UNIQUE UBIAN DANCE FROM USUKAN KOTA BELUD 0

Stargazing at Tegudon

By the river of Togudon

Stargazing is an interesting pastime or hobby and for those who wish to indulge in this  activity, there is a place to go to in Kota Belud that will not disappoint. It’s a village  where a river passes busily by and along its banks the paddy fields flourish.  It is called Kg Tegudon, and the site in particular is the Tegudon Tourism Village (TTV).

TTV hospitality bureau committee member Jakunis Gindua enthused that Kampung Tegudon is the third most popular stargazing sites in Malaysia. They officially welcomed visitors to gaze at the sky in May 2017 and since then there has been an endless stream of stargazers flocking to this area.

“Last year we carried out three events here, and the stargazers who came were not disappointed as they could always see the clear night sky full of stars and meteor showers in the dark,” she shared adding that the stargazers would lie down on their back looking at the clear night sky while others would be glued to their telescope.

Jakunis Gindua

Guests coming from Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia visited this area and according to her there were no complaints from among them, they all went away happy with their experiences.

2017 was a memorable time for them and of course the stargazers were awed as they recorded a total of 1,284 meteor showers and 18 fireballs blazing across the night sky, she said adding that they were visible to the naked eye.

Presently, they are working closely with Sabah Stargazing Association who will inform and guide them about the best time to look up the sky and be amazed at the sights.

“The stargazers usually gather at the open space and lie on the ground the whole night until the wee hours looking up at the night sky,” Jakunis said, adding that all the lights at the site would be switched off to optimise their vision.

She shared that those who wish to stargaze at their site should let them know two weeks advance so they don’t miss out on space. The space is quite limited and allow only 500 people at any one time. They also rent out tents with costs according to the tent sizes.

If there are walk in guests, they are still welcomed but they would have to sleep in their vehicles when there’s no space for them, she shared.

The huts at TTV

TTV boasts picturesque views of clear water river and paddy fields with Mount Kinabalu in the distance. The village is located 15 kilometres away from Kota Belud Township.

Information can be acquired from Jakunis Gindua at 012 8287814.-MSN

Enjoying Nature at its best

The River at 3V

We all love splashing around in a river with crystal clear water. It is reminiscent of a childhood in an innocent past. Many who grew up in the village will have experienced this sort of environment. 

When I visited Kg Nahaba in Kota Belud, nostalgia was the first emotion that hit me; especially when I visited 3V  which stands for Villa Valley View.  A river runs through  the valley, rushing its crystal clear water on the pebbly water riverbed.

Deren Liging

The river is under the tagal system, which means no one is allowed to harvest the fish there for a year or two until the tagal committee decides otherwise. The fish are then harvested by the villagers.

Meanwhile, a group of people are taking care of the three kilometres of tagal river promoting it as a tourism destination. This group of people called the area 3V and promoting it as a place to picnic, to camp out and bath in the river, as well as fish feeding.

This group is led by Deren Liging, 46, who shared that some 80 people are actively involved in the endeavor.

“The river called Woriu is direct from Mount Kinabalu, therefore its crystal clear most of the time. We have lots of fish in the river and we are now trying to make them a little tamer by feeding them as we want to promote fish spa and fish feeding here too.”

“We also encourage our guests to hold picnics here as this is a cool place, with tranquil natural environment that most people will enjoy. We have several huts for our picnickers. These huts can be rented out for overnight stays,” he disclosed.

Feeding the fishes

According to him, they are currently clearing out a trail for those who like jungle trekking. The track will be about three kilometres round trip and the destination is a waterfall they call ‘Wasai Ponohuan’ which means ‘waterfall for fish to lay eggs’ in Dusun. When the trail is completed, guests will be able to enjoy bird watching. Besides the flora and fauna, they will also be able to enjoy the freshness and challenge of a jungle walk.

The camping ground is spacious enough to accommodate 14 tents and students from SK Narinang has camped there once quite comfortably, he shared, adding that their guests in the past comprised of Malaysians and Singaporeans with a few westerners.

“We hope that more tourists will come and enjoy our nature here and what we have to offer. We can also accommodate those who wants to hold their functions here such as birthdays or other types of gatherings. Our site can accommodate some 300 people.”

“As for food, we can provide food upon request. We usually cook traditional food. We don’t have an eatery as yet but we hope to open up one soon,” Deren said.

They also hope to embark on the homestay programme where they will be able to share their lifestyle and daily activities with their guests. The people who live in Kg Nahaba are traditionally paddy planters and rubber tappers.

For more information, call Deren at 018 9720839.-BNN

Edna Homestay, within sight of the sacred mountain

From right: Petrus, Edna and Edna's father

Waking up with nature is the best holiday you can have especially when the air is invigoratingly cool. One of the best place to go to experience such an atmosphere is Edna Homestay. This homestay  is sited in a beautiful area of Melangkap Kota Belud. 

I am sure many visitors are sorry to leave the homestay after a few days sojourn. This is because it is a beautiful place that one wish one can stay forever. It is also because the people there are so friendly and warm, that it almost feels like family

The three-storey house is right in a place where waking up in the morning is an invigorating experience. If your bed room is in the right position, you will see Mount Kinabalu, in its full glory every time you wake wake.

Other Homestay near Edna

Spokesperson for the homestay, Petrus Sualan shares that they have three units of single houses, newly renovated to ensure full comfort for their guests.

Guests have choices in this homestay. They can stay in any of the to offer more choices and comfort

with four rooms in each floor. They can also choose the dormitory where eight people can fit in very comfortably.

Edna Homestay

The rental fee per floor is RM540 for the ground level (four rooms) with attached kitchen and refrigerator, the first and second floors with three standard rooms and one VIP room is RM600.

“Visitors can rent the whole house for RM1,400 and save RM200. Many groups have stayed with us as we can accommodate up to 50 people including those who bed down in the living room. We do provide them with extra mattresses,” he shares.

Breakfast and dinner are provided unless told otherwise. He says they are working with a caterer from Kota Belud township for the halal menu.

Not that it is confined to these foods, as they also offer Asian fusion food. In fact one can also request for local traditional food but they must be informed in advance.  

“Not everyone likes traditional food,” he quips adding that although he likes to promote such food as one of their packages, he also serves guests according to their desires.

Those who come to stay in his homestay usually go around to explore the surrounding villages, ride his ATV (all terrain vehicle) or go fishing. Most enjoy photography due to the scenic surrounding. The sky, the river, the forests and the mountains are good backdrops for photographs, especially selfies.

Most of his guests are domestic, he shares, adding that they come from Lahad Datu, Tawau and Limbang (Sarawak) as well as Peninsula Malaysia.

Petrus shares that sometimes Edna homestay may get full occupancy but he does not really worry much about it as his sisters in law are running homestays too and he just check in his guests at their homestay. Later the guests can gather in a common hall.

Mt Kinabalu seen from another spot in Melangkap

 “Though they are staying in different house, they can always gather at the open hall here for buffet style breakfast or dinner,” he says adding that the hall can accommodate up to 120 people,” he said,

Nearby his homestay is Liza homestay with 10 rooms, Eva Homestay has three rooms whilst his father-in-law has four rooms. His guests are mostly church group. Juliet homestay has 10 rooms and will be adding another three more whilst Larraine Homestay has seven rooms.

Petrus says business has been good and attribute it to the good road condition in that area. He expresses his hopes that it will keep on getting better due to eco-tourism awareness and promotions.

To meet the rising demands, he is planning to develop more rooms along the riverbanks, where two units of air-conditioned houses with attached bathroom will be constructed.

Petrus is also the chairman of Melangkap Kota Belud Tourism and Accommodation Association which boasts 47 homestay operators with 22 active members. There are nine ecotourism-based operators and 13 homestay operators, providing a total of 200 rooms.

They are promoting Culture, Adventure and Nature (CAN). Culture includes   Dusun traditional dance, music and farming to entertain visitors. The traditional dance is usually performed to welcome guests or before the start of a function upon request from the visitors coming here to experience the rural Lifestyle.

One of Edna's bedroom

A is for adventure seekers who wants to test their endurance by trekking up Kapa, Noriou, Tiong and Sayat Baru or even Mount Melangkap which can be quite a challenge.

Another site that they had just discovered and cleared is the Gunung Parang Melangkap or Mount Machete. He says that it looks like a machete is seen from the foot of Mt Kinabalu.

N is for nature where guests can learn about medicinal plants along the trail, he says.

With all the things they have to offer, I believe that periodic return is in order. After all what better way to wake up in the morning but to see the awesome Mt. Kinabalu in the distance.

Information can be acquired from Petrus at 014 650 1940.-BNN