Luanti Fish Spa, Ranau | My Sabah Road Trip

by Daniel Chiam 

I'm not really sure if Luanti Fish Spa is the official name for this place but that's how some of the people I met address it. The name of the river is Sungai Moroli, located in Kampung Luanti Baru, Ranau. Winner of the Malaysia River Care Award back in 2006 and you can obviously see why. The water is clearer than crystal clear and the place are populated by hundreds of fishes (if not thousand!). Why do they call it a fish spa? cause you'll be attack massage by the fishes once you put your feet into the water. Personally I find it very ticklish at first, then some of the fish just bite the dead skin of your feet! Ouch a bit... but mostly ticklish, hehe. Oh, did I mentioned that some of the fishes are huge!

To get in the place, you'll need to pay a small amount of fee to get in, and you'll need to choose whether you want to just dip your legs in or the whole body into the river for the fish massage. You'll also be getting some fish food and you'll only be spending around 15 minute in the water. After that, you'll have to leave the water in order to avoid the fishes from over work. Haha, you'll have to leave or else the place will be congested with people getting too excited to not want to leave the fishes alone. The Luanti fish spa sure is one of the fun stop in Ranau that you'll enjoy.   

[More photos]

My other stop:

Batu Punggul, Nabawan

Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan
Sabah Tea Plantation, Ranau

Sabah Tea Plantation, Ranau | My Sabah Road Trip

by Daniel Chiam 

The long house

Our camp just right behind that purple flower

Bokeh

White Lotus

Big tree

I've been here before and honestly I don't really feel like coming back here for any kind of touristy visit, but since we were already off schedule for our visit to the Luanti Fish Spa, I decided to drop by and see if we could find a place stay overnight at the Sabah Tea Plantation, which located next to the Luanti Fish Spa. If you have been to Cameron Highlands tea plantation, then you'll be a bit disappointed with what Sabah Tea Plantation has to offer. Not a lot of great scenery of the tea plantation but it does offer a cheap price for you to camp there. For only RM10 per person, you'll have electricity, clean toilet and hot shower! They even have a small cafe there where you can enjoy the Sabah's tea.

Budget traveler like me just wanted a safe place to rest for the night. The rest of the facilities was really just a bonus and I can't resist a hot shower after a tiring day. All in all, I wouldn't say Sabah Tea Plantation is a must visit place if you're visiting Sabah, but if you are looking for a cheap place to camp for a night, facilities to recharge your electrical gears and to refresh yourself, then you can always swing by to Sabah Tea Plantation for the night.

[More photos]

My other stop:

Batu Punggul, Nabawan

Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan
Luanti Fish Spa, Ranau

Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan | My Sabah Road Trip

by Daniel Chiam

Water buffalo and its calf

Bad hair day?

Offered to take photo for a bunch of friends who was on vacation

Sign of visitors

Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan

Mahua waterfall located not far from the town of Tambunan. It will take less than 30 minutes car ride to get to the place, and I've been here long time ago with my school mates and teachers. Back then the road was still gravel and it took us more than an hour ride just to reached the place because of the road's horrible condition. Well, that was the past and today, even with an ordinary sedan car, you'll have no problem reaching the place.

If you ever feel like getting away from the hustle and bustle of your busy life, or just a short weekend gateway with your family/friends, this 17 meter high waterfall just might be the right choice. You can even forget about internet reception here, as it always comes and goes, and mostly its just not there. So posting your selfie here would just have to wait until later. Aside from just the waterfall, you can actually go for jungle trekking here, but you'll need to hire a guide for that.

You can even plan to stay overnight here as they also provide accommodation and food. Most importantly they have clean toilet! I've asked before and it is okay to bring your own tent and camp there for FREE. Not sure if they will start charging if many people are starting to do the same, but as for now, this place was absolutely a budget gateway for a budget traveler like me.

[More photos]

My other stop:
Batu Punggul, Sapulut, Nabawan
Sabah Tea Plantation, Ranau
Luanti Fish Spa, Ranau

Batu Punggul, Sapulut, Nabawan | My Sabah Road Trip

by Daniel Chiam

Under the bridge

Under the stars

The limestone, Batu Punggul

On top of Batu Punggul

The tajau shaped limestone

The folklore has it that Batu Punggul was once a Rumah Panjang (long house) belong to one of the Murut tribe in Sapulut. The tribe and their long house was cursed and was turned to limestone for making fun of a leech by making it drink the rice wine and getting it drunk. They were laughing and humiliating the leech and thus it offended the spirit or guardian of the forest. 

On your way to the top of Batu Punggul, you will come across a cave which believed to be the entrance to the long house, and in it you will see a huge tajau (traditional jar) shaped limestone which believed to be one of the remaining of the long house. 

I would also like to thank Mr. Lantir and his whole family from Kampung Tataluan for the hospitality and for taking good care of us when we were there. Thank you for the shelter and for the freshly caught wild board for dinner! We really had an awesome time there.

[More photos]

My other stop:

Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan

Sabah Tea Plantation, Ranau

Luanti Fish Spa, Ranau

Sabah's West Coast Road Trip

by Daniel Chiam

Batu 16, Keningau

Batu Punggul, Nabawan

Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan

Luanti, Ranau

Kundasang, Ranau

Tindakon Dazang, Kudat

From the greenish jungles to the blueish sea, it was a great experience driving around Sabah and exploring what mother nature has to offer in the Land Below the Wind. I've been away for too long from my mother land and I really needed this trip to re-connect with the cultures and the people again.

Anyway, it is Visit Malaysia Year 2014, so make a date with your family and friends and bring them to Cuti-cuti Malaysia! There are tons of beautiful places and hidden gems within Malaysia; waiting for you to discover. If you are planning to visit Sabah, the month of May is probably one of the best timing yet because it is the Harvest Festival and it's like celebrating Christmas throughout the month May for the Sabahan people!

Here's more post from my Sabah road trip 2014!

01) Batu Punggul, Nabawan
02) Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan
03) Sabah Tea Plantation, Ranau
04) Luanti Fish Spa, Ranau

Simpang Mengayau, Kudat, Sabah

Dear visitor:

Simpang Mengayau also known as The Tip of Borneo is one of the most beautiful place to visit in Sabah. Its located almost 15km from the town of Kudat and almost 3 hours drive from the city of Kota Kinabalu. It could be a very tiring journey but the view is to die for!

Simpang Mengayau itself is a station and a landmark which indicate that you have already been to the tip of Borneo. The view there is astonishingly breath taking. The sea is as blue as the sky and the breezing wind is so refreshing when it touches your skin. Close your eyes and enjoy the moment, for which at that moment I really felt the place is heaven on earth.

Do not missed the white sandy beach and the crystal clear water. Its mother nature at its very best! Diving into the ocean blue, building sand castle or just sun bathing, everything is very peaceful there. The only downside for me is that there is no place for shower and you have to go back up to the station in order to do that.

If you choose to spend a night there, you can rent a chalet there from RM100 to RM200++ per night. There's also a few places you could visit while in Kudat. The bee farm, Rungus long house or Bak Bak beach. We didn't have much time to visit all the places, but Simpang Mengayau is already good enough to cover it all.

Do visit Simpang Mengayau, the tip of Borneo at Kudat, Sabah when you have the chance. It is one of the must go places in Sabah. I also attached a few pictures here from our first trip there.

I would love to go back and visit the place again with better camera :D

Until next time, bye for now =)

Yours truly:

daniel chiam from room8five

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