Pristine tropical Sabah beach with lush vegatation
This is how "paradise" looked like upon arrival on one of the small islands close to Kota Kinabalu. The advantage of just taking a transfer with a small boat was that we got there rather early, and basically had the beautiful sandy beach all for ourselves. We were impressed about the lush tropical jungle on such a small island. And the beach had a lot of small and larger details to explore. Hence the time went by rather quickly, and we were sort of sad when we had to leave.
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-14)
Hold on - Orangutan toddler having fun
After a few days in the city of Kota Kinabalu, we moved to the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Hotel. Located just 25km north of the city, the 45min trip takes you to a completely different world. The beautiful setting with pristine beaches and lush tropical forests is the perfect spot to unwind. Attached to the hotel there is the Rasa Ria Nature Reserve. When we visited, they still operated an orangutan rehabilitation sanctuary, which obviously was one of the highlights of our visit. This toddler is busy training its muscles and flexibility.
(Rasa Ria Reserve, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-21)
Boat transfer to paradise - Tropical island excursion Sabah
One of the top activities in Kota Kinabalu are full- or half-day tours to a number of smaller islands just off the coast of Borneo. Obviously there are larger tourist ships including catering and entertainment. But we opted for just a transfer with a small boat. Riding towards our destination in this open boat at high speed was an experience itself. And the closer we got, the more our destination looked like paradise...
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-12)
Picturesque stream in the dense jungle of Mt. Kinabalu park
Not far away from the city of Kota Kinabalu is the mountain sharing the same name. With more than 4.000m of altitude, it is the highest peak in Malaysia. Initially, we were tempted to try to climb it, like many people do together with local guides. However, since we didn't really bring appropriate clothes and shoes, and with two children we decided to skip this idea. Instead, we took an extended hike in the beautiful jungle of the Mt. Kinabalu park. Lots of streams and the lush vegetation made this visit absolutely worthwhile.
(Kinabalu Park, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-11)
Hydrate yourself - Empty plastic water bottle against sea and be
Even when you spend just a few hours on a non-developed island, it is important to bring enough water. Otherwise, there is a risk to dehydrate due to the intense sunshine combined with hot temperatures. Thankfully, we did pack quite a lot of bottles. And we also took all of them with us for proper disposal and recycling when we left the tropical paradise later in the afternoon.
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-16)
Tree trunk washed ashore a sandy tropical beach
For a photographer, beaches are always a tempting motif. This is particularly true when people who grew up in a cold or moderate climate visit sandy tropical beaches. If nature is kind enough to add some decorative driftwood, the number of pictures will increase dramatically. I found this tree trunk during our day trip to one of the outlying islands close to Kota Kinabalu in Borneo's state of Sabah.
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-15)
Fishing boats in the bay of Kota Kinabalu at sunset
Upon arrival at Kota Kinabalu on Malaysia's Borneo island, we felt the need to move a little bit before going for dinner. So we took a stroll in the city. Obviously, taking a look at the sun setting over the tropical South China Sea was a "must do". To make things even better, a number of fishing boats were lined up nicely in front of the glowing horizon. A very romantic way to start our time in this part of the country...
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-10)
Colorful fishing trawler in the bay of Kota Kinabalu
One morning during our stay in Kota Kinabalu, I went to a morning workout, and ran along the fishing harbor. I was very impressed with the colorful boats in the warm morning sunlight. So the next day I got up early again, and took my camera gear to take a whole series of photos. Fishing is an important sector in this region, providing jobs to a lot of people. Strong floodlights on the roof of the ship provide sufficient visibility at night when most of the fishing activity happens.
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-18)
Climbing artist - Orangutan on its way up a jungle tree
After a few days in the city of Kota Kinabalu, we moved to the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Hotel. Located just 25km north of the city, the 45min trip takes you to a completely different world. The beautiful setting with pristine beaches and lush tropical forests is the perfect spot to unwind. Attached to the hotel there is the Rasa Ria Nature Reserve. When we visited, they still operated an orangutan rehabilitation sanctuary, which obviously was one of the highlights of our visit. It was absolutely fascinating to see how elegant these amazing animals climbed the trees.
(Rasa Ria Reserve, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-22)
Kota Kinabalu City Mosque on Sabah, Malaysia
The City Mosque is one of two large mosques in Sabah's capital Kota Kinabalu. Built in the 1990ies, it officially opened in year 2000. Apart from its size catering for up to 12.000 worshipers, its location on the shores of the South China Sea is quite special. Being partially surrounded by an artificial lake, the mosque has also become a major tourist attraction.
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-25)
Monkey with baby and stolen icecream at Batu Caves
As in many tourist destinations, local wildlife quickly adapts to the new situation. Especially monkeys have learned to benefit from careless visitors. Being extremely agile and fast, you really need to watch your belongings. Otherwise, things might be stolen within seconds. Obviously, food is amongst the top targets. The monkey proudly shares the ice-cream cone with its young born. Whilst this may look very cute, this clearly is not the recommended diet for these primates.
(Batu Caves, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-07)
Colorful Kuala Lumpur city centre with twin towers at night
This night image shows the city center of Kuala Lumpur with the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. When you visit, you definitely need to come both during the day as well as after sunset. From my personal point of view, it is not so much the height of the building that leaves a long-lasting impression. For me, the idea of constructing two identical towers of 88 floors next to each other, and connect them with a bridge, is really striking.
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-02)
Honor to whom honor is due - Horse taking a look
I am not exactly sure anymore at which building I took this snapshot. The scenery with the yellow painted building covered with marble and just the head of one horse sticking out was almost unreal. Nothing we would have expected in the city center of a multi-million people capital. The horse was just standing there, taking a look at the street. Considering the color, it looks like a royal stable to us.
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-05)
Petronas Twin Towers - an impressive view from below
As much as I like this picture, I can only partially illustrate how majestic the Petronas Twin Towers really are. Thinking about iconic buildings around the globe, this icon of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur's will most likely score a top ranking. It was officially called the tallest building in the world from 1998 - 2004, until Taipei 101 was completed. From my perspective, it is however not so much the height itself that leaves a long-lasting impression. For me, the idea of constructing two identical towers of 88 floors next to each other, and connect them with a bridge, is really striking.
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-09)
Batu Caves statue and entrance near Kuala Lumpur
One of the most popular days trips from Kuala Lumpar is a visit to the nearby Batu Caves. It actually is a whole ensemble of karst caves, and they are home to a number of Hindu shrines and temples. The gigantic Murugan statue at the entrance is very impressive, both due to its heights as well as its bright color. Upon climbing the steep stairs, visitors can enter the caves and explore the countless statues inside.
(Batu Caves, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-06)
The only way is up - Petronas Twin Towers at night
Thinking about iconic towers around the globe, the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur's will most likely score a top ranking. It was officially called the tallest building in the world from 1998 - 2004, until Taipei 101 was completed. From my perspective, it is however not so much the height itself that leaves a long-lasting impression. For me, the idea of constructing two identical towers of 88 floors next to each other, and connect them with a bridge, is really striking. The KLCC looks fantastic also at night.
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-01)
Monkey breastfeading hungry baby at Batu Caves
This is another monkey mother and child portrait taken at the Batu Caves in Gombak, Selangor. These animals are used to the thousands of visitors coming to the caves and Hindu shrines, and therefore show no fear of human beings. With a constant supply of food collected from dustbins or stolen from inattentive tourists, these monkeys will most likely never go to sleep hungry.
(Batu Caves, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-08)
Floral street lantern in Kuala Lumpur city centre
As in most large cities, many high-rise buildings come in the standard colors white-grey-black. However, someone in Kuala Lumpur's city planning department had a brilliant idea. They added some red and green by wrapping a large number of streets lamps with artificial flowers. These really stand out, and made me smile
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-04)
