On the week of our trip, the weather in Manila was terrible. The monsoon rains were in full force and we were worried that our holiday in Kota Kinabalu would be in jeopardy. But the moment we touched down, it was clear skies and warm weather that greeted us! We learned later on that Kota Kinabalu was blessed with very mild weather all year round. This made for a perfect tourist destination as it rarely rained hard enough to ruin anybody's holiday. My Malaysia trip had finally begun!
After we checked into Lavender Lodge, we rested for a bit then we went on a dinner cruise that went around Kota Kinabalu bay as we ate dinner amidst music from a live band that sang Chinese, Korean, Malay, and even Filipino songs! I even ended up onstage to join the band in singing "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang?" much to the delight of the other people on the ship.It was my first time to experience a dinner cruise and it was a truly memorable one.
The next day, we had our breakfast at the lodge then quickly went to the Sabah Tourism Board building to join their Free Walking Tour of the city. The tour was a relatively new offering and was guided by one of their most senior guides who was an avid bird watcher and trail hiker. Going around the city on foot gave us a unique perspective of the city and we were given insights about Sabah as well as the history behind the many buildings in and around the city. Most notable was the hike up and down Signal Hill which really got us warmed up and hungry.
After a quick lunch, we hopped into a Grab car and visited the nearby university's aquarium. We got to see a lot of fish as well as learned a lot about Sabah's marine ecosystem. After the aquarium, we proceeded to enjoy the rest of the afternoon at the IMAGO mall downtown. Traffic had begun to build up as it took us a bit longer to get back to the city. The mall we visited was quite beautiful and I was pleasantly surprised to note that getting into the mall was quick and easy as there was no line for bag inspection like what we have in the Philippines. We ended up watching a movie after grabbing a quick bite. The theater itself was rather compact and there weren't that many seats. It reminded me of the movie theater in Ayala Solenad Mall in Laguna as they also had plush reclining seats.
The next day, we went to the Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Spring. Travel time was quite long as the trip to the Mt. Kinabalu observation deck was quite far from the city. But boy was Mt. Kinabalu HUGE! Being the largest mountain in Southeast Asia, it was definitely a sight to behold! I won't forget it for the rest of my life! Afterwards we traveled to Kinabalu Park which was a good half hour away from the deck. There we got to see their botanical garden which featured the rich flora that inhabited the island.
Afterwards, we proceeded to Poring Hot Spring where we got to try their canopy walk which were situated high up in the trees. Coming down, we took a quick dip in the hot springs (inferior to the one we have in Anahawan, So. Leyte!) to relax our tired legs. Afterwards, we had a nearly 2 hour ride back to the city. It was a long day of touring and we were very tired. But it was definitely a day well spent.
The next day, we went to the Mari Mari Cultural Village which was located not far from the city. There we got to see a glimpse of how the indigenous tribes of Malaysia lived for centuries. There were traditional dwellings as well as traditional food and drinks that were served to park visitors. Honestly, we were blown away by the place! The Philippines should also have something like this for tourists to visit and experience! At the end of the tour, they had a cultural show wherein the performers were the very people who were playing the role of villagers in the park. Our last destination was definitely the best and most inspiring. I really wish that the Philippines would gain inspiration from it and build a similar park in the country..
The next morning we flew back to Manila. After a few days of mild weather in Kota Kinabalu, dark clouds and monsoon rains greeted us upon our arrival. We were still hung over our quick vacation and I was constantly switching between my Malaysian English accent and neutral English accent.
Here are my key observations/thoughts from my first overseas trip:
- Traffic is light unlike Metro Manila where it is always a crawl. Their roads are a lot wider and they use roundabouts instead of controlled intersections.
- Cars have different brand names and models in other countries! Thought they looked similar to cars here, they had different logos as well as names! Furthermore, I kept getting disoriented by the right-hand drive cars that were very different from the left-hand drive cars in the PHL.
- Malls abroad are a lot less strict compared to the ones we have in the PHL where you are subjected to a bag inspection as well as a body check upon entry. In addition to this, there were a lot less people who went to the malls as well. It seems they're not into malling all that much unlike us Pinoys who would find just about any excuse to hang out at the mall..
- There aren't that many English speakers in other countries unlike in the PHL where almost everybody understands it. Even the street urchins that beg for alms can understand English.
- Food in the PHL is a lot cheaper compared to other countries. I learned this first hand when we went out to eat as we would constantly convert the prices to Philippine Peso to see if the stuff we bought was sulit or not.
- There are truly a lot of Pinoy OFW's and it is always a joy to bump into one when you are abroad. The warmth that a Pinoy exudes is truly unique.
Would I come visit Malaysia again? I would definitely consider it if I had a lot of extra cash. For next time, I would more likely visit another country in order to gain even more insights about other countries and their cultures. Until next trip!
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