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I knew that Sipadan is one of the must-visit places if you’re ever in Sabah, so while I was in Tawau I wanted to make arrangements for a trip there. My aunt helped in getting information for me, but none of which were useful to me. Her friends and my cousin could only recommend me of the 2D/1N package, where you stay on the nearby island called Mabul for a night, and while you’re there .. they’ll bring you diving or snorkelling at Sipadan Island.

I called some travel agencies, and the prices to go there were in the range of RM4XX to 6XX! I was shocked! I mean, to pay that amount for a one night stay at some hotel/resort on an island and snorkelling .. is definitely too much for a local traveller like myself. I couldn’t justify the price so dejectedly, I called off the plans to visit Sipadan.

Sigh.

I was really looking forward to hanging out on the beach and swimming with the fishies again. Memories of when I was on Manukan Island came back to me, and I was wishing that I went to more islands, or spent more time at the beach. Sipadan was not a public island, and going there involved an application for the permit from the National Park authorities. Unlike Manukan Island, or the other islands near KK where you could just go to the jetty and go there.

My aunt offered to pay one third of the sum, and still asked if I wanted to go but again, the cost wasn’t justified. You tell me if it was worth spending RM6XX for a nights stay and snorkelling? Definitely not right? Truth was .. I didn’t wanna spend the rest of my money just like that le .. Must save a bit. Ehe.

So .. with plans to Sipadan cancelled, I thought for a bit about what I should do for the rest of the 5 days I was to be in Tawau. There isn’t much to do in Tawau, as mentioned by my dad and all, so I actually asked my aunt if Semporna was worth a visit. Well, it’s the least I could do, while I’m in Tawau. Besides … I knew how far it was from Tawau, about 110 kilometers. And I’ve been through half the road before, on the express bus.

Hey, what if I drive there? There’s an extra car around, right? I asked my aunt. After some discussion, my aunt reluctantly decided to allow me to drive to Semporna .. but with certain conditions. She was gonna coma long, and then she wanted to bring one of her aunty friend along, together with her son. I was like … “Wha…?” So much for backpacking, aye? Bringing along 2 aunties and a guy along. Her reasoning was that I wasn’t familliar with the roads there, and that I might get lost or something. Hmm… I’ve just travelled across Sabah on my own, crammed into a mini bus [van] and travelled with the locals all the way .. so I guess driving [which is something that I think I am quite good at ..] to Semporna wouldn’t be a problem le. So, after reassuring both uncle and aunt .. we were to drive to Semporna the next day, which was a Saturday.

On Saturday, it wasn’t until about 10:30 before we left Tawau. It wasn’t before my aunt had the green light from her cleared bowels too! Gosh, had to wait till she went to the toilet .. get some shots from the doctor and all. But you can’t blame her. She had a long stretch of colon removed .. so her digestive system has some serious production line issues you know. It’s extra fast. Don’t mess…

The journey was not too long, about an hour and a half. I drove the MyVi the family bought as the extra car, and it was quite fun! I had been wanting to sit in one .. as I’ve heard of it’s spaciousness and here I am .. driving it long distance! The only gripe I had about it was that condensation happens on top of the center air-conditioning vent. Kinda like .. the car’s perspiring. Hahaha. The road to Sipadan was flanked by palm oil plantations ALL the way! Look left, and you’ve got palm oil. Look right, and you’ve got .. PALM OIL! There are stretches of flat land, and there were some hilly ones too .. about 3:4 ratio. It was a pretty scenic drive, I must add.

The only places worth visiting in Semporna is the place on stilts. There a whole inn built on stilts, together with a restaurant and some huts for diving services. I think the Lonely Planet book .. or some foreigner was saying .. that Semporna is a dead town. It was. Except for the locals, who seem to go through their daily routine fine as it is. Had an unsatisfactory lunch at the restaurant there, because of the rude and imbecillic captain that took our order .. and walked around the place.

The Dragon Inn. One of the two places to put up in Semporna. The other being a boring hard cement building with a lot of floors. Which would you pick? This one, right? EHhehe.

The view from the restaurant to the open sea. notice that the islands .. put together looks like an old man lying down?

Then I had an idea. Actually, I had the idea the whole time I was driving. I thought, maybe I could find a place where they would bring you on a one day trip to Sipadan. So I walked to one of the huts that offered diving courses and trips and enquired. And to my delight, there was! You can’t imagine how excited I was when I found out that I could head out on Monday! And it didn’t cost even half as much as the lowest price I was quoted earlier by some of the travel agents I called the day before!

Oh joy!

Wait for part 2 of .. the road to Sipadan!

David[woohoo!]