life is still beautiful

I am starting over.

God, 

please have mercy on me.

Photo taken on the way to View Point, Phi Phi Island, Thailand

Travel: Wat Kaew Krabi

The Wat is located in the centre of the town, and visible set back from the main road. Easily seen as you walk through the small town. Well, it's not the biggest temple in Thailand but it's nice to visit. Here's some of the photos that I took during my visit. Enjoy :)

Wat Kaew Krabi: From the main entrance

Outside the Wat

Inside the Wat

The surrounding area

The surrounding area

Tips:
Temple is a sacred place for the Buddhist. Please wear appropriate clothes when you want to visit.
No entrance fee is required but it would be nice if you could donate few baht.

Travel: Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Sua)

The Tiger Cave Temple is located about 3 kilometres from Krabi Town, located in between Krabi Town and the airport (circled on the Bing Map below). It was built in 1976 as a monastery and meditation retreat and very well respected by the local population.  

How to get there:

Of course you can take taxi or buy a tour, but for budget traveler like me, I'll take the cheapest option, which is the songthaew. From Krabi Town, take the red songthaew, the fare is 50 Baht per person. The driver will send you to the main entrance of the temple. To get back to Krabi Town, take the same songthaew, the fare is the same. If you are from Aonang, you can take the white songthaew to Krabi Town first and then take the red songthaew.

The history of The Tiger Cave Temple

This area of the tiger cave and the area of the lower cave entrance courtyard was, in previous times, the location which a tiger used to seek refuge and sleep in the morning sunlight. At times the tiger would let out a ferocious roar. This caused people, who came to the forest to collect items or hunt for animals and heard the tiger’s roar, to begin calling this area, “the Tiger Cave”.
Later, the venerable Luangpor Jumnean Seela Settho, chief monk of the tiger cave temple, led a group of buddhist monks and nuns to live there and pratice dharma, In B.E. 2518 or 1975 A.D., with the monks and nuns having come to live in the area of the tiger’s retreat, the tiger migrated in the direction of the phanom Mountain Range which extends from the tiger cave hills and crags. since that time to the present, no one has ever seen the tiger.

It is one of the more interesting temple complexes in southern Thailand, as the monks live and worship within a maze of natural caves in an overgrown jungle valley.  Wat Tham Sua teaches a form of Buddhism called Vipassana (insight meditation), which is based on the teachings of the earliest Buddhist texts. In the main temple cave you will find bizarre photos of internal organs and split cadavers, which are supposed to reinforce the temporary nature of the body and help the monks to focus on more spiritual matters.

Generally, the locals come here to participate in for religion purposes/rituals, but for tourists like me, my main point of visiting is to see the big Buddha on top of the mountain and to do that I have to take 1277 steps up. The picture below is the starting point of the climb.

the starting point 

 Signboard: don't feed the monkeys.

 They may looked cute but really, they are not! Sometimes, they will try to steal things from you, so it's best to ignore them!

Don't worry,  there are toilets provided along the way up.

Lots of rubbish bin too. So, please throw your thrash in the right place.

Bear in mind that the steps are uneven.

Some stairs are very high, up to my knee!

The climb is a little strenuous and a bit tiring but definitely worth it! Here's the photo on top of it.

views of the surrounding countryside and the Andaman Sea (a bit hazy that day)

There is a water dispenser there, so you can refill your water.

I stayed about 45 minutes on the top, resting and taking photos. and then go back down..

Tips:

• Be sure to bring water. 
• Please respect the temple, wear appropriate outfit.
• Do not wear high heel hahaha
• The temple has no entrance fee, so it would be very nice if you could donate few baht. There are few donation boxes there.
• Come as early as you can. I Come around 7.30 am. Or else, come late in the evening around 4 pm or 5 pm for the sunset. The sun is very hot.
• Rubbish bin and toilets are provided along the way up.
• Do not feed the monkeys. 

Do’s and Don’ts When Visiting A Buddhist Temple

• Bow your head and pay respect to the temple and the Buddha statues.
• Take off your shoes in or around the temple grounds.  Make this an easier process for yourself by wearing slip-on shoes.   If you are wearing tennis shoes and complaining about having to take off your shoes often- well whose fault is that really, eh?
• Do not point at Buddha statues, Monks, Nuns and/or elders with your feet (well anything for that matter).  You will go to hell.  Okay, maybe not right away, but you get my point.
• Cover yourself ladies.  We don’t need to see your boobs and your legs hanging out all over on the temple grounds where there are honorable Monks, Nuns and elders.  A t-shirt with sleeves could easily fix this problem.  Stop whining and do it.  It is the right thing to do or don’t go to a temple.
• Always bring a wrap or a large scarf to cover yourself.  But, please, do use it and COVER yourself.
• Do not wear shorts. You should be covered down at least below your knees.
• Keep your head below Buddha statues, images, honorable Monks and Nuns.
• Do not touch  (especially on the head) Buddha statues, images, Monks, Nuns and elders.
• Please refrain from public displays of affection.  You may be on your honeymoon and cannot keep your hands off of one another, but not all of us need to see your hands all over each other.  You are not at the park, you are at a temple so pull your selves together and show some respect.
• Keep Quiet. There are those meditating or praying somewhere even though you may not see them.
• It may be very  fascinating to foreigners to see a reclining Buddha.  However, do not get too close to a Buddha statue when taking a picture.  When possible kneel on the ground so that you head is below the statue.
• Parents:  It is your responsibility as a parent to talk to your child (ren) about the rules before arriving to any temple, not at the time of arrival when it is too late and they are already 3/4 way up the Buddha statue.  Consider this a teaching moment about the culture of the country you are visiting.

Credit to Avril

SSR Codes Explained

When you print your Airasia itinerary and boarding pass, you can see the letters SSR. It is abbreviation f0r Special Service Request. Check in bag, meals, comfort kit and others. Here are some of the SSRs meaning (source: HERE)

1.VegeRice & Coffee/Tea
VRCB

2.Spaghetti & Coffee/Tea
SBCB

3.RoastChic & Coffee/Tea
RCCB

4.Pizza & Coffee/Tea
PZCB

5.Pancake & Coffee/Tea
PCCB

6.NasiLemak & Coffee/Tea
NLCB

7.Hotdog & Coffee/Tea
HDCB

8.FriedRice & Coffee/Tea
FRCB

9.ChicSandwich&Coffee/Tea
CSCB

10.ChickenRice & Coffee/Tea
CRCB

11.ChicFoccacia&Coffee/Tea
CFCB

12.BriyaniRice & Coffee/Tea
BRCB

if you try to book a flight which departs less than 48 hours from time of departure, you will see this.
Sorry products sale close 48 hours before departure time. That means no meals can be ordered anymore.

SSR codes denote check in baggage
Regular- up to 15kg PBAA previously BXDA
Medium - up to 20kg PBAB previously BXDB
Large - up to 25kg PBAC previously BXDC
Xtra Large - up to 30kg PBAD previously BXDD

for check in baggage, Airasia uses SSR codes as above. Bookings made Previous to system upgrade will have old SSR codes.

Sabah Borneo: Kipandi Butterfly Park

The Kipandi Butterfly Park is located at Kampung Kipandi, Moyog - situated approximately 36 kilometers away from Kota Kinabalu city via the Penampang - Tambunan road.

The gorgeously scenic park is surrounded by the hills of the Crocker Range. Lying at 700 meters altitude, it is rich in entomofauna. Over 100 species of butterflies have been recorded in this park; among the recorded species are the Troides Brookiana (Raja Brook’s Birding), Troides Amphrysus (Golden Birding), and the Papilio Karna (Peacock’s Swalloe Tails).

The insectariums has over 1,500 butterfly specimens and over 3,000 beetles which include many endemic species that are only found in the Crocker Range, such as the Cyclommatus Chewi. Special enclosures have also been constructed to house some of the rare and endangered species of Sabahan orchids and pitcher plants. This project is a joint collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department.

Plants have been saved from trees that were felled in land clearing for agricultural and developmental purposes. To date, there are as many as 500 species of native orchids, 40 species of Hoyas, and 5 species of Lipstick flowers Aeschynanthus, 28 species “carnivorous” pitcher plants (Nepenthes) and medicinal plants.

The park also initiates a free educational guided walk program for school children. This program is aimed at raising the awareness of the younger generations regarding the precious entomofauna of Sabah.



Operation Hour:

The Kipandi Butterfly Park is open daily from 9am to 4pm, the best time to spot butterflies are between 9am to 11am.


Entrance Fee:

Foreign:
Adult      : RM30.00
Children : RM15.00

Local:
Adult : RM10.00
Children   : RM5.00


How to get there:
Kipandi Butterfly Park is accessible via the long-distance bus to Tambunan and Keningau, the local bus from Penampang and via taxi.



Further Information
Kipandi Entomofauna Ecotours Sdn Bhd (889574-P) (KPL/LN: 6210)
Unit No. A 1017, 10th Floor Phase 1, Wisma Merdeka
88000 Kota Kinabalu
Sabah.
Tel: +60 88-232015, 016-8380100, 013-8739092
Fax: 088-235015
Email: kipandipark@hotmail.com
Website: www.kipandi.com.my

Sabah Borneo: Sandakan Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary

The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre was set up in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned baby orang utan. Set in the lush 4,300-hectare Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, the Centre under the administration of the Wildlife Department of Sabah attracts tourists and researchers alike, giving them the opportunity to watch the orang utan up close in their natural habitat

How to go there? AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines have daily flights to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur. There are few ways on how to reach the sanctuary from Sandakan city, either using travel agent to avoid all the bookings and planning, or you can also use public transportation, buses or taxis. The more convenient and cheap option would be by bus since taxi usually will charge you a high price for the return transfer. From Kota Kinabalu there are also daily coaches to Sandakan, visitors can ask the driver to stop at the junction to the centre, which is another 2.5km walk away.

Opening Hours
Security Gate: Daily from 8.00am till 5.00pm
Reception & Ticketing Counter: Daily from 9.00am till 11.00am and 2.00pm till 3.30pm 
Exhibition Hall: Daily (except Fridays) from 9.00am till 4.30pm
Centre: Daily from 9.00am till 12.00pm and 2.00pm till 4.00pm Fridays 9.00am till 11.00am, 2.00pm till 4.00pm 

Tickets prices:

Ticket	International	MY Card Holder
Adult	RM 30	RM 5
Child	RM 15	RM 2

* Ticket is valid for the date of purchase only
* Cameras and Video Cameras RM 10

Visitors can also visit the exhibition centre which has good information on orangutans or enjoy a good documentary on orangutans at the video room. Video showing daily at 8:30am, 11am, 12pm, 2:10pm and 3:30pm.

The Orangutan feeding viewing only opens during feeding times, so plan your trip around that. The explanation here is more on how to get there by bus. The Sepilok bus station is located at the back of the Centre Point Mall and along the Coastal Highway 1, in front of Nak Hotel. The 9am bus and the 2pm bus will have visitors just in time for the 10am feeding and 3pm feeding respectively at the Centre. Bus fare from Sandakan town to Sepilok is RM 5 one way. Kindly please note that the buses do not have air-conditioner.

Sepilok Bus Schedule:

From Sandakan Town	From Sepilok
05:45 am	06:30 am
09:00 am	09:45 am
11:25 am	12:20 pm
02:00 pm	04:00 pm

Besides the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary, one can also go to the Discovery Rainforest Centre, about 1 km before the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and about a kilometre away from the Sepilok road using the same bus. You can ask the bus driver for a detour, with few ringgits addition to the fare (RM1~RM2). Travellers can also take the bus to the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort which is 1km away from the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre for just RM 6. For more information about the bus destination, you can ask the counter before buying the bus ticket.

Full map of Sandakan Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary(click to enlarge)

Accommodations are located around the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, from budget to the more luxury ones, should you decide to stay here and visit the near by Rainforest Discovery Centre.

Some people may said that this visit is a waste of money and time because you can only see them being fed. But, what they don't know is that the sanctuary is a big place and there's a lot of Orangutans living there. The money goes to research and development on how to preserve their habitat as well as the Orangutans survival. While orang utan rehabilitation is still the primary goal at Sepilok, it also focuses on public education on conservation, research and assistance on other endangered species such as the rhinoceros. You don't get to see any behind the scenes work but they do have a volunteer program people can sign up.

For the more adventurous, there is trekking through mangrove forest. As this is under the Forestry Department, you will have to get a permit from them before trekking the 5km trail which runs through Sepilok Laut. You can also arrange for a boat return or accommodation in chalets in the forest. For more info on the programs, you can contact the  Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre:

Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.
Tel: +6089 531 180
Fax: +6089 531 189
Email: soutan@po.jaring.my

Sabah Borneo: Klias River Cruise - Proboscis Monkeys and Fireflies

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Home to varieties of flora and fauna, Klias Wetland is the biggest Mangrove Forest Reserve in the Sabah. Located 2 hours drive away from Kota Kinabalu. (as in the map above), the rare and elusive long nose and bulging belly proboscis monkey could be found here. The very agile and wild silver leaf monkeys as well as naughty macaques are also abundantly found here. Other wildlife such crocodiles, monitor lizards, varieties of coastal bids , borneon bats can be observed. 

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From Kota Kinabalu, you can drive yourself to the jetty and buy the tour without transfer there ( be sure to call first to confirm availability first before coming). The price per pax would be around RM60~80. Another way is by joining the tour packages provided by the travel agent companies around Sabah. Generally, this tour is one of the famous tours in Sabah, thus it's not hard to find it around. You can either ask the hotel reception, or call the travel agents yourself.  Kindly note that the price of the tour (per pax, on combined basis) shall be around RM150~RM199. Prices can go up to RM235 (per pax, on combined basis) if you're staying at outskirt hotel (such as Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Hotel, Nexus Karambunai, etc) and 2 minimum persons are applied for most of the tours. You can also booked private tour but price would be higher.  Generally, these tours are inclusive of arrival refreshment  dinner, entrance fees, return land transfer, driver guide. and safety jacket rental.

A walkway to the jetty

These tree-dwelling animals normally hunt for food in the evenings. They usually stay on ground during afternoon to avoid the heat. Thus many boat cruises depart the Kota Klias jetty at around 5.00pm in search of these animal sighting. 

Don't forget to wear your safety jacket. It's free!!

Starting the boat ride

As you ride the river, encounters with villagers either net casting or hand line fishing for river prawns is an exciting experience. 

There are many kind of boats

All are there for the same reason..

Can you see him there????

Sun set in the river is also a spectacular affair. Get your cameras ready for a production of pychedelic of colours 

Sunset at Klias River (oh forgive my bad camera!)

on the way back to the jetty.. see the monitor lizard?

After 1.5 hour cruising the river, you will return to the jetty for dinner.

Buffet dinner

Buffet dinner

After dinner, there will be a second cruise for fireflies viewing. This is one of the main reason why people love this tour. Along the Klias River banks, you will see millions of fireflies flickering their wings and igniting flashes of lights like Christmas trees. Too bad I don't have a suitable camera to capture the moment, but it is really beautiful and amazing. It's a natural light show!! 

After the fireflies viewing, the boatman will send you back to the jetty and you will be transferred back to Kota Kinabalu. 

To give you idea on what's the trip looks like, this is a video taken from Richado Tawith's youtube channel.