BAGAN, MYANMAR, The Plain of Pagodas & Temples

BAGAN
MYANMAR
The Plain of Pagodas & Temples

Let’s go back a few centuries. One does it anyway traveling through Myanmar. But Bagan is special and dates all the way back to the 11th century. King Anawratha has converted to Bhuddism and decided to build temples to prove his commitment. In fact, trying to please Bhudda, he started a race to build as many temples as possible. His successors continued the race and building of more temples and pagodas.

Thus Bagan was proud of some 5000 temples until earthquakes started destroying some. The biggest distraction happened in 1975 earthquake, which destroyed almost half of the temples. 

 

Still Bagan is proud of some 3000 temples, many in the stage of reconstruction. It is a paradise for archeologists and lovers of architecture and history. However, there is another face of Bagan.  A fabulous place to meet friendly locals. People of Myanmar are gentle and kind; the advantage of meeting them in Bagan is that most speak some English, due to the popularity of Bagan and considerable numbers of visitors.

Bagan  Morning Market is a great meeting spot. A patient dog waiting for some bits, locals looking for a bargain or strolling. Another great place to meet locals is Lawkananda Pagoda site with a nearby lake. It is fun to join kids in feeding fish. 

The pagoda is built on the bank of Ayeyarwaddy River so strolling along the river observing fishermen and ferries is a relaxing pastime. It is one of the most scenic places in Bagan and sunsets with Lawkananda Pagoda in the background are impressive.

 

Bagan is a definite “must see” destination in Myanmar. Its ever-present history is striking. The atmosphere is spiritual, the countryside scenic. It is a great site to go back in time, meditate and enjoy. 

DERAWAN ISLAND EAST KALIMANTAN INDONESIA

SWIMMING WITH TURTLES

DERAWAN ISLAND

EAST KALIMANTAN

INDONESIA 

There are very few places in the world where a unique experience of swimming with turtles is possible. Turtles are gentle but big creatures so seeing them while snorkeling and following their path among fish and colorful coral reefs is an experience of a lifetime. 

One of these places is Derawan Island, a well hidden, absolute paradise of natural beauty. Derawan Island is part of the archipelago of Marine Park located in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. 

Derawan Island Archipelago has a treasure of marine life and underwater wealth and offers fabulous snorkeling and diving. One can swim with manta rays of Sangalaki Island and nearby Kakaban Island has a fresh water lagoon with jellyfish. Maratua Island has extensive reefs and a resort. But it is Derawan Island where the locals greet one with smiles, hospitality & friendliness.

This September the Island has hosted Derawan Island Water Festival, a successful event for visitors and locals alike.

Berau, Tanjung Redeb is a starting point welcoming Festival participants with amazing hospitality. It is only a prelude to a  two hour speed boat trip to Derawan allowing to absorb some wilderness scenery.

  

The Derawan Island Water Festival opened a scenic area of East Kalimantan for the lovers of diving and snorkeling. However, it is not just the underwater beauty of marine life that attracts the visitors to come back. 

The hospitality of Indonesian people is incomparable with anywhere else in the world. We will return.

LAHAD DATU & SEMPORNA, SABAH, BORNEO

LAHAD DATU & SEMPORNA


Lahad Datu and Semporna are only some 40 nautical miles apart in one of the most scenic areas of Sabah, Malaysia. Many villages and spectacular islands and reefs separate the towns.

Lahad Datu is an important Malaysian port in the eastern part of North Borneo. It has been known for trade with China from the 9th century, then Spanish and Portuguese also discovered Lahad Datu. The area was divided between the Sultan of Brunei and the Sultan of Sulu since the 15th century. Predominantly Kadazan population has been joined by many nations when British North Borneo Charted Company started to trade in the 1880s. 

It usually is money that starts wars and Lahad Datu is not doing too badly in the trade. So it could have been one of the reasons that the self proclaimed contemporary Sultan of Sulu invaded Sabah in March 2013. The Lahad Datu and nearby Sempurna suffered the loss of 56 lives. Now, 6 months later the area is still fragile as tourism is concerned. Lahad Datu is a stepping point to Danum Valley Forest Reserve which is home of orangutans and rare Sumatran rhinoceros among many bird species and other wildlife. 

Semporna, being mere 40 nautical miles away from Lahad Datu and right on the doorstep to Marine Park of Sipidan and Mabul Islands famous for marine life and fabulous diving, is a great starting point for a diving and snorkeling adventure. Pulau Gaya and Tetigan, are located on Tun Sakaran Marine Park reefs and are both above and underwater marvels of nature.

Today Malaysia celebrates Merdeka Day, Independence Day. It is great to see that the Lahad Datu and Semporna district so recently a battlefield is peaceful and offering its beauty to visitors in safety. Selamat Merdeka Hari Malaysia!

SANDAKAN SABAH, MALAYSIA

SANDAKAN

SABAH, MALAYSIA

Sandakan is a town of contrasts, from fishing villages built on stilts on its waterfront to modern architecture among Chinese and Buddhist Temples and Mosques. It is a port for log and timber exports and a gateway to natural wonders and wilderness of North Borneo. Sandakan is a relatively new town. Although established in the late 1800s, it has been bombed, burned and destroyed in 1945. Sandakan has a rich and diverse history. Rulled by the Sultan of Sulu in the late 1870s became the capital of British North Borneo in 1880s, was occupied by Japanese during WWII.

Once called Elopura meaning The Beautiful City and the capital of Sabah, now it is rebuilt but holds on to the sad memories of its tragic history. Called Sandakan again, it is still a beautiful city.

Access by road can be tiresome. The traffic is slow and plentiful. Palm oil tracks dominate the scene. Overtaking becomes an art. 

The trip is worth it though. Sandakan is not only a scenic port. Its history, most of it sad has been documented by Agnes Keith, whose house is a landmark of Sandakan, in her book The Land Below the Wind.

August the 15^th marks a Memorial Day and has been celebrated for the past 10 years. It is a Remembrance Day for those who died in Sandakan prisoner of war camp and the forced marches.

The topic of The Death Marches, with only six survivors to tell the tale and thousands killed, is not a priority in history lessons. The detailed knowledge of the atrocities could effect Toyota sales. Veterans and families of the POW’s attended the Memorial Service on the 15th of August. There were no Japanese among them.

The Memorial Service, held in the Sandakan Memorial Park is a moving and somber experience. It commemorates the sacrifice and suffering of British and Australian prisoners of war in the years from 1942 to 1945. Berhala Island, which now is a holiday island and boasts its dramatic scenery, was in those years a detention center for non-military personnel. 

The survivor, Agnes Keith, best tells the Berhala Island story. Her books paint the picture of Sandakan before the destruction and tell of the years of detention.

Agnes Keith lived in Sandakan for many years, then returned to rebuild her house. Her books ‘Land Below the Wind” and “Three Came Home” tell why. Her love for Sandakan is not alienated. All visitors find a spot in their hearts to love Sandakan and its surrounds. Some return to Sandakan every year to pay tribute to the POWs and their tragedy.

MIRI SARAWAK MALAYSIA

MIRI SARAWAK

MALAYSIA

Miri has been a peaceful fishing village, until early 1900 when oil was discovered in its surrounds. Now it is a thriving city suppressing Kuching, the capital of Sarawak in its richness. The sad part of Miri's history is the World War II period, while Miri was occupied by Japanese who took full advantage of the oil resources here.

Some areas of Miri portray the historical fishing village and many locals live the life of the old.

Predominant residential areas however, show “oil enhanced” architecture. The smell of money is ever present in the suburbs. Miri caters for a number of parks, gardens and recreation ares for its residents.

Miri City Fan is a conglomerate of theme gardens, Chinese, Islamic and botanical. Seahorse statues are omi-present. They represent the emblem of Miri. 

Miri is a multicultural city. There are a number of ethnic groups living here. Thus cuisine is interesting and the choice of restaurants to dine in is enormous. 

The oil production has been moved offshore. The oil rigs crews come to Miri for vacation. Ther is also a fair number of visitors here that use Miri as a starting point to explore the wilderness of Sarawak. Mulu National Park and its caves invite hikers and echo friendly visitors. There is Niah National Park and Lambir National Park, both located a short hop from Miri and both promoting echo tourism. The scenery is astounding and the history goes back to the first population of this area.

Miri and its surrounds is an asset to Sarawak and Borneo.

LABUAN MALAYSIA

LABUAN
MALAYSIA

Labuan is an Island and a major port of the coast of Borneo. Its name derives from “labohan” meaning anchorage, port. Known as a safe anchorage since the 13th century Labuan has often been visited by Arab traders, then Portuguese in the 16th century and British in the 18th century. Labuan officially became a Territory and duty free port in 1956 although Rajah James Brooke has declared it a port of free trade already in 1847. It became famous coal mining district in the 1840s with coal being used to fuel steam ships.

There are remnants of the old era everywhere. The Chimney is an archeological mystery, possibly being a ventilation shaft for the mines, or lighthouse, or bell tower. Its purpose is still being debated. The Sikhs started work in the mines, then settled here for generations and are still living in Labuan. The memorial edifice is one of the prominent buildings here. Many migrant laborers arrived to work on pepper and tobacco plantations. Also Chinese settlers and merchants have seen an opportunity and settled in Labuan. One of the Chinese merchants has built the clock tower. 

There were three years in the history of Labuan that it was called Maida Island in honor of the Japanese general and his forces occupying Labuan. Liberated in 1945 by Allied Forces, Labuan has a landmark – Surrender Point where Japanese have signed their surrender. The quiet war continued though and many POW died after the surrender. The War Memorial is a living memory of those that died in combat or later in The Death March from Sandakan to Ranau. Finally in 1988 Japanese built The Peace Park.

Now, Labuan is a holiday destination for those that work on nearby oilrigs. It has fabulous beaches, restaurants and duty free shopping makes it even more attractive for many.

MANILA TWO FACES OF THE CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES

MANILA

TWO FACES OF THE CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES

Manila is a bustling capital of the Philippines developed from a seaport that has its origins back in the 12^th century. There are distinct visitor and commercial districts like Ermita, Makati and Intramuros and vast suburban areas called cities like Pasay City, Quezon City or San Juan City.

Makati is the Embassy and business district while Intramuros is the picture of architecture and history. It dates back to the 1500s and is enclosed “within the walls”, as per the meaning of the word, of a fortress.

The fortress was built by the Spanish and prevented the aspirations of Dutch, Portuguese and Sulu pirates from taking over Intramuros. Now it is an architectural paradise with churches and cathedrals dominating the scene.

However, there is another face of Manila. Sadly poverty is an inseparable part of highly populated cities. The poverty is well visible in the streets of Manila. The numbers of homeless living in the streets of Manila are high. These living areas are accompanied by permanent odor of urine, faint in some streets and overpowering in smaller alleyways.

Thus many visitors restrict their sightseeing to air conditioned taxi trips through the city. Jeepney is however much more enjoyable form of transport. And it is much cheaper. There is also rail transport LRT and MRT. Mixing with the local population is important to realise how friendly and helpful they are and to get the real feel of Manila.

The Filipino are cheerful in spite of the poverty. Smiling faces are common. Children wave their hands and say “hello”.

One of famous attractions is Manila Bay sunset, worth enjoying every evening and different and unique every night.