Weekend Well Spent

Today is the most awaited day for the week and i m glad it is finally here. So what seems to be so exciting about today? Firstly, its the day I am gonna meet up with my darling princess at her school. And secondly, we will be enjoying out favourite dish for buka puasa later, which is the grilled lamb. Ooohhhh we so lurve lambs / mutton berry berry muchie. What we are gonna have later is actually called kibas but I'm not so sure what is it called in English. I've never had a kibas before but i am sure anything in the goat's family would please me well.

There is this thing called Interaction Day at Marsya's school today where parents could discuss about their child's education with their teacher based on the previous Mid Term Exam. Alhamdulillah, I had the least of a problem with Marsya when it comes to studying and schooling. The only thing that worries me sometimes is when she put too much pressure on herself.

Right after that we headed straight to Klana Resort Hotel where I've booked a room for tonite. Apparently, Marsya cant stay overnite n she has to be back to school before 9 pm. We are still grateful coz at least we've got to spend some quality time together, alhamdulillah.

So allow me to give a bit of a review on this hotel since this is the second time we are here. The rate that I got is RM 120 per nite (including sahur) through Booking.com, which is quite reasonable considering the facilities they are offering. Klana Resort Hotel is considered an old hotel - it's just old but not run down and dirty. The room has all the facilities that a 5 star could offer - aircond, shower, bath tub, television with Astro, iron, kettle, safe box and a hair dryer. Like i said, they have everything you ever need for.

Next I am gonna talk about their buka puasa. We came down after performing out maghrib. So, by then almost half of the food has been consumed. Luckily our grilled kibas was still there patiently waiting for us. I found that kibas meat is more tender than lamb, also a bit more juicier. As for their other foods, its just so-so lahhh....like those normal hotel food.

So, after we are done with our buka puasa, I sent Marsya back to her school which is just 10 minutes away. Then back to the hotel n dozed off.....sayonara !

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Beautiful Broga

Broga Hill. Heard its name being mentioned a couple of times before. Heard of its beautiful panoramic scenes a lot of times too. Being there? Never....... but not till last Saturday.

Most of the time when you plan something out, things just couldnt end up as well as you want it to be. On the other hand, for those ad-hoc or last minute plans, everything would fall perfectly in place . Well, that's how unpredictable life can be, making it even more exciting, isnt it?

In the middle of last week, a friend of mine was telling me her plans to climb up the Broga Hills on Saturday. The moment I heard it, I jumped at the opportunity of joining her since Marsya will be spending the weekend with her dad this week plus I dont have any other plans at the same time. Timing is just so perfect !

I was so looking forward to this trip & the excitement started from Friday night itself. Too excited, I cant even get myself to sleep. By 2.30 my eyes are wide open & by 4.00 am, I was already in Carol's car heading to Semenyih. With the help of Google Maps, we manage to get to Broga in approximately 45 minutes. If you are coming from KL, you'll find a Rabbit Farm on your right & right opposite the farm is the entrance to the palm oil plantation where the foothill of Broga Hill is. You can either park inside the plantation (with a small fee of RM2/entrance) or you can just leave your car along the road like we did. It's not that we cant afford that RM2 but we didnt know we can actually park inside. So, please stop the bitchin' instantly people.....hehehe !!

We are supposed to hike the hill with Lin & her sisters but when we call them, they are still 30 minutes away from Semenyih. So, fearing that we might not be able to catch the sunrise, we've decided to continue without them. To those who are worry about their safety being there as early as 5 am, well you can tuck away that fear of yours for good. There are a lot of people there (especially during weekends) with the same intention which is witnessing the sunrise on top of Broga Hill.

The hiking was not that tough, I would say - as long as you have the stamina for it. There are trails & steps being made all the way to the top of the hill & all you need to do is to follow them up. If you're planning to catch the sunrise like us, dont forget your torchlight - one for each person would be the best. At 5.00 am, the track up the hill was really, really dark. It was pitch black with not even a single hint of light except from our own torchlight & glimpses of light coming from other trackers up along the trail.

Besides the torchlight, a pair of good shoe is highly recommended. The route is quite rocky & slippery due to loose sands - not forgetting the sudden gaps in the ground and rocks in the middle of the trail. We were grateful that it didnt rain that morning & the day before - otherwise it'll be twice harder to climb up.

And the adventure begun......

After a few stops to catch our breath, we managed to get to the first peak in approximately 40 minutes. It was still dark at that time & we were looking for the best spot to rest our tired legs. To all muslims, make sure you'll take your wudhu' before going up as there's no water supply up on the hill. Bring all your praying necessities & you can perform your Subuh prayers on top of Broga Hill while waiting for the sunrise.

Scenes that would make your heart stopped for a while

Anyway, all the exhaustion & sweating are paid off the moment the sun started to peep out. The view from the top of the hill is awesome. Simply spectacular. As it getting brighter, we are greeted by the wonderful hill scenery, with the green grass & blue skies - totally worth it. In addition to the scenic views, the fresh soft breeze that mildly brushes your face gives you a satisfaction no money could buy. And as the breeze whispers, the weeds swayed swiftly as tho they are dancing to the rhythm of the wind, creating such an astounding sight.

Absolutely beautiful

When I first got up at 2.30 am earlier, I was wondering what the hell I'm getting myself into? But then, seeing all those remarkable God's creation, gave me a different perspective in life. Standing there on the top of the hill makes you feel very tiny in God's eyes. I am so grateful to God not only to the life He has given me but also the ability to enjoy simple things in life & savouring it to the fullest.

Absolutely beautiful too.......hehehe

Once we're done exploring the hills & taking pictures of the surroundings (and ourselves too, of course), we head down to the foothill. The journey downhill was much easier & faster. But allow me to remind you to be extra careful as the path is quite steep & slippery - this is where your good pair of shoes come to play.

Another God's best creation.......do I need to say more?

All and all, both me & Carol enjoyed the trip very, very much - though we didnt get till the 3rd peak. But then I am surely setting my feet back to this hill as I've promised Lin to do so. She didnt even make it to the 1st peak since one of her sister just couldnt proceed anymore. With what's there to greet us, it is simply worthwhile for a next trip to Broga !

Before I end up this entry, I really wanna share this one shot I've captured while I was there. You see, you dont need to be on a gigantic ship to be the infamous Jack & Rose. Here in Broga Hill we do have our very own Pak Joko & Kak Rosnah :

..... You jump, I jump ......

Pssstttt : Panorama Hill anyone? Huhuhu.........

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A & J Budget Hotel

I still have a few more stories about Kota Kinabalu that I havent shared with you, readers. However, since yesterday I was infected by the most powerful lazy bug that I dont feel like doing anything at all. All I wanna do is to go home & lie on my bed, which wont be possible as I'm working with Dresser rather than "Rahim's" (my dad's name).

Anyway, to wrap up my KK stories I strongly feel that I need to write about the hotel that we stayed in KK. It was a budget hotel called A & J. Whoever intents to visit KK in the near future, I would highly recommend this hotel.



Not only the location is strategic, the price is fairly cheap too. This hotel is located right in the middle of the town - exactly across the infamous Filipino Market. Gaya Streeet, Kampung Air, markets & restaurants are all just a walking distance from this hotel.

We took the family room which can occupies 6 persons & we only have to pay RM90/night. The room is good - fully air-conditioned, towels & soap for each person & they have Astro too. Hot & cold water are available just outside the room. It is a new hotel ( started their business early this year ) & therefore everything still look new & nice.

For details on the address & rates of the hotel, you can visit their website here.

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Tamparuli Bridge

Honestly, there's nothing special about this bridge. The reason most of the people knows about it is because of the famous Kadazan's folk song "Jambatan Tamparuli" in the70s. Then, Marsha Londoh (a Tamparulian herself) of AF3 brought back its popularity when she sang it live during the 7th Akademi Fantasia season 3 concert.

The picture of the old bridge ( Source )

The Tamparuli bridge that I've been to that day is not the original bridge actually. The original Tamparuli hanging bridge was washed away in the biggest flood ever to hit Tamparuli in January 1999.




We were brought here that day to just see the bridge. At least now if I were to hear the song, I can always say, "I've been there......".

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Roasted Lokan @ Sulaman

For those who didnt know what "lokan" is, well it's a type of clam found buried in the stiff mud of the landward fringe of mangroves. Honestly, I dont know what is it called in English - or maybe, it doesnt even have one. However, scientifically lokan is known as Polymesoda expansa - what a name, huh?

This roasted lokan is a must-have while you're in KK. For as far as I know, nowhere else in Malaysia you would be able to find this special cuisine. I came to know about it while browsing for KK's local attractions in the net. From all the forums I've read, this roasted lokan has been receiving lots of good reviews which makes me decided to include it into our itinerary.


The place which sells this lokan is situated in Jalan Sulaman i.e. the KK - Tuaran road. It is a few meters ahead the KK Polytechnic, if you're coming from KK town. You wont missed the place as there would be rows of cars parked in front of the many road stalls there.

Right in front of each stalls are the the piles of fresh, raw lokans waiting for the customers to be picked. The large pile is priced at RM12 while the smaller ones are RM7/pile. Since there are 7 of us altogether, we took the large pile which consist of 20 big lokans.


Apart from the lokans they also have BBQ crabs but we didnt go for this since our intention lies only on those lokans at the moment. While waiting for our lokans to be ready, we tried their icy cold, superlicious coconut jelly. What makes it so special is how it's been presented where the coconut acts as the mould for the jelly. I've never had a coconut jelly before but this particular ones are really awesome. The taste is simply out of this world. Each of this jelly is sold at RM4 per piece and RM2.50 for the ones in small cups.


As for the lokans, they are not bad either. Those lokans are grilled with a special gravy & a bit of grated coconut. It tasted something like mussels but a bit more chewy. I would certainly come back to this place if I were to visit KK again - not for the lokans though but definitely for the mouth watering coconut jelly.

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Poring Hot Spring

Poring Hot Spring, named after a tall bamboo plant that is abundant in that area, is one of the famous Sabah's tourist spot. It is a natural spring where hot sulfurous water emit from the ground which is believed to be good to the skin.


The entrance fee is RM 3 (adults) & RM 1 (children) and is open daily from 7 am to 6 pm. According to Kak Wok, this place is always packed with both the locals & tourists over the weekend to relax while enjoying a soothing bath in the hot tubs (indoor or outdoor). Besides the hot tubs, accommodations & restaurant are also available here.


We didnt plan to soak ourselves up in the tub but rather dipping our feet in the warm sulfuric water.


Later, we decided to take the challenge of the canopy walk. The canopy walkway is a 157.8m long suspended bridge and has an average height of 41m. One has to climb up the graded trail (which is quite steep) of 250 m long before reaching the bridge. Another entrance fee is charged upon entering the area, that is RM 3 (adults) and RM 1 (children). And if you intend to bring your camera along (which you obviously would), another RM5 is added to the fee.



The moment we're there, right in front of the bridge, Marsya then started to cry. Marsya is acrophobia that is afraid of height. She didnt realize that the canopy walk is gonna be that high until she sees it for herself. That's when she started feeling scared.



After 10 minutes of persuading & coaxing, I managed to convince her to go ahead with it, with an assurance that I would walk closely to her. Poor girl !



Personally without the canopy walk, there's nothing so interesting about this place - not unless if you like to immerse yourself in the warm water tubs. Other than that, it's just a common picnic area like anywhere else.

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Kundasang War Memorial

The Kundasang War Memorial was built in memory of the thousands of British & Australian soldiers who died during the Second World War at the prisoner camps in Sabah as well as along the forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau dubbed The Death Marches.

Of the 2400 British and Australian prisoners of war captured, only 6 survived to tell the tale of the physical torture they had to endure during captivity. Countless locals who tried to assist the soldiers were also killed by the invading Japanese army. Only six Australians survived to tell the horror. There were no English survivors.

The ‘fort-like’ design of the Memorial was by local resident architect, J.C. Robinson. It has 4 interlocking but separate gardens built on ascending levels along a hillside, to represent the homelands of those who died.

The first of which is the slightly bare looking Australian Garden but with a cute signboard though .......


From here, you'll have to climb a flight of stairs which will take you to the English Garden - with a few of different roses greeting you.




As you continue walking, you'll get to the third garden which is called Borneo garden with its displays of Borneo's native plants.



Last bu not least is the Contemplation Garden with a reflection pool & pergola - the best of all four for it's serenity & fabulous views.



You have to walk up all the way to the last garden as this is where the real gems lie. We nearly missed this interesting part of the park as we thought it would one common garden like the rest. It's from this point where you'll be able to see the view of the whole of Kundasang town - a view worth seeing.



The entrance to this park, by the way is not free. The entrance fee is RM3 for adults & RM 1 for children and is open daily between 8.30 am to 5.30 pm.

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Desa Dairy Farm

A trip to Kota Kinabalu wont be complete without visiting Kundasang. Kundasang is the closest village to Mount Kinabalu which has a panoramic view of the mountain. Its location provides the place a cool climate & a wonderful refreshing cool air. Personally, I find Kundasang full of simplicities. The life of the people's here is very laid back & they take life as it is.


Among the attractions in Kundasang are The Desa Dairy Farm, Kinabalu National Park & the War Memorial. Besides these interesting places, Kundasang is also a famous spot for fresh fruits & vegetables due to its cool climate.




The first place we went to upon reaching this town is no other that the Desa Dairy Farm. This is a dairy cattle that produced pasteurized fresh milk & is the largest contributor of fresh milk in Sabah. Fresh milk are available here at a much cheaper price. Anyway I cant comment much about the milk though since I am not a milk-drinker. However according to my dad, they are damn good !




This dairy farm I would say, is the best place in Sabah to be at. It's a must-see place that shouldnt be missed in anybody's itinerary for their Sabah trip. Desa Dairy Farm is located at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu. A herd of the Friesian cattles wandering on the fields somehow or rather makes me feel as though I am in New Zealand instead. The scenery of the green meadows stretching as far as to the foothill of the mountain offers a magnificent view - so beautiful that you might forget to breath for a few seconds seeing it !

Smart cows, aren't they?

If you are coming from Kota Kinabalu, head over to Kundasang War Memorial & go straight downhill and uphill while keeping your eyes to the left. You'll then see a small wooden guard post that sells the entrance tickets. When you see the Desa Dairy Farm signboard just turn left and you are on the right track. The place is quite secluded & hidden.

The milking process

This farm is open to public between 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, with an entrance fee of RM3/person. Besides the view, visitors can also see the milking process done at the centre. I'm not quite sure of the milking hours though, but we were lucky that day as we got there just on time. It's in indeed an impressive sight seeing those cows obediently lining up to the milking station without having anybody to guide them.

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TM Resort Kundasang

This is where we stayed while in Kundasang - TM Resort Kundasang a.k.a Sri Intan Kundasang. It was pre-booked by En. Kamis for us. This particular hotel is one of the many hotels owned by Telekom Malaysia. It is situated in the middle of Kundasang town - just on top of the hills nearby the vegetables stalls.




Thanks to En. Kamis for getting us a cheaper rate for the chalet. We paid RM 90/nite for 1 Queen bed + 2 singles, which is very, very reasonable. Though the chalet is a bit run down, but it was not that bad. For the price we pay, it is considered more than worth it - especially with the wonderfully beautiful views from the balcony. For TM's employee, the rate is much, much lower - as low as RM30/nite, I've been told.




Among the facilities that is provided in the chalet are TV (with Astro), water-heater, electric kettle & towels. Noticed that there's neither air-conditioning nor fan being provided. The weather there is chilly enuff that you dont need any of those at all - especially at night. I dont think anyone of us would even dare to touch the water should no heater being provided - it was like ice water, for God's sake !

View from the balcony

Those who are planning to visit Kundasang, could consider this place as one of the options for the lodging. Details of the resort can be obtained here.

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