IS IT WORTH IT?

Love is a funny thing.. When you love someone, you would do anything for that lucky person. You would try and copycat his mom's recipes of his favourite dish (although you don't even know what is a lemon grass).. You would try to sew back the button that fell off his shirt (although you prick your fingers on the needle countless of time).. You would give him a massage when he's having a headache (although you need one yourself).. You would buy him a wallet (although your purse is in a shabby shape).. You lend him money whenever he needs it (although you don't have enough for yourself).. You would buy him an expensive watch to replace his old one (although you don't even have a watch yourself).. But after all the sacrifices that you have done, it is still not enough.. To know that you are not the one that he has on his mind all these while makes you looked foolish and it hurts real bad.. You don't know what when wrong.. All you know is that you have done your very best and has sacrifice a lot for him without him appreciating any of it.. In the end, is it worth it to do anything for the person that you love?

Sarawak's Only Apple Orchard

The Famous Malaysia only grown apple "Ba'kelalan Apple".

Monday, March 19, 2007

Sarawak's Only Apple Orchard

The Famous Malaysia only grown apple "Ba'kelalan Apple".

Apples on our highlands

In Ba'kelalan, the highlands has been experimenting with the cultivation of apples and the only Apple Orchard in Sarawak and Malaysia. I've been there and I've seen for myself the beauty of it's crunchy fruit...During March10 to 14 and June Ba'kelalan having apple festival every 1years..Those Apples selling quite cheappers then Town..Its cost MYR 10.00 perkilogram..

ON THE ROAD TRIP FROM BA KELALAN TO BATU LAWI

ROAD TO BATU LAWI

BRIGEDS

LIKE GREEN STONE ..

  Like a Green Stone along lawas road to merapok..  

ALONG THE ROAD TO MERAPOK..IM KEEP LOOKING TO THE ONE HIGHEST GREEN STONE...

LUN BAWANG PEOPLE

A group of Lun Bawang in traditional costume.Paddy farm view..

Merarap Hotspring Lodge (THE BEST PLACE FOR YOUR VISIT)

Located on a 5-acres in Ba'kelalan Highlands, Lawas District, Limbang Division, Sarawak..its a good place to seek rest and recreation. Merarap Hotspring Lodge is a private/family owned business... Belongs to Mr. Alfred Padan, a successful Lun Bawang entrepreneur began built this lodge in early January 2004 as a suggestion of former State Assemblyman for Ba'kelalan the late Datuk Dr. Judson Sakai Tagal who visited the area in year 2003. This lodge can accomodate 20-30 person in one time. Local dignitaries who have visited this lodge include the Sarawak Head Of State, Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin and his wife, Housing Minister Dato Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and other ministers Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and wife.

If you are travelling from peninsular malaysia, the best way is you take a flight  depends on mas or airasia f rom Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Then travel by express bus  RM20 from Kota Kinabalu(KK) to Lawas at 1pm . The bus station is located at..i cant remember but it is the old bus station (quote by local's) just beside the city council field.For the time being..there's only 2 busses travelling from KK to Lawas 7am &amp 1pm It takes 3-4 hours from KK to Lawas..

But if you're travelling from Kuala Lumpur - Miri..you can take direct fight 45mins from Miri - Lawas for RM77 (MAS Wings) take off on legendary Twin Otter.

Note :
For Non-Malaysians please bring along your passport for immigration clearance at check point24 hours notice required

How to get here because its' quite remote into the jungle, you have to get-into a fourwheeled drive (most popular 4wd Toyota Hilux) and it takes 1 1/2 - 2 hours journey (approx 68km from Lawas town. -max 10 person in 1 car.

Travel along the rough timber road playground for 4-wheelers will give a new experiences for a 'newbie' that had never been into the jungle.

Merarap Hot Springs Lodge

Deep in the rainforest, by the raging rapids lies the Merarap Hot Springs Lodge. This small and modest abode is also home to owners Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Padan. The lodge with one of the hot water pools (click picture)
This 10 room lodge is clean, spacious and relaxing. On the upper floor are 5 family rooms with 2 queen size beds each and on the bottom floor are the 3-ple bedded rooms. Cost of the rooms are around RM 120 per night with 4 breakfasts for the family and RM 90 with 3 breakfasts for the 3-ple. They cater for the other meals and the food here is good. All rooms have attached bathroom.

Mrs. Padan can prepare a sumptuous meal anytime.

There are 3 pools where the hot spring water is piped to and then mixed with the cool water where the temperature can be dialed to your liking. The hot springs are not sulphuric and thus does not smell. It's from the same of springs where the local natives boil off the water to get iodise spring salt. The best time to soak in the pool is during the night when temperatures drop. It has been said that salt is good for your body. 
View of the rapids by the lodge
There is not much to do here except lazy around and 'recover' from the stresses of the city. It's also an ideal place to hold small meetings and retreats. Christian groups often come here for church camps. The owner can arrange for a guide to take you on a jungle walk around the pristine forest here.

Get Around Lawas

MELASAK WATERFALL ,(KG. PENGALIH)

BANGAT BEACH

PUNANG BEACH SUNSET

Lawas Delicacies

As Lawas is a part of Sarawak, therefore there will a great opportunity to have a test at the local Sarawakian food, known as Kolo mee. "Kolo mee" is a type of noodles that are stirred inside the soup, but without the base. It's appearance is difference compared to the normal soup noodles, and it is simple. Kolo mee can be found in most restaurants in Lawas and they costs around RM 3 per plate. Note that Kolo mee only available at mornings.Laksa and Kolo Wantan are DELICIOUS TOO..

Lawas River

Coming in from Sabah/Lawas ferry point into Lawas town. Lawas is a quiet small Sarawak town located in between Sabah and Brunei. Last population census in 2000 indicated Lawas has only 38,600 people.

The serene Lawas River against the mountains of Sarawak's interior.

Lawas is a small frontier town in the northeastern corner of Sarawak state in Malaysian Borneo. The town is located in a strip of Sarawak territory sandwiched between the Temburong district of Brunei and Malaysia's Sabah state. It is cut off from the rest of Sarawak and is more easily accessed from Sabah.
The town does not have many attractions to interest the traveller but you may find yourself here if you are travelling overland between Sabah and Sarawak. Quiet and peaceful, Lawas is quite pleasant if you have to stop for a day or two.
Lawas is also the starting point for the logging road to Ba Kelalan in the Sarawak

Lawas Turns Into Model Town

SARAWAK'S northern-most urban centre – Lawas – which is located next to the state's border with Sabah and Brunei, has always fascinated first-time visitors with its cleanliness and well-planned environment.
Not many people would expect a town so far away from the state capital – Lawas is 1,200km from Kuching – to be well organised and developed.
In the 1970s and even up to the early 1990s, Lawas, together with nearby Limbang (both Lawas and Limbang are in the same Limbang division), had the notorious reputation for being sin capitals of Sarawak.

Lawas town is well structured and clean.

Prostitution, sleazy pubs, massage parlours, dirty eateries and rundown motels were a norm in these border towns.

Today, both towns have seen a total transformation following a decade of extensive urban redevelopment and reengineering.
Hundreds of millions of ringgit was invested from 1995 to develop residential estates, agriculture projects, new shops, commercial centres and roads.
There have also been moves to develop hinterland tourism destinations like the Ba'Kelalan and Bario highlands located between six to nine hours by road from Lawas.
The efforts have produced remarkable results. Lawas is now a little model town.
It is clean and free of traffic jams even though it has a population of about 35,000 and a "floating population" of about 10,000 travellers daily who move between Lawas and Brunei as well as Lawas and Sabah.
The rundown and dirty motels have been transformed into nice little inns and tourist-class hotels with decent modern facilities.

  Simple and friendly highland folk from the Lun Bawang minority group in Lawas.

Eateries and restaurants, which cater to both Muslims and non-Muslims, are big and clean and there are plenty of shops.
The road system is good, as is the public transport system.
The riverfront has been given a new look with well-maintained public parks and gardens.
Lawas River, which runs by the town, has been cleaned and it serves as a vital river transportation mode linking Lawas with neighbouring towns and villages and deep interior settlements.
The state recently outlined plans to build new housing schemes and open areas for small and medium-scale industries.
It also plans to build a new airport.
Lawas has also been earmarked as the nerve centre for interior settlements like Long Semadoh and those in the Ulu Trusan region.
The state has drawn up plans to develop the settlements into rural growth centres, and Lawas will serve as the supply area for building materials and as a logistics hub.

Panorama View At Batu Lawi

View Nearby At Batu Lawi.. 

About Bukit Batu Lawi

Bukit Batu Lawi is a mountain located in the Malaysian part of Borneo. At 2,046 m (6,713 ft), it is one of the highest mountains in the state of Sarawak.

Some Picture at Mount Murud

MOUNT MURUD SCENCE

BATU LINANIT 2248M VIEW BATU LAWI

MOUNT MURUD HISTORY

The Kelabit highlands is one of Sarawak's last unspoiled regions with beautiful flora and a cool refreshing climate. The journey from the lowlands to highlands will have you passing by green pastures of fruit orchards, paddy fields with buffaloes and other farmland animals and rustic wooden homes that's surrounded by virgin jungle. The vegetation changes as you ascend and along the way, you witness the local life with plenty of opportunity to interact with the friendly natives, mainly Lun Bawang and Kelabit tribes. The program includes a climb up to Mount Murud summit which at 2423m/7946ft is the highest sandstone mountain in Sarawak. The first person to have successfully climbed to the summit is a Swedish Zoologist and Ethnographer, Eric Mjöherg, in 1922 after several failed attempts a few years earlier by J.C. Moulton who was a curator of the Sarawak Museum then.  Mjöherg was astounded by the many species of plants especially pitcher plants that are endemic to this location. He documented many of plants and flowers, describing the mountain as a paradise which will forever be embedded in his mind. Many locals regard Mount Murud as a sacred location. Rumors of many astounding miracles is said to have happened here. Local folks make an annual pilgrimage to celebrate its majesty, therefore, it is no surprise that you will find a large church camp made of many assembled wooden houses on a plateau which can accommodate 1500 people.

MOUNT MURUD PNORAMA

Overview:

What is so great about Mount Murud ?

Mount Mulu is the highest mountain in Sarawak. It is also a protected area. It has a 'non conventional' conventional centre, we called it the church camp which can accommodate 500 people at one time. It is not a snow capped mountain, so you will not be frozen there. It is also a montane forest, there are many wild flowers growing there.

To somebody, it is a holy land !

And to some others, it is a paradise !

Look at the beautiful wild orchids ! It will soften your heart after the hard climb !

Tour Details :Mount Murud or Muru (Malay: Gunung Murud) is a sandstone mountain located in the Malaysian part of Borneo. At 2,423 m (7,946 ft), it is the highest mountain in the state of Sarawak