Apr 2008

Our first stop in Malaysia was Sabah, Borneo, a short flight from the peninsula. Sadly it rained the whole time we were there so we couldn't do a lot of the trips we had planned.

Turns out the towns in Sabah are fairly charmless places too which, in combination with the rain, left most people wanting out! We ran to Air Asia, changed our flights and headed back to the peninsula as soon as possible - we'll have to revisit in dry season! The trips that weren't rained off were good fun though, Sepilok Orangutan centre being the highlight.

Comfy?!

Hatchery on Turtle Island, Sabah

Turtle Island, Sabah

Over to Melaka, just north of Singapore and I loved Asia all over again! An old Dutch / Portuguese colonial town with lots of character and great satay restaurants!

Old Fort

Melaka by night

Next stop the Cameron Highlands, an old hill station famous for it's tea plantations. Good for a cuppa after a hard walk/climb!

Sweaty after reaching the top!

Tea!

Attempting the blowpipe at local Orang Asli village

Are you sure, play with the nose?!

Quick pit-stop at Taman Negara National Park on the way to the east coast.

Walking the jungle canopy

Next stop was the lovely, deserted Perhentian Islands for some hammock action - we managed to tear ourselves away nearly a week later, just before the hammock-sores took hold!

We made the short-ish journey and crossed from east coast to west coast as a way of entering Thailand via another beach, Langkawi.

After a month in Malaysia we felt pretty relaxed and refreshed, especially as the price of booze (nearly the same as home!) shocked us into detox! We waved a fond farewell to Malaysia and headed over to country number 13, Thailand.