Bako National Park, Sarawak Part 3 (final)

Canteen: reasonably priced food and drinks. Beer drinkers will rejoice.

Storm brewing at Bako.

In the evening what better way to while away the time than...

to watch the sunset?

Western backpackers clambering on board for the return trip.

Boatman Anuar: "Sometimes backpackers cheat me by claiming they've paid the fare."

The Best Flight in East Malaysia

I bring you "The Best in..." from my travels in Sabah and Sarawak in the last two months.

The Best Flight: flying to the Kelabit Highlands on this small Twin Otter plane

Lonely Planet describes it as the most exciting flight in the region. I agree whole-heartedly. As the plane doesn't fly that high, I could make out the meandering rivers with their ox-bow lakes, the lush, endless jungles of Borneo and the mountain peaks that looked like within touching distance.

But remember to sit on the left side of the plane for the unforgettable experience. It's free sitting and there're no pretty air hostesses to greet and direct you to your seat. After all, there're only 19 seats. And one last thing, know your weight as you'll be asked. The plane's overall weight is a critical factor.

NOTE:  I've posted a video clip on the flight on 26 Sept but if you can't find it there, go to Youtube and search for "Twin Otter anding at Bario (Keabit Highands)".

The Kelabit Highlands - The Land, Part 1

A muddy, rutted dirt track road leads to the airport.
Padi or rice fields: new seedlings which will take 6 months to mature. The monsoon rains have been disappointing so far. A farmer pointed out to me another rice field which was starved of water.
Mountains surround the valley.
Your Nikon or Canon (no disrespect to other brands) will work overtime with this sort of jaw-dropping scenery (if you've loose jaws you're in trouble here). Just make sure your camera battery is fully charged and your memory card is NOT full!
Beyond lies Indonesian Kalimantan. The Indonesians, or Indon as they're referred to by the Kelabit people, told me they had to walk 8 hours in the jungle to reach home.

(The Kelabit Highlands, isolated and remote, lie in a valley in north-east Sarawak near the border with Indonesian Kalimantan)

Miri, Sarawak

Sarawak, infamously dubbed Land of the Headhunters, will welcome me on Wednesday next week. With a lion dance hopefully?

Lion dance? Yes, you see, it's Air Asia inaugural flight to Miri (situated in northern Sarawak)famed for its national parks like Niah Naional Park and the World Heritage Site at Mulu caves.

It's also my very first flight with Air Asia which boasts that it's the best budget airline in the world. Hmm...l'll let readers know to what extent this is true or whether it's
just pure hype.

If you like trekking, nature/wildlife photography and exciting river rides in the heart of Borneo perhaps Miri might appeal to you.

And, hey, you need only $50 for the air ticket -loose change really.

I hope my head doesn't end up hanging from the ceiling of a longhouse!