Waterfall - Its Magical and Splendour

I vividly remembered I asked myself four years ago when I first tasked to conduct studies on tourism assessment in many parts of Sabah WHY on planet Mars is people so fascinated with WATERFALL? I love beaches, promenades, museums and art galleries, theme parks, skiing and white water rafting, nite market, mountain climbing, diving and snorkelling, horseback riding, biodiversity (that's flora and fauna diversity and composition in case one blurs!), river cruises, shopping malls (hellooo!) .... but waterfall??

The Ulu Membakut Waterfall at the heart of the

Crocker Range.

I had visited many waterfalls nationally and in overseas. I had seen a well developed waterfalls for family recreation like in Kionsom Waterfalls in Inanam, and Madai Waterfall in Kunak, - undeveloped waterfalls but highly potential for domestic tourism like the one .... in Sipitang, ... in Kudat, .... in Beaufort, ... in Pitas, ... in Keningau, where our team had walked and trekked high and low over streams and rivers, jumping up and down over rocks and boulders and crossing dead wood and logs in the endeavour to search natural waterfalls all over Sabah.

A waterfall in Sipitang District. I can't recall its name

but its quite marvellous!

In fact for the record, I visited nice waterfalls while camping in Switzerland and during my Easter Trip to the Basque State in Northern Spain. And by the way, yes I have seen the Niagara Waterfalls in the Discovery Channel. But still, what is so magical about waterfalls?

Sungai Api Waterfall in Kemabong. These few small pools is ideal
for family recreation and picnicking.

Put it simply in lay man term a waterfall is in essence water falling down stream from a slightly higher elevation. The height and width this water falling down determine the whole character of the waterfall. Matemathically, the higher the fall the better, Niagara Falls is a classice example in

contrast to Mahua Waterfall in Tambunan which stands at 55 feet high (which is still outstanding by comparison though).Pinawantai Waterfall in Kudat, a few of those

waterfalls that is still pristine.

The assessment on waterfall(s) for tourism product falls under two categories - its accessibility and its characteristics. The former is quite straight forward - how far the waterfall from the main road, the mode of transports to the waterfalls, i.e. 4WD, Kancil, walking or flying fox, etc., while the waterfall's characteristics are determined by measuring its height, depth, width, radius, and authenthicity (natural or man made).

Mesisilad Waterfall at the Melalap Sub-Station,

above 2500 feet from sea level.

Of course what makes a waterfall so aesthetic is the setting of the environment surrounding it which makes one feels so peaceful, relax and free. The sound of the wilderness, coupled with the thrusts of water persistently hitting the bottom pools and rocks, and flowing water down stream like veins carrying oxygen to the whole body are all simply refreshing and invigorating. Deep inside me I slowly come to term the magical wonders why WATERFALL, a gift of mother nature, is fascinated by most people.

Mahua Waterfall is an eye catcher to those visiting
Mahua Sub-Station in the District of Tambunan.
A good 15minutes drive from Tambunan town.

4 Wheel Drive Off Road Adventure

The best thing about working in the tourism field is that you got to try out many adventures in the quest to find out tourism products in many parts of Sabah. The 4 Wheel Drive Off Road Experience is one example.

I have seen it on TV before - the Dakar Rally, Borneo Safari, other jungle/river 4WD Off Road competition and what not but having the thought of experiencing it myself - I mean on it in that 4WD car itself is far from my imgination. The steep slopes and terrain, muddy logging tracks, small streams and pools, narrow pathways and the fast pace adrenalin pumping into your body to stay in one piece inside this highly modified machine is something that I never tested myself off.

As part of the tasks to identify the routes of both marginal and hardcore roads (terms to differentiate graded road and rough/super gravel roads) that suit the tracks for 4WD drives in the interior, I was given the opportunity to be a part of it. Mr. Baxter the protem President of the Keningau 4WD Association provides us a hospitable preparation to bring us around for an afternoon experience to be in a 4WD on a hardcore roads.

We started from the small town of Tenom for a 7 km tarmac road towards Golden Hope Plantations at Chinta Mata. Here the thrill starts by passing oil palm's road heading into pristine unmaintained secondary forests. We passed a few small streams, absolutely unpassable narrow roads with uncountable number of uneven potholes, steep slopes of at least 30 degree angles, passable mud pools with the help of four wheel gears, fully covered bushes on the roads with the help of a 'parang' to clear the pathway, and of course me jumping on my seat every 3 second of a minute.

Heading home, the driver who is member of the 4WD Association asked me if this was my first time. He further asked me how do I feel about the drive. Vividly I replied that it was my first and preferred if the road would be more challenging.