English Tea House & Restaurant in Sandakan Sabah

English Tea House & Restaurant in Sandakan is located on a little hill overlooking the majestic Sandakan Bay. This unique place is also housed in a meticulously renovated colonial English house and is surrounded by 1.5 acres of perfectly manicured lawns complete with a Croquet Pitch and outdoor seating. Anyone visiting Sandakan should at least visit this place for some good old traditional English cooking or for a tea and scones session. The English Teahouse is also run by a non-Malaysian which gives the place a lot of character.

 English Tea House sign

English Tea House & Restaurant in Sandakan also caters to weddings and other small functions but the main attraction here is the beautiful landscaping and experience of dining in an old colonial home. This is possibly the best restaurant around Sandakan so prices are a little more than your regular cafe or coffee shop so be prepared. I would easily vouch for the Tea and Scones serves here as they are probably the best found in the entire Borneo. On my visit here in December 2009 under the invitation of Sabah Tourism, we were actually visiting the Agnes Keith House and Museum which is walking distance from the Tea House.

 Arched entrance with plants growing over the sign

After the visit to Agnes Keith House, we were taken here by our guide to have some lunch. I had not heard about this place and our guide had been raving about the food and tea here. On reaching the entrance, I could see a lot of green surrounding the colonial home. Hedges occupied the main walkway inside as the main restaurant was facing the sea. The dining area could easily fit about 20-30 people and was a veranda style restaurant with a mini bar area inside the house.

Menu of the day

Our set menu was placed on the table so it was pretty simple and easy. Fish or beef were the two choices for the day and we took one of each. While waiting, I asked for the general menu and found that they do quite a number of Western and Asian dishes. The dessert selection was pretty impressive while they served some good coffee too.

Bread sticks in a flute glass

Bread sticks were served in a flute glass with a side dish of balsamic vinegar and olive oil as a snack. Lilian ordered a hot latte while I opted for some iced milk coffee. I have to say the table settings, choice of cutlery and overall ambiance was quite impressive.

Ceasar Salad

Our main starter arrived, a traditional ceasar salad with croutons which was shared between the both of us as we wanted to keep space for the many desserts that was highlighted to us before ordering our mains. The following pictures and captions are what we had. I am sorry as I don't really write much about food so I would not want to exaggerate on the taste and so on. A summary would be it was really nice from our experience and I would easily come back here to dine.

 Rolled Beef Fillet with Basil, Mustard, Shallot and Thyme Emulsion

 

 Grilled Fillet of Snapper with Lemon Dill Sauce

 Bread and Butter Pudding with Custard

Tea & Scones at English Tea House Sandakan

Finally after a filling lunch here and after the recommended Bread and Butter Pudding, our Tea and Scones came out. As we were pretty filled, a request for just one scone each as we could not put anything else into our stomachs. I have to mention again that the tableware was perfect as English style serving plates were used and this made the experience complete. The outcome - Amazing! Fresh cream was made while the jam was not too sweet. I had similar Tea and Scones at Cameron Highlands some time back too and this was much better.

Chef's Special Menu at English Tea House Sandakan

 The walkway to the main restaurant

 Some of the antique decorations

 A Croquet Lawn with outdoor seating

 Croquet Rules on display in Sandakan

The lawn area

 Souvenir shop

This truly unique place gives anyone a chance to experience how it was back in the day where actual dining at an old colonial bungalow complete with a Croquet Lawn and beautifully landscaped gardens surround the vicinity. The decorations are tastefully done while the service here is pretty decent.  This is as close as it can get to the original nostalgic time and is well worth a visit.

Take note that some tour packages to Sandakan may offer the English Tea House and Restaurant as one of your lunch stopovers. I know that a tour visit to Agnes Keith House usually includes this place so check with your tour company or guide about this.

Tea & Scones Restaurants around Malaysia

• Bharat Tea House in Cameron Highlands
• Bala's Chalet in Cameron Highlands
• The Smokehouse at Cameron Highlands

Getting to the English Tea House in Sandkan:

To get here, one needs to take a taxi up the Istana road from Sandakan town center or you can take a 20 minute walk on the stairway at the back of the Sandakan Municipal office.

English Tea House & Restaurant Address;
2002 Jln Istana,
Sandakan 90000,
Malaysia

English Tea House & Restaurant Telephone: +60-89-222544

Operating Hours: 10:00 am till midnight daily

Happy Hours: 9:00pm till 11:00pm daily 

If you visit this area for the Eco-Tourism areas like Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, Kinabatangan River, Gomantong Caves or the Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC) here is Sabah Borneo, if you have extra time in town, do make a visit to the English Tea House and Restaurant in Sandakan Sabah.

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Koh Lipe Thailand

Koh Lipe Thailand - one of the most beautiful islands at the Tarutao Marine Park and currently one of the most sought after places for island lovers. This small island sits at the Southern most part of the marine park and the name Koh Lipe (pronounced Lee Pay) comes from the local sea gypsy name which means Paper Island. Koh Lipe is also known as the Maldives of Thailand as the waters here are amazingly crystal clear while the unspoiled beaches are donned with pure white sand. The paradise is also known by many other spellings such as Koh Lipeh, Ko Lipey, Ko Leepay and Ko Lipe.

Speed boat ferries arriving on the beach

Koh Lipe is also easily accessible as there are various ways from Phuket, Ko Lanta, Pak Barra and also Langkawi Island in Malaysia. I did an article on this and you can find out more information about Getting To Koh Lipe. There are no airports so the only way here is via the modern speed boat ferries. Journeys are estimated at about 1-2 hours depending on which point you choose.As for my experience, I have visited Koh Lipe during the high season via Langkawi and also during the low season via Pak Barra jetty in Satun which is in Southern Thailand. After you arrive at the immigration office for your passport chop and want to take a longtail boat taxi to your resort at the other beaches, they charge a fee of 40-50 Baht per person.

This shot was taken in May 2010, off season on the island

Being around for many years, this paradise island was originally settled by a band of sea gypsies from Malaysia, known as the 'Chao Lei' people and was once a secret little backpacker haven with only budget styled beach chalets while backpackers would bring wares to sell on the walking street and around the island. Some of the back packers would even camp out on the beaches back then.

Only until about 4-5 years ago, some businessmen saw the opportunity and started investing here opening up larger styled resorts and businesses. At the current moment, the island operates on two seasons, Low Season from May till September and High Season from October till April. You will find that during the rainy season, about 60% of the island comes to a standstill where prices are slashed to about 50-60% off peak rates.

 Koh Lipe in January 2010, peak season and almost same angle as above

Depending on the type of island lover you are, you might want to check the seasons carefully before visiting  this beautiful island. During the peak season, Ko Lipe is pretty much filled with all walks of life from all over the world. Resorts and Chalets are mostly fully booked while every business will be in full operation. Families, back packers and even couples are seen during this season. While the off season caters to more budget travelers or those who did not know about the seasons. Expect some rain while most of the businesses here are shut. The bonus is that you have almost the entire island to yourself. 

Koh Lipe is divided into four main beaches - Pattaya Beach, which is the main beach where most of the hotels and resorts are located, Sunrise Beach where more budget accommodations are found and a few upscale lodgings and Sunset Beach where it caters to the backpackers and divers. A fourth stand alone beach called Karma Beach is part of the  Mountain Resort which sits on the North most part of the island facing the beautiful Koh Adang.  

 Mats set up for evening lounging along Pattaya Beach 

Sunrise Beach where cheaper lodging is found

Families are usually booked at Pattaya Beach and Mountain Resort while Couples, Divers and Backpackers tend to favor Sunrise and Sunset Beach. Depending on your likes and taste, I personally found all the beaches exceptionally beautiful with their white sands and turquoise-blue waters. It is just the accommodation that matters to the would be visitor.  Personally, I prefer a middle range resort or chalet. For the luxury travelers, there are only 2 resorts that are 4-5 stars in Koh Lipe, the Sita Beach Resort and Bundhaya Resort.

 View of the Andaman Sea from Pattaya Beach

Island transportation, one of the very few from the resorts

The beauty about Koh Lipe is that it is so small, there are no vehicles there. Only motor bikes with side carriages which are mostly used by the locals or resorts to ferry goods and luggage. At times, some of the resorts will ferry the guests to the boat as it can be a 10 minute walk there. Walking is common here as a walk from Pattaya Beach to Sunset Beach would take you a good 20-30 minutes. 

 View of Pattaya Beach from Bundhaya Resort

Lipe Walking Street, village entrance

The main attraction besides the beautiful views and scenery is the Ko Lipe Walking Street located at Pattaya Beach that stretches inwards the island. It is here that you get all the restaurants, shops, massage centers and so on. The walking street comes alive at night with food, music, shopping and partying. No actual proper bars or clubs but you get the local island style settings. Stretching about one kilometer long, there are countless places for you to spend your evenings.

A concrete path was recently created but took the charm away so the locals decided to fill the entire walkway with sand from the beach. Watch out for the locals with motorbikes that move up and down here.they have a pretty good variety of food available here too. From local Thai seafood, Chinese, Indian and Western cuisines are spread out throughout the street and various parts of the island.

Various signs on a tree

When you walk around the island, you will see lots of signs and advertisements plastered on trees showing you where each and every of the various dive shops, resorts or restaurants are located. With this, it is pretty hard to get lost on Koh Lipe. As mentioned, walking around the island will only take you less than two hours if you want to explore the entire place.

My breakfast view at Bundhaya Resort

When I recently visited in June 2010, I stayed at the Bundhaya Resort with the invitation of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and found Koh Lipe absolutely stunning considering that I had just visited the island in January for a diving trip. There were literally no crowds, empty beaches and stunning scenery every day. It felt almost like paradise and I have sworn to make another visit again next year for more diving here. For the record, there are about 5-6 dive centers where you can take your PADI Diving Certificate at Koh Lipe. There are also about 16 known dive spots around the 4 main islands which are Koh Lipe, Koh Adang, Koh Rawi and Ko Dong.

Apart from this, you have the option to go snorkeling or island hopping to the many beautiful islands around the Tarutao National Park. For camping enthusiast, you can do so at Ko Rawi and Ko Adang but you need to get permission from the ranger station at each island. There is also a trek and a waterfall at Ko Adang Island.

Mountain Resort in Koh Lipe - A private resort and beach

 Some of the thatched hut units from as low as US$12 a night

A sea gypsy village

While I was here, I took the time to explore the various Sea Gypsy Villages around Koh Lipe. There are a total of 6 villages where you can easily walk around and the local Chow Lays are pretty much friendly people. A number of the locals run small grocery shops from the homes and welcome anyone for business. A Buddhist Temple (Hantalay Temple) is also located near the main island power generator and if you want to witness the morning alms giving, you can catch the monks at about 7-8am along the Lipe Walking Street.

 Longtail boats parked outside Sunrise Beach

 Some of the cheaper chalets seen at Varin 2

 Beautiful white sand beach at Sunrise Beach

Castaway Resort in Ko Lipe with Unique double storey chalets

Sunrise taken at Sunrise Beach

 Map of Koh Lipe showing the resorts and places

Things to take note before visiting Koh Lipe Thailand

• There are no ATMS there
• The nearest ATM Machines are in Pak Barra jetty or Langkawi jetty
• Some businesses on Lipe will do Credit Card Advances at 5%-8% commission
• Foreign Currency can be changed at most resorts but at terrible rates
• There is only one Immigration Hut located at the end of Pattaya Beach next to Bundhaya Resort
• A local Police Station is also available behind the Immigration Office
• The only way in and out of Koh Lipe is via Ferry or Speedboat
• There are no taxis or cars on the islands
• Do not participate in Fishing Trips as it is illegal
• There is only one small clinic at the local Chow Lay village called Topoe
• A helicopter landing area is there for major emergencies
• Visa on arrival over land or sea is only 14 days for foreigners
• Alternatively, you can do a visa run to Langkawi, Malaysia and back within a day
• There is a small local church available in the Chow Ley village
• Ko Lipe Walking Street is 80% closed during off season
• Room/chalet rates start anywhere from US$12 right up till US$250 a night
• Boat timings are crucial to and from Lipe. Check the low and high season timings
• From May until November Koh Lipe can only be reached from Pak Barra jetty
• Read about Getting To Koh Lipe

If you have not visited this magnificent island, I would recommend you do it soon before this place turns into a major tourist attraction. I have a friend who has been visiting this island every year for Christmas and New Year for the last 12 years and he has seen the changes which he feels should not have taken place. From his point of view, the island was a really beautiful hidden gem of the Andaman Sea back in the day. For those who enjoy the islands and beaches along Southern Thailand, do make a stop over at Koh Lipe Thailand. 

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5 Things to do in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

5 Things to do in Kota Kinabalu Sabah is a list created for those looking for the best few things to do around this amazing city in Sabah Malaysia Borneo. The list is also in no particular order and all five attractions are located in or around the vicinity of Kota Kinabalu. 

1. Kota Kinabalu Heritage Walk - Created and founded by Grace Leong just over five years ago, this very interesting educational trip was something out of the ordinary and if you love to know more about the history of Sabah or North Borneo as it was once called, this is the tour you should be taking. A simple three hour walk around the city viewing the many historical sites and monuments which in turn is narrated by your professional tour guide and is one of the best ways of introducing Sabah's Heritage to travelers. Suitable for all ages.

 Bajau house at the Mari Mari Cultural Village in KK

2. Mari Mari Cultural Village -  This unique attraction is located just 25 minutes from Kota Kinabalu City and is one of the amazing living museums showcasing the many ethnic tribes of Sabah Borneo. They offer an unforgettable experience learning about the ethnic people of Saba Borneo while there is a restaurant and souvenir shop at the end of your tour here. The full package, includes a local traditional lunch or dinner with drink and this place can only be visited via a tour package from any of the local operators in town. 

 Flower trader at Gaya Street Market

3. Gaya Street Sunday Market - This unique market is held every Sunday morning where the length of Gaya Street is closed off to traffic to make way for the market. Shop for anything under shady trees and over-sized umbrellas, like batik sarongs, fruits and flowers, arts and craft, footwear, antiques and souvenirs, cakes, even pets and herbs! This is the best place to experience the cross-section of the local population when entire families enjoy a Sunday outing. You can also try some of the unique local breakfast served at the coffee shops along the street. Great for everyone from adults to kids. The Gaya Street Fair is on every Sunday from 6.30 am to 1.00 pm.

 Green Connection Aquarium in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

4. Green Connection Aquarium and Conservation Center - This unique educational place and conservation centre was opened in May 2010 and features a vast biodiversity of seven ecosystems. Located at Mile 2.5 off Jalan Tuaran (near Wisma Wanita and St. Johns' Ambulance) this place is home to more than 1,200 species ranging from the smallest of insects to slimy snakes and unique marine life including sharks.  They even have a education section for kids of all ages which is one of the best I have come across in terms of Kids Tourism. Excellent place if you are looking for kids activities in Sabah.

Manukan Island jetty at TAR Park

5. Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park (TAR Park ) - This has to be the most visited place in Kota Kinabalu and is a cluster of islands comprising Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and Pulau Sulug which is accessible with a 10 - 20 minute speedboat ride from the various jetties around Kota Kinabalu. The five islands of the Marine Park are characterized by shallow waters, sumptuous coral gardens and all boast splendid white sandy beaches. Many people make a half or full day trip here to experience the beautiful views with some snorkeling activities packaged with a local BBQ lunch on the islands. Great for families, singles, couples and kids.

5 Things to do in Kota Kinabalu Sabah was complied by David from Malaysia Asia. Look out for my other 5 or 10 Things To Do articles. You can also follow me on Facebook or Twitter for more updates and information on travel around Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

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Red Tuk Tuk in Krabi, Thailand - Picture of the week

Red Tuk Tuk in Krabi, Thailand is my picture of the week. These little modified vans known as 'Songthaew or Song Tiau' serve as one of the main transportation around Southern Thailand. Usually they are simple vehicles but some of the locals have taken the initiative to modify them. Complete with spoilers and skirting, some of them even come with an impressive sound system and flashing neon lights.

One of these mini Songthaews (สองแถว) can easily sit four to eight passengers and prices are about 20-30 Baht per person depending on the distance. If you happen to visit Thailand, you will come across these little taxi vans and you should at least try one of them for the experience of sitting in a Tuk Tuk.

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Phu Pha Phet Cave in Satun Thailand

Phu Pha Phet Cave in Satun Thailand

Phu Pha Phet Cave in Thailand is one of the must visit places when you visit Manang district in Satun, Southern Thailand.  This well kept secret has only recently been exposed to international tourism and for those who enjoy some serious Eco-Tourism or love caves, this is the place to visit. Also translated as the Diamond Mountain Caves, this is the largest cave in Thailand, the third largest in the world and apparently unavailable in most international travel guide books. I had the pleasure of exploring these caves with the help of Tourism Authority of Thailand in June 2010 and it was a very interesting experience.

Cave Lights for rent at the entrance

Phupha Phet Caves are located about 80 kilometers from Hat Yai and is about an hour and a half drive there. On arrival at the caves, you need to pay a 30 Baht entrance if you are going without a guide. In this case, I would recommend you book one of the tours with a proper English speaking guide as it will make things so much easier for your cave trip here. As we arrived at the large car park outside, there were toilets and stalls selling local Thai snacks, souvenirs and drinks. Well, the caves have been popular with the locals hence the local taste here and tall rainforest trees obstruct your view to the caves. After walking in about 100 meters, we reach a hut where locals rent out Cave Headlights at 20 Baht each set. You will need one of these for your caving trip here. 

Phupha Phet Cave - 335 Steps up

From after renting the cave headlights, we start the climb up to the caves. A path through the rainforest with occasional concrete steps along the way provides those visiting an easier passage. Don't forget to look around when heading up the 335 steps as you may encounter some unique bugs and insects.

Arriving at the Phupha Phet Cave entrance, a local cave guide which is included in the entrance fees will be there to take you the rest of the way inside considering you would not want to get lost inside the largest cave in Thailand.

A Monk exiting the cave entrance

The cave entrance was rather unique as it was just a small hole enough for a person to crouch in and out. When we arrived there, a group of monks we seen exiting the cave therefore we had to wait for everyone to come out.  

Thai Monks after exiting the Phuphaphet Cave

I asked my guide how come monks were moving in and out of the caves and was told that a lot of monks from around the district would come here and pray inside the caves. 

Stairs lead to different levels of the Puhpha Phet Cave

Crawling through the little cave entrance, I felt a strong gush of cold cave wind escaping through the hole. Once inside, I was instantly greeted by a spectacular sight of the Phuphaphet Caves. Out of the entire 18 acres and seven floors of caves here, only 2 floors are opened to the public for exploration. There are also a total of 20 cave rooms to visit at the two floors and this alone will easily take you about one to two hours. So take note of the timing spent here. 

From here on, it was wooden walkways up and down throughout the caves. At certain sections, you were lead onto the main cave grounds without any walkway therefore you should follow your guide closely. The cave floors can be slippery so it is best to wear some proper sports shoes with a good grip.  You will see extremely huge stalagmites and even the beautiful cave corals and possibly some cave life like spiders, frogs and other cave dwelling creatures.

Natural light shining on Jade Rock

After about 10 minutes of walking and checking out the various stalagmites and stalactites, we reached the area where a famous Jade Stone with natural sunlight hitting it from above. This was the highlight for most of the local tourist here. 

Giant 'Jade' Rock inside Phupha Phet Cave

Walking down the wooden stairs, you will reach the Jade Rock or Stone of Phuphaphet. A wooden barrier surrounds this unique stone while locals are seen throwing money on to the stone for luck From there we ventured into many other cave rooms where more stories was told by the local guide an then translated to us. Some of them pretty interesting.

A giant cave frog about 10 inches long

 Shimmering bits on the cave walls give the Diamond Mountain Cave name

Interesting rock formations inside the cave

Penis shaped stalagmite structure

One of the unique stalagmite formations include a penis shaped structure standing at about 12 inches tall. What impressed me more was the fact that people actually offered flowers and prayers to this one of a kind structure here in the caves. This was located in one of the rooms bypassing a small cave pool and located in the dark. There are no lights therefore you should be extra careful here.

Visiting Phuphaphet Caves;

• Walking shoes with good grip is a must
• Water bottle
• Powerful torchlight
• Head Lamps are available for rental

Phuphaphet Information just before you enter

Phupha Phet Caves in Thailand - Information

• Phu Pha Phet is also known as Diamond Mountain Cave due to the shimmering particles inside the cave
• Largest Cave in Thailand
• 3rd Largest Cave in the World
• 18 acres in total size
• 7 cave floors (only 2 floors for visiting)
• 20 cave rooms to visit on the 2 floors
• Opening times - 8.30 am till 4.30 pm daily
• Entrance Fee - 30 Baht
• Cave Lights Rental - 20 Baht
• Total time at caves - About 2 hours
• Total time including journey - About 3-4 hours

This place is suitable for those who enjoy cave visits, Eco-Tourism or want something different. Special thanks goes out to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for making this trip possible and if you are ever in the Satun district of Thailand, do make a visit to the Phu Pha Phet Cave. 

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