For the second year running, Asian Women's Empowerment Conference (AWE in short) will be held, this time in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo. Last year's inaugural conference, which was hosted with the objective to empower and inspire women, particularly Asian women, was such a success that the brainchild of the conference, Juno Kim, felt that more could ... continue reading »

My friends and I stayed at The Pacific Sutera Hotel, Sutera Harbour, during our recent 4D/3N visit to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Sutera Harbour Resort is a lifestyle haven built on reclaimed land, facing the South China Sea, with Mount Kinabalu as its backdrop. The Pacific Sutera Hotel, a 5-star hotel, is only one of the ... continue reading »

Our final destination in Sabah before leaving for the airport to fly home was the Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Centre. It is also known locally as Pasar Filipina (Filipino Market). I didn't know what souvenirs to buy but simply followed suggestions from friends. Popular Sabah souvenirs include t-shirts, Sabah batik, pearl jewellery, beaded fashion accessories and seafood. ... continue reading »

Our Kota Kinabalu heritage trail ended at this quaint Chinese coffee shop by the unique name of "Borneo 1945 Museum Kopitiam". Going by the motto, "Lest we forget - your sacrifice, our heritage", this coffee shop was set up to commemorate and honour World War II heroes from the Allied forces, which comprised of Australian, ... continue reading »

Our quest for hot and spicy food whilst in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah took us to Restoran Nasi Padang Ibu, which serves authentic Indonesian cuisine. This restaurant is located at Jesselton Point at the Kota Kinabalu Ferry Terminal, in the town centre. Serving gastronomical delights since 2007, this establishment is the collective effort of a group ... continue reading »

The fascination with the Proboscis Monkey (Monyet Belanda), took us to the Garama Base Camp in Beaufort, Sabah, to go on a cruise along the Garama River, some two hours' drive from Kota Kinabalu city centre. The Proboscis Monkey, also known as the long-nosed monkey, spots an exceptionally long nose and bulging belly. The female has ... continue reading »

The journey to Mitabang Homestay in Kg. Tulung-Mantob, in Kiulu, district of Tuaran, takes about an hour's uphill drive, or two hours from Kota Kinabalu city centre. The ride reminded me of a drive up Cameron Highlands - rather exhilarating, I must say. There are twelve homes participating in this Mitabang Homestay programme, but we only ... continue reading »