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Woke up to a sunny Sunday morning; no hangovers but the burning sensation on my skin - result of the high-noon rafting action the day before is becoming too unbearable. To the extent that I contemplated checking in at the nearest medical facility to get treated for a 3^rd degree burn. This time I’ve got my sun screen on before I set foot out of my hotel room. The weather in KK is just plain scorching hot.

Visited the Gaya Street Sunday market just across the road. It’s a vibrant & colorful bargain market where you can find all that is distinctively Sabah’s, from handmade crafts & antiques to local cakes & exotic fruits.

Spotted a few lions lost amongst the crowd. Of all places, lion dances in a Sunday market?? I find it quite amusing. The performances are actually part of the Pesta Ang Pau Jalan Gaya commemorating Chap Goh Meh.

What I had for breakfast. Surprise, they’ve got laksa here too.

Jesselton Point ferry terminal where we embarked on our island hopping journey.

Yet another oddity, a futsal stadium at the jetty??

It took a breezy 15mins boat ride to Sapi island, one of the more popular snorkeling hotspots of the Tunku Addul Rahman National Park clusters of islands.

Jelly fish hazard!

Those clumsy flippers took a little getting used to.

Stretches of white, sandy beaches, crystal clear blue waters, beautiful clusters of corals & the colorful exotic fishes never fail to mesmerize. (Actual photo taken at an aquarium is for illustration purpose only)

Getting absorbed into the scenic environment – calming & refreshing. & there’s also the ever-so-distracting hot bodies in bikinis. Hey, we’re blessed with a good sense of appreciation for all things beautiful.

Hopping to the next island: Manukan, which houses a full fledged resort. Here, the shallow reefs drops to a seemingly bottomless deep trench just meters away from the shores. Nothing much to been seen on the shallow parts, just some small clusters of less vibrant corals & lots of sea urchins, you know that black spike ball thingy. The real treasure trove lies further out. The un-nerving experience of snorkeling into the abyss & eventually discovering a deep sea pinnacle of corals of unfathomable size & depth is priceless. It’s not like I can swim, but wearing the venerable life jacket makes me feel invincible like superman at sea. I’m actually scared of water, more of drowning so does that make me a hydrophobic?

I could’ve used a Scuba-Do instead

& have a cute chick to accompany me

Verdict: Save the hassle of engaging travel agents for arrangement unless you want to go diving, which requires a qualified instructor. Boat tickets (fix fare) are easily available at the counters at the main jetty; for a 2 island hopping trip, the return fare will cost about Rm30 - 50. Snorkeling gears: mask snorkel, life jacket & flippers can usually be rented from the boat operators at a cost of roughly Rm15 – 25. For M’sians, Rm5 should be able to cover for the park entrance fees. An economical budget at less than Rm100. Ours costs exactly that amount excluding lunch.

Had our auspicious Chap Goh Meh dinner at Oregano’s along Anjung Samudera. Missed out on authentic fresh & cheap KK seafood. ~Sigh. No, we did not go tepi longkang to throw oranges neither.