Labuan – footsteps……..by atok vlog

Happy Chinese New Year & Hari Wilayah Persekutuan

31 January 2014

First its the Chhinese New Year today and I would like to wish all Chinese wherever you are, a very Happy and Prosperous Year ahead. This year will be the year of the horse and I was born in the year of the horse too.

1 February 2014

The second day of the Chinese New Year and its the Federal Territory Day. Happy Hari Wilayah to all those who are in all the three Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

The Federal Territory Ministry had arranged activities to be celebrated throughout the month of February.

In Flight – Coming To Labuan

Whenever I travel, I will always request for a window seat on starboard side. My favourite seat will always be 27F the last seat on the plane. There is some advantage to it. If I am lucky enough the next seat 27D and 27E might be vacant and I can have all the row to myself. No, not stingy la. Comfort. I can put my laptop, magazine, newspaper or whatever on the seat next to me. During boarding, usually passengers from row 14 to 27 will be allowed in first after those who needs special assistants and those travellling with kids. When you go in first, you will not have problem to store your hand carry items in the overhead compartment. However during disembarkation, you must be prepared to be last but that is not a serback since inside the terminal, we will have to wait for our luggage too.

Being interested in Geography since school days, I like to look at maps and whenever in flight I can see for myself the actual landscape as what I see on maps. That’s the reason I love window seat when some prefer aisle because its easy to go to the toilet. I have the habit too to capture what I see on camera and with myself being a blogger, it helps when I want to post entries about my travelling experiences.

In this posting I recollect pictures that I have on my computer to share with my readers what I saw from seat 27F. This is Labuan as I see it from the air……………..

Below: Ariel view of Victoria Point or Labuan Town

Below: Approaching runway. The Labuan International Seasports Complex can be seen

Below: The State Mosque

Below: Labuan Airport

Memories of Waterfront Hotel, Labuan

I had the opportunity to stay at the Waterfront Hotel on one of my visit to Labuan. The hotel located at No.1 Jalan Wawasan is a Mariner’s Hotel and is as the name implies is at the waterfront. It is adjacent to the largest shopping centre of Labuan, The Financial Park and also the Labuan Mariner Centre. The hotel has its own mariner and one can walk along its promenade breathing the fresh sea breeze and the ships in the bay or just relax at the monkey bar next to the swimming pool. No! the bar is not for monkeys. LOL. Photo below is a birds eyeview of the hotel I took from Mari-mari.com.

All these photo below are from this blogger’s camera.

Top: The porch to the reception as seen from my room.

The three picture below is the room where I stay. To suit the mariners mood, its painted white.

Below: The Swimming pool

Besides the swimming pool there is also a gymnasium and a health centre. I do go to the gym a few times running on the treadmill.

Chimney Di Labuan Masih Misteri

Saya telah membuat satu posting yang menceritakan tentang lawatan ke Chimney di Labuan. Namun demikian ia adalah sebahagian daripada lawatan saya. Kali ini entry saya akan menceritakan khusus tentang Lawatan ke Chimney itu sahaja.

Lawatan saya ke Chimney ini pun dapat dilakukan setelah beberapa kali mengunjungi Pulau Labuan walaupun setiap kali datang, ada niat untuk melawatnya.

Chimney ini terletak di Tanjung Krubong, dan mempunyai ketinggian 106 kaki diperbuat daripada batu bata merah dan dipercayai ada hubungkait dengan perusahaan melombong arang batu di Labuan. Lihat peta DI SINI untuk lokasi. Sebanyak 23,000 ketul bata merah telah digunakan dan ianya diimport dari England. Susunan batu bata pada binaan ini adalah tipikal dengan gaya British.

Pada awalnya dianggap bahawa Chimney ini dibina sebagai laluan asap tetapi kajian menunjukkan tidak terdapat kesan asap atau arang pada bahagian dalamnya dan ini adalah antara yang menyumbangkan kepada binaan ini masih menjadi misteri hingga hari ini. Hasil dari mengorek untuk kajian mendapati terdapat 12 lapisan bata di bawah aras bumi dan binaan ini terletak di atas jaluran batu kapur yang kaya dengan tanah liat jenis kaolin atau tanah liat porselin. Beberapa hipotesis telah dibuat untuk mengkaji binaan ini. Ada yang mengatakan ia sebahagian daripada rumah agam yang tidak siap sementara ada yang mengatakan ia berfungsi sebagai rumah api untuk memberi panduan kepada kapal-kapal yang lalu di kawasn tersebut. Pada zaman awalnya, kawasan berhampiran dengan laut itu mempunyai penduduka yang ramai dan Chimney ini digunakan sebagai menara untuk measang loceng bagi memberi amaran kepada penduduk tentang ketibaan kapal.

Di bawah ialah plak yang dibina oleh Kementerian Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan yang terdapat di perkarangan Chimney.

Spesifikasi Chimney seperti yang dipaparkan di lokasi

Bersebelahan dengan tapak Chimney ini terdapat sebuah bangunan pentadbiran dan didalamnya ada sebuah diorama yang mengisahkan tentang aktiviti perlombongan arang batu di kawasan tersebut.

Saya ingin memetik dari satu tulisan mengenai perlombongan arang baru di Labuan antara tahun 1847 hingga 1911 yang menyebabkan diorama ini dibina bagi merakan sejarah perlombongan itu….

Coal, found at the northern end of the island, was worked by mining companies between 1847 to 1911. It was first worked by William Miles between April 1847 to July 1849, under contract for the Eastern Archipelago Company.

Untuk baca seterusnya sila lawat laman ini.

Walkabout Labuan

I was in Labuan from 20th – 24th April 2009 and took these pictures during my walkabout. It was on part of the town of Labuan. The first stop is the new Labuan Jetty. This jetty connects Labuan to Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei by sea. Ferries and speed boats depart from here to other seaside jetties at Kota Kinabalu, Menumbuk and Sipitang in Sabah. There is also ferries to Lawas in Sarawak besides to Brunei Darussalam.

The main roundabout on the island. From this point roads lead into the town centre, the Western coast and up north. This roundabout is marked as number1 on the accompanied map taken from labuanweb.com. When I first step foot on this island, this is the place I arrived. There was a barber shop in front of where Hong Leong Bank is now (where the tree in the picture is seen). That was in 1975.

Below is another view from the roundabout. The building in the background is the abandoned Labuan Hotel.

Dataran Labuan akin to Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur is the main field in Labuan Town.
Dataran Labuan, and in the background is Ujana Kewangan, the largest shopping mall on Labuan Island. The building on the right is the Grand Dorsett Hotel.
A roundabout next to Dataran Labuan. The marlin has been chosen as the mascot for Labuan Island.
The public park along Jalan Bunga Kesuma. The place is shady with wakaf built for tired walkers to rest or take a nap.

Two old folks enjoying Chinese chess at the park.

This is Victoria Hotel. I think this is one of the first hotel in Labuan since its name is derived from the name of the town. Labuan town was known Victoria Point before being known with its present name. The sign in the foreground is one of the pedestrian crossing along one of the main road. From my observation, drivers here are more courteous to pedestrtians. If they saw anyone waiting by the roadside to cross, drivers will stop voluntarily even there is no traffic light requesting them to stop. I have never seen this happens anywhere in Malaysia before. Something that other drivers elsewhere should learn.

The main bus terminal. Commuter can embark here and the bus lead to all areas on the island.

Labuan 21-24 Sept 08 – I Missed My Flight.

Labuan Airport: 5.45 pm. en route to Kuala Lumpur on MH 2609

This is my second time this year I arrive her in Labuan. This short visit is during the fasting month and for me a Muslim the glitches of being here is during the breaking of fast and the sahur. Stayed at Hotel Pulau Labuan II. I have to buy packed food and eat a a restaurant on the first day. For sahur is packed nasi goreng kuning.

Second day break of fast with Nasi Briyani kambing and as usual a glass of iced lemon tea. Sahur is mee goreng mamak in the middle of the night beside the Blue Wave Lounge.

OMG!!!!!

Now that I had arrived at Labuan Airport and waiting to check in. My flight as I have been remembering is 7.20 pm. So when the counter is opened, I proceed to check in only to find out that I had made a silly mistake of being careless. I was told by the staff at the counter that my flight was at 5.20 and not 7.20. On the ticket it was 1720 and I just don’t know why I made that simple and silly mistake. After been flying since 1973 this is the first time I made that mistake and I am for a time being stranded at the airport.

Immediately I went to the MAS ticket office to enquire and being told that the next flight will only be the next morning and there is only Business Class. It means that I have to pay the fine for no appearance and the extra upgrading to Business class of RM 430.00. There is no more seat until Sunday since its the weekend and nearing the Aidil Fitri holidays. I jsut can’t wait until Sunday. So I decided to try Airasia instead and if the fare is more than I have no choice but to take the business Class and it will be my first time flying Business.

The Airasia office is closed maybe because of the time of breaking the fast for Muslims. The wait is quite stressful thinking whether there are anymore seat on the 8.50 flight to Kuala Lumpur. The stress increased when the MAS ticketing office is close. And It means if there is no seat on Airasia, I have no choice to fly back to Kuala Lumpur the next morning and that too is not confirmed since the ticketing clerk told me that there is only 3 seats left. Time flew so slow and in my mind I am thinking of the price.

After seeing one man came out of the sales office that is still close I approached and asked when the office will be open. He said that the office will not be opened and that really shoot up my stress. Then I asked whether there is anymore seat on tonight’s flight and the good news came. There are seats.

I can buy the ticket at the counter and it costs me RM 421 plus RM 10 for luggage. That is cheaper than if I fly Business and above that I have to pay my hotel room for tonight which will be totalling more than RM 500 and going back a day late.

Now that I had my ticket and checked in, I am waiting for the flight which I was told being delayed. The aircraft was delayed in Macau to Kuala Lumpur. However the delay is not a problem to me anymore since I am able to fly back to Kuala Lumpur tonight.

Labuan – Here I am again

This is my third time been Labuan this year. I was here in March and the second time was in Jun and now again. What I wonder is that the occupancy rate in Labuan is very high and I found it dificult to secure a hotel room. Whenever I am in Labuan I use to stay at Sara Hotel which is very convenient due to its location which is about central in this off-shore financial centre. It is walking distance to the shopping area, the ferry terminal or the Financial Park or Ujana Kewangan. The tourist information centre is just about 30 metres away from the hotel. Next to the hotel is a restaurant, Malindo Restaurant that cater Halal food for muslims.

However as I had mentioned earlier, I can’t secure a room ata Sara because its full, so a friend of mine goes round the town and finally got a room at Sky Global. The hotel is situated just beside a disco and luckily it was not as noisiy as I had anticipated. If one have been to Labuan surely they will have heard of the name Popin. The room at Sky Global (where I stayed) is quite small and movement inside the room is a bit restricted. I just remember of a room that I stayed in Hong Kong for RM 90.00 and just have a walking room just one half of my body. There’s a single bed, the locker at the headboard of the room and the bathroom next to it. So whenever I am in the room, he best place o be is on the bed.

I consider room rate at Sky Global is expensive taking into account of its size and facilities. I have to pay RM 88.00 for that room. Luckily another friend of mine get me another room at Hotel Labuan 2 which is usually fully booked and this hotel is very near to the place where I will be conducting my course. The place where I will be conducting the course is Labuan Training Centre which is just across the road. So I don’t have to trouble my firnd to come and fetch me and take me back after my duty. Room rate is RM 98.00 with complimentary breakfast for 1 and he size is twice as big as Sky Global and more comfortable. I will try to upload some picture when I go back home this Friday.

Weather in Labuan this time is considered very hot.

Hotel- The Waterfront, Labuan

I stayed at the Waterfront hotel situated in Labuan. The hotel with a marina has a sailors atmosphere with rooms all white. Mmmm… staying for 5 days at the hotel makes me feel that I am a sailor (LOL). The Waterfront is an international class hotel built for the financial and business industry.

The hotel is situated adjacent to the largest shopping complex in Labuan, The Financial Park where one can buy chocolates and/or liquor (a must buy for visitors).

Other facilities provided by the hotel is a large swimming pool, The Sunset Bar, Gymnasium, Health Centre, Karaoke and TM’s Hotspot. I can receive one bar from my room but not able to log on to the internet. I think the hotel should provide FREE highspeed broadband access to its stay in guest instead of TM’s hotspot service which is only available at the lobby and coffee house.

The hotel address is No 1 Jalan Wawasan, Labuan. Tel : 087 418111 Fax : 087 413468

Just nice to relax

The shower

Wardrobe, coffee making facilities and mini fridge.

Two beds but since I stayed alone, one is always vacant.

What I collected from the hotel.

The Marina next to the hotel.

Historical Labuan

Here again I am on Labuan soil for the second time this year. I was here in April and stayed at Sara Hotel. This time I stay at Waterfront Hotel, some distance out of the main town area. Waterfront is a four star hotel with quite good facilities. There’s a large swimming pool, gymnasium, health centre, and even a karaoke and lounge within the premise. However I am not very concerned about all those facilities as long as I can switch on my laptop and log onto the internet. When I stayed at Sara Hotel, I can surf from the comfort of my room. Of course there’s hotspot at the hotel and I think it is well connected at the lobby or coffee house next to it. I can get 1 bar and the signal is very weak. Therefore I found it not worth registering my hotspots account since I will not be connected round the clock.

Oooppps, I swayed away from the topic. Anyway, I am planning to take a round island tour today. FYI I am surfing from the internet cafe inside the TUDM Base in Labuan here.

I went together with Sulaiman, Kamal and Ardina. Our first stop was at The Chimney, one of the landmark of Labuan.

THE CHIMNEY

PEACE GARDEN

After visiting The Chimney we went to Peace Garden, a monument garden in remembrance of the surrender of the Japanese army during the 2nd World war.

Labuan and Miri Trip

I will be in Labuan again from 24-28 Jun 2007. This will be my second time this year I visit Labuan. Hoping I can write more about Labuan, something different from what I wrote in my last blog.

Then after Labuan I will fly to Miri on 1st of July and will be there till 6th July 2007.

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