MALAYSIA
MALAYSIAN BORNEO – SABAH lonelyplanet.com0336; http://www.taman-negara.com) and Banana Travel &
Tours (%017 902 5952; Information Centre, Kampung Kuala
Tahan) run several useful private services includ-
ing daily buses to KL (RM35) and minibuses
to Penang (RM120), the Perhentian Islands
(RM165 including boat) and the Cameron
Highlands (RM95). These minibuses can also
drop you off en route anywhere in between.Getting Around
There is a frequent cross-river ferry (RM1)
that shuttles passengers across the river from
Kuala Tahan to the park entrance and Mutiara
Taman Negara Resort.
Nusa Camp’s floating information centre
in Kuala Tahan runs scheduled riverboat (also
called riverbus) services along the river to
Bumbun Blau/Bumbun Yong (RM15 one way,
three daily), the Canopy Walkway (RM10
one way, two daily), Gua Telinga (RM10 one
way, four daily), Kuala Tembeling (RM25 one
way, one daily) and Kuala Trenggan (RM30
one way, two daily). Check with the infor-
mation desk for times and prices, as these
services may be dropped entirely during the
wet season. You can arrange for the boats to
pick you up again for the return trip on their
schedule, and there’s a slight discount for a
round-trip fare.
In addition to the riverbus, you can also
charter a boat for considerably more –
Bumbun Blau (RM75) and Kuala Trenggan
(RM110). You can arrange private boat trips
at the Wildlife Department, at the resort or at
the restaurants in Kuala Tahan (the latter are
usually 10% cheaper).GUNUNG STONG STATE PARK
Once known as the ‘Jelawang Jungle’, Gunung
Stong State Park consists of 21,962 hectares
of remote, hardly inhabited green: sharp
mountain peaks, thickly matted vegetation
and Stong Waterfalls, reputed to be the high-
est in Southeast Asia.
Due to infrequent transport links it can
be frustrating to visit this area without your
own wheels or on an organised tour from
Kota Bharu. The main base for exploring
is Dabong kampung, located on the Jungle
Railway. There are several caves in the lime-
stone outcrops a few kilometres southeast of
town; Gua Ikan (Fish Cave) is the most acces-
sible, but the most impressive is Stepping Stone
Cave. A narrow corridor leads to a hidden
grotto and on to Kris Cave.From Dabong, cross over Sungai Galas
for 80 sen and take a minivan (RM3) out
to the falls on 1422m- high Gunung Stong.
The main falls are a 20-minute climb past
the Perdana Stong Resort; a further 45 min-
utes of climbing brings you to the top of the
falls and a camping ground. From the base
of Baha’s Camp you can make longer excur-
sions to the summit of Gunung Stong and the
upper falls.
Rumah Rehat Dabong (%09-744 0725; r from
RM25; a) is a 1980s longhouse and the only
decent place to stay in Dabong; ask at the
district office opposite the resthouse. There’s
the usual collection of food stalls near
Dabong station.MALAYSIAN BORNEO –
SABAH
Malaysia’s state of Sabah proves that there is
a God , and we’re pretty sure that he’s some
sort of mad scientist. Sabah was his giant
test tube – the product of a harebrained hy-
pothesis. You see, on the seventh day, God
wasn’t taking his infamous rest, he was pon-
dering the following: ‘What would happen
if I took an island, covered it with impen-
etrable jungle, tossed in an ark’s worth of
animals, and turned up the temperature to
a sweltering 40°C?’
The result? A tropical Eden with prancing
mega-fauna and plenty of fruit-bearing trees.
This ‘land below the wind’, as it’s known, is
home to great ginger apes that swing from
vine-draped trees, blue-hued elephants
that stamp along marshy river deltas, and
sun-kissed wanderers who slide along the
silver sea in bamboo boats. Oh but there’s
more: mighty Mt Kinabalu rises to the
heavens, governing the steamy wonderland
below with its imposing stone turrets. The
muddy Sungai Kinabatangan roars through
the jungle – a haven for fluorescent birds
and cheeky macaques. And finally there’s
Sipadan’s seductive coral reef that lures large
pelagics with a languid, come-hither wave.
In order to make the most of your days of
rest, we strongly encourage you to plan ahead.
Sabah’s jungles may be wild and untamed,
but they’re covered in streamers of red tape.
With a bit of patience and a lot of preplanning,
you’ll breeze by the permit restrictions and490