‘To travel is to live.’
– Hans Christian Andersen, a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems.
There is a unique charm in rediscovering a place you haven’t visited in a while.
It’s like seeing it through fresh eyes, with the nostalgia of the familiar and the thrill of the new.
My husband and I recently took a four-day, three-night trip to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
It had been a while since either of us visited our neighbouring state, and we were thrilled to be back.
Upon disembarking the aircraft and entering Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI), we were amazed by its size, which reminded us of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
In contrast to Kuching International Airport (KIA), BKI had a wider variety of shops and a bustling crowd.
We could hear announcements for flights bound for exciting international destinations like Seoul in South Korea, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Chengdu in China, Manila in the Philippines, Tokyo in Japan, and Denpasar, Bali in Indonesia.
We couldn’t help but feel a slight tinge of envy, knowing that as Sarawakians, we often have to transit through Kuala Lumpur to access these international routes.
The convenience of direct flights from Kota Kinabalu made us wish for similar options closer to home.
Like Sarawak, Sabah is renowned for its rich natural diversity and unique cultural heritage, attracting an impressive 2.6 million tourists last year.
With direct air connectivity from countries like China, South Korea, and Indonesia, it’s no surprise that a significant portion of Sabah’s visitors come from these nations, drawn by the ease of travel and the allure of Sabah’s stunning landscapes and vibrant traditions.
While strolling through the bustling markets of Kota Kinabalu, my husband and I were impressed to see local vendors fluently engaging in Korean and Chinese with tourists.
Witnessing these interactions reminded us of a viral video featuring a Sabahan tour guide who effortlessly conversed in Italian with a pair of Italian tourists at a local store.
The guide was assisting them in navigating the world of pearls.
The viral video gained positive comments from fellow Malaysians as it showcased the remarkable linguistic talent and hospitality present in Sabah.
As a curious journalist unafraid to ask questions, I decided to inquire how the local vendors had learned to speak Korean and Chinese so fluently.
Their responses were consistent: ‘We learned from interacting with tourists every day.’
The vendors’ answers highlighted a fascinating aspect of their daily lives: their language skills were honed through real-life interactions rather than formal education.
This organic learning process not only showcases their dedication to providing excellent service but also reflects the vibrant and multicultural nature of Kota Kinabalu’s tourism industry.
At the same time, beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters define Sabah’s islands and my husband and I were eager to dive right in.
We spent a perfect day island hopping to two different islands and indulged in a mix of exhilarating activities.
Underwater sea walking was a highlight—there is something magical about exploring the ocean floor and coming face-to-face with vibrant marine life.
Parasailing gave us an incredible bird’s-eye view of the stunning islands which made us feel like we were floating above a postcard.
The banana boat ride was an absolute thrill especially when my daredevil side decided to jump into the middle of the ocean.
As the boat captain reeled us in at the end of the banana boat ride, I excitedly asked, ‘Boleh terjun?’ (Can we jump in?), to which he simply replied, ‘Terjun lah’ (Go ahead, jump).
That day, I realised that our love isn’t the ‘you jump, I jump’ kind.
Instead, it is more like ‘you jump first, then I’ll follow,’ which was exactly how it played out.
When it was time to jump, I held my husband’s hand and leapt without hesitation, but he let go of my hand and hesitated a bit longer.
He watched me floating in the ocean before finally taking the plunge himself.
‘In my defence, I wanted to see if you could float and calculate whether I needed to rescue you or not,’ he said with a grin.
Of course, I was able to float because we had life vests on and while I may not be an Olympic swimmer, I do know how to swim.
The entire moment was captured on video because I had asked a fellow tourist to record us during the banana boat ride.
You can bet I sent the video to our family, who had a good laugh at the whole ordeal.
After the exhilarating activities out in the open ocean, we decided to do some snorkelling which allowed us to get up close with the colourful coral reefs and playful fish.
The day ended with us taking a long afternoon nap and having seafood dinner for the third night in a row.
As we returned home with sun-kissed skin, we felt grateful for the brief escape from reality.
Although our trip to Kota Kinabalu was planned on short notice to celebrate my husband’s 27th birthday last Sunday (Sept 8), we were thrilled by how much we managed to experience in such a short time.
This spontaneous getaway not only made my husband’s birthday special but also reminded us of the joy of exploring new places and creating cherished memories together.
It also sparked a hopeful vision for us to see Sarawak achieve similar success in the tourism industry as its neighbouring state.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.
