There are some parts of the world that have a such natural beauty everywhere you look. As soon as I landed in Kota Kinabalu, it was obvious that flowers are the feature here. Whether I’m crossing the streets in the city and glancing at the road median or walking through the lush jungles, the colours are intense. The petals are delicate and intricate. The number of photos I have taken are too many, but I love them all. Although I can’t give you ANY names, those gardeners out there might be able to figure it out!
OMG OMG-if I were alone, this story might not be so hilarious, and in hindsight, it’s not hilarious at all. I have arrived in the Philippines to accompany my brother as he meets some contacts for his company. We got a flight into Clark, a 2 hour drive to Manila. Before our next flight transfer down to Cebu, we opted to stay the night in a local hotel. Enter worldly advise to all: thoroughly research your accommodation and area before booking anywhere-even if you’re only staying 12 hours!
During my travels there have been a few towns that have a flare for the wild side. This town, a former American Army base that was handed back to the Philippinos back in 1992, has since developed a shady side. I was slightly aware of this, but as a bed for the night was all I was after, I figured I could put up with a few ladies standing around advertising the local specialty. As our taxi drove down the strip towards the hotel, I bit my tongue. Building signs read ‘Friendliest Women in Town’ and windows flashed in bright neon ‘Massage’.
When we checked in the receptionist seemed quite confused when we clarified that we wanted twin beds, as noted in the original booking.
“We don’t have twin beds-only big beds,”
At that moment, a tall white haired guy with socks pulled up to his knees, walked by. He was very polite in passing, but gave me the shivers when he was gone. There had been other perverts walking down the strip, hand in hand with young girls.
Once the hotel staff brought an extra bed into our room, we closed the door and traded observation notes. We laughed as we knew it was only a few hours; our airport taxi was already booked for 6am. We checked our emails and sorted through our bags. Then we noticed the bathroom.
I considered taking a photo, but I simply could not pull off the right look-especially if my brother was taking the photo. Inside the bathroom was normal, but the wall between the bed and shower was clear glass. It was setup for a show.
We walked into the street to find a restaurant or somewhere for a quick bite to eat. My eyes darted in every direction, but at the same time, I tried to look like I was looking at nothing at all. But here’s what I saw: men. They wore baseball caps and Hawaii shirts. They had beers in hand and hung out in groups of 4 or 5. They smiled and laughed as if they had no cares in the world. 95% were white with a belly. They ruled the town.
We found a deli and ordered our Western meals with the cashier. We sat in the window and pretended the surroundings were not the center for sex tourism in the country. I accidentally made eye contact with a couple of younger Philippino men that were walking past. They had stopped in their tracks and turned back pointing and laughing. I ignored them and started a very intense conversation with Derek. I have been places where I was the only white person around, but being in a place where you’re the only white girl in town, is a little different.
Apparently, if we had walked in the other direction we would have bumped into a shopping mall and been led to the city of Angeles, a little cleaner than the red light district of Clark.
I have no idea who the dude in the picture is-but when you google sex tourism, he’s comes up.
A local girl sat at a nearby table with her older man. His back was turned to me so I was able to avoid eye contact. I glanced at her and tried not to stare. She was beautiful and could not have been much more than 15. All I wanted to do was to tell her to run away-there are other ways to make a living. Easier said than done. I settled with the motto, ‘each to their own’ for the rest of the night.
We returned to the hotel, I brushed my teeth and climbed into bed. This is certainly one for the experience log. I never felt in danger, although I did feel disgust. I’m actually glad to have experienced the 12 hours in town…but maybe next time I’ll just go to the mall.
After a long day of transiting to and fro, the reward of seeing the ocean makes it all worth it. But Semporna isn’t a place to kick back and take in all the waves, it’s another stepping off point. Along the edge of the Celebes Sea the area is known as one of the best diving locations in the world. The nearby islands support a few communities in addition to the glories of the underwater world. Most of the accommodations are 5 star except on the island of Mabul. Scuba Junkies operates a hostel resort, and that’s where I’m bound.
The boat full of day trip divers and tourists clinging on to cameras were wide-eyed and ready. During the one hour journey to Mabul we passed stilted housing, fishermen pulling in their nets and miniature white sand islands that high tide covers up. The chatty English staffer that sat beside me spoke of eagle rays and scalloped hammerheads which made me smile with anticipation. 30 minutes later he was still talking about world dive spots even though I had clearly zoned out of the one way conversation. It amazes me when some people just don’t pick up on the ‘uninterested’ signals. I zipped and unzipped my life jacket while looking about and prayed that the next island in view would be my stop.
I could see the greenery behind the beach with a few red rooftops poking out as soon as we pulled up to the jetty. My bags were shuttled along and I was instructed to change into my suit and collect my snorkel and fins before we set off again for our day of snorkeling. I had considered taking the 3 day study/exam to get my diving license, but I’m afraid my timing was off. Another country another time.
The boat took us to a reef on another island that had top notch chalets sitting a few feet above the water. Our guide mentioned the $800 per night cost as we swam over their reef. I vowed to one day experience the luxury when the cost wouldn’t bother me. My mind was swirling with what I could spend the same money on, but then I re-adjusted as it certainly wasn’t the time to think of finances. I plunged my face into the shallow waters and saw studded starfish that had formed arcs and circles on the sandy bed below. Although these were not the colourful fish I had set out to to see, I was mesmerized. I couldn’t believe the concentration of the five armed creatures . I began counting them and got up to 32 when I realized I had floated away from the original spot.
Like my quick snorkelling experience off the coast of Kota Kinabalu, I was enthralled by the colours that darted all around me. Neon blues the size of a quarter compared to an arm length fish that had the full spectrum of the rainbow across his back. The coral spread out the same length of my body and I saw peacock shrimp crawling along the solid arms. If I focussed hard enough I could make out camouflage creatures pretending to be rocks. The fish weren’t bothered by my ogling them, it was just another day.
We hit three other dive spots over course of the day, and each location was so unlike the previous. For our afternoon dives we actually stayed close to the island of Mabul. As divers talk about the sights around Sipidan Island as being the holy grail because of large aquatic life, the spots around Mabul are considered the world’s best ‘muck diving’ -meaning, it’s the richest single destination for exotic small marine life. Mabul is the yin to Sipidan’s yang.
I was thrilled when my guide pointed out the hawksbill turtle below. It was the creature I was most hopeful of seeing. With its’ rounded shell and oval flippers, the reptile was like a ballerina floating amidst the corals. And perhaps like an omen, that turtle was just the first of many spotted throughout the day. I was staring at a barracuda when a small green turtle floated past. Had I been diving as opposed to snorkeling, I may have seen cuttle fish and blue ringed octopus and gobies and frogfish and moray and snake eels and and and–the list goes on. But I discovered the true joys of snorkeling. I saw longnose stick pipefish and batfish and lion fish and and and. I experienced flying as the current took away the need to kick my fins and I could just look at the underworld passing below, like a bird soaring in the skies and looking down at me. It was magical.
When I returned to the resort, I found my brother Derek swinging in a hammock. The relaxation mode spread and I slipped into my book. And then I slipped into a light slumber. This, is what a holiday is all about.
We decided to explore a bit more of the island and walk along the shoreline. Naked children shrieked with laughter as they chased their friends in and around the housing. Groups of men were returning from the mosque built inland. Women sat in the window of their small storefronts, offering bottles of water or small trinkets for the couple of tourists that had ventured outside of the resort areas. The 45 minute walk around the entire island was just a partial glimpse of the real world on Mabul. It was clear that the needs of the locals were simple and the smiles were genuine.
At the end of the Scuba Junkie boardwalk there was a protected turtle egg area. If locals see a turtle laying eggs they are paid by the resort to report them, and then biologists relocate the eggs to the protected area. There is a security guard sitting in a hut 24 hours per day. Giving the eggs a chance to hatch in an location free of predators, has increased the endangered population within the area. It was a good feeling to know our resort has a conscious.
Before boarding the afternoon boat back to Semporna, I passed a few hours on the beach, in the water and thinking about how lucky I am to be seeing this part of the world. It is affordable, and it is worth it. The only unfortunate sight, was the offshore oil rig. Refurbished into an accommodation targeting divers, the 3 level platform above water sits just off shore. It may be a unique and interesting place to stay, but it’s an eye-sore that’s out of place considering the island paradise.
Now that I have experienced the beach, the jungle, the mountain and the city sights of Sabah, I am joining my brother for a few days in the Philippines. I had intended to spend my time away from Canada just on the island of Borneo, but sometimes a situation presents itself and it’s just too good to pass up.
So Philippine bound!
Recent Comments
{ Of course I wanted to see the world's largest flower-but they're not in bloom at the moment. The orchids everywhere are definitely my favourite-will try... } – May 18, 7:09 AM
Thanks for keeping up with my travels... } – May 18, 7:08 AM{ Fiona, Jeepney buses are awesome! Thanks for sharing your journey:-) } – May 18, 7:04 AM
{ absolutely wonderful Fiona. I loved the pictures and will try to identify them soon. } – May 13, 5:48 PM
{ What are your favorite flowers? Since norm, I like totally much astromerii. } – May 11, 5:20 PM
