I spend a total of 16 nights in Malaysia (13 of them in Borneo) and there’s a bunch of images I haven’t shared yet.

I’ll start by sharing a map of exactly where I went in Borneo, since I haven’t done that yet and it may be helpful to those planning their own trips to this part of the world:

I fly from Kuala Lumpur on the mainland to Kota Kinabalu (A), then take a day-long bus to Sandakan (B), then another day-long bus to Semporna (C) and finally fly out of Tawau (D). I choose these base cities because of their proximity to the key areas I plan to visit. Kota Kinabalu is right near Rasa Ria and Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. Sandakan is near Turtle Island, Kinabatangan River, Labuk Bay, and Sepilok. And Semporna is the main harbor for visiting islands in the Celebes Sea like Mataking, Mabul, and Sipadan. Tawau is the nearest airport to Semporna, so I fly back to Kuala Lumpur from there.

All of these cities are great except for Semporna. Trash flows into the streets there, leaving an ugly and smelly imprint on my memory. It was a necessary base for visiting the islands but the less time you can spend there, the better.

Now let’s jump back to the start of my time in Malaysia…

It’s after 5pm when I first arrive in Kuala Lumpur on a brief layover before continuing on to Borneo. But the late hour doesn’t stop me from eagerly gulping down a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee in the airport.

There is a floating mosque in Kota Kinabalu. I arrive just in time to see this bride pose with local children. They don’t seem to be with the wedding party, but happily run alongside the bride as the photographer snaps away.

Even on a cloudy day, this mosque is impressive.

A shot from my Instagram feed:

And the mosque as seen from a distance away (I take a taxi there but walk back to town):

This is NOT a zebra crossing:

Ahh, Starbucks. You complete me.

As someone with a dairy allergy, my coffee options abroad are limited, so I’m thrilled to see a chain that offers soy milk beverages. Note the smiley face my barista added next to my (correctly spelled) name.

After spending a day editing photos, I treat myself to a screening of the Neill Blomkamp film Elysium starring Matt Damon. It’s a nice theater with assigned stadium seating and my ticket costs only 8 MYR ($2.40 USD).

This is Peter, the owner of Masada Backpacker in Kota Kinabalu. On TripAdvisor, it is ranked the number one place to stay among 62 specialty lodging options in Kota Kinabalu.

When I enquire about taxi options at the front desk, the employee calls Peter and he’s available to take me to Rasa Ria for quite a bit less than the taxi rates. And he’s available again a few days later when I need a ride to the long distance bus station (located a few miles outside the city). He even stops at the Buddhist temple below since it’s on the way; I never would have known about it otherwise.

This is the Puh Toh Tze Temple.

Here’s a shot of the coast on our way back to Sandakan after visiting Turtle Island:

I catch a bus from Sandakan to Semporna, but it breaks down mid-journey. It’s truly the only transportation hiccup during my entire trip. I remember thinking, “I’m due for this to happen.” About two hours later a replacement bus picks us up.

I drink this delicious watermelon juice at a cafe in Semporna. The next morning I return for an orange one. They are both fresh, giant, and tasty.

Here’s a view of the numerous palm oil plantations as seen from the air on my flight out of Tawau. Malaysia is the second-highest producer of palm oil in the world, behind Indonesia. Palm oil production is criticized by environmental groups because it relies on deforestation and threatens species like the orangutan, plus it increases greenhouse gas emissions. But it’s a big percentage of income for certain countries.

I spend three nights in Kuala Lumpur (often referred to as KL) before continuing on to my next destination. By now I’ve been on the go for two weeks with almost no downtime to edit photos and write posts, so I shore up in a Starbucks for two days and cram in as much work as possible while downing soy iced lattes.

The metro in KL is efficient and easy to use. The tokens look like play coins:

I stay at a great hostel near the Chinatown area of KL. It’s a lively area and I wish I had more time to explore.

Shoes are discarded by the entrance of my KL hostel, The Explorer’s Guesthouse. I enjoy my stay here.

My next stop is a brief layover in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Then I’ll continue on to the island of Palau.

A few Instagram shots on our descent into Manila:

I have so thoroughly enjoyed my time in Malaysia, especially the wildlife in Borneo — elephants, orangutans, and fascinating undersea creatures.

Tomorrow I’ll detail exactly how much money I spent in this country. It’s WAY higher than I’d like to admit, thanks to my newly-realized diving hobby.