtritis.

Parangkusumo is believed to be the meeting place of 2 mighty rulers: that of the sea ( Ratu Kidul) and of the land (her spouses-Kings of the majestic Mataram Dynasty). By the time I got down from the bus, I was getting so overtly excited already!

The images one would normally have of beautiful beaches anywhere in the world are somehow almost similar… rocky cliffs, sand hit regularly by rolling waves under a clean blue sky and if one is lucky enough, one can also see some coconut trees swayed gently by cool sea-breeze. Now… not all beaches, however, have a unique ‘look’, and not to mention ‘tales’ behind them. One of the few that does is definitely Parangkusumo Beach!

Upon entering the Parangkusumo Beach, I immediately felt the ‘sacred’ nuances of the place. The smell of the fragrance of flowers and incense filled up the air. Well, it did gave me a bit of  ‘goose-bumps’ in the beginning… and then, I saw it! Right infront of me. The magical and mystical sight of the Parangkusumo Sand Dunes. Breathtaking! Hypnotizing! Mesmerising! Whoa!

The magical & mystical sand dune of Parangkusumo

I had lived in the Middle East for almost 8 years and normally the sight of dunes or desert-like places would not make me shout ‘WHOA!’ anymore. But this…  the one in Parangkusumo… this is really an ‘out-of the world’ experience. It was …hmmm… seemed to be so surreal. Magical. Yeah, of course, mystical too. Well…at least that was how I felt. But I guess I was not that wrong though… because then I came to know that the site has indeed been listed as a ‘World Heritage’ site, as one could read from a signboard placed at the entrance to the beach.

Parangtritis Beach is in the background. The 'Nyi Roro Kidul' cave is located not far from here.

Parangkusumo Sand Dunes are actually lumps of sand that are 20m above sea level. This is THE only sand dunes in the South East Asia, or to be more precise, in the Malay Archipelago region.  It is indeed an extraordinarily rare phenomenon in the humid tropical region.

Back to the ‘Ratu Kidul’ story, it is believed that Parangkusumo was where Parembahan Senopati, the 1st legendary ruler of the Javanese Mataram Dynasty received a divine revelation. Here at Parangkusumo he made an agreement with ‘Ratu Kidul’, where the Queen would always protect the Kings of Mataram and its people. In return, the Queen was (and still ‘is’… some peoplewould say!) spiritually married off to EVERY King of the Mataram Dynasty. Whoa! WHOA! WHOA!!!

So, every year, even in this present time, on the 30th day of the Javanese month, called ‘Rejeb’, offerings to the ‘Ratu Kidul’ the Queen of the South Sea are held at Parangkusumo beach. The offerings are cast into the sea in the hope that the Kings and people of Java will have continuous peace and prosperity. Hmmm… I love legends. And the Malay Archipelago region is loaded with exotic, very ‘dreamy’ beautiful places with great legends.

TRULY AWESOME!!!