Sabah - Kota Kinabalu : Sunset motion by Rooftop at Le Meridien KK

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

The opening of Rooftop @ Le Meridien and Au Soleil

The rain was drizzling on and off, but we were certainly lucky that we are able to see a perfect purple pink sunset from the rooftop. 

I always think how should one hotel/ business operator operates when there's actually involving the weather, people go there it's because of the view.  What if raining? It would be awful and daily worry to carry the necessary from under the sun and to avoid the rain. Oh my.

 

The sunny smile won't let us down!

We had a number of drinks and we enjoyed our evening with friends and new friends as well. 

Thanks to Le Meridien for having us on this private preview.

Cheese Wheel

Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu GM, Mr Kanit Sangmookda

Going through the menu and reasonably priced and more with happy hour rate!

Thanks to lovely Elaine to take these lovely photos of mine.

And now, I'm going to share the "sunset in motion" :)

Cheers!

Facebook : Rooftop at Le Meridien
Instagram : Rooftop at Le Meridien
Location :
Le Meridien KK

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Sabah Food : The Native Butod (Sago Worm) Eating Challenge

My goodness sack!

With SOW Sabah having a booth at Borneo Eco Film Festival from 2nd November to 4th November at Suria Sabah.

We saw the native food booth is there as well. For the first time in my life, we challenged ourselves to have Butod. Sago Worm as widely known. 

Butod is one of the source of energy to the native and they just had it like a norms. For us, it's like heaven and earth. Watch our video for hilarious moment.

Above : Live Eating Butod Experience.

It's just Butod wriggling there.

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Sabah - Papar : Leong Yung Hua 梁荣华饭店 - The Famous Roasted Pork here!

Sabah Travel : Papar

My mom always said that there's one shop that having one of the best BBQ Roasted Pork and Pork Yam.

I have been here before, but can't really recall how it taste and recent visit to Papar for "jalan-jalan dekat Sabah".

Did I told you that Sabah having all kinds of noodle named after each province, from Tuaran Mee, Tamparuli Mee, Kota Belud Mee and Sandakan Mee. I don't think Papar claimed having Papar mee, but for sure having the best roasted pork here at Papar.

Operated for more than 80 years from older generation until the current generation of the 3rd and 4th. The name Leong Yung Hua 梁荣华 was named after their great grandfather who were originated from China, and why do the shop was named such, its all because Chinese always named after our name back then, no fancy signature, and especially the recipe by their great grandfather as well.

I always wonder what does a small town like Papar could offer for meal. Not many for sure. ;) If you know any other good recommendation here in Papar, do let me know!

Opening Hour :
6am to 5pm
Location :
Papar Town (Opposite Cheng Wah Primary School)
GPS Location :
5.735573N 115.9329942E
Contact No : 
Ah Lun 0165366971

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Sabah : They Say Harvest Festival in May, Is Like Sabah Style "Oktoberfest" (WHY LA!)

Sabah : Harvest Festival
Vlog : Available at the end of this post.

I bet our Harvest Festival would be a happening event in fact!

It's an annual event that Harvest Festival is one of the largest event of Sabah, it is celebrated by all the natives, the Sinos and I guess even their friends who are non- natives. Which who don't drink, right? ;)

It's been a while since the last visit to KDCA for it's happening event held annually. This year, we were wondering why the weather was so bad that it has been heavily rained and some of the core area was flooded after the heavy rain poured on the 31st May.

It was drizzling when I was there on the first day (30th) of the event, sometime in the afternoon since it was a public holiday. The weather was nice and cooling, we were able to have a walk there and I did took a short clip which you could scroll to the bottom of this post.

Photo credit : Kupi Kupi FM Facebook.

The highlights of Harvest Festival would be the Unduk Ngadau, definitely congratulation to al the winners. The 1st place - Inanam (Hosiani James Jaimis), 2nd place - Penampang (Sherrylyn Jane Rannytho) and 3rd place won by - Putatan (Vanessa Audrey Gilbert).

Creative snacks

Harvest Festival is the highlights, there's also snacks, beers and other interesting food and booth available at the venue. The main highlight of the food, would be the pork and lamb, varieties of dishes available for us to try!

Yes, people drinks there. And it is definitely a crowd behind every stall of finger food. And that's why it started to be known as the "Oktoberfest" in May. The Sabah style.

KDCA

It was crowded and definitely recommend to everyone to feel the Sabah spirit!

Click "PLAY" to view, and "Subscribe" my Travel and Food Channel too!

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Sabah Must Eat @ Yu Kee Ba Kut Teh (佑记肉骨茶)

Kota Kinabalu Eats : Gaya Street

The travelers always recommend that Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh is one of the must eat spot when friends and family came to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Located at one of the exclusive place in KK City while convenient for tourist to have an experience of our lovely city of nature resort.

What is Bak Kut Teh? BKT in short, which having pork and organs simmered for hours in soup of herbs and spices (such as star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui and garlic). 

Is a type of Chinese food that the labour from the olden days at the port to energise their energy and maintain their health to work harder. The explanation that I mentioned here is stated by one of the BKT restaurant at Port Klang when I was there months ago. ;)

Even my uncle and auntie from Canada always came here for this local taste of BKT. They felt that returning to KK will not be complete without Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh.

For me, I am the local here, and yes, once in a while i will be here for bowls of varieties and recommend to my friends from other places too. Remember be there early to taste the authentic taste of savoury Yu Kee Bak Kut Teh!

Location :
It's opposite The Jesselton Hotel.
74, Jalan Gaya, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

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Sabah : The Native + Local Cuisine Series

Sabah - The Land Below the Wind

When Brother Jimmy and wife were back in Kota Kinabalu from the Britain, he would like to have all of us to gather our relative at Kinarut, where my grandfather from. :)

It was a last minute gathering and it's an interesting one when it was so long ago since the last visit back to "kampung". Some of you maybe wondering, why kampung? Am I a Chinese? Well, Sabah is well known for its mixed marriage, and I am one of the generation of the Sino (Native + Chinese). Yes, I am a Sino.

Okay, it was a fine Saturday when we were there. Many of us just greet and had a long conversation, yes, very long and since mid afternoon till almost dawn? Back to the glorious local and native food we had. Yummy! Even Brother Jimmy's wife - Margaret (a British) likes it, not all British could accept the traditional food right?

By the way, it's a potluck day and everyone bringing or cook and bring it there. My dad prepared his best dish - The Mangolian Pork belly and Chicken.

 

- Hinava - 

Made of Bitter gourd and fresh fish fillet, add on with lime and other ingredients for the sour taste.

In fact, this is one of my favorite native dish. 

Although this dish does not require any heat, the fresh fish meat will be cook when we add in the lime, it's a type of chemical reaction.

- Bambangan -

Seems like Bambangan only could be found in Sabah. It's is the mango from the wild, sweet and sour taste and we could even smell it from far far away! The native would also cut it into pieces and even the  

- Fried Salted Fish -

- Tuhau -

Marinated wild ginger as appetizer or as side dish. Wild ginger does not taste hot, but more to sour after being marinated. And while typing this post, I realised that native food are more to marinated type, sweet and even sour.

 

- Young Jack fruit Dish -

Not sure what it is called, I remember my dad used to cook when he had the crave and when he saw the young fruit.

- Pinasakan -

Kadazandusun Dish

Non spicy, but it taste sour. Best with the Sago! Which I am not liking it much with the Sago. 

- Pinasakan -

Another type of Pinasakan with spicy flavour.

- Fried Bitter Gourd -

Not a traditional dish, but all of love it! Prepared by my aunt. Crunchy would be the best texture.

Can't remember this one. It's a type of vegetables, local vegetables.

- Boiled Tapioca -

Hmm... If you ask me, I only know how it looks, instead of the name.

 

- Pamelo Delights -

The pamelo was from my relative backyard. It was sweet and such a delightful appetizer!

- Bubur Chacha -

Sweet potato, green bean soup. We can't categorised it as native, but I guess it's more to the "local" kind of food.

It was nice being able to gather all of us there, it was also unusual to see all of us under one roof as all of us having our own home as well. Not only the traditional food were one of the best highlight and most of it were ordered from a home seller nearby Kinarut. :) Blessed to have such a good meal that day!

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Kota Belud【沙巴玩】Nature & River Cruise Trip 古打毛律一日游 #FireFlies #Birding #NatureLover

Kota Belud, Sabah. 沙巴， 古打毛律。

It was the first trip to explore the nature side of Kota Belud. Before this, I had the chance only to have a bowl of Kota Belud noodles or a passerby to reach another town. I do admire the paddy field that Kota Belud could offer, it was a calm sight. :)

It took us roughly two hours to reach Kota Belud. There were a few scenery spots that Jeremy brought us too and here are some of the extraordinary home to the villages/ native that we were able to experience.

- Mechanical Hand Water Pump -

Kota Belud Day Trip - Mechanical Water PumpWe had to chance to experience the mechanical water pump at Kota Belud!
Posted by Meitzeu.com on Sunday, 3 January 2016

Serving the villagers since 1980's until the era where electrical pump was introduced.

Everyone was excited to see the mechanical hand water pump and even took a short video with it!

- Assembly of Scarecrows -

It frighten us when we were getting nearer to the secondary school, we saw many "people" in clothes was assembling at the field. In fact, the school was creating a Malaysian record for that event "Orang-Orang".

- Paddy Field, The River, The Sky, The Breeze -

- Kota Belud Town : Almost 100 years staircase -

A staircase for the villages to bring things to sell at the weekly market. It was there since many years ago.

- Kota Belud Noodle -

Tuaran have Tuaran Mee, Tamparuli have Tamparuli Mee. Non the less, Kota Belud do have their noodle "branding" as well. The coffee shop located at the middle of the blocks of shops. It was sad to say that the shop will be abolish soon and the whole area will be uplifted into bus terminal. 

The bowl of noodle maybe will be the last time we had.

- Temple -

#OnlyInSabah We appreciate every culture and religion in Sabah, even the temple was located next to a Islam school. We should respect another religion, we respect them and vice versa.

- Penjaram -

Jeremy told us that they have a local delicacies served during tea time. We had a cup of coffee with Penjaram, banana fritters and others. It was tasty and clean serving that Borneo Bayau offers. A family based tour company that I often believe.

- Selfie with Horse -

Did I told you that Kota Belud also know as the home to Cowboys from the East (The Bajau Horsemen). The villagers believe that horses are the symbol of wealthy and the during Tamu Besar Kota Belud, an annual event held at Kota Belud, the Bajau Horsemen will dressed their horse and ponies in respondents customs, while displaying their unrivaled horse riding skills.

We were lucky to witness and even had a ride on the dressed horse that the Bajau horseman brought to the compound of Borneo Bayau Tours. Such an obedient horse he have.

Bajau horsemen dress their horses and ponies in resplendent costumes, while displaying their unrivaled horse-riding skills. A great time to witness traditional sports such as buffalo racing and the crowning of the Sarempak/Senisip Beauty Queens. Check the event listing to see when this year's Tamu Besar Kota Belud will take place. - See more at: http://www.sabahtourism.com/destination/tamu-kota-belud#sthash.amuRhlhN.dpuf

- Tempasuk River -

It was time for us to have river cruising along Tempasuk River. It is another river nearer to Kota Kinabalu that we could enjoy the nature and even to search for the famous PROBOSCIS MONKEYS! They have big size Proboscis monkeys there!

- We found Proboscis Monkeys -

- Proboscis Monkeys -

Certainly huge right? We even spotted small babies!

- Resort along the river? -

We saw the local Malay Bajau houses along the river. IT WAS HUGE! Different feeling during the river cruising.

- The Sunset -

- The Sunset -

 - Dinner by Borneo Bayau Tours -

Delicious local dishes that fills everyone taste buds.

- Where we start our River Cruise -

- Fire Flies -

We had the chance to have a look at fireflies at Tempasuk River. A second trip to see the "Christmas Tree" that created by Mother Nature.

- River Cruising -

That's our river cruising with Borneo Bayau Tours. A satisfied one with friends and family. #FunWithBorneoBayau

It's been a while that I share trips within Sabah! Till then and I wanted to go for a round trip to Sandakan!!! 

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