Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu (KK) is the capital of Sabah a state in Malaysia. It is famous for Mount Kinabalu with a peak at 4,100 metres. The climb is 8.7 km and it takes 2 days. Prior arrangements for accommodation at 3,350 metres, entrance fee, permit to climb and a guide are required.

Mountain left of Mt Kinabalu 

Mt Kinabalu covered by clouds

Poring Hot Springs is south east of Mt Kinabalu where shared open hot baths are available. There are no spa facilities. The only exciting item is the tree top walk comprising of 5 interconnecting swing bridges between trees. The plank on which you walk is rather narrow and swings if more than one person walks on it. If you bring your camera along it costs RM 35 each.

Waterfront downtown is where activities come alive in the evening. One side is vegetable/fruits market, while on the other is bbq seafood market. In front of which is the Filipino market where ethnic crafts are sold. Farther down is the port and fish auction place.

Stay in KK instead of Borneo One which is a huge complex with an equally big shopping mall because there are traffic jams during peak hours. It took me 2 jams to travel from KK to Borneo One in the evening. Taxis here charge according to meter. Bus in town do not travel out of town. Other buses are not allowed into town.

There are no fixed bus stands outside town. From Borneo One to KK, you stand by the road and hail the relevant bus to stop. Pay RM 1 and the bus takes you to the terminal where you transfer to a KK bus.

Ho Chi Min City

This is the scooter and motorcycle city in the world and the sight is a great culture shock. You probably wander how you are going to cross the road!

Ben Tanh Market is located between Pham Ngu Lao for budget traveller and Dong Khoi area where 5 stars hotels are established. It is patronised by both locals and tourists.

Ben Tanh market are divided into sections. The rear section is a wet market. Center portion is for cooked food and the front section sells apparals, souvenirs and others. If you want to visit a big local market, it is in Cholon - Chinatown.

Take a bus from the bus terminal in front of Ben Tanh Market to the terminal of Binh Tay Market for 30 Singapore cents flat rate. Here you can bird's nest and other delicacies. Taxi fare is US$ 8.

This is the Cao Dai Great Temple for a local religion that combines elements of Buddism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christainity, Islam and Vietnamese spiritualism. It believes in one God and existence of the soul that can be communicated through mediums.

This is the interior of the Temple where a prayer session is taking place.

This lady is trying to enter one of the Cu Chi Tunnels. This is the actual size. For tourists, a much bigger tunnel is built for a personal experience of crawling through it. It has 3 levels without staircase, you just drop through a hole to the lower level. Must bring along a torchlight or use your mobile in the pitch dark tunnel. It is an experience you cannot forget!

Later you can see the array of traps used to injure enemy soldiers. The are scarily simple.

CAUTION

There are snatch thieves on the street. They are generally on motorcycles. So be careful with your valuables. I had a bad experience of someone trying to snatch my waist bag. Luckily it had a metal buckle that did not break. I was standing close to the edge of the road trying to cross the road.

To cross a street with large number of motorcycles, all you need to do is just cross by walking at a constant pace and the motorcyclists will know how to avoid you.