Mantanani is a group of 3 isolated islands northwest of Kota Belud, or about a 3 hour bus trip for the state capital Kota Kinabalu. Although only a 45 minute boat ride from the mainland, the islands are a reminder of a simpler place and time. Time slows down here amidst the crystal clear blue waters and white sandy beaches. The first ever season of Survivor was also filmed here in 2000.
We were picked up at 7am on the 22nd of December from our hotel by a shuttle bus taking us to a coach which would then take us to a jetty at Kota Belud. The bus trip was very scenic. You could make out some of Mount Kinabalu even though most of it was covered in early morning mist. The road along the way was mainly lined with rice paddies and palm trees and was very beautiful.
We arrived at the jetty and got onto the boat that would be the final leg of the journey to the island. The boat was packed with mainly day trippers and supplies that were required for the island. As it is so isolated the island relies on fresh supplies coming in daily on the boat with the tourists. As we approached the island you could start to make out the surroundings - crystal clear blue water, white sandy beaches, huts with palm frond coverings on the roof and an endless supply of hammocks. We had arrived in paradise!!
We were greeted by our host, Melvin AKA Jack Sparrow, saying "Welcome to my island." We were shown to our hut which was in the front row, a stone’s throw from the water. The accommodation is very basic but it was just what we were looking for. The hut had a double mattress on the floor with clean bedding. There were ceiling fans and mosquito nets. The bathroom area was partially covered by the roof but for the most part it was outdoors. There was a small balcony at the front of the hut and the living area was underneath the hut. The living area had 2 chairs and a table and a hammock and overlooked the sea. It was amazing!!
Not long after we arrived we were called to lunch. The eating area is communal and consists of tables and chairs spread out in the sand but under a roof for shelter. All the meals are home cooked buffet style. After lunch we hired snorkelling gear and went out to explore. There were quite a few coral reefs just off shore that we swam out to. We didn't realise how long we had been out there for so that night we discovered that we had got extremely sunburnt despite applying sunscreen. That night we were the only guests there. We went up to the communal area for dinner and had a few drinks with staff who were all drinking the local cocktail called 'Mantanani Fizz' whilst playing poker. After a few drinks we went back to the hut where I took full advantage of the hammock. I never realised how much fun and how comfortable hammocks are until then. Not long after that we just went to bed as it had been a very exhausting few days.
We ended up staying on the island for an extra night. It’s so peaceful out there. The days were consumed by snorkelling twice a day, swimming, tanning and chilling out in the hammocks. We did also so a snorkelling day trip to one of the neighbouring islands. The day trip consisted of 2 snorkelling sessions - one in the morning and one after lunch. For the afternoon session we were dropped off in literally the middle of the sea and left to our own devices. I ended up cutting my second session short because I got extremely sea sick from the water being so choppy. I could see the boat in the distance but it seemed like an eternity before I reached it. I lay down on the deck which actually made me feel worse because the boat was bobbing up and down so much.
On Christmas day we got a boat back to the mainland and then the 2 hour bus back to KK. That night we stayed in Lucy's Homestay B&B. Lucy's is like a home away from home. The wooden walls are covered with photos, stickers and business cards. Lucy, the owner, and her faithful ginger cat,was lovely and very helpful. We had mentioned that we had wanted to get to Sandakan next and visit the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre so Lucy very kindly booked a taxi to collect us in the morning and take us to the long distance bus station and also booked us a seat on the bus. The bus trip to Sandakan would take 6 hours but it was worth it.
That night was our first proper night in KK so we headed down to the Night Market and the Wet Market. We had our Christmas dinner at the Wet Market. It was amazing!! They serve the freshest of fresh seafood for an absolute steal. We shared a whole Red Snapper, calamari and prawns. It was like we had died and gone to heaven!! After dinner we walked around the markets for a bit then went back to Lucy's as we had an early start the next day. When we got up in the morning Lucy told us to help ourselves to breakfast and coffee or tea before we headed off. She even gave us a gift when we left which came in handy on the bus trip - more about that later.
No comments:
Post a Comment