It’s been a hectic however spectacular past couple of weeks for us at romance HQ. As you may have seen, we’ve been checking out the lovely Malaysian specify of Sabah in northern Borneo. since we’ve got so much to show you from our trip to the Land below the Winds, we haven’t included the normal travel recap section in this week’s IG Edition.

So sit back as well as take pleasure in as we take you on a journey from populated city to eco-friendly mangrove regions, from virgin rainforests to the excellent waters of the Celebes Sea.

We begin our journey to Borneo – after a fairly simple flight from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s funding city – with a look round our hotel.

The Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu is completely found for checking out Kota Kinabalu – or KK as everybody phone calls it. plus it’s got this lovely rooftop pool as well as bar dealing with west. The sunsets right here at KK are understood for their appeal as well as tonight appears like it’s going to make great on that promise!

Just across the street from our hotel is the waterfront markets. These are regional markets selling mainly food – though there is a part of it that likewise offers locally made handicrafts too. Of course, we’re a lot more thinking about the food as well as the people it draws in.

I have no concept exactly how this person is basting the grill in this head, however it’s all for a great cause. Not only does it make the food taste amazing, it likewise brings the locals in for their dinner just after nightfall.

You can’t get much fresher than this. The waterfront market offers the fish it gets from fishermen that pull up out front to the kitchens additionally back in the market who then cook everything up. The fish right here is outstanding as are the (terrifyingly big) prawns.

We just desire we had longer right here to truly sink our teeth into the the location – actually as well as figuratively!

Today, we’re inspecting out exactly how to make standard batik art. There’s a programme run by college Yayasan Sabah to provide regional disenfranchised youth a possibility to discover a trade that’s still in keeping with their customs however that will likewise provide them service skills to survive.

These batiks are exceptionally difficult to make though these young artists make it look so easy. You begin with a metal stylus of hot bee’s wax as well as draw in the lines of your design. You then utilize ink as well as water to colour in. The wax stops the colours from blending as well as the water produces outstanding depth.

These students, who are studying under a regional master craftsman, have 6 months to discover the trade. If they pass, they then go on to an ‘incubation period’ where they discover things like fundamental accounting, service administration as well as marketing. They’re then kept on retainer for a additionally 6 months before passing the program with a recognised qualification.

It’s an outstanding effort as well as a unusual look of a government job working well for native cultures. visitors can come right here as well as discover about batiks, try their hand at it as well as likewise get a few of the locally made handicrafts in the shop above.

This is in a building adjacent to the oddly shaped Tun Mustapha Tower 20 minutes north of KK.

One of those unusual moments you catch that truly tells of what the people in KK are like.

Today, we’re at the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. The 1.5kms of boardwalks with the mangroves shows an crucial ecosystem that’s been ignored for far as well long.

The NGO Sabah Wetlands Conservation society has done some excellent work turning this from a somewhat forgotten bird sanctuary to a location of conservation, training, tourism as well as research. There is a little charge to go into (about AUD$5), however it’s a unusual possibility to see a thriving ecosystem in the heart of Sabah’s capital.

This morning, we’re up on the water checking out Gaya Island just off the coastline of KK. This is the greatest island on this side of Sabah, so it makes sense that ‘gaya’ indicates ‘big’ in the regional tribe’s language.

It likewise indicates ‘proud beauty’, which I believe likewise fits well. This island, which is house to three resorts, likewise has its own miniature rainforest on it. This picture is from the one of the primary jetties of Gaya Island Resort, who likewise has citizen naturalist as well as conservationist Justin Juhun working here.

The work Justin is doing to bring back necessary aspects to the island, like its mangroves, is fascinating. We’re lucky sufficient to have a quick trip with the rainforest with Justin on tracks he himself has formed. It’s beautiful, mysterious as well as truly eye-opening exactly how much nature there is right here – even on this small piece of land.

The grounds of Gaya Island resort are stunning. We desire we might stay right here longer, however even a day trip right here has shown us what the rest of Sabah has to offer.

One of the services they offer right here at Gaya Island resort is a personal picnic lunch on the beach round the corner. It’s a quite special thing to do – though you have to keep an eye on your food. The cheeky citizen bearded pig Bacchus as well as his simian mates will do their finest to take your food.

Bacchus you can quickly chase away, however the long-tailed macaques are far less bothered, so be warned!

This beach is easily accessible by a 45-minute hike along one of Justin’s tracks with the jungle… or a quick (free) boat tender from the primary resort.

Our trip back to the mainland is brightened up by this lovely sunset over Gaya Island. You can see exactly how much forest is on this 1400 hectare island just 10 minutes from the busting streets of KK.

And we’re up in the air again. this time around we’re heading for the world-renowned Danum Valley. even KK locals are pleased when we tell them where we’re going. We can’t wait to get there as well as experience a few of the most crucial jungle in the world as well as one of the last natural habitats of the wild orang-utan.

After a 2-hour bumping drive along unsealed roads into the forest, we’re lastly here. This lovely tree marks the begin of the true main forest, untouched as well as growing for 150 million years. look at the size of this monster!

Danum Valley is a conservation area the Malaysian government has agreed to enable visitors into. It’s still difficult to see though; permissions are run by the Borneo Rainforest Lodge as well as Borneo Nature Tours. You have to be staying at the Lodge to find right here as they no longer enable day-trippers.

For the cost of your stay, you get a lot more than just a room. Your entrance charge to park, your own guide, all meals as well as transfers in as well as out of the park are included. as well as believe me, you’ll requirement as well as thoroughly take pleasure in all of these things!

Danum Valley as well as the area you can check out is only about 15 hectares of over 1,000,000 hectares of secured jungle. You only get an concept of exactly how much there is to discover about this wonderful location when you’ve spent a day trekking with this outstanding environment.

This troupe of redleaf monkeys are more than delighted for us to enjoy them only a few metres down the road from our space in the lodge. There’s just wildlife anywhere here!

One of the most prominent parts of Danum Valley is the canopy walk. This network of bridges spans massive trees as well as provides you outstanding views of the forest from as much as 30m up. To provide you some scale, can you see our guide Paul behind me?

Deep into the jungle we go along a few of the most lovely walking tracks. All the method we’re surrounded by these spectacular trees.

Looking down from the greatest point of the treetop walk, you realise exactly how thick the rainforest is. You can’t even see the ground for a lot of of the way. That’s Paul you can see down there on the lower path.

The plants right here in the Borneo jungle are amazing. This is elephant ear plant grows leaves so huge you might quickly shelter under them.

We’re lucky to area this person as we’re driving out of the jungle. This is a pig-tailed macaque, as well as he’s rather the poser!

Some jungle fundamentals I believed I’d show you – besides leech socks, hiking boots as well as lots of water, don’t fail to remember your passport, Olympus OM-D E-M5 mark II cam with 12-40 zoom lens, iphone 6, great binoculars as well as Jord wooden watch!

I phone call this my jungle trendy collection!

Our space at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge is surprisingly luxurious. We’re in one of the newest villas – one of only three they’ve been enabled to establish on the land here. What a great task they’ve done. The other spaces are completely comfortable, however if you’re here, you may also get the very best room!

Danum Valley is a prominent honeymoon destination as well as it’s remove why: so much natural appeal provided so well. The guides as well as hospitality personnel right here are superb. as well as for a bit extra, you can likewise have a personal lunch ideal on the banks of the lovely Danum River that flows round the residential property as well as on with the jungle.

The food right here is likewise top draw.

It’s our last morning right here in Danum Valley as well as the lodge has pulled out its last stop for us: this personal breakfast with our guide as well as now great good friend Paul. We’re truly not looking ahead to leaving the jungle – something I never believed I’d say. however this truly is an extraordinary part of the world as well as somewhere I desire everybody might see at least once.

Just being right here has made Mrs romance as well as I both so much a lot more conscious of the atmosphere as well as what the world most likely appeared like for millions of years before we came along as well as cocked everything up.

Having stated that, the level of high-end offered right here at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge shows that you don’t necessarily have to jeopardize comfort for believing green! Yes, this is our own personal infinity plunge pool overlooking a few of the most crucial rainforest in the world.

See high-end as well as environmentalism all in one!

By the way, indeed we did see orang utans while we were here, however we didn’t get any type of great pictures of them. however that’s okay – the memory of seeing these lovely animals in the wild – delighted in their own habitat without danger of assault or deforestation – will stay with us a long time.

It’s a long drive from the forest all the method to the see however lastly we’re here: from the port town of Semporna on a high-speed boat transfer 45 minutes into the Cebeles Sea to Mataking Island.

Yes, this is the water we see as we pull as much as the jetty, as well as no, we can’t believe it either!

Mataking is an fascinating island. It only has the one resort on it – the aptly named Mataking Island Resort. The rental property we’re in is on the eastern side of the island, which is about as far away from the primary resort as you can get. If it’s romance as well as peace you want, these are the spaces you must go for. better to the resort isn’t as nice, the spaces aren’t as new (ours was developed in Feb 2016) as well as there’s a lot more noise.

The resort seems to have been developed mostly for diving lovers – the exceptional snorkelling just off the beach is definitely testament to that – as well as a lot more just recently there seems to be a focus on households as well as groups of friends. The primary bar in the evening becomes a karaoke hotspot as well as there are lots of youngsters running about, which makes this a great area for household holidays.

On the northern idea of Mataking Island is this bit sand bar that emerges at low tide to link the small tree-covered island in the distance. It’s such a lovely spot. Oddly, the water on the ideal is truly rather hot while the water on the left is great as well as refreshing. The fish seem to like the cooler water – as well as I don’t blame them.

The groups of snorkelers congregating near the sand bar behind me tells us there’s absolutely plenty to see underneath the waves here.

Before the karaoke starts up, we discover a peaceful table to perch on as well as get hold of an ice chilly beer. There is lots of chance for romance on Mataking – you do have to get your timing ideal though. as well as if you’re not into diving, you may get a bit tired right here even though the snorkelling is that great as well as the water hurts your brain it’s that lovely to look at.

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Well, this is the end of our IG edition for this week, however that doesn’t indicate it’s the end of the protection from our trip – not by a long shot. the most lovely as well as charming area we went to is still yet to come, so make sure you’re complying with along on Instagram… or you can just hang on till next Monday for our IG Edition.

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So next week we’ll have the concluding part of our trip to Borneo as well as you’ll see the return of our prominent travel recap section too.

Hope you have a excellent week as well as we’ll see you once again soon.

Images by Mr as well as Mrs romance by means of Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance