Blogs from Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia, Asia - page 2

Leaving Korea was difficult. A year may seem small in a lifetime, but it's huge when living abroad, because the people you form relationships with become your family away from family. Everyone is living far from home, in a foreign land, having similar experiences and emotions; we come to rely on one another more than we realize, that is until one leaves. I started to realize before leaving that it would be tough, which played into my decision to head straight to Borneo to start my Divemaster course. I'd pondered taking a couple of weeks off to travel first, but thought I might be having a tough time leaving Korea, so being alone somewhere in Malaysia could potentially be more lonely than relaxing. I figured, if I head straight to Borneo for a month-long stay to ... read more

Zwischenhalt in Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia Flug nach Tawau, dann Bus nach Semporna. Diving Mabul, Kapalai, SIPADAN und Mantabuan. Dann 3 Tage / 2 Naechte in Uncle Tan Jungle Camp am Kinabatang River... etwas Dschungel zur Abwechslung. Tauchen um Mabul und Sempoerna herum war gut, allerdings sieht man die krassen Schaeden von der ehemaligen (der heutigen illegalen Dynamithfischerei) - ein guter Tauchplatz ist wo ca. 50% der Korallen noch intakt sind oder sich in den letzten Jahrzehnten wieder einigermassen erholt hat - traurig aber wahr. Sipadan war dafuer umso besser - eben keine Fischer, da Nationalpark und das sieht man ueberdeutlich. Es hat Haie, unzaehlige Schildkroeten und wir sahen eine Schule von Barracudas und eine Schule Jacks - die sind immer am gleichen Ort... am Barracuda Point. Die Korallengaerten sind der Hammer, eben so die Waende. Geniale ... read more

Semporna - the gateway to great dives! Ok, Semporna, how can we describe it: Lush palm trees covering a boulevard, some sunny beaches (good for snorkeling), some eating places and couple of dive shops. So we arrive there with good hopes. But alas, reality is not the way as we just described it. The description was the imagination we had before arriving. Reality is a bit different: no palm trees, garbage floating in the water. Haven't seen a beach for miles and there are no dive shops.... Instead a small market under a concrete cover, some lego-style blocks of buildings and some dive operators who REALLY suggest you to go to a resort island: Not our budget. So we're at a rat invested floating resort right next to Semporna's shore where the showers are not ... read more

From the bus station near the Naval base in Sandakan waterfront I took a local bus to Bus Express station, arriving there touts competed for me, I ignored them and went straight to the buses, I asked the time table one leaving at 7:30 am another at 8am, I took the 7:30 bus cause it's nicer and for 30 ringgits. I asked the ticket lady if she could let me borrow her phone so I can call and tell Singamata about the bus arrival time in Semporna. I got in touch with them and they will be at the bus station waiting for me. 5 1/2 hours later we arrived in Semporna, the Singamata shuttle is there and also gave rides to 3 other tourists to town who was contemplating on staying there too but in ... read more

Ensinnakin - Sipadan on todellakin 80 euron arvoinen. Voisinpa vaittaa, etta siella kaytyani olisin valmis maksamaan jopa puolet enemman. Aivan mielettoman upea paikka vaikka tyytyisikin vain snorklaamaan kuten mina. Aika Mabulilla venahti sitten lopulta kuuden yon mittaiseksi. Kaksi ensimmaista Uncle Changin jokseenkin vaatimattomassa (mutta edulisessa) majassa ja nelja seuraavaa Scuba Junkien luksus huoneessa. Sipadanilla kavin Uncle Changin poppoon mukana, silla heidan kauttaan vapaa paikka loytyi nopeammin. Tein varauksen edellisena paivana. Ja kuten sanottua, Sipadan oli todella upea vaikka en edes sukella. Snorklatessakin nakyvyys oli todella hyva ja nahtavaa riitti haista ja kilppareista lukuisiin kaloihin ja kauniisiin koralleihin. Onnistuin ottamaan jopa n. 250 kuvaa veden alla :) Sipadanin jalkeen Mabulin ihan hienot vedet eivat kylla tuntuneet juurikaan miltaan. Silti v... read more