Kota Kinabalu Trip : Pulau Manukan

Destination for the very next day, Pulau Manukan! Sea and beaches, my favorite. How to get there? It's easy as A, B and C. Most of the hotel has a one day transport package to all the islands(provide by local tour agency). RM 40 per person, includes return transport from hotel to the jetty, jetty to the island. RM 20 per person for the life jacket, fins, mask, and snorkel.

DO NOT FORGET your glamorous shades and sun tanning oil. Enjoy the speedboat ride, the beach, the sun, and the sea together with all the fish!

There is restaurant on the island(I mean Manukan island not the others). Buffet or A La Carte. DO EXPECT to wait for some time for your order to be served. They(local) work slowly, I mean VERY. I waited 30 mins for a chicken rice and my drink NEVER came, even I had requested for 4 times.

Superb weather! tan me tan me~

Swim, walk around the island, snorkeling+fish feeding(really fun! like swimming in a big aquarium), lunch, snorkeling again without life jacket(so that I can dive in to touch the starfish and sea urchin but not the CORALS!) and lastly sun bathing for hours(I fall asleep).

However.... nothing is prefect. Some part of the beach is not nice, it is rocky, full of dead corals. It was heart breaking. 80% of the corals in the snorkeling area were dead. I am very disappointed in the marine park ranger because they failed to protect the coral. Do you know who is the murderer? is US, human. Corals are very fragile animal(YES they are animal not plant). One kick with your fins can kill a lot of corals or a touch(finger of death!).

Try other island, less developed island, if you are looking for corals. remember to bring your own food!

In the water…
When you snorkel, admire the coral but do not touch it.

For those newbie snorkelers:

• Do not stand or rest on corals. They may look unbreakable but you can injure them simply by your touch, even if you are wearing gloves. If you really have to stand, find a spot where there is no coral.
• Do not kick up sand with your fins.
• Do not swim in shallow water.
• Do not feed the fish and never ride the turtles. Swim next to them instead. They love that.
• To protect your skin from the sun, wear a T-shirt rather than using oil-based sun cream.
• If you have a guide, ask him to give you a briefing on the ecosystem you are about to observe before you dive. It will make the experience all the more exciting.
• Take notes and photos, not pieces of coral or shells.
• Make sure that the boat captain does not anchor on the reef, and do not throw anything overboard.
• If you notice any damage to coral reefs, tell the organisers of the snorkelling trip. This way, you can play a role in monitoring the reefs.

A few practical tips for snorkellers:

• Lie flat in the water and keep your legs straight.
• Kick from the hips rather than from the knees.
• Try not to use your hands and arms.
• Keep your equipment under control to avoid bumping into the reef.
• Always snorkel with a friend and wear a flotation device if you feel more comfortable.
• Before diving, make sure that your mask, snorkel and fins are properly adjusted.

For more " DON'Ts " information here or here...

to be continued.... short clip