Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah. It is also one of the friendliest placest I have been. People will wave and call out to you as you pass by, often stopping to talk to you.

It is worth heading over to check out at least one of the islands off Kota Kinabalu if you enjoy a nice beach and a bit or snorkelling. You can also attend some diving schools that will take you here after you complete your learning and exams. Camping is also an option on one of the islands. The islands off Kota Kinabalu are likely the only place you will be finding some nice water to swim in. Around Kota Kinabalu itself, it is the usual asian story of rubbish filled dirty water.

Semenggok was a very enjoyable half day trip for me.

The trick is to arrive early in the morning. There are feeding times around 9am and 3pm, but there is a feeding area that is open beforehand in the morning. This other feeding area is actually a much better viewing area and allows you to get much closer. When I walked in there, Richie, the group leader and an impressive primal example of long hair and unleashed power. An orangutan is about 6 times stronger than a human. They are also the next smartest thing after a human. They are also the biggest animal to live in the trees and make a new nest from branches and leaves each night. Orangutans can also makes nests for a day time snooze.

The Niah Caves are 2 hours drive from Miri in Eastern Malaysia.

The Niah Caves are well worth a visit and offer a different experience to the caves found at Mulu. I actually enjoyed the Niah Caves more than the Mulu caves, but that is probably because I had seen caves with similar formations to Mulu's limestone formations before.

The Niah Caves to me were interesting because there were some nice greens and other colours that gave them an alien feel. A travelling companion called them naked compared to Mulu. There are not as many stalagmites and stalagtites offered here as in Mulu.

One of the attractions found in the Niah Caves is the painted caves. There are some reddish markings on the walls found behind a security fence. As a full scene, there is not a lot to see, but some parts of the picture are clear. My fellow cave adventurer and I walked past them the first time and only found them on the way back.

Mulu National Park offers a number of different things to do and for people of differing levels of fitness.

Canopy Walk

Deer Cave

Lang Cave
Lang Cave was a bit similar to Wind Cave. At the end is a circular path showing many coral like formations.

Clearwater Cave

Wind Cave
Wind Cave is probably the prettiest of the Caves available at Mulu. There are many coral like limestone formations offering a fairy tale type landscape.

I didn't stay in Miri for very long and made my way in and out without staying a night.

I did look at some Miri accommodation and it was quite expensive compared to other places I had been.

Miri is expensive because of the oil industry having a foothold here and the Brunei people who come over for some cheap shopping.

Miri is meant to have more of a lively nightlife and some seedy areas.

Miri makes a good gateway to destinations such as the Niah Caves and the Mulu National Park.

There is a bus available from the Miri airport, but it seems rather unreliable. Coupon's for a taxi into Miri town from the airport are 18.50 RM.