Road Trip to Crocker Range (3): Tambunan

So we continued our journey after Keningau. We drove all the way for about 45 minutes along the Keningau-Tambunan Highway. At first we wanted to go to the viewing tower but we didn't know where was the right way to the top of the hill... there were no signboard after we saw one at the roundabout. We have drove for 15 minutes and the road was getting smaller and remote. So we turned back and asked the villagers. When we found one back to the entrance, he said we were on the right track. Well, too late, we decided to head to town for lunch. 

There were not much of choice for food in Tambunan actually... I asked a lady where does she have lunch usually, she said Tambunan doesn't have any nice food and she does not have any favourite kopitiam there. So in the town centre, we walked around to survey approx 5 kopitiams and decided to go back to the first kopitiam. Most of them sell almost the same thing... mixed rice, or order fried rice or fried noodle, that is all. The shops were quiet, only a few people chatting and smoking inside the shops. 

Then we continued our journey to Mat Salleh Memorial. This place wasn't easy to be noticed because This site was used to be the home or fortress for Mat Salleh, who led a rebellion against British North Borneo Company in the late 19th century. Mat Salleh is a Sabahan Hero according to our local history book. There erected a stone structure to mark the site of Mat Salleh's fort, and there is a long display board that tells the rebellion story

 of Mat Salleh. 

 We continued the journey, and travelled all the way to Mahua Waterfall along the highway. The road was getting smaller, sometimes up hill and down hill, about 30 minutes later, we reached our destination. The entrance fee for this waterfall is only RM3 for a Malaysian adult. We took about 5 minutes to walk through the 500metres walkway before we reached waterfall. The park was well maintained with its paved walkway, handrail, bridge and toilet facilities. It was very convenient indeed. There were lots of bees or giant flies around the picnic area... I guessed it was due to the trash left by visitors that attracted so many insects around... I was holding a banana and immediately surrounded by the flies or bees and got stung!

Waterfall view from the picnic deck... there marked the ancient water level of the pond on the wall. 

Waterfall view from the middle of the pond... wonderful view, the water was very chilling and relaxing. It's a hidden gem of Sabah Forests. 

The water was freezing cold!! I just dipped my feet in the water for a while then quickly pulled them out.. Not only that, the water was so clear that some people brought their crystals gems and cleaned them here. I guessed the positive energy of water can cleanse the crystals. I rinsed my face with the cold water... ahhhhh.. so refreshing...

Anyway it's still a very pleasure walk in the waterfall... the park was surrounded by so many huge and tall trees, shady and peaceful. I liked this place very, very much but we got to leave the park as the sky was dark and I wanted to leave before it rained. Hope we can spend longer time in the park.

As we exited the park, I used the toilet at no charge. It was pretty clean and well-maintained compared to some worn out toilets I have been to elsewhere.

Overall, I'll rate Mahua waterfall 4 out of 5 stars for its natural authenticity!

Road Trip to Crocker Range (2): Keningau

So we head down to Keningau Town again to hunt for Laksa that we missed yesterday. Out of no one we know lives here, we randomly walked into a Chinese religious supplies shop and asked the owner to recommend a must-eat food in Keningau. He pointed us to the corner of the shoplot which sells Laksa - 阿川叻沙kopitiam. Unfortunately the famous Laksa was sold out yesterday so we ordered kuey chap (mixed pork internal parts noodle in dark bak-kut-teh-like soup base). This morning we ordered Sarawak Laksa - the taste for both were good. I just ate kuey chap noodles except for the parts, and I enjoyed the laksa very much. I should have tried the water dumpling instead of shrimp.

(Left) Kuey Chap                                                (Right)  Sarawak Laksa

Keningau word came from local word "Koningau" means cinnamon or Kayu Manis in Malay. You can find many stalls in Wet Market sell cinnamon sticks. One bundle like picture above is sold at RM10. It's mainly use as spice and some use it for decoration. 

Dried salted fish 

The old 大伯公temple. The staff said it wasn't over 100 years old yet. Nothing much info I could obtain from the temple as the staff wasn't a Chinese and couldn't share much of its history with me. However the interior is typical to most of the Chinese temples in Malaysia. They also celebrate birthday of different deities, significant persons, Taoism deities prayers, Chinese traditional festivals and so on, to keep Chinese in the town together. 

Forrest was attracted by this giant laughing Buddha while we were having breakfast next to this temple. 

Next we visited Keningau Heritage Museum. This building was formerly known as the Residence House to accommodate dignitaries and foreign visitors. It then used by the Japanese and British North Borneo Chartered Company until it was taken over by the State government. 

The first section on the left exhibits the excavation activities done in Tapak Bingkor, Keningau region. 

There're many antique collections displayed in the hall. These items are the collections donated by Sir Andrew Bacon and his wife Jane Sakunil. 

These pots or locally known as 'tajau' have some stories behind. It was first owned by the grandfather of Datuk Clement Jaikul, Sargent Imbayan Andoung from Kg. Nambayan. He passed these pots to his son, Datuk Stephen Jaikul Imbayan then Datuk Clement Jaikul before it's handed over to Sabah Museum Department. 

These pots were used to be placed together with 30 human skulls collected by Datuk Clement Jaikul's grandfather during the headhunting time. When Datuk Clement brought these pots back to his house at Kota Kinabalu, his 7-year-old son saw some human beings nearby these pots. Then he fell sick the next day. In another incident, a teenage girl fainted suddenly when she saw a thin woman shadow coming out from the pot when Datuk Clement was hosting a gathering at his house. Since these incidents happened, Datuk Clement decided to bring these pots back to his hometown in Tambunan. While on his way from Kota Kinabalu to Tambunan, his car suddenly stopped and the engine can't be started. So at the end of the day, Datuk Clement handed over these two pots to Sabah Museum Department on 25 July 2013, which are now being displayed at Keningau Heritage Museum. 

The items displayed above tell history of Keningau under Japanese occupation and how Australian army liberated Keningau. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from 76 and 77 Squadron bombed Japanese positions in Keningau until the end of hostilities, when Japanese surrendered in 1945. Then the Australians kept Keningau up and running by supplying daily necessities to the inbahitants such as food, clothes and medical supplies when North Borneo was placed under the British Military Administration (BMA). When Malaysia came into being on 16 September 1963, Sukarno launched an undeclared war on the newly created federation known as the Indonesian Confrontation. The Australian government defended Borneo including Keningau. 

The Oath Stone, erected in front of the Keningau District Office in 1964, was planted to symbolise the Interior people's acceptance of Malaysia, when the new nation was created in 1963. The stone was obtained from the Pegalan River in the vicinity of Kampong Senegang. As the Interior native people accepted Malaysia, it means that their interests of land, religion and customs will be safeguarded by the Federal Government in the spirit of the Twenty Points. 

To be continued.