Mini Travelogue : Tip of Borneo

Tip of Borneo

When driving along the highway from Tuaran to Kudat, you will see the golden paddy field on both sides of the highway. We did not manage to take any picture because there is no space to drop by. So, we just passed by and moved on to the destination. Of course, our destination was the Tip of Borneo where the crystal clear water lies and white sandy beach stretches.

View from the cliff

White sandy beach

About 30 minutes drive from Kudat, Tip of Borneo is the latest destination which is discovered few years ago. It has a very clean and white sandy beach as well as the crystal clear sea water. The white sandy beach faces South China Sea while the Tip itself is the intersection of the Sulu Sea and South China Sea. Majority of the plants there are pine and oak trees. The view is fascinating and the cliff at the Tip of Borneo has been resembled as one of the attraction in Australia, as my friend described. 

Tip of Borneo is surrounded by small villages and can hardly find crowd in the Tip, as what we can see in the crowded beach of Tanjung Aru (Kota Kinabalu, Sabah) or Patong (Phuket).

This shelter near the Tip

Jump shot at the Tip

For diverse tourist attraction, the government promotes the place as the Sunset Orchestra Performance stage besides natural scenery. The local residents also set up the accommodation nearby the tip. This can attract more people to come and see the view at the tip while enjoying the melody of the Sunset Orchestra. 


However, the infrastructure such as roads linking to the destination is not well maintained. Thus causing extra travel time and giving bad experience and impression to the tourists who visit there. Therefore, the government is urged to repair the roads and provide better infrastructure and facilities in order to raise the reputation of the state as one of the most visited state in the country.

The richest yet the poorest

Richest, but poorest?

Sabah is blessed with abundant natural resources such as natural gas, petroleum, timber and also the majestic Mt Kinabalu. These features can make the people rich and yet the people still suffer in poverty. Income gap increases and no measures taken. Poor gets poorer and rich gets richer!

Why?

Poor governance and corruption, illegal refugees (who are the low wage, no skilled labours), many politicians but little promises and work done. These are the contributors to the worsening poverty in Sabah. Last time, when I discussed this situation with my friend, he talked about the attitude of the people was not right. That would be a determining cause for the poverty too.

How?  How to address it?

Can it be eradicate through free education? To correct their mind?
Can it be done through free internet penetration? To let them have more information inflow?
Can it be done by providing a better infrastructure? To bring up the economy and create more job opportunities?
Can it be done if and only if the government is changed? or institutional change? Election?

Too many X-factors to be discussed.