After Mulu, I continued my journey from Miri to Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) in Brunei by a van “sapu” (unlicensed van). It costs a little bit more (RM60) but more convenient and faster than bus. The van picked me up from Miri airport and drove me all the way to BSB. I don’t even need to get down from the van. Not even at the immigration. When I reached BSB, I didn’t even felt like I have left Malaysia. Everything just felt the same. The first local I spoke to was in hokkien dialect! Then the signboards are all in Malay language that I am so familiar with and the food taste alike. But that’s where the similarity ends.

Then it began to feel more like Singapore. Everything is 2.4 times more expensive than Malaysia. For example, a simple meal in Malaysia is around RM5. In BSB, it was B$5. After conversion, it became RM12. Their currency is tagged to Singapore Dollar. That means, I can use SG$ to spend in Brunei. Other than that, I don’t see any motorcycle or to be more specific, “kapcai” on the road. All I see was cars or vehicles that has 4 wheels or more. Again, that’s where the similarity ends with Singapore.

Even though the oil-laden country is rich, but somehow I felt it was underdeveloped and lifeless. There is only one proper shopping complex in town. The rest are just either deserted or empty. But that’s OK. I can survive without shopping. But what I cannot accept is everything was pretty much dead at night. The only consolation was a cafe that opens for 24 hours. If there is any reason to visit BSB at all, then it must be the Sultan. Almost every places of interest in BSB has something to do with the Sultan. For example, the 2 most famous mosques are named after the Sultans (one for him and one for his father) and the center of all attractions is the Royal Regalia Museum in which kept all the gifts received by the Sultan from various heads of state from all over the world. It makes all the souvenirs sold in market look like rubbish. However, what impressed me the most are not the mosques nor the museums, but the water village or should I say; water villages. It was so huge that put the Penang’s clan jetties into shame. As I found out later, it consists of many villages with a mosque for each villages. It was so huge that I did not have enough time or energy to discover all.

Overall, BSB is only good for a day or two. However, it is not a place I would like to visit for a second time. With this, I would like to conclude my Borneo adventure which was also the final trip of 2009.

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1. Penang – Kuching (via AirAsia – RM36.50)
2. Kuching – Miri (via AirAsia – RM101.50)
3. Miri – Mulu (via MasWings – RM111)
4. Mulu – Miri (via MasWings – RM111)
5. Miri – Kota Kinabalu (via AirAsia – RM36.50)
6. Kota Kinabalu – Penang (via AirAsia – RM33.50)
7. Bandar Seri Begawan – KL (via AirAsia – RM158.50)

If you look at it, it doesn’t make sense. It is because my journey was not fix. I kept my options open and in the end, I skipped flight #5 and #6. That’s the beauty of traveling alone. I do not need a fix plan. If my friends are following, they would have screamed their head off at me.

I began my 1 week Borneo adventure in mid-October to take advantage of the Deepavali holidays. I landed in Kuching airport around night time and shared a taxi with some local tourists to the waterfront. After a short walk, I reached my guest house; B&B Inn and stayed there for 2 nights. I had a wonderful time throughout my stays there. The private fan room was spacious, clean and it only cost RM25 a night. Most important, it has free wifi. The staffs are friendly too. We went out drinking, eating and even watched a movie in a cinema together. I did not hesitate when the owner invited me to follow him in his car when he wanted to go out to do some errant around town.

Kuching is a pedestrian friendly town. It wasn’t that big and most interesting places are cramped around the waterfront. However, the real attractions are all located far from the town and suitable for day trip. Since I was only there for 2 days, I decided to take it easy and sampled as much local delicacies as possible while strolling around the waterfront. Sometimes, I felt like at home because most of local Chinese speaks hokkien dialect but the slang is a little bit off. The city is pleasantly slow and relaxing because there are not many cars on the road and most places are not crowded. For example, I went to watch a movie in a cinema and it has only 4 persons including myself in the cinema hall. I was there during Deepavali celebration but it was not a public holiday in Sabah and Sarawak mainly because there are not many Indians around. The city’s Little India has more Chinese than Indians. I would like to end this post with some photos I took around Kuching.

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If you have visited Mulu before, you may want to try out other more adventurous options available such trekking to the Pinnacles. They may take more time and more expenses.

Other than food stuffs, these are some items you should include in your packing list.

• A good walking shoe. Even though the routes to all 4 show caves are easy stroll on the wooden plank, there is a lot of walking and climbing to do.
• Swimming attire. It is fun to swim at the entrance of Clearwater Cave and Paku Waterfall. So don’t miss it.
• Flash light or headlamp. Even though all 4 show caves have lights lit along the way, it is not bright enough to see in details. Also good to shine your way through staircases.
• Poncho or raincoat. They don’t call Gunung Mulu National Park a rain forest for no reason.
• Insect repellent. The bats may do a good job at keeping the insects populations at check, but it is good to keep a can of insect repellent for just in case.

There you have it; a complete guide to explore Gunung Mulu National Park at shoestring budget.

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1. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Introduction and Getting There
2. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Day 1 Itinerary
3. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Accommodation and Food

• Wind & Clearwater Caves (RM10 per person)
• Longboat from Park HQ to Wind & Clearwater Caves and return with stopover at a Penan long house (RM30 per person)
• Trekking to Paku Waterfall (Free)
• Night Shift tour (RM10 per person)

The start of our 2nd day tour by long boat

Getting ready in the boat. Life jacket is provided.

Enjoying the view along the river.

First, we paid a short visit to a Penan longhouse

Buying some souvenirs

Helping the Penan to sell off some souvenirs

An elderly Penan women demonstrated her flute playing skill

The Penan long house

Back to the long boat

Continuing to the show caves

Some birds we saw along the way

At the junction. First cave of the day is Wind Cave

A bit of climbing to the entrance of Wind Cave

This is Wind Cave

Waiting for other tourists before the start of our tour

Some views inside the cave

King's Chamber in Wind Cave

Some views inside King's Chamber

Many long narrow columns in King's Chamber

The columns are long and narrow

More stalagmites and columns

A flowstone

More views inside King's Chamber

Some sharp stalactites

Inside Wind Cave

Cam whoring before leaving the cave

Walking to Clearwater Cave on the wooden board.

Raj, me and Justin

Enjoying the view along the way

More group photo

The platform outside the Clearwater Caves

The guide offering some wild durians to some tourist.

Giant stalactites hanging outside the entrance of Clearwater Cave. Notice the single banana leaf like plant?

Inside Clearwater Cave

Amazing view from here

Easy stroll in the cave

The water in Clearwater Cave is indeed very clear. You can wash your hand in it...

...or wash your leg in it...

...or drink it!

The mini pinacles I found in the cave

The highlight of the day was swimming in the cold river outside of the Clearwater Cave

Don't miss this. It was fun.

You can just swim in it...

...or learn how to do some yoga pose.

End of the tour. Going back to the HQ.

On the way back to the HQ

Saw a weird looking gecko on our way to Paku Waterfall

Trekking to Paku Waterfall. It is free and guide is not needed.

Taking some group photograph along the way

What? This is Paku Waterfall? It was a bit disappointing.

The shower in our rooms have bigger stream of water.

Luckily we know how to have fun. First, we check how high is the fallen branch from the water.

Then, how deep is the water beneath the branch.

We decided to our own free-style diving competition. First contestant was Reinhold from Germany doing a"honey, here I come" jump.

Next was Karthi from India doing a "kiss my ass" jump

Next is Justin doing a "Give me back my balls" jump

Finally, is yours truly doing a "hidden dragon, crouching tiger" jump

"Hmm... what a fun day"

The contestants and the judges

One more pose in the jungle

We found this huge tree on our way. Can't help to take photo with it.

Some creatures in the night walk

Have you seen an insect doing yoga?

One nasty centipede

Frog...

Day 3 Itinerary

Mulu Canopy Skywalk (RM30 per person)

I didn't do this. Decided to relax on the last day.

To be continue…

If you love this post, then you might love these:

1. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Day 1 Itinerary
2. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Introduction and Getting There
3. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Accommodation and Food

Day 1

• Deer & Lang Caves including bat exodus (RM10 per person)

Day 2

• Wind & Clearwater Caves (RM10 per person)
• Longboat from Park HQ to Wind & Clearwater Caves and return with stopover at a Penan long house (RM30 per person)
• Trekking to Paku Waterfall (Free)
• Night Shift tour (RM10 per person)

Day 3

• Mulu Canopy Skywalk (RM30 per person)

Day 1 Itinerary

Briefing infront of the park's office before the start of our first tour

Here we go. The long walk to the show caves.

Still walking

Chit chat along the way

then cam whoring...

Lantern bug

One of the encounter with the creature of Mulu

Close up of the millipedes

Resting at the place where we watch the bat exodus before proceed to the caves

Me and Justin

View of Deer Cave from the bat observatory

Another kind of hairy creature of Mulu. AKA the Wolverine with his cute girlfriend.

See. His back also got so much hairs.

Posing with the creature in his natural habitat

Really tiny butterfly landed on my hand

Huge bee hives hanging on the limestone wall

Spying on the bats with hidden camera.

Walking toward the show caves

Welcome to Lang Cave

Me and my headlamp

Our first cave was Lang Cave

Water dripping from stalactite to stalagmite

The ceiling in Lang Cave

Weird looking rock created by the wind

Some very fine silky threads hanging on the rock. No sure what it is.

Still inside Lang Cave

Adjusting my headlamp to have a better view.

Done with Lang Cave.

Going to Deer Cave

Next cave is the famous Deer Cave.

Walking toward Deer Cave

At the mouth of Deer Cave

Some information before entering the cave

The mouth of Deer Cave

Abraham Lincoln is in the cave?

The magnificient Deer Cave

The wooden walkway provides easy stroll in the cave.

Really ugly bat

Scary ant-like insect. Really big.

Walking back to Bat Observatory to wait for the bats to fly out.

Back to the bat observatory

Bat exodus has begun. Dinner time for the bat. Looks like a blank dragon flying out from the cave.

More bats

Close up of the bats

Close up of the bats

The bats flying in circular formations

Click here to view the embedded video.

To be continue…

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1. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Day 2 and Day 3 Itinerary
2. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Introduction and Getting There
3. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Accommodation and Food

The cheapest place to sleep is at the Park HQ’s dormitory. It only cost RM37 per person per night. If you have two person and you wish to have some privacy, you can choose a fan room with attached bathroom that cost slightly more expensive at RM110 per room per night. Additional person may cost extra. There are also air-conditioned rooms that cost RM180 per room per night which I personally think not worth it because electricity is cut off from 12 midnight to 6am. That means no air-cond when you sleep. Breakfast is included in all accommodation. To avoid disappointment, pre-book your accommodation by contacting the Park HQ.

Gunung Mulu National Park HQ

Our room is in the same building with the cafe

Cafe Mulu. The one and only place to eat in Mulu Park HQ.

The private fan room. It is quite spacious.

Our room from another angle

Our spacious room

Corridor toward our room

Resting at the Cafe while escaping the rain.

Mulu Discovery Center located inside the cafe

Inside Mulu Discovery Center

Food

When it comes to food, you don’t have much options and they are quite expensive in Mulu. For example, a small bottle of drinking water is RM3, a bowl of plain rice is also RM3, a can of beer is RM8 and a plate of fried rice is RM10. Luckily water boiler is provided in the room. To save money, I boiled my own drinking water. Remember, you are going into a jungle. There are no 7-Eleven or coffee shops. So, pack your own food stuff and snacks before you fly into Mulu. That will save you some cash.

The cafe's counter. Order your food here.

The menu

The menu

Our free breakfast

Laksa

The cafe is nestled at the edge of the jungle surrounded by greenery

To be continue…

If you love this post, then you might love these:

1. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Introduction and Getting There
2. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Day 1 Itinerary
3. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Day 2 and Day 3 Itinerary

Many have the misconception that Gunung Mulu National Park is an expensive place to visit. I’m gonna show to you that it is not as expensive as you expected. Firstly, let me introduce to you what is Gunung Mulu National Park. Like any other National Park in Malaysia, Gunung Mulu National Park is one amazing tropical rain forest with rich biodiversity. The star attractions are the caves and the bats. Of all caves in Mulu, the most famous cave is Deer Cave. It was the largest cave passage in the World until a new cave named Son Doong Cave was discovered in Vietnam early this year. The national park offers multiple level of challenges that cater for family vacation to adventure outing. It is good enough for 3D/2N weekend vacation. Oh, it is also listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Inside Deer Cave

Getting There

Even though you can get into the park by boat, the best way is by air. Why? Firstly, the boat ride takes 10 hours and lastly it may cost more than flying. The only airline that flies to Mulu is MASwings. You can fly in either from Miri or Kota Kinabalu. If you are not from these locations, you may need to find a way to get there perhaps by budget airlines such as AirAsia. Check the website regularly for latest promotion. At the time of writing, MASwings is having a promotion for their 2nd anniversary. The cheapest fare (excluding tax) from Miri is only RM2 (yes, two Ringgit) and from KK is RM22.

The smallest aircraft I have ever fly in. Not as scary as I expected.

Boarding the plane

Inside the aircraft. I love free drink in the aircraft

I know it sounds crazy, but before you rush to book your flight, here is an important tip. Don’t ever book your flight out from Mulu at late evening or you will risk your flight being canceled like what happened to me. This is because they don’t fly after 4pm. Millions of bats will come out for dinner around this time and it is definitely not a good idea to bump into them at midair. So, if the flight go delayed past 4pm, they will cancel the flight. This can be a dreadful experience to some people especially to those who has another flight to catch at Miri airport. However, MASwings will provide free accommodation at the luxury Royal Mulu Resort which includes buffet dinner and breakfast. So yeah, it may be a good thing to some people such as myself

My room at Royal Mulu Resort. I had the whole room to myself. Courtesy from MAS.

My room from another angle

View from my room

View from my room

Enjoying the night with some friends in the pub of the resort

On the way back to my room

Buffet dinner and breakfast were provided free

I was there

Another view in the resort.

To be continue…

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1. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Accommodation and Food
2. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Other Expenses and Packing List
3. Gunung Mulu National Park on Budget – Day 1 Itinerary

I still remember when I went to apply for my Bangladesh visa via a tour company, the staff looked at me surprisingly and asked “Bangladesh? Why the heck do you want to go there? You work in a foreign worker recruitment company one, is it?”.

Now I understand why they reacted like that. When I was in Dhaka, I stuck up like a sore thumb in the crowd. I was the only foreign looking person in the city. I couldn’t find any travellers during my short stay in Dhaka. It can be overwhelming and scary at the same time. Wherever I go, hundred of eyeballs followed me. It was more intimidating than in India. I locked myself in the room during night time and only dare to explore the city during daytime. Too bad I only have 2 days in this mysterious land before I flew back to KL. Otherwise, it would make an interesting place to explore.

This is the end of my 5 weeks adventure. If you would like to know how to do the same, please read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 on my one month backpacking in India. Thanks for following yet another adventure of mine and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

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So here I am in Kolkata, the last city before I leave India. Unlike other major cities in India namely Mumbai and New Delhi, Kolkata has a distinctive feature as arts and cultural centre of India.

Even though I was going to leave the country very soon, I still have to endure few challenges. When I was there, India was hit by heat wave. In some parts of the country, the temperature rose as high as 46 deg Celsius and Kolkata was not spared. To make things worse, the whole city blackout from early evening until midnight making the heat became more unbearable. I strolled along the streets in darkness looking for a place to escape the heat. Luckily few big shops and restaurants have their own power generator. I ended up having my dinner in KFC and spend the rest of my night buying Hindi musics and Bollywood movies in an entertainment store. Both have air-cond. The power finally resumed around midnight. Hoping that I could finally sleep comfortably, but I still sweat on my bed even though the fan was on full blast, windows opened and I was shirtless.

The next morning in the guest house, I bumped into Marcel whom I met in Mumbai. We were surprised to see each other again. Together, we explored the city little bit, enjoyed some cultural shows, indulged in some Bengali food and shopped for some souvenirs. During one of our exploration in a crowded local bus, I was almost became a victim of pick pocket. Luckily, I was alert and caught the man red handed. I let him go with a warning. Some of the passengers were very concerned and let me have their seat. The bus conductor even gave me advise to be careful.

It has been a long journey for me. More than one month ago, I stepped into this country expecting the worst. Well, it was indeed the worst but it was also the best place I have visited. Aside from losing some weight and got plenty of sun tan, I’m glad I have survived the journey. Now I am heading into Bangladesh to catch my flight back home. I hope everything will go smoothly.

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As I was getting nearer to the end of my journey, I thought I have seen it all until I reached Varanasi. Where else can you see dead people burning around the clock on a river bank and human cleaning themselves in the same river. Dead bodies aside, the sacred Ganga is indeed a very spiritual place for the Hindu. Life and death seem to revolves around the river. The river sustain the life of people living around it and when they die, their body is return to the river. Even though I dare not touch the water, but millions of people believe that bathing in the river will cleansed their body and wash away all their sins or something like that. The river bank is always full of life and activities. The best way to witness it is to take an early morning or late evening stroll along the river bank or by human powered boat ride. Before I left, I did a quick excursion to Sarnath via a local bus. This is where Buddha gave his famous first sermon to a handful of followers in a deer park.

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