Kota Belud

It takes nearly four hours one way to get to Mantanani Island, making it an eight-hour round trip. Following the advice of other travelers, I chose to stay for two nights, and it turned out to be a very worthwhile decision. The magnificent sunrise, the colorful underwater world, and the starry night sky were all unforgettable and well worth the long journey.   I stayed in a sea-view chalet. The room decor was simple and the facilities were not luxurious—there was no refrigerator, the water pressure was a bit weak, and the staff forgot to turn on the water valve at check-in, which was likely left off because the room had been vacant for a long time—yet it was still comfortable overall. The air conditioning was strong, the bed was comfortable, and coupled with the unbeatable ocean view, it allowed me to truly relax. The staff was warm and friendly, replied to emails very quickly, and even helped me arrange a birthday cake in advance, making their service commendable. Although there was no Wi-Fi in the room and the television signal was unavailable, cellular coverage was good, so this had little impact.   Since I enjoy fishing and saw in reviews from other travelers that the resort offered fishing activities, I was particularly looking forward to it. I even emailed to inquire before departure and was advised to sign up with the staff upon arrival. However, the activity required at least four participants to run and was not listed on the daily activity schedule, making it difficult for guests to know about it or gather companions on their own. When I inquired with the staff, another guest happened to be interested, but because he was only staying for one night and the activity was scheduled for 4:00 PM the following day, it ultimately could not be formed. Unless you travel with a group of four or are willing to pay the fee for four people, there is almost no chance of participating. This was indeed disappointing, as I believe the fishing activity would have added a lot of fun to the overall stay.   The resort is entirely cashless, and the massage service was temporarily suspended during my stay. Aside from snorkeling (which is highly recommended, though prone to seasickness—remember to prepare motion sickness medicine in advance, as I saw several passengers on my boat get seasick) and various water sports, other entertainment options were relatively limited. The diving experience seemed good, but since I do not dive, I did not participate. Therefore, I recommend that travelers come with the mindset of enjoying nature, dedicating their time to marine activities, lounging on the beach, and taking in the beauty of this place far away from the hustle and bustle.   All in all, while some facilities and activity arrangements still have room for improvement, the pros far outweigh the cons. For me, this two-day experience of escaping the city and returning to nature was extremely pleasant, and snorkeling was the absolute highlight of the trip. If you love the ocean, ecology, and a tranquil resort atmosphere, Mantanani Island is definitely worth a visit.   A quick tip: If you book through Klook, the tourism tax is usually already included in the payment amount. It is recommended to keep your payment proof, as the hotel system may not show the relevant record. I was unable to find an English receipt on Klook at the time and ultimately had to use a translation app to explain and prove that the amount had already been paid.

Our family and a friend's family, 4 adults and 4 children, signed up for this tour. We were picked up at our hotel at 7:30 AM, followed by a 2.5-hour drive to the Mount Kinabalu viewpoint. The city roads from Kota Kinabalu to Mount Kinabalu were congested, but our guide was flexible and accommodated the children's restroom breaks along the way. After taking many photos at the viewpoint, we headed to Desa Farm. On the way, we made a detour to a local fruit shop. Our tour guide, Jeff, introduced us to fruits we had never seen before, and we bought and ate one or two of each. We were excited by fruits we had never heard of or seen, like apple jelly, avocado cheese, and snake fruit! The avocado cheese tasted like sweet steamed pumpkin, with a texture and flavor unlike any fruit! It was delicious. From there, we went to Desa Farm. Located at an altitude of about 1,500m, it wasn't too hot and was very comfortable! The weather was clear with few clouds, and we took many great photos with the sharp ridges of Mount Kinabalu in the background. Was that a sun halo? Jeff smoothly guided us through recommended activities like soft-serve ice cream and feeding calves and goats. Jeff, who is also a father of four, is knowledgeable about funny TikTok videos, and our children had a blast taking funny videos with him, making it a very satisfying experience. Afterward, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant and then went rafflesia watching. We were worried if we would see any, as they only bloom for 5-7 days a year, but we saw two blooming rafflesias! We also saw buds and withered ones, which was a unique experience only available locally. Nearby, there were also cacao and durian trees! I was surprised to see durians growing on such tall trees. By this point, it was past 3 PM. The children were getting tired, so we decided to change the itinerary and head back. The morning traffic jam was long. On the way back, there was a strange cloud hanging over the summit of Mount Kinabalu. Jeff told us it was a rare sight. The return journey was also a bit congested, but we managed to get back to the hotel around 7 PM. We had originally planned to be back by 5:30 PM, but the road congestion and it being summer vacation season caused delays. I recommend bringing a bit more cash, as there are places at the rafflesia site that don't accept credit cards for insect repellent, and some restaurants for lunch. Thank you, Jeff, for a fun tour! The magnificent scenery and your enjoyable assistance made it a wonderful experience. Highly recommended!

Acabo de participar de uma excursão de um dia ao Monte Kinabalu, em Sabah, e preciso elogiar muito o nosso guia particular, Xiaoyang (William)! 👍🏻🙋🏻‍♂️ Pensava que a viagem de carro de ida e volta ao Monte Kinabalu seria longa, cansativa e chata, mas o Xiaoyang soube puxar conversa o tempo todo, contou muita história e cultura local de Sabah, e nos guiou por um trecho da caminhada na montanha. Ele parava para nos apresentar plantas exóticas que víamos ao longo do caminho 🌴🍃. O conteúdo foi rico e interessante, e o tempo passou voando. 🥹 Tivemos muita sorte de ver o Monte Kinabalu e a Rafflesia! O guia realmente se dedicou a planejar tudo para nós, fazendo com que todo o roteiro fluísse muito bem, e ainda nos levou para almoçar comida malaia 🍱! Ele cuidou muito bem de nós durante o passeio, lembrando a todos para prestarem atenção à segurança o tempo todo. A maior surpresa foi a habilidade dele com a fotografia 📸. A composição das fotos é de alto nível, e ele foi super paciente, tirando muitas fotos lindas para guardarmos de recordação. O dia todo foi cheio de risadas e a atmosfera estava super leve. 😆✨ Conhecer o Xiaoyang desta vez tornou a viagem muito mais especial! 🩷 Se algum amigo for a Sabah no futuro, ou se nós voltarmos, com certeza o contrataremos de novo! 😍

The itinerary was very well organized, allowing us to visit several spots in one trip. The duration at each stop was just right, so it never felt rushed. Our first stop was the observation deck, where there were many fruit vendors nearby selling fresh and delicious fruits! The best part was realizing later in the city that the fruit here was actually the cheapest! The farm was also a lot of fun; for 20 Malaysian Ringgit, you could feed milk and forage to the animals, and the yogurt and milk ice cream were amazing! The fish spa was very entertaining, and the tour guide taught us feeding techniques. It was a bit scary at first. Lunch was better than expected, featuring vegetables, meat, and fruit. The tour included a complimentary ATV experience, allowing us to ride through the wilderness. We were very lucky to see a Rafflesia flower this time; although it had been blooming for five days and was starting to turn dark, there was still an unopened bud right next to it. On the way back, we had roasted wild boar and pulled tea. The roasted wild boar is highly recommended! The two of us shared a portion and were left wanting more. Overall, the value for money is extremely high, and I highly recommend it!

We participated in the company trip with 8 people. We were the only Japanese, and most of the other tourists on Mantanani Island were Chinese. Our guide, Xiao Zhong, was particularly excellent. We were initially concerned because the tour was primarily in Chinese and English, but he used a translation device to explain everything to us. The snorkeling, proboscis monkeys, and fireflies were wonderful. Although we had to wait for over 30 minutes due to a sudden downpour, it was an amazing experience overall.

Tivemos uma experiência incrível nesta excursão. O dia inteiro foi bem organizado e pareceu personalizado do início ao fim. Nosso guia turístico, Adeor, tornou a viagem memorável e agradável. Ele foi simpático, experiente e compartilhou informações interessantes durante toda a jornada. Ele também atendeu ao nosso pedido de parada na Casa Invertida no caminho (mesmo não estando no itinerário). A excursão em si teve muitas experiências ótimas e o almoço também estava absolutamente delicioso, com uma bela vista. Outra coisa que realmente apreciamos foi a atenção da equipe. Adeor carregava capas de chuva extras, guarda-chuvas e itens essenciais para o caso de mudanças climáticas, o que nos fez sentir muito bem cuidados. Tanto o guia quanto o motorista foram extremamente calorosos e amigáveis, e acabamos criando laços por nosso amor compartilhado por Bollywood. No geral, uma excursão fantástica com belas paisagens, ótima comida e hospitalidade genuinamente calorosa. Altamente recomendado para quem visita Kota Kinabalu!

Experiência cinco estrelas! Viagem cinco estrelas! Uma viagem perfeita! A guia turística Sue nos contatou via WhatsApp na noite anterior e respondeu a todas as nossas perguntas com muita paciência. Ela nos ajudou a tirar fotos durante toda a viagem sem recusa. Havia alguns membros do grupo com altas exigências de fotografia, e Sue os ajudou com extrema paciência. É importante notar que naquele dia vários grupos se juntaram, mas os guias de todos esses grupos se conheciam, então eles sabiam como criar um ótimo ambiente. Um guia estava constantemente tocando música em um alto-falante grande, criando uma atmosfera fantástica, e a música combinava com o tema. Por exemplo, ao ver os vaga-lumes, eles tocaram "Dao Xiang" de Jay Chou! Realmente profissional! É preciso ter cuidado com os mosquitos locais, que são muito agressivos e não têm medo de repelente ou água. Este é um ponto a ser observado. O pôr do sol local é deslumbrante! Tivemos bastante tempo livre para atividades e fotos. Meu primeiro mergulho com snorkel foi incrível. A única pena é que talvez houvesse alguém no grupo com medo de água, e tivemos que cuidar dessas pessoas, o que nos impediu de ir a mais pontos. No final, ficamos em um único ponto por cerca de 1 hora. Na ilha, você pode alugar um armário por 60 HKD, mas na verdade não é necessário, ninguém vai roubar suas coisas em uma ilha deserta... Ver os vaga-lumes é absolutamente inesquecível! As fotos não conseguem capturar a emoção, você só entenderá quando for! P.S. O horário de encontro naquele dia era às 7h! Então, acordamos muito cedo, mas valeu a pena.

We had an amazing time on our tour. Our guide Sue Yee was very informative and fun, and Max was a very good driver. we saw proboscis monkeys and fireflies, and the fried bananas were a tasty snack!

overall very good experience, the bus going there aircon was not working at its best. But the bus coming back was much better.