DO-IT-YOURSELF LABUAN, MALAYSIA

DO-IT-YOURSELF LABUAN, MALAYSIA

If you are in Brunei and planning to have a day trip to Labuan, Malaysia, you can do it yourself!

We took the earliest bus from the bus terminal in Bandar Seri Begawan ( the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Brunei) to get to the main ferry terminal in Brunei - the Serasa Ferry Terminal in MUARA before 7:30 a.m. Good thing that buses normally left at 8:00 a.m. because they usually wait for another 30 minutes to get more passengers. Yes, as many as possible but they sail even with only one passenger aboard. The terminal is about 25 kms. from Bandar Seri Begawan. 

Getting there: There are purple buses (No. 38) linking the ferry terminal with  Bandar Seri Begawan. Earliest Bus leaves at around 6:40 a.m. The shuttle costs B$2 per person and takes about 40 minutes to an hour to arrive at the ferry terminal from the bus terminal in Bandar Seri Begawan. Or you can just take a tour van / taxi. Bus leaves the terminal even if there are only (4) four passengers like in our case.

Please note that you need to pay a tax  or "cukai kepala" to get out of Brunei. Currently slated @ B$2 per ferry ticket. Inquire at the counter or travel agents if you didn't get the tax coupon when purchasing the tickets.

There are five (5) scheduled Ferries that leaves Brunei to Labuan, Malaysia everyday. With additional service on weekends. Ferries from Brunei to Labuan usually take about an hour to an hour and a half. The ticket price is B$15  for adults plus a B$1.00 terminal fee. Child is B$10.

Note: Always bring your passport with you. I am not connected in anyway to the above travel agents nor I was given any commission whatsoever. I just thought some of you might like to call to double check about the schedules. Please leave a comment if you like me to edit the picture so I could take out the name and contact # of that travel agent. Thank you.

Unlike the KK-Brunei direction, there is no two-ferry "package" nor can you book tickets in advance.

A single journey ticket from Labuan to Brunei will cost you 35 Malaysian Ringit.  There are two ferries on a daily basis. One leaves at 8 AM, the other at 1:30 PM.

The ferry is air-conditioned. It gets a bit cold inside the ferry so better bring a light sweater. There's a TV in front playing a comedy series in Bahasa language. 

At the arrival hall of Labuan are flyers and counters for renting cars or motorbikes which are popular choices for foreigners who would like to explore the city on their own. Rental of a motorbike costs around 30 ringgit per day. Rent for a Proton Gen-2 car would cost you some 70 ringgit, which is not bad for driving around Labuan in style. You will also see lots of paper ads for different guest houses in Labuan.

There's a lot of Filipinos in Labuan especially at the duty-free stores. They work there either as cashier or saleslady/ salesman.

According to a Pinoy who showed us around Labuan, some Filipinos are undocumented workers who arrived in Labuan as tourist. There is rampant forgery of work permits and identifications cards (ICs) in Labuan. The outflow of Muslims from Mindanao to Sabah was welcomed by Malaysia. Human smuggling become lucrative and corruption becomes rampant in recent years.

Please be warned that a lot of Filipinas ended up in prostitution dens in this little island town of Malaysia. Some even allegedly end up in drug trafficking. This is so sad. I hope the Philippine government would do something about this.

 

Going Back from Labuan Malaysia to Brunei:

The Labuan Ferry Terminal is an international port. So, you would have to go through the immigration counter if you are going to or coming from Brunei.

  

The terminal is small so getting lost is not an issue. The ticket counter is just next to the arrival hall.

Both ferries in our Brunei to Labuan and  Labuan to Brunei journey were not full. 

Lots of vacant seats are available. The toilet was pretty nasty though. It has a flush but the toilet looked so unsanitary. And the smell inside the ferry is not something you’d really like. It smells like crude oil.  The ferry ride lasts for just less than an hour and a half.

Upon arrival at MUARA Terminal in Brunei, you have to line up for the immigration again. And then you would have to have your things go through the Customs’ X-Ray.  I saw some Ferry Terminal police officer and security guards watching a Tagalog teleserye dubbed in Malay. They were watching Jericho Rosales. Lol!

There's a bus waiting for passengers outside MUARA Terminal, Brunei. We immediately boarded the bus that brought us back to the city center of BSB. Muara belongs to a different district. BSB is also in a different area, so expect around 40 minutes to an hour of travel.  Fare is B$2

Enjoy!

KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA

AYUTTHAYA THAILAND: Enchanting City

AYUTTHAYA THAILAND: Enchanting City

Ayutthaya (อยุธยา), full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (พระนครศรีอยุธยา), is an ancient capital and modern city in the Central Plains of Thailand, 85 km north of Bangkok. We rode the train from Bangkok for a day tour in Ayutthaya.

Upon arrival, we went to the floating restaurant a few minutes away from 

We cross the river by ferry boat.

We were so impressed with what Ayutthaya could offer. After our tour I must say that it became one of my favorite places on earth.  Ayutthaya Thailand houses the giant smiling leaning Buddha. Shown above in our selfie shot.

People in Ayutthaya, Thailand are so friendly we though they were also Pinoys.






The ruins reminds me of Angkor, Ta Prohm, Phnom Bakheng and Phnom Kulen, where Lara Croft shoot some of her scenes in the movie.









I asked this vendor if she is from ILOCOS 'coz she sells TUPIK ha ha ha!









MY FAVORITE CALENDAR LIKE VIEW FROM AYUTTHAYA THIS PICTURE IS UNEDITED I took this picture using our point and shoot camera.

MODEL NG RUINS









LARA CROFT PERSONIFIED HA HA HA!









WITH MY BROTHER IN AYUTTHAYA, THAILAND

BANGKOK, THAILAND

SAWASDEE BI MAI! My Brother and I celebrated New Year 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. And I LOVE it there~!

Meet Dollar a huge work of art in Thailand. "Dollar 009" an installation that abruptly sits on the chaotic pavement outside and announces the BACC's arrival in a chaotic and crowd area. 


She, for this work is clearly a "she", has been quickly taken into the hearts of the citizens of Bangkok and is already an attraction in her own right with a constant stream of passers-by snapping her on cell phones as they pour along the elevated walkway to the MBK centre and the National Stadium BTS station alongside, and all the time she looks at the teeming masses, aware of them, but ever lost in her own thoughts. 

Dollar, made out of fibreglass and finished in a lustrous white, stands out, a calm figure in a clamouring sea of people and traffic zig-zagging one of the busiest junctions in a busy city. It's an edgy stature though, the artists idea, Dollar-009 isn't comfortable, she's perched too close to the road and looks uncomfortable, and it means it's impossible not to be taken with her and she tugs at your heart strings. You connect with those huge eyes, but you feel awkward, something isn't right.


The artist intended to make dollar look tense (stressed, not relaxed) and not lively to contrast with the environment around her during the day and to resemble loneliness in the night time. 


The name is drawn from the currency of the United States and the influence that country has on the whole world.

Shopping is really really cheap I bought a shirt for 35 baht that is more or less  P 49.00 Please take note that it is made in Thailand, so the quality is good.

My brother had a blast @ Central because he got his Mark & Spencer shirts at 70% off!

KOTA KLIAS SABAH

KOTA KLIAS SABAH

The bigger the nose the more POGI daw ang isang lalaking Proboscis Monkey sa paningin ng mga girls na Proboscis Monkey. Uha!

HEARTTHROB PROBOSCIS MONKEY

The Klias Fireflies River Cruise. An exciting tour to search for the Proboscis Monkeys & see Nature's X'mas Lights tour would cost you between RM 175 to RM 260 per person, depending from where you booked the tour. Our tour operator was KLIAS RIVER TOUR.

Our tour guide fetched us @ around 2 p.m. from our hotel in Kota Kinabalu, we meet 2 Koreans on board the van already, they were brothers. The older one is a restaurant owner, and the younger one is a music professor in Korea. We then proceeded to fetch 2 Europeans @ another hotel nearby. Then we started our journey towards KOTA KLIAS, the jump-off point for the Klias River cruise. which is a good two (2) hours away from downtown Kota Kinabalu.

Upon arrival @ our jump off point, pose agad, wala ng suklay suklay sayang ang  oras, ha ha ha!

REMINDER: Since the Proboscis Monkeys keep their distance, don't forget to bring a pair of binoculars. And since it's a swamp area, insect repellent will prove to be handy. If you own a life vest bring it with you 'coz the life vest there smells bad!

The Klias River is a large area of peat swamp which explains the brown color of the acidic water. The characteristic dark brown color of a peat swamp is a result of dissolved peat tannins in the water.

Upon arrival at the port, we were served traditional MALAY snacks ( some of them looks like sapin sapin, complete with coconut grates on top) tea and coffee while we waited for ever more passengers from other tour companies to arrive.

One major attraction of Sabah is its nature and wildlife. That is why we really looked forward to visiting the Klias River to observe Borneo’s endangered Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus) in its natural habitat. If you decide to take the river cruise, you’ll be free for the morning. Tours are usually in the afternoon because the Proboscis Monkey comes out to feed very early in the morning or late in the afternoon just before dusk.

At around 5 p.m., we were required to wear life jackets before we boarded the small boats. We left in different motorized boats. Each boat could sit about 15 to 20 people and has a guide, who will spot the monkeys and inform the driver to stop and move near the place where he saw the monkeys.

Our first stop is the location of the crocs. It is a small crocodile, who doesn't moved, even when our boat comes near it. I guess it got used with the boats and passengers that come near. Or maybe the boat operators feed it in that particular area that's why mahilig siya tumambay dyan. Ha ha ha. Guess ko lang, ikaw ano ang guess mo?

The proboscis monkey is a different story. It was challenging trying to locate the monkeys since they are quite elusive and know when there are boats around. At first, you would see only movements in the trees. Then the guide would point and draw your attention on the Proboscis Monkeys silently feeding or moving about. Many times, they’d be in groups so you’d see mature male monkeys, which are the most peculiar because of their long noses and large bellies, with female and younger Proboscis Monkeys in tow.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to appreciate the features of the Proboscis Monkeys unless you have binoculars or a camera with a really good zooming capacity. You only get to observe them from a distance especially since they are perched up high the trees and the boats can only go as far as the river banks. And taking photographs isn't that easy since the monkeys keep a safe distance from humans, the lighting is a bit dim, and the boats are quite wobbly especially when everyone stands up and tries to take photos.

We went from one area to another just observing the monkeys in their natural habitat. We even saw them changing lanes errr trees, ha ha ha! This is much better than seeing them in zoos. According to my brother, he read somewhere that you should never feed these monkeys fruits or any sugar since their digestive system cannot process sugar. It turns directly into gas and that would kill them since their stomachs will explode.

When it started to get dark, we proceeded back to the port for dinner. We’d stop every now and then as the guide spotted more monkeys on the way back. At the port was a buffet dinner of Malay dishes.

After dinner, we boarded the boats again for a quick river cruise to see a live Christmas tree as the guides would call it. This time, we were out to appreciate the fireflies as they lit up the trees in the night sky. After showing us several trees with thousands of fireflies, we proceeded back to the port to board our vehicles back to our Kota Kinabalu hotel.

NATURE'S CHRISTMAS TREE, THE AMAZING FIREFLIES!

DO-IT-YOURSELF BRUNEI

DO-IT-YOURSELF BRUNEI

Bandar Seri Begawan, with an estimated population of 140,000 as of 2010, is the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Brunei. It is called simply as Bandar by the locals.

After touchdown at the Brunei International Airport, we went straight to Immigration section. We were cleared by the Immigration section in no time since Philippine passport-holders can stay visa-free for 14 days in Brunei. No questions asked.

We were also cleared by Customs. They only asked if we have with us wines or liquors. When you say none, they let you pass in a jiffy. We excitedly went out and asked the Customs police where the purple buses are. He said he doubts if the purple buses still service the airport since they are always empty.

We are not the type that easily gives up so we went upstairs at the departure area ( Note: Think of NAIA 2 and NAIA 3, taxi is cheaper if you hail them from the departure area.) We asked the very nice receptionist at the departure area if there are purple buses plying the airport route to Bandar Seri Begawan. She said yes there is and even called up our hostel for us and gave us a magazine guide to Brunei. She's an angel!

We  then waited at the airport lounge for the purple bus and talked to a Malay visiting Brunei too. Then voila, after an hour, the purple bus arrived. We hurriedly went out and hailed the purple bus. Fare is 1BND (the Brunei dollar is managed together with the Singapore dollar at a 1:1 ratio by Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). I paid 2 Singapore dollars for two (2) PAX.

The main bus station in the city is located in Jalan Cator underneath a multi-story car park. There are six bus routes servicing Bandar Seri Begawan area; the Central Line, Circle Line, Eastern Line, Southern Line, Western Line and Northern Line. The buses operate from 6.30 am till 6.00pm except for Bus No. 1 and 20 which are extended up to nighttime. All bus routes begin and terminate their journey at the main bus terminal. Buses heading to other towns in Brunei such as Tutong, Seria and Kuala Belait also depart from the main bus terminal and Taxi.

We then looked for our hostel, K.H. Soon Resthouse, which room we got for BND$ 35. There are so many Filipinos/ Filipinas in Brunei, aakalain mo na nasa Pinas ka lang talaga. Parang mas madami pa nga ang mga kababayan natin doon kesa sa native ng Brunei. Sadly, di familiar yung mga napagtanungan namin kung nasaan ang K.H. Soon Resthouse, tinuro kami sa direction ng Yayasan Complex. Yun pala 2 kanto away lang sa BUS STATION ng JALAN CATOR ang location ng hostel namin. Hay buhay! Ha ha ha!

Walang elevator yun hostel, sakripisyong umakyat sa taas, ' tas iba ang ground floor kesa sa 1st floor, sa 2nd floor ang receptionist so parang 3rd floor na siya sa atin. Nasa 3rd floor ( 4th floor na sa atin) ang room namin at sa labas ang C.R. pero madami at merong hot water, yehey! First time ko mag stay sa isang walk-up hotel. What an experience talaga! BND$35 a day siya, so mura na din pero meron pang mas mas mura pero medyo malayo sa center kesa sa location ng hostel namin na very central location talaga.

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is a royal Islamic mosque located in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. The mosque is classified as one of the most spectacular mosques in the Asia Pacific and a major tourist attraction.Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is considered amongst the people of Brunei as the country’s major landmark.