Monday, May 3, 2010

Canopy walkway, Kipungit Fall, Hotspring - Poring, Sabah



Canopy Walk, Poring, Kinabalu National Park

It was roughly a 20 minute walk uphill to the canopy walk at Poring Hotspring Park. What a thrill! To be up there and not have my feet on solid ground! To be exact, 30.8 metre above the ground and a stretch of 105 metre 'skywalk' with 5 platforms to linger by and marvel nature. The tualang ( Koompassia excelsa) trees majestically tower above, at 85.7 m just took our breath away.


You can't but be in awe of the rainforests. There was a' gentle ' reminder for visitors to take home lasting beautiful memories and not to defile anything in the forest in any way.

Away from the din of city life, the jungle offers its own kind of noises. A male cicada making its mating calls is unashamedly noisy. I don't know how many were calling. But should you have been there, the cicadas were at their symphonic best! So LOUD and the jungle just resonated with their music. I love it! It was not easy to see them. Caught sight of 2 on the tree trunks.



Lianas here, there and everywhere! What a thick loop! Trudging the trail one has to look where you step. Don't forget to pause, look around and skyward too.



The starting point of the Canopy Walk. We gave our ticket bought at the main entrance to the guard who was manning the canopywalk.



Hey! don't rock it - walk slower and it will not shake so much! Only 6 at a time to cross for safety reasons.

How often we get words of wisdom about walking the straight and narrow path in life. This seems like one alright!! There's nowhere else to go but to head forward!! A beauty of a rainforest tree welcomes us at the other end.


It's not only the blue sky but the delicate patterns pasted on it !!



The dry weather made the descent manageable . I've been on trails and slippery, muddy earth makes trekking more challenging. I couldn't help thinking the rewards of attending Pam's aerobics classes at YMCA. It pays to be flexible as one negotiates the uneven ground.

On the trail down from the canopy walk, there were stories to listen to. Mr Lee told us he and his friends had just led a group of ladies, cancer survivors from Singapore to climb Mount Kinabalu. These ladies, not in the prime of health, underwent consistent training for 6 months to conquer and reach the summit. They did.

On a personal level, his wife suffered from altitude sickness . She found a helper in a man who helped her in the descent. He held her hand for some 2 km, now and again. 'The Low Peak ( referring to the main peak of Mount Kinabalu) is her highest peak!' Having conquered the mountain, there's no lows but highs!! Our guide on the Silau - Silau trail, Gusimin dispelled notions that Mount Kinabalu is difficult to scale. Well, the climbers are the ones to vouch for it!


The same 'gang' of trekkers we met earlier at the Butterfly Farm at PoringHotspring Park. With their butterfly field guide book at hand, they told us a few names of the lovely butterflies flitting so fancy -free from flower to flower. They are experienced birders and belong to the Johore Branch of MNS(Malaysian Nature Soc.). More company added to the joviality as stories were exchanged.


The sun was really beating down but I was prepared to be a couple of shades darker. Had only a sun hat to shade off the glare. Well, when the walk was over, the 'Good Morning' towel round the nape of neck was well soaked with beady, salty sweat trickling down my face.








The tree base is my throne !!



How the woody lianas crawl and make their our patterns across the forest floor. Just wish an orang utan would lend me a hand and swing me up among the lianas creeping towards the sky!!

Kipungit Fall






Crystal clear water falling on the rocks



When we arrived at Kipungit Fall after the canopy walk, the sounds of laughter attracted us to a group of trekkers and their activity. Legs were dipped in the water and little fish were having a whale of a time 'snacking' on their skin!! Visions of the fish spas in KL cropped up.Of course we joined in to have a free treatment. Some kids were coaxing their mum to try longer . She did but gave up quite quickly as they ' bit me', she squealed!



It's been a long time since I made a visit to a waterfall. The trail was easy and quite shady , hemmed in by lots of bamboo and other vegetation. Again the cicadas called out. Kipungit Fall, albeit small, was nevertheless peaceful and a refreshing sight. O Life- giver, the water was crystal clear and it didn't seem a place for picnickers.

Time to soak achy feet in the hotspring water at Poring HotSpring known for its therapeutic properties in sulphuric minerals. We sat among some Korean tourists who were delighted with Sabah and its wonderful eco beauties of flora and fauna and charming friendly people.



Majestic bamboos lining the walk inside Poring Hotspring. Poring means 'bamboo' in the Kadazandusun language. In the Exhibition Hall, there's a wonderful display of bamboo and its immense diverse uses : building materials, bridges, handicrafts, food, musical instruments etc.

Bamboo a giant grass??? Yes, it belongs to the grass family It is the fastest growing woody plant on earth! From 3m to a giant 40 m , watch the bamboo grow!!




Mount Kinabalu, the focal point of Kinabalu National Park, standing at 4095 m, is one of the youngest non- volcanic mountains in the world. This granite massif with its jagged peak is still growing at 5mm yearly. The lure of conquering the summit draws people from the world over. Kinabalu National Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.


32 comments:

  1. Nice to walk with you.....
    you was very sportive Wow!!
    It looks very beautiful there
    I think you had a wonderful time ....

    :)

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  2. Wow, this trip sounds amazing. It must have been awe inspiring to be surrounded by a place as rich in life and diversity as Kipungit Fall, I bet you get a real taste for the beauty and sheer wonder of nature.

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  3. I'm impressed that you could do it Keats. It sounds like quite a challenge but truly worthwhile. Your pictures are amazing and beautiful especially of the tree and definitely of the wonderful couple.

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  4. fantastic pictures thank you for sharing your walk. I particularly loved the photo of the feet under water.

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  5. Hi Keats! It looks a wonderful stroll... Maybe one day!

    What about Ephesus? Blogtrotter Two has it... ;) Enjoy and have a great week!!

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  6. Hi
    Anya, yes, we had a wonderful time! Do visit Sabah and Sarawak , E. Malaysia when you come to this region. Wonderful experiences awaits you!!

    Sam Liu,it was amazing and I didn't even do many of the eco stuff yet. Another time, I guess, as tourists will let you know, Sabah needs more visits than one:))

    Ocean Girl, it was a wonderful full day at Poring. Then,to bed! Thanks! Ravi did well too and he's already talking about Mulu Caves,another UNESCO Heritage site in Sarawak.

    sonia, thank you for walking with me:)

    Trotter, hey,I'm pretty sure you'll visit Malaysia one day 'coz you're a great traveler yourself:)

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  7. What a wonderful and well-deserved trip, Keats! Love the photos of you and Ravi... awwww! The tualang is my favourite tree. I love it that you got to be up in the canopy and observe nature. Those liana and buttress roots are very trippy, I must admit. Good to be careful. Those spa fishes look adorable! I would be afraid of squashing them.

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  8. Nice to go for such walk in good company. Very rich rainforests and I am sure I sure fall tripping over those giant roots...lol

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  9. THank you for taking us with you in this beautiful walk. I loved the picture of the sky seen through the tree leaves ...

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  10. Hi
    ~Covert_Operations'78~,thanks Ee Lynn. Guess I'll have to wait a bit till you too go on YOUR well-deserved trip in Langkawi. Haven't been up FRIM canopy walkway for a while. How about you? Don't worry about the little fishes - they just wriggle again:)

    alicesg, do visit our rainforests - s'pore is only a hop away!! don't worry 'coz you'll know how to avoid them lianas etc , makes trekking an experience.

    Laura in Paris, hey,can we tempt you with our lovely rainforests etc,once again?? i bet you enjoyed some whilst living here.

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  11. vallah..great walk.excellent pix...hey keats my dear friend.this is unfair ya..when i try to open yr blog fm office it says blocked..now i am commenting from home, it opens cheerfully..lol..:) take care friend:)wishes..maybe coz u post lots of photos it takes time to load the blog...

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  12. It's a beautiful post Keats...though I will tell you that I will not walk that canopy. My tummy churns when I walk on the overhead pedestrian bridge..cant stand height, so walking here is a no no for me :P I did go to Bako when I was in Kuching..it was the toughest trip for me, esp when one is not exactly so fit. My friend and I could not move the following day and even walking down the stairs was a real pain ;)

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  13. Nice eco experience. There's one of those hanging walks at Sedim, near Kulim too. Not too bad with clear streams and rapids below.

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  14. You have a very interesting blog and I can get to see different parts of Malaysia without leaving my home , thanks !

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  15. Beautiful walk! a very narrow path indeed but the whole scenery is so amazing!

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  16. Thanks for visiting my blog all the way over in Africa ! I enjoyed my adventure with you today - but I don't know about that swinging bridge ... a bit too adventurous for me ;)
    Lynda, Kilimanjaro, East Africa

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  17. Hi
    R.Ramesh,thank goodness, my problem of accessing blogs seem to have disappeared. Veronica Lee asked to remove the cookies and I asked my nephew to do it for me!!!thanks so much for trying to stay connected:)shall try to put up less photos. Have a good day!

    M.Kate, that's true, not everyone can stand heights. so I can understand you staying grounded!!!Ha! ha! bako made you a different creature overnight! Perhaps you can try climbing stairs - one way to get some stamina.

    AJ7,that's something new about Kulim I didn't know about.

    A Full-Timed Housefly, thanks for coming by. Glad you're enjoying Malaysia from your armchair!!! But come and experience the real thing. AirAsia will take you to many destinations.

    My Castle in Spain, thanks for coming by. there's lots to experience. Tourism Board's tagline is 'Malaysia Truly Asia'.So, you're welcome to our country:)

    Lynda, thank you and welcome to my blog! I'm always fascinated by the wildlife and other colours of Africa.

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  18. I also just visited Canopy walk last Sunday, and this really a nice place to visit again especially with the kids, they had fun there. My kid Lucas thought want to catch some small fishes, but dont know why we did not see any fishes on the day..Anyway, we will visit again..

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  19. Must have been a great feeling conquering the mountain. Wonderful shots through out the trek. I liked the free treatment shot very much. :)

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  20. Thanks for the walk, I enjoyed it!

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  21. Hi
    Sonia (Nasi lemak Lover), that's great you were there too! do visit again.

    Indrani, welcome back! glad you had a wonderful time in venice. wish I was one of them up he mountain too. didn't prepare them legs and body and mind for it!!!

    Jientje,thanks for coming by. it was a lovely , exhilarating walk. Have a good day!

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  22. Hi Keats, thanks for visiting my site i was able to see a sample of the Mt Kinabalu trek. My friends went there 2 years ago but i was not able to join. How awesome that canopy walk is! But i am afraid i might not able to look around because i'm afraid of heights, my knees wobble and feel melting. The rainforest trek is something i cherish though it does not happen often. thanks.

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  23. Hi
    Andrea, thanks for coming by too. Hope you can hear more from your friends about Kinabalu National Park. I understand how heights can make you feel like jelly. However there are many kinds of adventures to try out - white water rafting,many trails etc.

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  24. WOW! The water is crystal clear and looks so inviting. Great shots.

    Have a nice day, Keats.

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  25. Whoa I love the painted blue sky with the leaves and tree trunk filling up the space when you captured the tall tree against the sky as background. Real beau, Awesome. tQ.

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  26. Looks like you had an amazing time!

    PS: i'm hosting a giveaway at the moment, hope you enter: http://trishiekoh.blogspot.com/2010/05/earrings-giveaway.html

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  27. Hi
    Veronica Lee, thanks!have been busy transplanting some plants and keeping my garden tidy:)

    Bananaz, I like it too. thanks! Sometimes I hurry to take shots and they come out blur:(

    trishie, thank you so much for visiting. will check it out.

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  28. I've yet to have a hike where I got a bonus free fish treatment at the end. Kinabalu National Park looks wonderful and hopefully we will get a chance to visit one of these days. Thanks for stopping in over at mayarn.

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  29. Hi Keats! Nice to meet you too! Thanks for stopping by my blog. These picts are incredible! I'm so jealous of your adventure!

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  30. Hi
    Maya,thanks for coming by.Ha!Ha! it was least expected - to have a free fish treatment!! Do visit Sabah and Sarawak - they are our gems. There's so much to discover and personally I have to do more.

    Lydia Kang,welcome! we did so many things daily and at the end of the day, we just plonked on the bed!! ha! Ha! that's my kind of holiday:)

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  31. What a remarkable and enjoyable experience this was! Your review made me wish I were there.

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  32. Hi
    Anne Lyken-Garner, it's great to share in blogland. Do visit our gems in Borneo.

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Great to have you popping in!