KINABALU

Thursday, December 11, 2008

KUNDASANG MARKET

The Kundasang market is located by the road side about 6 kms from Mt. Kinabalu Park on the way to Poring Hot Spring. The local farmers here sell all sorts product ranging from fresh vegetables to flowers, fruits and even raw honey. We made a brief stop on the way to Celyn Resort.

On a clear day, the spectacular view of Mt. Kinabalu is breathtaking from the Kundasang market. We were unlucky as the thick cloud had already curtained the mountain off when we arrived . We could only catch a glimpse of the peak.

Vegetables stalls with plenty of green

Daily harvest from the farms in the Kundasang valley.

Raw honey

I love the colour of this Poinsettia.

A variety of Chrysantamums

Hibiscus with a unique colour

Red chillis

The price tag for the day was from RM10-15 per pot.

Durian in season

The fruit stalls corner

This is a "must stop" market place for local visitors to Mt. Kinabalu park and Poring Hot Spring as the product here are usually much cheaper than those in the city.

Monday, December 8, 2008

CELYN RESORT

Last Sunday, we drove to Kundasang area to check out the Celyn Resort. I wanted to find out if this resort is suitable for us to spend a quiet Christmas eve away from home.

The winding road near Mt.Kinabalu Park. It was a misty morning.

After driving for one and a half hour, passing Mt. Kinabalu Park and Kundasang, we entered a side road leading uphill to Celyn. To my surprise, this road is unpaved and quite steep at certain spots. Nevertheless, I did not have any problem in the final 10 minutes drive with our Proton Wira.

The main building of the resort

The viewing terrace and BBQ area.

A close-up view of the block facing Mt. Kinabalu

This resort is located at about 6000 feet above sea level. I found that it was colder than Mt. Kinabalu park and Kundasang. I was told the temperature has been between 15-20 C in the morning and evening. The resort has a total of 32 rooms of which 16 are facing the majestic mountain and the other 16 facing the valley. All rooms have balconies where guests can relax and enjoy the scenic view of the mountain or the valley.

Mt. Kinabalu from the baclony. It would be much better on a clear day.

Their rooms are furnished with either a double king size bed or 2 single beds.
I noticed that the rooms are fully equip with modern amenities like ensuite bathroom with shower cubicles, hot & cold water, television set with DVD player, coffee making station, hair dryer, telephone, ceiling fans and cable channel.

The restaurant is good for 80 people. They serve western and local cuisines

There is a game room

Flowers are plentiful around the resort.

This is resort is good for outdoor activties, like jungle trekking as there are many nature walkways.

I rate this resort as 3 star. We decided that it is a good resort to spend a night on Chirstmas eve.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

WATERFRONT KOTA KINABALU

Waterfront Kota Kinabalu is located at the seafront of the city. along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens. It is a popular hangout for both visitors and locals. I took a stroll along the esplanade last week enjoying the cool sea breeze while watching the sunset.

The esplanade is a real good place to relax after a busy day. There are some restaurants featuring Western, Chinese and local cuisines. Pubs and cafes are also available.

I like this sunset bar on the upper floor. They serve some Western menu. It takes only about 10 minutes walk from any hotels in the city or a short drive from the near by resorts like Sutera Harbour and Shangri-la Tanjung Aru Resort. You cannot miss it even at night.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

EATING OUT IN BRISBANE

In Brisbane, there are plenty of places with stylish cafes and foods to choose from especially during lunch time. There is also a wide range of food in the food courts of shopping malls offering lots of choices and variation. Most of the food are reasonably priced and guaranteed to fill you up.