The wonderland of Malaysia named Kinabatangan
Kinabatangan is the longest river in Sabah, Malaysia 2nd term, is worldwide recognized as the place possessing a lot of natural treasures.
Looking from above, 5 Asian Seas surrounded one of the world’s largest islands – Borneo, where the share the borders of 3 nations Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The rivers: Kapuas, Rajang, Mahakam, Barito … located in the heart of the sea, making this 3 countries to link in a flow. Kinabatangan River is also located in the seabed, but more specifically: it hide deep in the forest.
From Kota Kinabalu (Sabah state capital, Malaysia), you take the flight Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan about 40 minutes, or car or bus for 6 hours. If traveling by air, you will have the chance to see the whole blue scene from above, but the most interesting must be going by car.
Rich ecosystem
Compared to many other rivers in the world, Kinabatangan will make the others have to jealous. This river is the kingdom of many endemic species of animals, also known as a peaceful asteroid for the species.
The river rolls in the mangroves forest, along the river you can see there are a lot of old trees reaching out make a long tunnel. Slowly cruising on the river, weave through many twists, and you will realize that in this life there is nothing rushed. This asteroid will show you vitality beneath a slow life. That is the lesson from primates.
There are 10 species of endemic primates os Borneo choose this as their homeland. Orang Utan chimpanzees, Proboscis monkeys, macaques, Maroon Langur, Bornean Gibbon … choose the high branches to sunbath, catch lice for each other and did not care about the presence of humans.
Kinabatangan is a wonderland in Malaysia, and Halong bay is the same in Vietnam. Spending a day to discover this place is a good choice! Let’s take our Halong bay tour from Hanoi!
They appear every where around two sides of the river. They always gather together on the trees, from the distance you can easily mistaken it with the branches which full of berries. The most interesting scene that makes you exclaim as watching the volleyball match is the scene when they pass the branches. Alternately all of them perform the far jumping on these branches to the others right in front of your eyes, that will be exciting experience.
You will also see proboscis monkeys with its big nose, eye-catching color. They are a specie with high IQs, and is a symbol of peace and the sustainability of the land.
Pygmy of Borneo
Kinabatangan is also home of the lovely Borneo “Pygmy” elephants, they appear in the list of priority species because they are endangered of extinction. Pygmy elephants are smaller and considered as the world’s shortest, and extremely rare. Mature Pygmy is only 2.4 m of height, with small ears, walking, running and jumping very mischievous. If you go along the river patiently, wait patiently as direction of local people, you will see them are moving in the yards of reeds. This breed is a little bit difficult to find because they are too short and not so much quantity.
The place where species sharing their territory
Kinabatangan have the look of a mangrove ecosystem. On the shore, elephants eating grass, monkeys jumping branches. On the mudflats, you will see crocodiles, Monitor lizards are taking sunbathe. Kingfishers are extremely easy to be find, besides there are eagles, hornbills, storks cauldron … The photographers love Kinabatangan so much that they stay here for a long time, sometimes just to get a picture of a kingfishers plunging into the river to catch its prey, or simply photograph of a giant spider knit it net to catch prey. This is also the ideal place for anyone enamoring the study of reptiles and insects.
