Virtual Trip Around the World - Stop 2 - Sabah, Malaysia

I can't travel in real life, so I'm taking my ultimate bucket list trip around the world virtually, where there is no covid19, unlimited budget, super-human body and unlimited leave!

After a fabulous few days at Ningaloo Reef, WA, we headed back to Perth, where we took the 10-hour flight to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The Business Suite on Malaysian Airlines was excellent, as were their satay sticks! ✈️

Haha, I love your coffee! Now bugger off so I can sleep in my pod thingy

After such hardship, we needed to recharge our batteries. Kota Kinabalu's (KK, for those in the know) Le Meridien Hotel. The ocean-facing Presidential Suite was lovely - the main bathroom has a sauna room, a bathtub and a walk-in closet. We'll make do for a couple of nights.🛀

Not bad views!

Just a little bathroom

I suppose we can get comfy here

Just off the coast of KK, lies the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, comprising of 5 islands. We decided to stay at Gaya Island Resort in a Kinabalu Villa for the best views. The next day, it was time to get our adrenaline surging on the world's longest zipline between Gaya Island and Sapi Island. It's 45m above the ground and a tad scary! But exhilarating and the views are to die for (not literally). The island is on a marine reserve, and the snorkelling was lovely.🏊‍♀️ But it was the wildlife around the resort that surprised us - the Resident Naturalist took us for a walk to spot proboscis monkeys 🙈🙉🙊(Andrew was brave as he hates monkeys) and we were lucky enough to spot the giant red flying squirrels 🐿 around the resort gardens! Dinner was an excellent beach BBQ.

Weeeeeee!!!!!!!!

What you looking at?

Fly! Be free!

Dinner for two

A short 40-minute drive north to base ourselves at the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort, so we could spend the evening waiting for fireflies🦟 at Kawa Kawa River, close to Kota Belud. It was worth the wait! As they slowly engulfed us, our guide turned off his flashlight and we were surrounded by a shiny galaxy of glowing beetle stomachs. Mesmerising!

Again slumming it with the views!

You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep

We were ready to tackle the big one - the World Heritage-listed Mt Kinabalu!🏔 It is an 8.5 kilometre trek to the top that takes two days and one night, but it was worth it! You don't need to have mountaineering experience, but you do have to be fit. Luckily for me, I'm virtually fit! An experience I'll never forget - I felt like I was standing on the top of the world! After that effort, staying at the Jungle Lodge at the Poring Hot Springs was just the recovery we needed.💤

Andrew was below me to catch me if I slipped!

Huzzah! I made it!

Soaking in the hot springs...aah

Slumming it again, but the hot springs were worth it.

We headed over to the east coast to Sandakan. The Sepilok Forest Edge Resort might be 3-star, but the Chalets weren't too shabby and it is handily located to both the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Sanctuary and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre! The Orang Utan Sanctuary provides medical care for orphaned and confiscated orangutans and then helps them return to the reserve, where you can see them in their natural habitat. They are amazing creatures and we donated a few thousand dollars to help with their work.🐵 The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) has 43 rescued ex-captive sun bears residing at the BSBCC.🐻

Hello #706

I lub you too

After all this land adventuring, we ended our stay on Sabah at the Lankayan Island Dive Resort, in an overwater bungalow. Wreck diving, beautiful reefs and those ubiquitous whale sharks were the perfect end to an amazing trip!

Tough way to finish, but someone has to stay here.

Andrew with his little mate