SE Asia Travel Part 4

by Noel

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KOTA KINABALU

Wouldn't it be nice to know and visit a least expected place that ends up as one of your bucket lists in life?

Our next port visit was Kota Kinabalu, located on the West Coast of Sabah, Malaysia. Surrounded by stunning natural beauty, Kota Kinabalu is situated on the shores of the South China Sea and boasts breathtaking sunsets, pristine beaches, and crystal-clear waters. 

On December 2nd, our cruise line ship moored at the Kota Kinabalu Port Ship at about 7 am.

We purchased the cruise line Tribal Cultures and City Highlights excursion, and my wife and I were eager to disembark our ship to meet the tour guide waiting for us at the pier. The process is smooth and relatively different from the last ports we visited in the Philippines. It was a very organized and controlled process as we boarded a luxury air-conditioned tour bus. The tour guide was charming and knowledgeable about the rich history of Malaysian culture.

As we drove through the city center, I couldn't help but notice the unique architecture of the building structures, towers, and mosques. They were impressive. The city seems to be in relaxation mode - clean, minimal traffic, and no public transportation exists. I didn't hear loud horns from the vehicles as the people were doing their daily business.

Our first stop was the Mari-Mari cultural village tour. We were introduced to the descendants of five ethnic Sabah Tribes. They educated and presented us with how their ancestors lived and worked in the era before modern-day luxuries such as electricity, running water, etc.

The five ethnic tribes were Kadazan, Rungus, Bajau, Lundayeh, and Murut. The Mari Mari Village tour guide took us into the different homes of each tribe and introduced us to how the natives built their homes and used their unique structures and skill set. The Kadazan and Rungus natives mostly farmed rice, whereas the Bajau are fishermen.

Lundayeh practiced agriculture and crops, evidenced by various presentations of fruits and vegetables, food recipes, wine, and spiritual celebrations. One of the best experiences I encountered was the blowpipe, a traditional weapon used by headhunters back in the day. Surprisingly, I hit the coconut target dead center with the blowpipe dart as a bullet, which is challenging.

In addition, we also witnessed tattooing and learned the different meanings of some significant symbols, as well as the demonstration of weaving a hut and igniting a fire without a modern-day lighter.

My wife also participated in a wooden trampoline, used as one of the games for headhunting missions or marriage celebrations. The tour also included a feast buffet featuring the delicious native foods of the Mari-Mari tribes. The banana dessert reminds me of Turon (a Filipino delicacy).

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As we settled at the dining table, heavy monsoon tropical rainfall came, and it took me back to the memories of living my childhood as a kid in the Philippines. After they fed us lunch, the natives entertained us with the different tribe dances and celebrated the whole tribe's traditions. 

On our way back, the second part of our excursion tour is a stop at the city center market. We were supposed to look at some art and handicrafts, but the heavy rainfall prevailed. Instead, my wife went to the money exchange for Ringgit currency (Malaysian money), then settled at Starbucks Coffee and waited for the rain to subside. We also like collecting Starbucks coffee mugs from all the places we visit, so everything worked out.

After our return to the cruise line ship, we relaxed in our stateroom and took in the movement of life across the bay.

Later on we met with other family members, dined again at the Palace Restaurant on board the boat, and gambled some at the ship's casino.