Explore Malaysia - Midlifers Go East

Langkawi

Our next stop was Malaysia. Looking at the map I decided we would start our adventures on the island of Langkawi,
18 miles from mainland Malaysia. This 99-island archipelago is blanketed in rainforest & brimming with exotic wildlife so it seemed the perfect place to start.
It’s not a big island, just 18 miles long and 10 miles wide but shines with natural beauty.

We stayed in Pantai Chenang also known as ‘Cenang beach’ as it’s the most developed resort on the island and would offer us a good base, with not only a beautiful beach but an abundance of shops, restaurants and a few beach bars.

Langkawi is also a Duty free island so you will find lots of duty free outlets throughout the island, especially in Pantai Chenang and the capital Kuah, selling alcohol, tobacco products, chocolate, fragrance and clothing at reduced prices.

When we first arrived the weather was unsettled and experiencing a few storms which was normal for this time of year.
We went for a walk to familiarise ourselves and found most places were closed.
We couldn’t figure out if places just opened later or was it another place that had struggled with tourism after Covid.
Not sure what to think, our first impression wasn’t the best. We said we will give it a few days and we can always move on.

After speaking with a few people we found out that the reason many places were closed was because it was ‘Eid ul-Adha’- a public holiday which would last for four days.
At least that explained things and hopefully we would then see it in a different light as places opened back up.

It ended up being the perfect opportunity to recharge and chill and over the next few days the resort came back to life as many businesses reopened. The weather also turned a corner and the sun made a reappearance. This place really started to grow on us.

Pantai Chenang was everything we needed for a base. A great beach offering loungers for rent, very popular with watersports especially jet skiing and paragliding and plenty of places to dine in the evening.

We wanted to explore the island fully so we decided to hire a car. This would give us the perfect opportunity to see the island at our own pace. I’d read that the roads were quiet and they also drive on the left so it sounded like it would be a pleasure to drive here.

We picked up the car and the first place we headed was to the cable car (Langkawi SkyCab) which takes you to the peak of Gunung Machinchang, Langkawi’s 2nd highest mountain.
It’s the steepest cable car in the world and to tell you the truth I was a bit apprehensive about this one.
Shane hates heights and I’m normally ok but I also had to face my fear this time. I wanted to also see the famous SkyBridge which i’d seen many times when researching Langkawi and that was also up at the summit.

The cable car didn’t end up being too bad as luckily we were facing the ocean and not the mountainside as we travelled up. An American couple we were sharing the cab with said just keep looking forward as I don’t think you would like seeing what I’m seeing right now.
The cable car stops at a lower station on the mountain where there is a viewing platform and a new attraction called the Eagles nest Skywalk, emulating an Eagles head looking over the Nest, this 38 meter free standing cantilever glass platform is not for the faint hearted. There was no way I was walking on that.
It was bad enough that we had to take a further cable car up to the summit and the SkyBridge.

We faced our fears yet again and made it to the summit. Before you head to the bridge you can also visit the viewing platforms that give you a 360 view over the island and on a clear day parts of Indonesia and Thailand can be seen. Typical for us just as we reached the top station clouds decided to form, so we made our way to the bridge before it was in full cloud.
We walked the 10 minute jungle trail to the SkyBridge but you can take the SkyGlide for an extra cost which is a funicular style cabin that holds 12 people and travels a 94 meter track down to the bridge and back up.

The SkyBridge is the longest free span and curved bridge in the world which crosses a ravine high above the jungle and it’s pretty impressive. It was a shame we were unable to photograph the views you would get on a clear day but at least we still captured this engineering marvel amongst the mist.

Down from the mountain we continued our exploration of the island. The well maintained roads were quiet so it was a pleasure to drive and take in the beautiful scenery.
The island is so mountainous with lush rainforest. Many places were like scenes out of Jurassic park. We passed so many monkeys along the roadside and had to slow down to a stop on one occasion and wait patiently for a Monitor Lizard to cross the road. The island also has so many beautiful birds and butterflies, we was also lucky to see a Great Hornbill with their striking yellow beaks and black and white plumage.

North of the island we came across Temurun waterfall and just as we parked up to check it out a family of macaque monkeys turned up. We waited a minute as they had a lot of young with them. They were really mischievous and decided to jump onto the car parked alongside us and being inquisitive as they are, one pulled off the glass from the wing mirror and started to chew on the windscreen wipers. As funny as it was we decided we couldn’t leave our car whilst they were here as being a hire car we didn’t want any hefty charges for damages. So, unfortunately we moved on to venture elsewhere.

Luckily just down the road was Sandy Skulls beach and with no large groups of monkeys in sight we parked up.
The beach carries an eerie name with numerous legends attached to it. Stories tell of pirates and mariners whose bodies washed ashore after storms in the Strait of Malacca.
The name aside, it was a hidden gem with just a few people enjoying the calm water and white sandy beach which was flanked both sides by millions year old rock formations.
Just ahead in the distance was the island of ‘Ko Tarutao’ in Thailand, that’s how close Langkawi is to Thailands southern islands.

After a day exploring we returned back to Cenang and ended the day watching a fabulous sunset at one of the beach bars.
There are a couple of beach bars at Cenang which have chilled music to enjoy watching the sun go down, then they follow with fire shows. There is also a good selection of bars across the resort. Being predominantly Muslim the resort isn’t jam packed with bars but there are definitely enough. We found some great hidden gems.
We loved the food aswell. Malaysian cuisine is a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian so lucky for me there was no shortage of Indian restaurants and we had some amazing curries.

Another day out in the car we visited the Capital ‘Kuah’ which is the commercial centre and has lots of duty free shopping. We also wanted to visit Eagle square where the iconic statue of an eagle poised for flight symbolises the island’s name and heritage. Unfortunately it’s under renovation so they had cordoned off the area. However, next to the square is Legenda Park which has beautiful landscaped gardens and sculptures so we had a wander around there instead and from the park we was able to photograph the ‘Maha Tower’ and the Eagle which sits on the waterfront.

We then headed north again and found the perfect place for lunch. The ‘Scarborough fish and chip shop’- with a name like that we had to check it out.
Well it didn’t disappoint, with a beautiful beachside setting serving battered fish and chips and other homely delights it had to be a winner.
A 10 minute drive up the road was another lovely white sand beach called ‘Tanjung Rhu beach’ which was set up with a few food stalls and loungers for rent surrounded by picturesque hills and islands.

We got to see the length and breadth of this tropical island in our trusty little hire car. Visiting waterfalls (not stopped by monkeys this time) and seeking out hidden bays and beaches.

Langkawi truly is beautiful. We liked it so much we extended our stay twice and were here almost two weeks in the end, the most time we have spent at one place up to now.
We met some great people and can imagine it would be a place we’d return.
But the time has come to move on. Our next stop in Malaysia is Penang Island which is a short 40 minute flight away, we was planning on taking a ferry but at present that route is not running. We are heading to the Capital ‘Georgetown’ a UNESCO heritage sight so we look forward to seeing what it has to offer.

Penang

Our next stop in Malaysia was Penang Island. We originally thought we would be able to get a ferry from Langkawi but found out they had stopped running during Covid and unfortunately have never resumed.
As flights are so cheap and plentiful it wasn’t an issue so we decided to fly.
It’s a quick flight taking around 40 minutes and in that time we had to scoff a chicken biriyani. We weren’t even bothered about food but the flight package we chose was cheaper with the food included so it was curry for breakfast. (Not complaining!)

Penang island is smaller than Langkawi, it’s only eight miles wide and 16 miles long, yet far more developed with many high rise buildings and generally more touristy.
We decided to stay in the State capital which is George Town. This UNESCO historic site is known for its British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses and mosques.
Penang is a melting pot of different cultures, you will find this reflected in the local cuisine that incorporates Malay, Chinese, and Indian cooking. Talk to people about Penang and most will mention the food. It’s known to be the food and culture capital of Malaysia from its street side vendors to those awarded Michelin stars.

Our accommodation was in one of the old Chinese shop houses within the historic centre and it held so much charm. This quirky residence had an internal courtyard with a wishing well and was also home to 9 house cats. We hadn’t even unpacked our bags and already had 3 little feline friends in the room and a rather fat one I named ‘Bagpuss’ scratching on the door to get in.

Cats kicked out of the room we couldn’t wait to venture out.
Our immediate area was lined with colourful Chinese shophouses street after street.
These traditional houses have decorative façades with louvred shutters designed to keep out the glaring sunlight but allow the cool breeze in.

One thing you notice as you wander the streets is that George Town is packed with colorful, vibrant and impressive street art. There are art pieces everywhere!
There are also murals, steel sculptures, and wall paintings on every street corner.
We’d only been exploring an hour and I’d already taken a tonne of photos it was just one of those places that has its own unique charm.

Our first evening we headed towards Chulia street which is lined with Hawker stalls (street vendors) serving local cuisine. Each stall has little tables and chairs set out and is a beloved gem among locals and also a tourist spot. It was jam packed, as we thought it might be, so we decided to venture on further.
Just around the corner you come to ‘Love Lane’ which is the nightlife hub of George Town and hence the name was once teeming with brothels but today it’s home to a mix of bars playing live music and some laid back ones to chill and people watch.

We thought we would build up an appetite and have a few cheeky cold ones before heading to one of the Hawker centres we had been told about.
A Hawker centre is basically a food court offering a mix of cuisines at very affordable prices. They are lined with individual vendors offering some of the best street food from age old family recipes.
The centre of the food court is filled with tables and chairs so you just note your table number, order and pay for food from any of the vendors and they will bring to your table.
We chose a couple of different dishes to share and were not disappointed, Penang was starting to live up to its reputation.

The best way to experience George Town is on foot so one day we followed an online City walking tour taking in all the historic sites and places of interest.
The walk started at the ‘Street of Harmony’ which features four major religious buildings that coexist together. An example of the cities multi culture on this street sits an Anglican church, a Chinese temple, Hindu temple and an Islamic mosque.
The walk continued passing the Colonial Town hall, the city’s oldest municipal building, British-built in the 1880s then towards the waterfront and onto Fort Cornwallis.

Fort Cornwallis was built by the British East India Company in the late 18th century. The fort’s purpose was to protect Penang from pirates and Kedah.
Malaya was part of the British Empire. Penang and Georgetown was founded in 1786 by explorer Sir Francis Light who named the town after King George III. It’s at the fort you can see the statue of Sir Francis Light.

The walk then took us into ‘Little India’ a bustling hub of Indian culture with colourful streets filled with traditional shops and restaurants. The area attracts locals and tourists who can immerse themselves in the heritage and flavours of India in the heart of Malaysia. I knew exactly where we would be returning that evening to eat.

The map led us to more street art and the onto the ‘Chew Jetty’ which is an iconic waterfront settlement known for its rustic charm and distinctive stilt houses. It was a fun place to wander with a few places selling souvenirs and snacks.

The walk definitely gave us a better understanding and insight into this multicultural city, and apart from being absolutely roasting hot, it was a great day.

The following day we visited ‘Penang Hill’ which is located near the centre of the island.
Set 821m above Georgetown, Penang Hill sits amongst rainforest offering amazing views of the city below.
To easiest and fastest way to reach the top is on the funicular railway which takes around 10 minutes past lush greenery. The funicular’s tunnel track is also the steepest in the world and the longest track in Asia, adding to its uniqueness, although it scared us half to death. It’s very similar to the one in Hong Kong but longer.
Some people Hike to the top but that seemed like too much hard work and takes around 2-3 hours. There are several hiking trails at the top so we opted to do that and still experience the funicular.

There are a few different attractions at the top. One being ‘The Habitat’ with its nature trail, iconic treetop walkway, and canopy bridge.

For nature and plant lovers there is the ‘Monkey Cup Garden’ that specializes in pitcher plants or Nepenthes, and is home to over 100 varieties of them.

You can even enjoy afternoon tea at David Brown’s Restaurant & Tea Terrace. This Colonial style English tea house offers stunning views of Penang from its beautiful gardens.

What we hoped to see on Penang hill was the wildlife as I’d read that the hill was home to dusky leaf monkeys, giant black squirrels and flying Lemurs.
So we followed the hiking trails in the hope we’d get lucky.

The trails are well kept with lots of shaded rest areas. One trail that follows the ‘jeep track’ is mainly a tarmac road that leads straight to the summit and gets its name because it’s used by the vehicles belonging to the residents of Penang Hill.
We were quite surprised, we didn’t realise there were so many properties on the hill.
Reading later I found out that Penang Hill was once a popular expatriate refuge, which is why it remains home to some picturesque historical buildings and prestigious properties.

Smaller trails can be accessed from the Jeep trail that lead you further into the forest so we decided to follow one of those as we hadn’t seen any wildlife as yet.
It was the right move as after only a few minutes we came across a Giant black squirrel high up in one of the trees and a little further down the path we heard another rustle and to our delight got our first sighting of the dusty leaf monkeys as two of them were jumping from tree to tree.
We love seeing monkeys and we hadn’t seen this species before.
The dusty leaf Langurs generally have black/grey fur with white colour patches around their eyes and mouth. They are known to be friendly and gentle creatures so we were happy to observe without them or us feeling threatened.

A little further down the trail we came across a large group.
We watched them as they followed each other balancing on the vines from one tree to the next. One was carrying a baby and it’s fascinating to see the young are born with bright orange fur.

We had one more wildlife encounter on the trail back to the funicular station. We came across an enormous spider, luckily it was away from the path in its gigantic web where we were happy for it to stay.

We were so happy we’d got to see these amazing creatures. We love seeing wildlife like this in their natural habitat. What a brilliant day, we’d have to celebrate later with a curry (ha!).

By now you’re probably aware of my love of Indian cuisine so a trip to ‘Little India’ would be the perfect ending to a great day.
To my complete and utter joy we discovered a fantastic restaurant. With so many wonderful dishes to choose from we ended up there the four nights making our way through the menu.
The place was open 24 hours and always really busy which tells you something. We even went for breakfast one day for the best Roti and Chai.

We also wanted to spend some time at the beach whilst in Penang so we decided to spend a few days in the resort of Batu Ferringhi which is only half hour drive from George Town.
It has a nice beach with water sports available and boats trips to nearby Monkey beach but generally it was quiet although there are a few vendors hiring loungers.
Along the beach there are quite a few large hotel resorts and we found that most people staying there tend to use the pools and grounds and sadly don’t really stray onto the beach.

We walked the whole stretch of beach one day and came across a great beach bar at the end of the bay. It was the perfect place to stop for lunch. A popular place, it was really busy for lunchtime – they even had a singer on.

We stayed in a fantastic apartment whilst here for very little money that was far too big for us with three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, open plan living and dining complete with washer, dryer, swimming pool and amazing sea views.
It was great to have some home comforts for a few days and to eat in after all those curries.

Along the resort there are many shops and restaurants and also a popular night market selling a variety of Knick knacks and handicrafts.
The beach has a couple more beach bars where you can watch the sunset and sip on a cocktail. The resort has more of a chilled vibe in the evening.

We were glad that we spent some time here. The few days here were perfect for us, we got to chill out and to tell you the truth it was hard to even prize ourselves off the sofa in our amazing apartment with amazing views. Every now and then it’s good to have a place where we can recharge before moving on again.

Next we are flying to the island of Borneo. Borneo, the third largest island in the world is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and the tiny nation of Brunei.
As we are still exploring Malaysia we are first visiting Kota Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah before embarking on a tour in search of some amazing wildlife in Sandakan and hopefully get to see Orangutan along with other amazing creatures in their natural habitats.

Kota Kinabalu

We decided if we were going to add Borneo to our list of places to visit we may as well visit Kota Kinabalu. We had absolutely no expectations but that kind of makes it exciting.

Many airlines offer cheap domestic flights so we were able to fly direct from Penang island, taking 2 hours 40 minutes.

I booked a self contained apartment so we had the convenience of a kitchen and living area. If the place wasn’t really our vibe at least we could have a place to relax, cook in and watch telly.

The airport is close to the city so upon arrival it was only a short taxi ride to our apartment block.

Our first impressions were good. Well maintained roads, modern apartment blocks, hotels and shopping malls.

After check in we headed straight out to explore. Our apartment was centrally located so it was only a short walk towards the waterfront. We passed by the lively local waterfront market which sold a mix of handicrafts, jewellery and clothing but also specialised in seafood amongst other food stalls.
We didn’t explore too much here as the smell of the popular dried fish mixed with the smell of Durian fruit was a bit overpowering to say the least.

So we headed further down to the ‘KK Waterfront’, which is an area known to be one of the city’s most popular nightspots.
This sea front complex has around 20 adjoining bars and restaurants which all have indoor and outdoor seating along the wooden boardwalk. It looked really quirky, it would be good to see it in the evening when the sun went down.

As we wandered more around the city we could see how this fast modernising city mixes with the old, as traditional life still goes on in many areas.
Close to one of the swanky new shopping malls was a water village where a community of people still live in shacks built on stilts.

Later that evening we headed back to the bars and restaurants at the ‘KK Waterfront’.
What a place it was at night! It had a great vibe.
The boardwalk deck lined with candlelit tables and chairs was busy with locals and tourists dining or just having a drink.
Later on the area really came to life as many of the bars had live music.
We went as far as to say this is one of the best nightlife areas we have come across whilst on our travels and of all places who would have guessed it would be have been in Borneo.

Shopping is a big thing here. We have never seen so many shopping malls in one place.
Due a bit of retail therapy we decided to check them out.
OMG we felt like we were back home in the Trafford Centre. Amongst the big fashion labels there was Marks and Spencer, JD sports, Superdry, Clark’s (to name a few) and even a Sports Direct. (Ha)
Mid season sales were also on so we even managed to grab a few bargains.
If you wanted a bite to eat there were Nando’s, KFC, McDonald’s and Burger King. You couldn’t have felt more at home if you tried.

We were also here over the weekend so we were able to visit the ‘Gaya Sunday Market’ which takes place every Sunday as the name suggests along Gaya street. Selling a wide variety of goods, such as handicrafts, clothing, plants, homewares plus food and drink it was definitely worth a visit.

Shopping done we decided one day to visit one of the nearby islands.
From the Jesselton Point ferry terminal you can catch a boat to a cluster of small islands almost within touching distance of the city.
These five islands (Gaya, Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi, and Sulug) form the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, a tropical KK island hopping paradise, where you can swim, snorkel, sunbathe, and even parasail or banana boat around – or just relax surrounded by nature.

You can choose how many islands you would like to visit, normally between 1 and 3 and purchase tickets accordingly from the kiosks within the terminal.
You do have to pay an additional £4 conservation fee on arrival at the islands. The one fee covers all the islands if visiting more than one.

I don’t think we’ve ever been on a boat so fast with its twin 250 Yamaha outboard engines, the boat ride was exhilarating in itself and we arrived at the first island in around 10 minutes.

The islands are lovely, powder white sand beaches and turquoise crystal clear water. Teeming with colourful fish perfect for snorkelling amongst the surrounding reef.
We spent most our time on Sapi Island as it was a little quieter that day.
The beach on Sapi has a few places you can purchase drinks and snacks and benches where you can picnic.

We had a great day, a total contrast to a day spent in the shopping malls.

The nearest beach in the area is ‘Tanjung Aru beach’ which is only a short drive away on the other side of the airport. Its more of a local beach popular for picnics. A few food stalls set up in the evening as it’s supposed to be a great place to watch the sunset.

Nightlife in KK isn’t just centred around the Waterfront. There are many bustling and vibrant bars and restaurants to be found across the city, many on the hip street of ‘Lorong Dewan’.
Like back home Speakeasy bars are also becoming a trend here. Speakeasy bars are essentially “hidden” bars that are meant to be shrouded in so-called secrecy.
These hidden gems are often concealed behind a door, located in alleys, and are usually dimly lit which makes them all the more fun to find.

Night food markets are also popular here especially the ‘Api-Api’ night food market which takes place every Friday and Saturday along the same street as the Gaya Sunday Market.
They close off the whole road making it a pedestrian zone so visitors can walk freely along checking out all the vendors selling a wide variety of food and beverages.

So considering we didn’t have a clue what to expect from KK, we were pleasantly surprised. There was definitely enough to see and do. It wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea but we enjoyed it.

We are excited about our next adventure in Borneo as we take the short internal flight to ‘Sandakan’ which is the gateway from where we are able start a Safari on the Kinabatangan River in the hope we get to see some amazing wildlife.

Sandakan, Sepilok & Kinabatangan.

We flew into the city of Sandakan, where we would spend the evening before being picked up the following morning to start our wildlife tour in nearby Sepilok.
We love seeing any wildlife, but there was one animal experience I was desperate to have: to see an orangutan in its natural environment.

We booked to go to the Orangutan rehabilitation centre first, as we thought we may have a better chance of seeing them here, just in case we didn’t see them in the wild.

Sandakan isn’t really a tourist place, it’s a small city busy with local life but it’s location makes it a good base to explore the nearby wildlife sanctuaries. We found a small row of restaurants along the waterfront which would be perfect to relax and enjoy an evening meal.

We were picked up early from the hotel the next morning and had a full day ahead planned.
First stop was to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre which is a 40 minute drive away.
The sanctuary was established in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned, injured or displaced orangutans back into the wild.

The grounds where the rehabilitation centre is located is part of the 4,300 hectare Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve.
Around 75 Orangutans roam free within the forest reserve and approximately 25 orphaned orangutans are housed and cared for in the nurseries.
The orangutan’s are divided in groups and the most independent ones are released back into the wild after a certain period of time.

During their rehabilitation the animals rely heavily on the help of volunteers that work at the Centre; and also on the donations from visitors. Adoption options are also provided by Orangutan Appeal UK.

The centre has two feeding times (10am and 3pm) where hungry Orangutans may find their way to the feeding grounds where they are treated to bananas and other food.
Even here you are not guaranteed to see them. Some days many will come to get food and other times none at all. This isn’t a bad sign as it’s telling you that they are sourcing their own food within the forest.

There is a viewing room overlooking the nursery area where you can observe them from behind the glass.
We were so lucky that as we arrived for the morning feed there was already around 6 of the ‘sexiest gingers on the planet’ waiting for some snacks. One had a young baby which was amazing to see.
Being our closest relatives and sharing so many similarities to humans it was fascinating to watch them play on the ropes and interact with each other.

We could have watched them all day but we moved on to another viewing platform within the centre where another feeding was taking place.
Here you are observing them in their wild habitat. These orangutans enjoy the freedom to roam as they please. They are provided with daily supplementary food, but again not enough to stop them foraging for themselves.

We were fortunate as quite a few made their way across the forest to snack on coconuts and bananas. We witnessed another mother with her young baby which was practicing its hanging techniques on the ropes that have been placed within the forest.

The centre does a remarkable job for these endangered species. The Centre not only aims to provide a conducive environment for the young orangutan to grow but also train them to get back into the wild.

There are only two places left in the world where orangutans can be found in the wild. These are the northern parts of Sumatra in Indonesia and throughout the island of Borneo.
Ten years ago the population was around 27000 but today it could be as low as 15000.
Indonesia and Malaysia were once covered in forest but 40 years ago the wood became a valuable commodity for timber –
hence clearing the forests and the Orangutans natural habitat.
Now 50% of the rainforest has been lost.
Where the forest has been cleared, in its place is mile after mile of palm oil trees amongst other crops. Borneo produces the most palm oil in the world and producing palm oil has lifted hundreds of thousands of Borneans out of poverty. It’s a shame no one came up with a better solution than to destroy ancient rainforest which then had a devastating effect on the wildlife. You also don’t want the people to suffer so there is a fine line.
There is hope that the deforestation will decline and the situation is not as bad as it was in the 80’s and 90’s. Many non profit groups are pushing to conserve and restore the island’s ancient rainforests.

After visiting the Orangutan rehabilitation centre we headed to the nearby Sun Bear Conservation Centre.
Sun bears also known as Honey bears are the smallest bears in the world and are only found in Southeast Asia. These bears continue to be threatened by deforestation, illegal hunting and poaching to obtain young cubs for the pet trade.

The centre opened in 2014 and there are currently 43 rescued sun bears residing there. The facility includes a large forest enclosures to provide a natural environment and serves as a half-way house for confiscated and orphaned bears. The centre provides rehabilitation, training and survival skills for individual release back into the wild.

Luck was on our side again as they have no set feeding times here at the centre but just as we arrived they were just in the middle of feeding so we were able to see these wonderful bears up close in the enclosures.

There was only 5 of us on the tour and after lunch the other 3 couldn’t continue as they had a flight to catch.
So for the afternoon it was just myself, Shane and our guide as we headed over to the ‘Rainforest Discovery centre’.

The Rainforest Discovery Centre is located within the most accessible natural rainforest in the Kabili Sepilok forest reserve.
The main highlight of this green place is its skywalk with an extensive length of 620 meters, the longest in Sabah.
Here you also have the opportunity to walk around the many loop trails around the forest reserve.

As there was only the 3 of us our guide asked if we were up for a 3-4 hour walk around the forest floor then we would finish on the Skywalk.

We love walking anyway so we were more than happy to have this private guided walk.

The centre provides a system of properly marked jungle trails, with plenty of signboards along the way, which enables visitors to navigate through the dense forest to observe nature via different paths.

Our guide was a really friendly guy and very informative as we took our time trekking through the jungle, listening and looking out for wildlife.

Wildlife that can be seen here include civets, slow lorises, flying squirrels, tarsiers, mouse-deer, and orangutans, as well as many bird species making it a bird watchers paradise and one of the biggest bird watching spots in Sabah.

The forest is also home to some enormous trees including the Sepilok Giant, a yellow seraya tree, towering at 65 m and estimated to be 800 to 1,000 years old and the 75 m tall Kabili Monster, an Obah Suluk tree.

We saw lots of birds, lizards and a few unusual insects on the jungle floor and later came across a group of pigtail macaque who seemed to be fighting amongst themselves in the trees.
We passed by slowly as these monkeys can be quite aggressive especially if given eye contact.
Our guide said if they approach just find a stick from the forest floor to protect yourself. Thankfully they weren’t interested in us so we didn’t have to fight off any monkeys.

Along the walk we passed by a few people who said they had seen Orangutan from the Skywalk which was up ahead.
When we reached the Skywalk a group said if we were quick we may still see them over by one of the observation towers.
The Skywalk is a walkway of metal platforms high up in the forest canopy. The highest platform is about 26.5 m above the ground.
As many wildlife live high in the trees these platforms provide a great viewing point for bird and wildlife sightings that you wouldn’t get from the forest floor.

We dashed ahead not wanting to miss the mighty apes. Being our lucky day we were thrilled to see they were still there.
We were able to get really close to them. We saw a mother with her baby as she made her way down the metal cables that support the skywalk platform. It was hilarious watching her baby do a 360 spin on the cable like a gymnast on the asymmetric bars. We followed the rest as they made their way across the canopy and were so lucky to film these wild Orangutan in their natural habitat.
What an amazing day, even our guide couldn’t believe how lucky we had been, as some days you may not see any. I think he really enjoyed the day as well, it was certainly one we will never forget.

We headed back into Sandakan for the evening and then the following morning were picked back up, this time to head to the ‘Kinabatangan river’ where we would be staying in a lodge for the next 3 days.
There are a variety of lodges along the Kinabatangan river covering all budgets.
It’s the second longest river in Malaysia and the enriched river banks and dense canopies are home to lots of wildlife including Borneo pygmy elephants, crocodiles orangutans, proboscis monkey and many birds.

It took around 2 and half hours to drive to the lodge and for the most part of it was palm oil plantations. It’s sad to think that this would have been rainforest.

When we arrived at the camp we were shown to our cozy cabin in the woods, perfect for the next two nights.

With a full itinerary planned we were soon on our first safari down the river.
I love being on the look out for wildlife and the anticipation of what you might see.
Now you know me and my monkeys, I absolutely love them, so I was praying we would get to see the Proboscis monkey which are only native to Borneo.

Proboscis monkeys are the ones with the big noses. The males have really big noses and the bigger the nose the sexier they are for the opposite sex.
We hadn’t been on the river long when we came across a group of them in the trees. I was so happy that they were the first thing we saw. The only downside is that it’s more difficult to photograph from the river unless they are lower in the trees or closer to the bank.

We saw lots of different monkeys, long tail and pig tail macaque, dusty leaf langurs, giant squirrel and some beautiful birds, bright blue Kingfishers and lots of Hornbills.

We didn’t get to see orangutan, crocodile or Pygmy elephants.

Family of wild Proboscis monkey or Nasalis larvatus, in the rainforest of island Borneo, Malaysia, close up. Amazing monkey with a big nose.

In the evening you get the option to do a night walk around the camp in search of night creatures or relax in the restaurant or lodge.

The next morning we rose at 5am to get back on the river before breakfast in the chance of observing more wildlife and birds as dawn broke.
It’s worth the early start to hear the call of the monkey, hornbills and other wildlife as the rainforest comes alive.
We saw pretty much the same as we had the day before, lots of Proboscis monkeys, Macaques and birds but unfortunately no sign of Orangutan, crocodile and elephants.

Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed as animals roam freely in their natural habitat.
It makes it all the more exciting each time you go down the river in the hope of what you might see.

After breakfast we were taken on a trek into the forest where there was no shortage of wildlife.
We saw more dusty leaf monkeys, giant black squirrels and one humongous water monitor lizard before going back down the river late that afternoon.
Still no sightings of Orangutan that we’d hoped for. It would have been great to see them here at the river but we had to be grateful that we had gotten to see them in the wild in Sepilok.

We had one last chance the following morning as we rose early for our final river cruise.
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be and we didn’t see the mighty great ape.
However, we were far from disappointed as over the 3 days we had seen an abundance of different wildlife.

We could have done with a better zoom lens on our camera to capture what we saw as it’s difficult to photograph the wildlife from the river as you can do when on land.
A high proportion of people on the boat were better prepared but we hadn’t planned on coming.
It’s also near impossible to get any good pictures of the birds without the right equipment so we are unable to share any of the amazing Oriental pied hornbills, Kingfishers and other beautiful birds that we saw.

We had a wonderful time in Borneo. Seeing so many amazing creatures in the rainforest was like a dream come true.
Orangutan and Proboscis monkeys are endangered species so it was a great honour that we got to see them.
I hope in the future their numbers increase so many more people like ourselves get the privilege of seeing these amazing animals.

Next stop couldn’t be anymore different as we visit the capital of Malaysia ‘Kuala Lumpur’ and the bright lights of the city.

Kuala Lumpur

Next stop was the capital of Malaysia ’Kuala Lumpur’.
We were quite excited to finally visit this vibrant city, as twice we had passed through the airport on transit to other places, but this time we would finally get to exit the airport and explore the city.

We used ‘grab’, the hailing taxi service to take us into the city as it’s such good value for money. You can take the train direct from the airport which takes around 28 minutes to ‘Sentral KL station’ but it actually worked out more expensive.

It does take around an hour to drive from the airport into the city but we were in no rush.

After researching where to stay we decided on ‘Bukit Bintang’, as it’s the vibrant hub of the city and in the middle of all the action. The area offers everything from high-end shopping to lively nightlife.

‘Jalan Alor’ was only a stones throw away from our hotel. This famous street is a food lover’s paradise, offering some of the best street food in Kuala Lumpur.

‘Changkat Bukit Bintang’ known as the nightlife epicentre, which is a street lined with trendy bars and clubs, was also only a short walk away.

Bintang is also home to several monorail and underground stations, providing easy access to other parts of Kuala Lumpur. This makes it convenient for day trips and sightseeing.
Many of the top attractions, such as the ‘Petronas Twin Towers’ and ‘Kuala Lumpur Tower’ were within walking distance which was a huge plus for us.

First day we set off on foot and headed to the ‘Petronas twin towers’. The route led us through the ‘Pavilion shopping Mall’ which we welcomed as it was air conditioned and then onto the ‘KLCC- Bukit Bintang pedestrian walkway’ which is an air conditioned bridge stretching just over a km connecting the shopping mall with the KL Convention Centre. It’s a great way of avoiding the traffic and busy road crossing and you keep cool at the same time.
From the Convention Centre it was then only a short walk to the towers.

The Petronas twin towers are the tallest twin towers in the world and its status has remained unchallenged since 1996.
The 88-storey twin structure is Kuala Lumpur’s crown jewel. Majestic by day and dazzling at night. There is a sky bridge which connects the two towers making It’s a great place to take photos especially in the evening.

The Towers are the headquarters of Petronas, Malaysia’s oil and gas power company, a large mall and a concert hall that houses the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.

We took lots of photographs from the front then headed through the shopping Mall in the towers as it leads to ‘KLCC park’ at the rear and ‘Lake Symphony’. If you return in the evenings the lake holds a light and sound fountain show at 8,9 & 10pm.

The park is an amazing green space in the heart of the city. This lush 50 acre urban sanctuary has beautiful landscaped gardens with tropical trees. A 2 acre children’s playground with wading pool, jogging track and lots of shaded seating areas making it a perfect place to picnic or just chill and it’s also a great place to take even more pictures of the twin towers.

Our first evening we headed over to ‘Changkat Bukit Bintang’ where the road is lined both sides with bars and restaurants. All the bar staff fight for your custom by luring you in for ‘happy hour’.
The happy hour menu in many of the bars is ridiculous. They were the size of a Wetherspoons menu offering all different price variations for just 4 different beer brands (along with other drinks) but for the beers there was a price for a mug, a pint or a tower. A price for 3 mug, 3 pint , 5 mug, 5 pint etc then a price for between 3pm-7pm, 7pm-9pm, 9pm-12am.
It went on and on and all we wanted to know was the price of 1 Beer which they struggled to tell you as they wanted to upsell.
Thankfully we found a bar with a ‘normal’ menu and ended up there for the entire evening. We got talking to a lovely couple, a similar age to us, who had also been travelling for a while. They had interesting tales to tell and we had lots in common so it was good to share some travel tips as the wine and beer flowed.

Next day we headed to Batu Caves which are 13km outside the city. To get there we used the monorail to KL Sentral train station then a train that takes you all the way to the caves. Public transport is so cheap. The monorail and train tickets were about 40p each journey. It’s a shame the UK can’t offer better prices.

The cave complex is famously known for its colourful stairs with 272 steps to be exact and a beautiful Hindu temple. The complex also hosts the 43 m (141 ft) high Murugan statue, one of the largest Murugan statues in the world.
There are lots of Macaque monkeys at the caves. The locals sell bananas to tourists to feed them. We didn’t buy any as we never like to interfere with nature but we were happy to watch their antics as they await new arrivals from the train.
To enter the temple within the cave ladies do have to cover their legs. If you’ve not dressed appropriately you can buy sarongs for a couple of pounds at little stalls next to the stairs.

Lots of people visit the caves so it was very busy. We made our way up the 272 steps along with the crowd. The climb was worthwhile when we reached the entrance of the cave. It is enormous, over 400 million years old these limestones were organically formed and the temple, which is nestled in the heart of the cave, was built in the year 1920.
We did the usual touristy thing and took lots of pictures before heading back down the steps.
Lots of monkeys congregate on the steps and as we headed down we were entertained watching some of the young ones using the hand rail as a slide.

Back in the city there are lots of options to get around. Monorail, trains, underground, taxi’s and buses.
They also have an open top ‘hop on hop off bus’ which is very reasonable and stops at all the touristy sights.

We dedicated a day to just explore the city on foot as we like walking and often come across interesting places that you otherwise may miss.

We headed in the direction of the newly built ‘Merdeka 118 Tower.
As we approached we were blown away by the sheer size of this skyscraper. Standing at 678.9 metres with 118 floors, it is the second tallest building in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which has a height of 828 metres.
Topped by a dual-level observation deck, a restaurant and a 17 storey 6 star hotel, the tower also contains 83 floors of office space and they are still in the process of building a 7 storey glass domed shopping mall.

We continued our walk into the lively colourful Chinatown with its rows of old shophouse’s. It was like a step back in time after all the modernistic’s.
We found lots of quirky streets and some amazing street art hidden away in back ally’s.
It was also from here we found a lane that was perfect to take photographs with the ‘Merdeka 118’ in the background.

After exploring Chinatown we headed towards the ‘Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque’ which sits on the banks of the Gombak river and then onto ‘Merdeka square’ overlooking the ‘Sultan Abdul Samad Government Building’ with its copper domes and clock tower.
Designed by British architect Arthur C Norman the Moorish-style architecture of the building incorporated a blend of British and Islamic and this iconic landmark originally housed the offices of the British colonial administration.

The roads were closed off in front of the government building as it had been the Kings Coronation whilst we were here in Kuala Lumpur. This, along with a few more roads, had been closed off around the city for the celebratory weekend.
This was a bonus for us as I can imagine the 6 lane road that runs in front of the this iconic building would normally be extremely busy.

The skyline in Kuala Lumpur is pretty impressive especially at night. We decided to get tickets for the KL Tower observation deck as it offers some of the best panoramic views of the city.
We walked to the tower from our hotel and seeing the tower lit up at night is very also very impressive.
It’s the 7th tallest freestanding tower in the world and features an antenna increasing its height to 421 meters.
The lift to the observation deck was so fast our ears popped. But once on the deck, the 360 degree views of the city were amazing, especially the Petronas towers and the Merdeka 118.
As well as the observation deck you can purchase tickets for the open air sky deck & sky box which is a see through room (glass cube) that gives you a floating sensation over the city (No thank you!)
If you’ve got a head for heights you can also do the ‘Tower walk 100’ where you can step out onto a glass platform at the tower’s edge, 100 feet up with sound effects of cracking glass, omg imagine it – I don’t think I want to! Rest assured the thrill seekers are securely harnessed.
The tower also boasts a revolving restaurant offering buffet lunches and dinners at very reasonable prices.

Food options in the city are endless, it’s a capital city so you can find pretty much any food from around the world. Spoiled for choice with the amount of street vendors, night markets, cafes and restaurants across the city.
The Turkish Kebab houses always had a queue. They had the biggest doner kebabs we have ever seen in our lives rotating on the grill and the popular Chinese roti stand in Bukit Bintang never had a queue less than 15 minutes long.

Shopping is also a massive thing in Malaysia and even more so in Kuala Lumpur. The amount of shopping malls is off the scale, at almost every corner you turn is another mall and we are not talking small places, each one has floor after floor to satisfy the needs of shopaholic’s.
There was even a mall dedicated to Tech. We popped in one day and ended buying a new camera. It’s a shame we didn’t have it for Borneo but at least we would have it moving forward.

On our last evening in the city we visited a great sky bar at the ‘Trader hotel’. The bar overlooks the Petronas twin towers so at night it’s the perfect place to capture the towers lit up in all their glory.
The couple we’d enjoyed chatting to on our first night had told us about this place otherwise we wouldn’t have known about it.
What a great night we had, the view was spectacular, the music was great and even if it was a little more pricier it was most definitely worth it and was a perfect way to finish our stay in Kuala Lumpur.

We really loved our time here, we always seem to enjoy the cities and their vibrancy.
Our next stop will be our last in Malaysia. We are visiting the city of Malacca which is a couple of hours drive south of Kuala Lumpur so we are able to get there by bus.
We look forward to it as it sounds like an interesting place with lots of history and culture.

Malacca

We didn’t really know what to expect with Malacca (also spelt Melaka). We hummed and hawed whether to visit at all.

In the end we thought why not, we wasn’t in any rush to leave Malaysia and the buses were regular from Kuala Lumpur and super cheap so that settled the debate.

The coach journey takes around 2 and a half hours and costs around £2.50 so you can’t really argue with that.

Malacca is a World Heritage city known for its rich multi culture, historic buildings, vibrant night market and antique shops housed in colonial-era buildings.

The influence of Asia and Europe is very much evident around the city. Early colonisation by the Portuguese in 1511, the Dutch in 1641, the British first in 1795 then from 1824 until 1956 when Malacca was declared an independent state from British colonial rule ahead of Malayan independence in 1957.

History out of the way we couldn’t wait to explore as we always do when we arrive in a new place.

It was early evening so we headed straight to the historical centre towards ‘Dutch Square’ which is probably one of the most recognisable landmarks in Malacca.

The first thing we noticed as we approached the centre was the lights.

Malaysia along with many Asian countries love lights so the tree’s, gardens and buildings were all lit up with colour changing lights.

We then heard loud music heading our way and soon realised it was coming from these pimped up bicycle rickshaws. Decked out with flashing lights and decorated with cartoon characters they offer rides across the old town and although a bit tacky they seem to be a big hit with tourists.

This town was starting to get interesting, we was all the more intrigued to see what was ahead.

Dutch Square which is packed with historical buildings was a hub of activity, buzzing with tourists and of course more lights.

Erected in the 17th and 18th centuries all the buildings in the square are painted red and feature Dutch architecture of the time.

In the centre of the square is Queen Victoria fountain. Built in 1901 by the British it’s one of the last remaining architectural footprints of British rule in Malacca.

The square is also home to the Melaka Clock Tower which proudly stands at 50-feet tall and has been a statement in the heart of town for over 134 years.

The buzz of the town continued as we made our way towards the infamous Jonker Street or popularly known as Jonker walk.

I’d had read a little about Jonker street which is the main street of Chinatown. Apart from being a major street food hub the highlight of Jonker Street is the night market held every Saturday and Sunday.

We crossed the bridge towards Jonker walk and noticed some steps on the right that led down to the riverside. The riverside was lined either side with bars and restaurants which looked very inviting so we decided to make a detour here first.

It was a perfect place to stop for a while and people watch.

Boats also run up and down the river offering river cruises.

Afterwards we continued along the river and just adjacent to the riverside was a lovely alleyway filled with really quirky bars and restaurants so we didn’t even make it to Jonker street, there was no rush as we were here for a few days.

The following day we ventured deeper into the old town and finally to Jonker walk with its Chinese architecture and old Chinese shop houses. It was a pleasure to explore the streets around this area which was home to numerous museums, temples and mosques as well as beautiful antique shops, restaurants and boutiques hotels.

Located in the heart of the city is St. Paul’s Hill, which leads up to St Paul’s church where only the ruins remain. Built in the early 1500’s this historical and cultural landmark is the oldest church building in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

The hill is not only a historical site but also offers great views Malacca.

Down from the hill is where you will find ‘The Afamosa’ which translates simply as “The Famous” in Portuguese which is an historic fortress originally built by the Portuguese in 1511, the settlement used to sprawl across a whole hillside but now only the gate remains (Porta de Santiago). It is also known as one of the oldest surviving European architectural remains within Asia.

We ventured into Little India, an area with a parallel row of heritage shophouses which have been dominated by Indian traders for hundreds of years.

The street is colourful and vibrant especially in the evenings lined with stores selling Indian clothing and goods.

The street also has a few Indian restaurants so it would have been rude not to check one out.

We had a very different experience in the restaurant we chose. We ordered a couple of curries and next thing a large banana leaf was placed on the table between us which was then laden with 3 different types of vegetable dal, rice, breads and poppadoms and then our currys came. It was a feast for sure and we just ate it between us from the banana leaf.

There’s also no shortage of shopping Malls in Malacca if you want some retail therapy. We would pass by 3 just on our way into the old town. We used to cut through a couple just to take advantage of the air conditioning but then had to resist temptation.

There’s also local markets and night markets selling a mix of goods and souvenirs around the town.

We didn’t end up going on a boat tour but I don’t think we missed out as we walked for miles one day along the pathway that runs along the river on either side. The riverside is lined with colourful buildings and we came across lots of quirky street art and murals.

We were impressed with Malacca it definitely exceeded our expectations and was glad we made the decision to visit.

This would be our last stop for now in Malaysia. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here and the people are amazing. There is still so much more to see so we do hope to return to visit the islands along the east coast and the highlands.

Our next stop is Indonesia, starting on the island of Bali to check out its beautiful beaches, temples and rice terraces.

Midlifers Go East