Ready for super lots of pictures?
Super duper excited. 3 hours later,
Tawau Airport
Next we heading to Semporna Jetty. To me it was quite a long journey. 1 and 1/2 hours around 102km from airport. Pretty tired after spending 3 hours in the flight but that does not stop me from enjoying the palm estates along the way, chit-chatting and some introduction about the surrounding from Tawau Prince for a while. The weather I admit was wholly good.
Semporna is a small pekan near the jetty. Can really see the place is under-developed. Near 1pm, we finally reached Semporna Jetty. Super duper excited. Snapped some pictures.
Was told Semporna stayed by lots of illegal immigrants and fisherman I guess. Saw some sampan.
This is the company that manage Sipadan as well as Kapalai. Though Sipadan is rather more famous but Kapalai is catching up. Snapped some random view from the office.
Enter the office for pre-registration and getting some tags for the bags. The office is very clean and no shoes or slippers are allowed. The water surrounding is quite clean but not the best yet.
We managed to see other islands around such as Mabul Island on the way to Kapalai. After 45 minutes of boat trip from the land, we finally reached SKDR a.k.a. Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort around 2pm. The water was crystal clear and we get excited every time we saw life marine under us and yet get down the boat. The sea is very shallow around the resort during low tide around thigh level.
We were welcomed by a wet towel and orange juice like those 5*...hehehe...Enjoying the cold drinks is so tempting. The drinks served is free flow.
Some random under sea pictures taken without zooming. Can imagine how shallow and clear the sea is. Yes, we had came to heaven. No rubbish. Even 1 or 2 rubbish, they will collected it soon.
After near 1 hour briefing on the safety, activities can be done and post registration, we went snapping around.
With no wasting of time, we rented snorkel instruments and snorkeling around. We are allowed to snorkel around the diving area but not encourage to snorkel near the chalets or somewhere shallow because of sting rays. Well, if you are good enough, you can swim around resort given that do not touch the sea bed. You won't know what's hiding down there.
After some pre-snorkel fun on the first day, we had our bath and headed to the green bridge. Nothing special so we did not go in-deeper. Like botanical garden.
The picture kinda blur though. Above was the bridge to artificial beach as well as resting place. I just couldn't explain how romantic and beautiful this place is in a picture.
6 of us joined the Discovery Scuba Dive (DSD). So they need to wake up early and get ready for the course at 8am. I did not join though, a lil bit phobia. Look how I enjoyed my breakfast facing sea. Heaven.
After divided into 2 groups with 2 instructors each, they are ready for the first time venture. See how cool and smart they are. Those ka chang are sipek heavy and barely easily pick it up for the first time. Those diving techniques are crucial. So each of them listen seriously. Hehehe...
After the briefing, they are ready to soak in water 1st with head down the water. To practice breathing and controlling the equipments. One by one the instructors will bring them tho dive deeper while other soaking near the jetty. Was told there are many mini jellyfish stung around. Do not worry, not poisonous and pain. Well a good eye sight is needed to see those transparent jellyfish.
After near 3 hours after the diving course, everyone will be given a certificate which allowed you to join the diving course or test in the future given that can swim. Did not bring camera on the 2nd day afternoon. Went to Mabul Island hoping. We are not allowed to snorkel near the resort because we are not customers there. So the boatman drop us somewhere further, not even near the beach. Little things to see, much more jellyfish and leaves floating on the sea. Did not like it though.
We went up barely swimming for 10 minutes. All feel kinda disappointed though. So, the boatman drop us at another area. Not interested to snorkel again. The sea was shallower and we can see coral and SEA URCHINS on the sea bed. Unknowingly some of my friends and other Kapalai's guests snorkel around the area. Many got panic. Until now still wondering why they drop us above thousand and thousands of sea urchins. Like thousands of mine. Scary huh! Never thought actually we can enter the resort. Miss the chance rather than snorkel. Kinda regret.
We went back to Kapalai after that. Some of them snorkel near the dining hall while others looking at them from the above. Feeding fish with bread. Note only bigger fish eat bread. Those ikan bilis do not eat. Guess of their small mouth. Lols...
Before going back for bath, we went to see the sunset afraid the sun will gone while we bathing. Look how scenic the view is. Saw Emma Thompson. Do not realize/recognise them until told by the employee we had an actress family here with us. Secretly took their photo waiting for the sunset as well.
Emma Thompson and her family.
Saw some pictures at the lobby, some couples organised their wedding at here. Super duper romantic and expensive. Envy.
The artificial beach by Kapalai. Not managed to get down as the water covered the beach. Not fully low tide yet. However, we can walk around the beach from afternoon until early evening. But was told to beware of much sting rays and stone fishes.
After some time out with new friends at night, we woke up late in the morning. Was thinking to see the sun rise but raining from 4am until around 8am. Sien. Had our breakfast and lunch before departing. Bye bye Kapalai. I'm going to miss you.
We were tired on the boat trip so most of us fell asleep. By the time we reached Semporna Jetty, the sea is full of rubbish and smelly. What a big comparison. Fetched by bus provided by the resort, the driver dropped us at Kingston Hotel at Tawau town after 1 and 1/2 hours bus trip.
Still a long post to write and I get a bit tired. Lols
Alright, after a rest. Let me continue with the post.
After get down the bus, the bus driver worried about us that he keep honk us telling which way to the entrance of the hotel. Lols.....
Checking into the room. Cost RM100 per night. Not bad and the room is clean. But somehow, my friends' room got a lot of problems. Broken light bulbs and strong smelly cigarette smell in the room. We get ready and meet CL at 6.30pm for seafood dinner which was quite near the hotel as well.
His parents brought us to a seafood restaurant after the one we suppose to go closed on that day. We went to the restaurant next to it called Good View Seafood & Restaurant. It was crowded. CL's dad helped us order the specialty.
Steamed prawns. Fresh to max. Love it. Dipped with special sauce
Normal steamed fish. Fresh as well. Just caught from the aquarium
Loves it. Sayur manis. Looks kinda popular in Sabah
Lots of my friends agree it taste nice. To me it is a bit salty. Still nice
2 types of clams. Cooked nicely and tasty. I just ate the one like bamboo
These are where live seafood kept. Can imagine the freshness?
All the freshness. I'm going to miss it
The next morning, we went to eat mee soto suggested by CL's parents. It was rainy in the morning. By the time we reached the coffee shop, it was crowded. We waited for a while before we managed to get a seat.
Recommended by CL.
Thought it was special comes out just ice lemon tea. Sweat!
Chicken Mee Hoon Soto with additional prawn ball.
Seafood Mee Hoon Soto. Loves to max.
The soup is a bit spicy and the dip sauce is damn spicy. But still loves it.
After our brunch, we went to cocoa products producing factory. It was huge plantation. We were served by a scientist working in the plant. He introduced us how those products were produce, a short film and some beverages and chocolates for us.
The cuter version on how to produce cocoa powder
The great scientist. Explaining how the tang yuan is make
The cocoa drink. This is the drink that makes me full.
We did not even have lunch later.
Loves it. Not so sweet. Just purrfect.
I really do not know this 1.
But still the biscuits coated with cocoa powder is not so sweet. So thumbs up
After visiting cocoa site, we went to their local market to buy local specialties. I bought belacan shrimp paste) and sea cucumbers. Damn cheap because CL's mum knew the lady boss. Quality wise I really do not know. No experience though. My other friends bought the famous don't know the name, keropok. Really big packets.
Because we are still full, therefore we did not go for heavy lunch. Instead CL's parent bring us to a famous coffee shop serving buns. Steamed buns. We ordered pork buns as recommended and it taste heavenly. Just bit oily and got some gravy. Still loves it to max. We even ordered for second time.
Besides that, we as well ordered bean curb with fish ball. Well, I'm not a plain bean curb fan but it did not taste bad either. The fish balls taste well dipped with some chili sauce. Not hot one. We were damn full after that.
Not wasting the car's petrol, we drove around Tawau visiting CL's primary and secondary schools, old airport and finally head to organic shop to buy organic seaweeds before going back to hotel for a bath.
Our flight was suppose to depart at 9.25pm however there is a delay, maybe due to the rainy weather. Finally we get down LCCT around 1pm. After the yamcha at the mamak again and we all headed back after that.
What a long post. However, it is hard for me to describe my enjoyment at there. Seriously, Kapalai is highly recommended island compare to other island I had been to despite its expensive package as well. But it just worth it. And Kapalai is most suitable to divers as well as sea lovers.
So till then.
Time written: 5:05pm on 10th April 2011
