Borneo - route around Sabah

cycladelic

My wife and I are going to Borneo early 2008 with our bikes. Starting from Kota Kinabalu, we'll ride south to Telupid and down to the coast, which seems okay - hotels en route. We don't plan on taking tents.

Has anyone riden from Telupid down to Lahad Datu and then back to KK via the western part of Sabah? What is the 'road' like and are there any places to sleep after Semporna and Tawau?

Any info would be great!

TIA

hamish_hebridean

My sister and her husband have their own business around there called 'Fieldskills' and part of it includes Mountain Biking trips / tours around the area - they should be able to give you some advice. Google Fieldskills and get hold of Simon or Christine Amos by email. I'll mention to her as she is over in Scotland at the moment, and I will see her tomorrow.

cycladelic

Thanks, Hamish. Here is a link...

http://www.fieldskills.com/Expedition_S ... nabalu.asp

I just wonder if they will be intersested in giving free info to someone like myself - who plans to travel independently. Please let me know.

hamish_hebridean

You can only ask - email and mention you were in contact with me on the forum (I'm sure they will be interested in the forum anyway as Simon has both road and mountain bikes). If it is just general info you are looking for, I don't see it as being too much of a problem.

I am going to Scotland today to see her as she is over at the moment. I will show her the postings.

Good luck!

hamish_hebridean

Hi,

I live in Kota Kinabalu (KK) and my husband and I do a lot of mountain biking as well as run a specialist expedition company (www.fieldskills.com). I am happy to answer any questions that you have if you want to email me at christine@fieldskills.com.

You can cycle to Telupid via the mountain pass of Mount Kinabalu. There is some great mountain biking around (as well as a main tarmac road all the way from KK to Sandakan and Semporna) so I am not really sure where to start. We did an expedition circumnavigating the Mountain in 2005. On the way to Telupid, you can stop at the Sabah Tea plantation where there is some longhouse accomodation and fantastic mountain bike routes. From Lahad Datu there is a great route to ride into the Danum Valley and if you do make it down to Semporna, there is some really great islands to visit from there. There is a lot of accomodation all the way down but there are some long stretches of oil palm plantations where there isn't anywhere to stay.

If you wish to email me with more of your plans, then I am happy to give you some advice for no charge.

Christine

cycladelic

For reference, here's what Simon says...


To answer your queries;

Between Telupid and Sandakan you have to pass Sepilok and the Proboscis
sanctuary where there are plenty of places to stay.

As you follow the road to Lahad Datu you pass a village called Batu
Putih
right next to the bridge over the Kinabatangan. There is a homestay
there
where you can also do some river cruises. They are wonderful people and
it
is a great place to stay.

The stretch between Tawau - Maliau and Maliau - Keningau may be your
problems. There are few villages and as far as I know there are no
commercial accommodation facilities.
I know this road very well having worked at Maliau for a few years and
it is
basically a logging highway that is being sealed by the government,
there
are a lot of plantations that may put you up and there are a few
villages
where you can ask the Ketua Kampong (village headman) for assistance.
In
most cases - if they are in the village - the headman will put you up
and
show you off to his friends.
I get the impression that you are outgoing and adventurous people so I
think
you will do okay just by asking at villages for accommodation, some of
them
may have village halls where they let visitors stay.
Do your research on google earth and in the guide books and we can help
you
to make bookings that are a bit more reasonable than doing it on the
internet.

I hope this helps,

Simon.

Many thanks, Simon!

adifiddler

Its great to see people willing to give good free advise, it is so rear in business these days.

After looking at the Fieldskills website i may consider coming and spending some time in the forest in the future to learn some area specific skills. You guys have an interesting business.

adifiddler

Its great to see people willing to give good free advise, it is so rear in business these days.

After looking at the Fieldskills website i may consider coming and spending some time in the forest in the future to learn some area specific skills. You guys have an interesting business.

cycladelic

I've just found this site:

http://www.thamyaukong.com/cycling/route1.htm

....which belongs to this guy:

http://www.thamyaukong.com/

cycladelic

Simon mentioned... a village called Batu Putih, right next to the bridge over the Kinabatangan. There is a homestay there where you can also do some river cruises. They are wonderful people and it is a great place to stay.
Just in case anyone else is interested, I think this is a website for the place:
http://www.misowalaihomestay.com/