Memorable trip to Sabah on a budget
Published on: Saturday, June 27, 2015
Kuala Lumpur: After putting in about a year of planning, a group from the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) finally embarked on their budget holiday to Sabah. The group led by Mohd Awal Ibrahim were adamant to limit their expenditure and prove the point that one could explore the State at a cost of RM1,000 per head. All 14 participants, including the writer, left for their six-day tour on May 20. They started off in Tenom and ended in Kota Kinabalu, while making stops in Semporna, Lahad Datu, Sandakan, Kundasang and Kudat.
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The tour to the Land Below the Wind, just before the earthquake on June 5, exposed the visitors to much of the state's pristine beauty. On May 23, the group arrived at the Desa Dairy Farm in Mesilau, Kundasang, where cold weather of 20 degrees Celsius greeted them that afternoon. For only RM5, the writer and her friends were treated to a luscious landscape comparable to scenic views overseas. The sight of a herd of foreign bred cattle and their black and white patches on their hide provided a panorama more like New Zealand than Malaysia.
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Desa Dairy Farm, located about eight kilometres away from Kundasang, breeds dairy cattle from Desa Cattle (S) Sdn Bhd, including Friesians imported from New Zealand and Australia. Kikuyu, narok setaria and white clover grass covers 133 hectares of the 199 hectare farm. They were also given the chance to watch fresh milk being processed at a milk factory there. The group was told that each cow is able to produce 14 litres of milk daily.
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For an extra RM1, they got to feed grass to the cows and sheep in their pens situated at the foothill of the farm.Once they had enough of the farm the group stopped at a row of stalls along a road near Kundasang town, and the view there is similar to the roadside stalls in Cameron Highlands selling fresh fruits and vegetables.There the writer made sure that to get a taste of fresh and nutritious avocados, which one would rarely find in the Peninsular. Later that day, the group settled for the night at the Walai Tokou Homestay. For a dose of history, the group dropped by the Batu Tulug Museum in the Kinabatangan district. The unique museum is nestled within Agop Batu Tulug (Batu Tulug Cave). It was drizzling when they arrived at the museum, but they continued their ascent up a steep flight of stairs for a rewarding view of Sungai Kinabatangan.Visitors are prohibited from recording videos or taking photos as a sign of respect to the over 100 log coffins, as the cave was used as a burial site some 500 to 900 years ago. The writer took 30 minutes to reach the top, challenged by the steepness of the stairs and the slippery stone. No words could describe the satisfaction of being 39 metres above the forest floor. The Agop Batu Tulug is a part of the 20-25 million year old Labang limestone formation. The ancient coffins stand testament to Sabah's long history and the writer was told that the origins of the burial site remains a mystery. Some are of the opinion that the caves might be the burial sites for the Chinese community who had created a settlement in Kinabatangan. En route to Semporna, the writer and her friends made a quick stop at Nabawan town to witness the Murut ethnic group celebrate the Harvest Festival at the district level. The rich culture, traditions and beliefs of the Murut tribe sets them apart from the culture of other tribes. The Murut tribe is the third largest in Sabah.The group received a warm welcome from the community along with a musical performance using traditional musical instruments such as the gong. The Murut women were gracious enough to show how they pound the padi using pestles. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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