Bathed in the morning sun at Mallohan Beach and Gayana Marine Resort. The pictures in this article are infographics without special attribution
Gaya Island is the largest of tunku Abdul Rahman National Park's islands, and the four adjacent islands, Saphi, Sulu, Manukan and Mamuti, are all one-day diving meccas for tourists. In contrast, Gaya Island, which is the main island, although closer to the shore, has always been shrouded in a veil of original mystery because it has not opened its doors with great fanfare for many years.
Departing from Jesselton Pier in downtown Kota Kinabalu, the speedboat splits the waves and heads northwest, before landing at the Gayana Marine Resort Private Pier 3 km away. On this day, the sun was warm, the wind and waves were calm, the sea was emerald-colored, and the unnamed fish and feathery seaweed jumped under the eyes, which was very different from what we saw ten minutes ago when we passed through the same sea area in Kota Kinabalu.
The Atkinson Clock Tower, an old building in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, was built in 1905 and was the subject of direction for ships in the port to identify directions from 1905 to 1956. Marco diagram
In 1899, Charles Jessidon, a British governor from the North Borneo Trading Company (BNBC), led a detachment to evacuate Gaya Island and establish a new colony in what was then known as Api-api, now Kota Kinabalu. In this sense, Gaya's colonial history is much older than that of Kota Kinabalu, but there is no physical evidence related to Jessidon or the North Borneo Trading Company on the island: more than a century ago, wildfires, aboriginal resistance burned down the buildings left by the British, and the island was re-embraced by nature, sinking into a period of peace and tranquility insulation and history textbooks.
The Bajau people, who live by the sea and live near the sea, are the indigenous fishermen of Gaya Island and the second most populous race in the entire Sabah region, after the KadaShan people. Three hundred years ago, the Bajau migrated from the South Philippines to the Semporna Islands in eastern Borneo and then to Gaya Island. I've seen some "sea gypsies" communities off the coast of Kota Kinabalu. Simply put, it is an exceptional space composed of dozens of barges and dozens of long iron chains that neither belong to the sea nor to the land, but the Bayau fishermen on Gaya Island live in water houses on the shore of the coral reef, and when they pass by by speedboat, the helmsman extends his left hand and points far away, only to see different colors of wooden roofs and tin roofs connected into pieces, and there are small boats moored in front of each house, which is a bit similar to the scenery around the Penang Surname Bridge.
The northern bay of Gaya Island, surrounded by dense forests
The island is as large as 1,400 hectares, but apart from a fishermen's community of more than 1,000 people along the shores of the reef, a watchtower and police station, and three hotels, there is no trace of modern civilization. As you can imagine, between the mysterious rainforest on the off-the-beaten-track beach, each of the three remaining hotels is like a lonely and independent universe.
Located on the eastern coastline, the Gayana Marine Resort was one of the first and most recognizable on the island. Over 20 years old, the resort was bought in 2005 by Sir Robert Tang, a local businessman in Sabah, and remodeled and expanded to include 52 Maldivian-style water villas. Most of the single-family wooden houses here are surrounded by the sea on three sides or surrounded by the sea on all sides, and there are trestle bridges between the wooden houses, which are connected to the pier, restaurant, spa and diving school, and there is a sea access road for hotel staff. Every morning at 6 or 7 o'clock, you can see the hotel staff driving a dinghy, transporting luxurious breakfasts, full tea sets and table decorations, suddenly appearing on the sea in your or your neighbor's backyard, and then disappearing, the situation is roughly as secretive as the process of British liquor dealers on the beach a hundred years ago to meet buyers, load ships and transport goods.
In 2005, gayana Marine Resort was established at the same time as the Marine Resort, a marine ecological research center (MERC) operated under independent funds, located at the end of the pier. The Marine Ecology Research Centre was established to protect a variety of marine life that are endangered by climate warming and marine pollution, especially giant clams and coral reefs endemic to Borneo's offshore waters. I heard that the owner of the resort has a deep obsession with the crystal clear waters he saw as a child, and under his proposal, Malaysia's first artificial coral reef breeding base and environmental education base were established.
The main mission of the Marine Ecology Research Centre is to send a message to the next generation, reminding them of the threats of nature.
"There are eight species of giant clams in the world, seven of which can be found in Malaysia, but they are no longer as common in tropical waters as they used to be, and here you will see researchers using a series of techniques to promote the regeneration and reproduction of giant mussels, and our feeding period is as long as three years, until the giant mussels become large enough to survive on coral reefs, and they are released into the waters of ideal conditions, that is, Malohan Beach on Gaya Island." There are three sensitive marine ecosystems: mangroves, seagrasses, seabeds and coral reefs. The resort's general manager, Andrea Balladori, from Siena and now living in Kota Kinabalu for four years, explained carefully as he led me along. He mentioned that the number of giant clams living in Mallohan Beach today has reached 3,500.
The marine ecology research center has a simple and pragmatic appearance, and the small aquarium is a joyful scene, with Bengal bean ladyfish, clownfish, anemone, crayfish and porcelain crabs, shuttling through the seabed composed of salt-loving grass, two-medicine algae and anemone flowers, allowing people to intuitively appreciate the beauty of the local coral reef ecological group through the aquarium. The "backstage" of the aquarium is the giant clam and artificial coral reef training base, which is also open to the public, and researchers will even encourage visitors to reach into different sizes of incubators and touch the docile little ones.
Take a "backstage" visit at the aquarium and get up close and personal with the native marine life. Marco diagram
Whether you're familiar with water or not, it's time to try the free canoeing and snorkeling programs. As a "comer", I promise that no one will be disappointed. Speaking of which, I've tried dives in different places, including Okinawa, the Great Barrier Reef, and the remote islands of Sumatra, but Gaya's underwater resources are also amazing – the water is clear, the fish and corals are so rich in color and variety that I'd love to say that they're just some sort of CGI effect, packaged as a 3D reality. One of the best dive sites is right in front of the resort pier, where I've seen countless bright clownfish and moray eels curled up in coral thickets.
Encountering monkeys is a high-probability event, and even if a person decides not to participate in outdoor projects and only stays within the "safe range" of the hotel, it is inevitable that they will bump into them head-on. Monkeys play hard and sometimes appear on your balcony with a big swing, fiddling with the scarf or parasol you left behind. I once asked the hotel staff for coping strategies, and their advice was: don't look at the monkeys; don't provoke them with behavior; and don't feed them in front of your villa, "Because you feed one, you'll soon be in the crowd." ”
I also heard that at The Same East Coast, not far from The Gaya Island Resort (where American marine biologist Scott Membeck set up a turtle nursery), monkeys have mastered the art of breaking through the door and stealing alcohol— they will open unlocked doors, go straight to the minibar, and leave with a few satisfied hearings from Carlsberg. The story is highly credible, as the hotel staff told me.
Explore the intimate sea near the resort by kayak
One of the most distinctive excursions on the island is the jungle trekking. The most classic hiking trail is the 4,000-kilometer jungle trail, which for trained outdoor enthusiasts can be completed in two or three hours, but the process is by no means easy. On the one hand, the reason is that the mountain road is steep and needs to be climbed up and down, and the balance is maintained at any time, on the other hand, it is a real rainforest, and you can even forget all the luxurious island life you have experienced before. In addition to the large areas of 100-foot-tall trees, the eye will be filled with mushrooms, insects, lizards, rats, and, if you're lucky enough, orangutans and even golden-threaded monkeys.
There is a more accessible and safer hiking trail near the award-winning wild luxury resort Bunga Raya. This is a 1.5-kilometer-long artificial trail that can be completed in an hour and a half, and the advantage is that hikers can travel lightly, without having to carry maps, compasses, or learn jungle survival skills or natural medicine identification and use with their guides.
At noon, Sapie Island welcomes an endless stream of divers. Marco diagram
Belonging to the northern coast, Bunga Raya is built on a steep slope between mountains and seas, and its 48 villas are either built facing the sea or hidden in the dense forest, and are designed to be exquisite "tree houses" according to the trend of the rock walls. Getting to Bunga Raya still requires a speedboat or boat ride, a transfer to a golf cart at the private pier, and a spin around the vast woods, passing one thrilling slope after another to reach your accommodation.
The resort is certainly top-notch, exquisite and ethereal, with a touch of Nanyang's unique fragrance and sexiness, but going in and out gives the impression of visiting a prehistoric archaeological site. However, I sincerely feel that Bunga Raya's setting is most in line with Gaya Island's own temperament. The resort's choice to rebuild the uneven mountain roads in order to protect the vegetation is also very popular.
Before leaving Gaya Island, you must try to go to the open-air restaurant Long House to eat authentic Malay cuisine, the menu of the long house is presented in the form of Malay, Chinese food, Western food trinity, of which Malay cuisine accounts for a small proportion, and the menu pattern has rarely changed after a six-month "stereotyping period", but it contains too many aboriginal dishes that are worth trying - led by Chinese chef Liu Yunlong, and four other chefs from Kadashan, Ba Yao, Mao Lu and Buji. Coupled with the kitchen team of all locals, as well as two organic farms and fisheries attached to the restaurant (located around the two small cities of Lokoy and Douaran on the other side), it is not difficult to guess the benchmark of longhouse production with these hardware alone, which is set far higher than its peers.
Chef Liu Yunlong. Marco diagram
"We don't want to position ourselves as modern Southeast Asian cuisine, and although there are three different styles of cuisine on the menu, we still consider ourselves an authentic Malaysian restaurant and want to give diners a taste of what we ate when we were children visiting an Aboriginal friend's house." Liu Yunlong explained. Growing up in Sandakan, a third-generation Cantonese immigrant who grew up in a cake stall and watched his mother and grandfather make tea and fruit every day, he decided to devote himself to the F&B industry before he reached adulthood.
On my last night away from Gaya Island, Liu Yunlong and his Baryao chef colleagues presented a seven-course dinner with a show of skill, not including salad and soup as a starter, and four traditional dim sums delivered after the meal. I have to say that the authentic and refreshing ingredients from the restaurant's self-grown organic fruits and vegetables and self-raised fresh fish, combined with the seemingly primitive, substantive and precise seasoning method, made this meal the most memorable memory of this trip. Even at this moment, when I retrace the images I remember from that night about boiled sashimi, satay beef, and traditional Malay curry chicken rice, I can't help but drool.
Locally produced sea bass are delicious and succulent. Marco diagram
If slow cooking is the essence of Malay cuisine, then Bumbu, composed of mixed spices, is as clear as the longitude and latitude lines. When chatting with Chef Liu Yunlong, he also specifically mentioned that the "Benbu" recipe of "Longhouse" comes from the continuous taste and improvement of Chef Sulaiman, the Chef of the Ba yao ethnic group. What I care more about is that the longhouse kitchen is not big, every chef, sous chef, and cook has to do everything, and it does not adopt the management structure of the high-end restaurant at all - Chinese food, Western food, dessert partition, led by an executive chef - everyone here, perhaps like the onion, chamomile, star anise, cardamom seed, pepper in "Benbu", can only produce huge energy after full mixing, according to Liu Yunlong, each of their five different races of chefs has a variety of skills. Pick anyone out to be responsible from the beginning to the end, even if it is to make desserts.
Thinking of the word "fusion", although it is not appropriate for the above statement, I also know that neither the taste of the longhouse nor the charm of Gaya Island can be summed up in two words.
Bunga Raya resort corner and wooden villas built on the mountain. Marco diagram
guide:
arrival
AirAsia offers 13 daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to and from Kota Kinabalu with a flight time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. Since 2015, AirAsia has been operating direct flights from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Hangzhou and Wuhan to Kota Kinabalu.
Staying
Gayana Marine Resort
The resort is located on a lush coral reef shore, across the sea from Mount Kinabalu. In addition to the 52 water villas, the resort also has ancillary facilities such as a Chinese seafood restaurant, Western restaurant, spa and lounge, and visitors can participate in free snorkeling, kayaking, or experience scuba diving, island hopping, forest hiking and other activities with the help of guides and diving instructors.
Address: Malohom Bay, Gaya Island, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park; Tel: +6 088 442233; Url: www.gayana-eco-resort.com
Bunga Raya Island Resort
The resort uses the Bunga Raya (Bunga Raya), which is common in Sabah, and has a high reputation for being gaya island and the surrounding area of Kota Kinabalu. The 48 villas are nestled in dense woods, surrounded by crescent-shaped white sand beaches and primeval jungle that has been off the beaten track for centuries. Hand-chiseled by locals and built along a hillside staircase, each private villa blends traditional local architectural concepts, and there are also multi-bedroom, multi-storey villas with pools overlooking the South China Sea. The spa at the top of the hill, the beach-side grill, the underground wine cellar and the modern European koi restaurant are also worth checking out.
Address: Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Polish Bay, Gaya Island; Tel: +6 088 380390; website: www.bungarayaresort.com
Overlooking the North Bay and the resort's private jetty in the air
sightsee
Kamiyama National Park
Listed on the World Natural Heritage List in 2000, Mt. Kinabalu, Southeast Asia's highest mountain, Kinabalu Mountain (also known as Mt. Kinabalu), is located in the park at an altitude of between 152 and 4,095 meters. Located about 85 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu, it is a popular hiking destination for tourists, and the park is rich in flora and fauna and changes from lowland rainforests to temperate forests.
Address: Kinabalu National Park, Mt. Kinabalu, Ranau; Tel: +6 088 889888
Mali Cultural Village
The Mali Mali Cultural Village showcases the traditional communities and lifestyles of the different ethnic minorities in Sabah, and visitors can walk through the suspension bridge into the villages deep in the rainforest, visit the wooden houses of the Dushun, Longgus, Lundaye, Ba Yao and Maolu ethnic groups, and experience the simple and natural folk customs and wonderful and diverse indigenous cultures of the indigenous people of Sabah.
Address: Mari Mari Cultural Village, Jalan Kionsom, Inanam; Tel: +60 138 814921; Url: marimariculturalvillage.my
Kamiyama National Park, Marco figure
Kriyas Wetlands
Klias Wetland is a well-known mangrove ecological reserve around Kota Kinabalu, and the best way to visit is to take a speedboat into the river and swamp area in the evening, cruising on both sides of the tropical primeval jungle in the dense and deep wilderness, looking for endangered proboscis monkeys, golden-threaded monkeys, as well as otters, crocodiles, water lizards and other animals. You can also follow the same route to see fireflies after nightfall.
delicacies
Alu Alu Kitchen
Alu Alu Kitchen is the sister store of Alu Alu Seafood Restaurant on Gaya Island, located in Koh LumBang on the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu. The chef here is a Chinese chef who lost his legs in a car accident, and you may see him in a wheelchair patrolling the outfield at dinnertime, and there are also half-height halving stoves for the disabled in the kitchen. Signature dishes include organic sashimi, fish heads curry and seafood rice noodles seasoned with mayonnaise.
Address: Lot 6 Jalan Gaya, Jalan Kolombong, Mile 5 1/2 Tuaran Road; +6 088 230 842; www.alualucafe.com
Long House
Located within Bunga Raya, Longhouse Restaurant offers three different types of cuisine: authentic Malay cuisine, Asian-style Chinese cuisine and American-style Western cuisine. The restaurant uses hundreds of kinds of vegetables and fruits and fresh fish directly from its own organic farm as the main ingredients, and its signature dishes include satay beef, Rendang coconut milk beef curry, crispy fried chicken steak, spicy shrimp sauce fried crab, etc. Don't forget to order a bowl of malaysian sugar water Bubur Cha Cha after the meal.
Address: Polish Bay, Gaya Island; Tel: +6 088 380390; Url: www.bungarayaresort.com
Wait for the sunset on the seashore in Kota Kinabalu. Marco diagram
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