Kota Belud

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!

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!

Just finished a one-day tour of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, and I have to give a huge shoutout to our private guide, Xiaoyang (William)! 👍🏻🙋🏻‍♂️ I originally thought the long drive to and from the mountain would be exhausting and boring, but Xiaoyang was a fantastic conversationalist along the way. He shared a lot of local history and culture of Sabah, guided us on a short trek up the mountain, and even stopped to introduce us to unique plants we saw along the trail 🌴🍃. The content was engaging and fun, and time flew by. 🥹 We were super lucky to catch a glimpse of Mount Kinabalu and the Rafflesia! The guide truly put a lot of thought into arranging everything for us, ensuring the entire itinerary ran smoothly, and even treated us to Malaysian cuisine for lunch 🍱! He took such good care of us throughout the trip, constantly reminding everyone to stay safe. The biggest surprise was his photography skills 📸. His composition was top-notch, and he was incredibly patient, taking tons of gorgeous photos for us to keep as memories. There was non-stop laughter all day, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. 😆✨ Meeting Xiaoyang this time really added so much value to the whole trip! 🩷 If any of our friends go to Sabah in the future, or if we visit again ourselves, we will definitely ask him to be our guide again! 😍

Napakagandang karanasan namin sa tour na ito. Ang buong araw ay maayos na naorganisa at naramdaman naming personalized mula simula hanggang matapos. Ang aming tour guide, si Adeor, ang nagpaganda at nagpasaya sa aming biyahe. Siya ay palakaibigan, may kaalaman, at nagbahagi ng mga kawili-wiling impormasyon sa buong paglalakbay. Pinagbigyan din niya ang aming kahilingan na huminto sa Upside Down House habang papunta (kahit na wala ito sa itinerary). Ang tour mismo ay puno ng magagandang karanasan at ang tanghalian ay napakasarap din, na may magandang tanawin. Ang isa pang bagay na lubos naming pinahahalagahan ay kung gaano ka-maalalahanin ang team. Nagdala si Adeor ng mga dagdag na kapote, payong, at mahahalagang gamit kung sakaling magbago ang panahon, na nagparamdam sa amin na kami ay inaalagaan nang husto. Parehong ang guide at ang driver ay lubhang mainit at palakaibigan, at nagkaroon kami ng koneksyon dahil sa aming pagmamahal sa Bollywood. Sa pangkalahatan, isang kamangha-manghang tour na may magagandang tanawin, masarap na pagkain, at tunay na mainit na pagtanggap. Lubos na inirerekomenda para sa sinumang bumibisita sa Kota Kinabalu!

Limang-bituing karanasan! Limang-bituing paglalakbay! Isang perpektong paglalakbay! Ang aming tour guide na si Sue ay nakipag-ugnayan na sa amin sa WhatsApp kinagabihan pa lang, at napakapasensyosa niyang sinagot ang lahat ng aming tanong. Sa buong biyahe, tinulungan niya kaming kumuha ng mga litrato nang walang pagtutol. Mayroon kaming mga kasama sa grupo na napakataas ng pamantayan sa pagkuha ng litrato, at nakakagulat na si Sue ay napakapasensyosa pa rin sa pagkuha ng kanilang mga larawan. Dapat malaman na ang araw na iyon ay pagsasama-sama ng ilang grupo, ngunit ang lahat ng mga tour guide ng mga grupong ito ay magkakakilala, kaya't mahusay silang magpataas ng mood. May isang tour guide na laging may dalang malaking speaker at nagpapatugtog ng musika, na nagbibigay ng napakagandang kapaligiran. Bukod pa rito, ang musika ay akma sa tema, halimbawa, kapag nanonood ng mga alitaptap, pinapatugtog niya ang "Rice Field" ni Jay Chou! Tunay na kahanga-hanga! Dapat tandaan na ang mga lamok doon ay napakalala; hindi sila natatakot sa mosquito repellent, kaya ito ay isang bagay na dapat bigyang-pansin. Napakaganda ng paglubog ng araw doon! Maraming oras para sa libreng aktibidad at pagkuha ng litrato. Ang unang beses na snorkeling ay nakamamangha rin. Ang tanging ikinalulungkot ay marahil mayroong mga kasama sa grupo na takot sa tubig, kaya kailangan silang alagaan, at hindi kami nakapunta sa mas maraming lugar. Sa huli, nanatili kami sa isang lugar at naglaro ng halos isang oras. Sa isla, maaari kang umarkila ng locker sa halagang $60 HKD, ngunit hindi mo naman talaga kailangan. Walang magnanakaw ng iyong gamit sa isang liblib na isla... Ang panonood ng mga alitaptap ay tiyak na magiging isang di malilimutang karanasan! Hindi kayang makuha ng litrato ang ganoong uri ng pagkamangha; kapag pumunta ka, maiintindihan mo! p.s. Ang oras ng pagtitipon sa araw na iyon ay 7 ng umaga! Kaya napakaaga naming gumising, ngunit sulit naman.

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.

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.

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.