Malaysia: Gaya Street Sunday Market in Kota Kinabalu

Every Sunday, Gaya Street is closed to vehicular traffic as it hosts the Gaya Street Sunday Market. If you happen to be in Kota Kinabalu on a Sunday, you might want to pass by Gaya Street.


They sell almost everything one looks for in a market including souvenirs and handicrafts, gadgets, fruits and produce, plants and pets, food and snacks, Bornean coffee and other interesting local items you might want to take home. It’s best to be there early in the morning because it can get quite warm close to lunch.

Malaysia: Klias River cruise and Borneo's Proboscis Monkey

One major attraction of Sabah is its nature and wildlife. That is why I looked forward to visiting the Klias River to observe Borneo’s endangered Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus) in its natural habitat. If you decide to take the river cruise, you’ll be free for the morning. Tours are usually in the afternoon because the Proboscis Monkey comes out to feed very early in the morning or late in the afternoon just before dusk.

The tour operator picked me up at my hotel at 2 p.m. From my hotel, we went around for more passengers before driving two hours southwest to Kota Klias, the jump-off point for the Klias River cruise.

The Klias River is a large area of peat swamp which explains the brown color of the acidic water. The characteristic dark brown color of a peat swamp is a result of dissolved peat tannins in the water. At the port, we were served local snacks and coffee while we waited for ever more passengers from other tour companies to arrive.

At about 5 p.m., we were invited to wear life jackets before we boarded the small boats. We left in five boats. Each boat could seat about 15 to 20 people and had a guide who would spot the monkeys and inform the driver to stop and move closer.


It was challenging trying to locate the monkeys since they are quite elusive and know when there are boats around. At first, you would see only movements in the trees. Then the guide would point and let you focus your attention on the Proboscis Monkeys silently feeding or moving about. Many times, they’d be in groups so you’d see mature male monkeys, which are the most peculiar because of their long noses and large bellies, female and younger Proboscis Monkeys.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to appreciate the features of the Proboscis Monkeys unless you have binoculars or a camera with a really good zoom. You only get to observe them from a distance especially since they are perched high up the trees and the boats can only go as far as the river banks. And taking photographs isn't that easy since the monkeys keep a safe distance from humans, the lighting is a bit dim, and the boats are quite wobbly especially when everyone stands up and tries to take photos.


We went from one area to another just observing the monkeys in their natural habitat. This is much better than seeing them in zoos. While reading some literature at the port, I found out that you should never feed these monkeys fruits or any sugar since their digestive system cannot process sugar. It turns directly into gas and that would kill them since their stomachs will explode. I wonder how true this is.

When it started to get dark, we proceeded back to the port for dinner. We’d stop every now and then as the guide spotted more monkeys on the way back. At the port was a buffet dinner of Malay dishes.


After dinner, we boarded the boats again for a quick river cruise to experience an early Christmas as the guides would call it. This time, we were out to appreciate the fireflies as they lit up the trees in the night sky. After showing us one tree with thousands of fireflies, we proceeded back to the port to board our vehicles back to Kota Kinabalu.

If I had another day, I would have wanted to see the orangutan and other wildlife, and rafflesias in full bloom. Hopefully that happens really soon!

How to get to the Klias River
The Klias River is about 100 kilometers southwest of Kota Kinabalu, in Beaufort District. It takes two hours to get from Kota Kinabalu to Kota Klias. You will have to book a tour or rent a car to get there. Tours cost between RM180 to RM200 per person. And that includes transfers, the river cruise, snacks and dinner.

Since the Proboscis Monkeys keep their distance, don't forget to bring a pair of binoculars. And since it's a swamp area, insect repellent will prove to be handy.

Malaysia: Island hopping at Kota Kinabalu's Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (Manukan & Sapi Island)

The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park is a protected area off the coast of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. It's composed of coral reefs and five islands namely Gaya, Manukan, Sapi, Mamutik and Sulug. One of the more popular recreation activities in Kota Kinabalu for both locals and foreign visitors are visits to the various islands of the park to swim, snorkel or dive.

I had previously been to Manukan Island, the most popular with local residents, being the most developed of the five. For this trip, I was returning to Manukan and visiting Sapi Island as well.


Boats to the islands leave from the Kota Kinabalu Ferry Terminal in Jesselton Point. There are no slow pump boats here, only speed boats. So expect to be at the islands in 15 to 20 minutes. There are several boat companies which ferry passengers to the islands and between islands. It costs RM23 (RM25 for Sulug Island) for a round-trip ticket to one island and an extra RM10 per additional island. You basically fix your itinerary for the day (time you will transfer from one island to another) while at the ferry terminal. There is an entrance fee of RM10 per island for foreigners and RM3 for Malaysians.


Our first stop for the day was Sapi Island. It has one of the nicest beaches of the park. And it's a popular snorkeling and diving area for tourists. In fact, I did my own snorkeling off the island. What I like about the park is that even close to the shore, you will already see a lot of fish swimming around you.


We stayed in Sapi Island for about three hours before moving to Manukan Island. Since it had the resort facilities and a restaurant, this was where we were going to have lunch. It was a grilled meat and barbecue buffet at the restaurant which costs RM95 per head. Unfortunately we arrived a bit late and some of the grilled meats were not fresh anymore. It's best to arrive there by 11:30 a.m. when the buffet opens.

But if that's too much for your budget, Manukan Island also has a canteen which serves affordable meals. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around the beach of Manukan Island. The island also has hiking trails through its dense vegetation. If snorkeling bores you, then try the Scuba-Doo which is a motorized scuba bike.


If two islands are not enough for you, you can also visit Mamutik Island on the way back. We were in Kota Kinabalu by mid-afternoon.

Back at the hotel, I took a nap and rested, a perfect way to end a very sunny day at the beach in an otherwise rainy season. Maybe next time, I could stay overnight in Manukan Island.

Malaysia: Hello again from Kota Kinabalu!

Hello again from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia! I found myself back in the city where Ivan About Town was born. I wrote my first blog entry in Trekkers Lodge, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on April 19, 2005. Sabah then was such an exotic destination to me. It still is now as I discover new places outside Kota Kinabalu.

The Sabah Tourism Board had graciously arranged my itinerary for this trip. From Terminal 2, I was brought to the Novotel Kota Kinabalu 1Borneo which would be my home for the next three days. It's several kilometers from the city center but is integrated with the 1Borneo Hypermall together with several other hotels. 1Borneo has a free shuttle service between the complex and major points of interest in the city every 30 minutes.


The rooms are very chic and modern with really comfortable beds. And there's free LAN Internet access in the rooms which is obviously very important to me. Breakfast was a feast. And I enjoyed in particular the roti canai and other local dishes that is included in the international breakfast buffet they serve every morning. I was guilty of a food binge almost everyday.

During this visit, I got to return to Manukan Island and visit another island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park called Sapi Island. I also got to visit the Klias River in search of Borneo's Proboscis Monkey. I'll talk about that in my next posts.

Makati: Legazpi Sunday Market turns five on Sunday!

Legazpi Sunday Market will be celebrating it's fifth anniversary this Sunday, July 25, 2010 with a Grand Buffet featuring dishes from all of Legazpi Market's food vendors. The one-go buffet starts at 11 a.m. and costs only Php180 per head. Raffle prizes will also be given away to lucky shoppers.

To learn more about Legazpi Sunday Market, check out Legaspi Sunday Market is Makati's undiscovered food haven. And when you're at Legazpi Market, don't forget to take home Imang Salud Ensaimada. It's best to reserve since supply runs out really quick.

Palawan: La Terrasse is Puerto Princesa's next big restaurant

It all started with a search for this secluded French restaurant called Ditchay's Bistro. I was told about this really cozy restaurant which serves French cuisine in an area near Rene's Saigon Restaurant. It was not even along the main road and you had to go further inside to get to it. When I finally got there, there was a sign that Ditchay's was closed for the time being. And it invited guests to try out a new restaurant called La Terrasse along Rizal Avenue.

La Terrasse is also managed by Ditchay Roxas, who is married to a Frenchman. She was at La Terrasse when we got there and introduced her new concept to us. La Terrasse is a representation of Puerto Princesa's international vibe, owing to the fact that the city has a large expat community. It offers a mix of international cuisine fused with local flavors, in what she calls a balance of Asia and Europe. She also mentions her effort to make some local Filipino delicacies palatable to the foreign tongue such as dilis which she tastefully mixes into fried rice.


We got to try the sumptuous and sinful Adobo Overload which is chicken and pork adobo twice fried served with a generous portion of rice fried in adobo oil and topped with adobo flakes and chicharon. We also ordered Crackling Belly which is her version of bagnet. The menu is still a work in progress though since it's still on soft opening. They expect to launch the restaurant in August.


Also in the works is a deli where they plan to sell locally-sourced products such as breads and locally-processed meats such as bacon and ham from Ernie Lim, sausages from a German national based here, and a Spaniard who makes chorizo. Also available will be locally-made cheeses such as Davao's blue goat cheese, carabao cheese from Nueva Ecija, blush blue and pink and margarita cheese.

While the quality of some popular restaurants in Puerto Princesa are going down as they continue to sit on their laurels (I hope certain by-reservation only restaurants realize that word is going around that the quality of their food and service is decreasing), La Terrasse provides a breath of fresh air, offering a new choice to Puerto Princesa's locals and visitors. Owing to the success of Ditchay's Bistro, I can foresee that La Terrasse will be Puerto Princesa's next big restaurant.

To the fans of Ditchay's Bistro, the restaurant will remain closed until the operations of La Terrasse will normalize. Hopefully, when I do return to Palawan, I can eat at both!

Palawan: Chaolong & Vietnamese food in Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa has a lot of Vietnamese restaurants owing to the fact that it was once host to many refugees from Vietnam. Locally, these restaurants are known as chaolongan because they serve a noodle dish called chaolong. I wonder though why they call it chaolong when the noodle dish is more aptly called pho (phở). Chao long is congee (rice porridge) with pork innards.


The best of these Vietnamese restaurants is Rene's Saigon Restaurant. Unlike other restaurants which serve the local chaolong, Rene bakes his own Vietnamese baguette or bánh mì. Plus he's half Vietnamese and his wife is Vietnamese. The other chaolong restaurants are owned by locals who inherited the restaurants from the Vietnamese after they migrated to the U.S.

At the same time, Rene's Saigon Restaurant has more choices when it comes to Vietnamese food including fresh rolls or gỏi cuốn and fried spring rolls chả giò and authentic bánh mì sandwiches among others. In the menu, you will see the sandwiches under the heading French Bread.


We ordered fresh rolls (Php100) and fried rolls (Php85) for starters. Both are not in the menu but are served upon request. The fresh rolls are wrapped in rice paper and have pork, shrimp, bún or rice vermicelli, herbs, and other ingredients inside.


For the chaolong (again the right term for this is pho), we got Beef Stew with Noodles and Beef with Noodles (Php60 each). And for French Bread, we got French Bread with Pork Barbecue wich is a very popular bánh mì filling in Vietnam.

Among the Vietnamese restaurants in Puerto Princesa, Rene's Saigon Restaurant is on the higher end and rightly so because it serves the most authentic Vietnamese food of all the chaolongan. But even then, it's still very affordable.



The masa version of chaolong is served at Bona's Chaolong House and Restaurant. This is very popular among the locals because prices are very cheap. I ordered the Beef Stew with Noodles Special (Php45) and French Bread with Chicken (Php25). I even took home one of their fusion sandwiches, French Bread with Longganisa (Php28). While it is cheap and good, they're also very generous with the MSG. Not good news for the health conscious.

There are several more chaolong restaurants in Puerto Princesa which are also worth the visit. So if you have more time, you might want to visit them too. Tricycles know how to get to most of these chaolong restaurants.

You can also get authentic Vietnamese food at Viet Ville which is on the way to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.

Palawan: Weekend in Microtel Puerto Princesa

I just needed a break last weekend. So off I went to Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Having been to Puerto Princesa previously, I decided to forgo the tours: Puerto Princesa city tour, Puerto Princesa Underground River tour and Honda Bay island hopping, and decided to use my time instead to relax at Microtel Puerto Princesa. Although there are two tours I have not tried: Dos Palmas and dolphin watching which is seasonal, which I will reserve for another trip.


Microtel Puerto Princesa just opened last year. Its beach front location is quite secluded and very cozy. But the downside of being secluded is that the hotel is a bit far from the city proper. But they have scheduled lunch and dinner shuttle services to and from the city proper as well as the airport. I took both their lunch and dinner shuttles to the city proper to try out the different restaurants in the city. Unfortunately, if you want to venture out on your own, tricycles charge between Php150 to 200 one-way to get to and from Microtel.

But no need to worry about the tours I mentioned above since Microtel can book all these tours for you and the tour vans pick you up right at the hotel. So it's very convenient.



Those who who want a quiet place with a beach front to relax in Puerto Princesa will enjoy a stay at Microtel. The view is picturesque. And I must admit I spent some time just sitting in the lounge chairs or the hammock for a quiet afternoon nap. The only downside is that the water is too shallow for a swim. So most of the swimming is done in the pool conveniently located beside the beach.

I always look forward to stays in Microtel because of their chiropractic-approved beds which are exclusively made for the hotel chain worldwide. So any Microtel will have the same kind of bed and pillows.


There's free WiFi Internet in the lobby and paid WiFi/LAN connections in the rooms. Ask them for ongoing promos. Right now, they have a Php5,860 per person 3D 2N package (based on quadruple sharing) which includes daily breakfast, the city tour, Honda Bay and Underground River tours, and a one-hour massage. It's almost all-in except for the two dinners. But given that three tours are included, that's a total bargain!

Microtel Puerto Princesa
(02) 8997171 / 8700100 / 8971039
(048) 7320977
sales@microtel.ph