Kinabatangan Departure, Lahad Datu Arrival, and Danum Valley Tomorrow!

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I started with another morning cruise, and we went a slightly different route this time and rather than sticking to the main channel we went to an oxbow lake. It's technically not a true oxbow lake because it's still connected to the main channel by the remnants of a meander but it's very narrow and shallow and choked with vegetation and overhanging trees, nothing compared to the size of the main channel and the engine even got stuck in the mud at one point. So it was very interesting to cruise around the oxbow lake and morning cruises are really cool anyway with the vapour coming off the water. We did see one very interesting species which was a Mangrove Snake (or Gold-ringed Ratsnake as the guide called it which is an alternative name but I think not as nice as Mangrove Snake) in the trees right above the channel leading to the lake. Really cool.



After breakfast, I was supposed to get the scheduled transfer back towards Sandakan to be dropped off at the Sukau Junction where I could hail down a bus to Lahad Datu. However, two guys who I had just met on the morning cruise were driving down to Tawau in a big 4x4 pickup and offered me a lift to Lahad Datu which is on the way so I could avoid faffing around with the local buses a waiting around at Sukau Junction so that was much easier. They also dropped me off directly at the accommodation making it even easier.

The first thing I did after checking in was walk up to the Danum Valley Field Centre Office to check the situation. It wasn't a particularly long walk, less than 2km, but along some annoying highways to walk on. When I got there, everything was fine and I didn't need to do anything until tomorrow around 2PM before the minibus transfer at 3PM so in fact I didn't necessarily need a night at Lahad Datu at all, but I couldn't have been sure of that in advance.

So I had lunch and sorted out a few things because Lahad Datu is my last major settlement for a while, until Kota Kinabalu at the end. I was going to go and check the bus schedule which I hadn’t done yet because I didn’t get a bus here, but I was very tired so went back to the accommodation for a rest. I've got all morning tomorrow anyway and I'll check it then to find out the situation with getting a bus to Mt Kinabalu.

The town of Lahad Datu is quite rough around the edges and not touristy in the slightest - most tourists just fly directly into the little airport and go straight to their rainforest tour package - but it's right by the sea which is quite nice. In the afternoon I went to look at the sea which was good because it's been a long time since I've seen the sea and there were lots of egrets and a sea eagle. I also got (quite a few) supplies from a supermarket and got a light snacky dinner after a most obscenely large fried rice earlier for lunch.

The complete lack of tourists here surprises me. I have seen quite literally no one who is not local. Not at the accommodation, not at the sea front, nowhere. Only in the rainforest lodge minibuses leaving straight out of the airport. I think it's a shame that so many people pass through Lahad Datu and none stop, but if I'm honest, that would have been me too had I been sure that I would have arrived in time tomorrow. It is interesting wandering the city though and seeing a place that is, apart from the (very) small airport, completely non-touristy.

I'm just spending a single night here at Lahad Datu (at the Tabin Lodge – RM36 dorms) before heading off to the Danum Valley for 5 nights staying at the field centre. I don't believe I will have any internet access or phone connection when I'm there at all so (unless I'm wrong about this) I expect to be going silent for the next five nights on the blog-posting front obviously so expect this to be it for a little while. I’ve arranged to stay at the Danum Valley Field Centre which should be interesting. It's not cheap, but by booking directly by the field centre office I’ve got it for a price that is cheap relative to Danum standards. The Field Centre isn’t a tourist place, it’s primarily a research station, but they do allow tourists to stay when there’s space. The alternative is a super-luxurious 5 star resort type place, the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, which I obviously couldn’t afford, but I think the field centre will be interesting anyway. I’ve heard some stories of it being annoying and frustrating, but I do think it will be a good experience and obviously Danum Valley should be an amazing place to visit.



Highlight Reptiles:

Mangrove Snake

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