South East Asia in Six Weeks

Despite storm signal no. 2 and the Swine Flu frenzy (it was not called AH1N1 yet), we set off 7th of May last year for our first Southeast Asia backpacking trip together (Shervin and I). A trip that took us to six countries (in order): Malaysia, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia.

Our SE Asia route. Edited by Shervin, map taken from here.

Borawan and Dampalitan Beach

I was supposed to celebrate my Despedida de Soltera in Padre Burgos, Quezon last year. On our itinerary was to explore Borawan and Dampalitan Beach, which was then virtually unknown - recommended by my sister who went there with her colleagues a few months back.

Unfortunately, typhoon Ondoy ravaged the country a week before our trip which forced us to cancel our plan so some of us can do some volunteering. I rescheduled it just 7 months after and found the beaches packed on a weekend!

Late afternoon sun shining down on Borawan.

Anawangin Cove and Capones Island

A secret no more. This summer, my Facebook account is flooded with notifications of friends posting 'Anawangin Getaway' albums containing 100+ photos each. Even back in 2008 when we first visited the cove, it was already getting crowded during weekends. Now that two years have passed, you may ask, "Is it still worth going to?". Well, I'd say yes.

Spidermash in Anawangin Cove.

Tanjung Aru Beach

To cap off our 9-day northwest and eastern Borneo vacation, Shervin and I spent our last dusk sauntering along Tanjung Aru Beach in Kota Kinabalu. Each of us only shelled out P11,749.20 for the entire trip (including roundtrip tickets, terminal fees, my travel tax, accommodations, food, transportation, souvenirs and admission fees). By executing well-thought-out decisions, I proved to myself that the preggy Pinay travel junkie can still travel on a shoestring budget - without sacrificing comfort.

Sunset view from Tanjung Aru Beach.

Into the Rainforest

Nature lovers who flock to Sandakan are certainly pumped up. Sure it's a gateway to ecotourism, but many are not aware that this rainforest has also witnessed a dark past. Nope, I'm not just pertaining to the diminishing number of wildlife. A POW Camp was once set up in Sandakan, and a gruesome "death march" which started here claimed the lives of hundreds of British and Australian prisoners (more than a thousand died in the camp alone).

Sandakan POW Camp diorama.

Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary

Sabah, Malaysia will leave ecotourism, jungle tourism and wildlife sanctuary fanatics infatuated. If not, madly in love. As written on one if its brochures, "Eco-treasures from mountain high to ocean deep". In Sandakan alone, there are at least 5 destinations where tourists can learn about ecosystem protection. Due to time and budget constraints we were only able to visit 2, but we managed to squeeze a poignant memorial park in between.

Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, feeding time.

Sandakan Sights

Sandakan was once under the governance of the Sultan of Sulu. Imagine if the Philippines still owns the resource-rich east coast of Sabah, the economical gain must have been heaps. No wonder our ol' dictator President Marcos set up an operation to take back the land, which unfortunately led to the Jabidah Massacre - but that's another story.

A Buddhist Swastika symbol, Puu Jih Temple grounds.

East Malaysian Borneo: Sandakan

This former capital of British North Borneo is a 6-hour bus ride from Kota Kinabalu.Though two of Sabah's main tourist attractions can be found here, the Orangutan Rehabilitation Center and the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, the city still remains a not so beaten track.

Sandakan, a bustling port town.