After a short stay in the city, we went directly to Selingan Island (which is part of Turtle Isalnd Park ) where we had to stay overnight, and see the endangered green sea turtles lay eggs on the beach.
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| Sandakan (Sabah) Malaysisk Borneo - Part 1/4 * d. 10 + 11/11-2011 |
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* Kota Kinabalu --> Sandakan * |
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Already at 7:00 am. !!....
we flew towards
Sandakan, located in the northeastern part of Borneo (Sabah).
Sandakan is an old fishing village,
which was very Chinese influenced.
The flight was pretty short - approx.
45 minutes.
After a short stay in the city, we went directly to Selingan Island (which is part of Turtle Isalnd Park ) where we had to stay overnight, and see the endangered green sea turtles lay eggs on the beach. |
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| The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) are laying eggs throughout the year, although most were laid between July and October. | ||
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As usual, we were
picked up at the airport by a driver and our tour guide Abbas, who drove
us a short trip to
Sandakan city, where we could get some breakfast and raise some
money for the next days.
T his
time there were several people in the car.
A couple of Dutchmen, and a few Germans.
We ate at Hotel Sandakan, and gave 84 RM
= approximately 140 DKK This meal was the most expensive during the
entire trip - as it was just breakfast!
Afterwards we went for a walk in the
city, also known as "Little Hong Kong".
A very different city in danish eyes
slum, but we've seen a lot on our trip, and the people were very
friendly and we haven't met no beggars.
They are extremely hard-working, and a
working day at 13 hours here is quite common.
Then we drove to the Jettie, from which we had to leave by boat to Selingan Island, which was approx. 80 km from Sandakan. An hour after we arrived at the island which had the most beautiful sandy beaches, and again there were some corals, where we could swim around with some of the finest fish! Later we ate delicious local food in the small restaurant. Then we could walk around and relax until later where we met again, and then we waited for the turtles to arrive, and then lay eggs. In the meantime, we visited a small museum, which was arranged above the restaurant, and told it's own story about turtles and other animal life on the island. The clock was approx. 8 pm., when a ranger came and said that turtles had arrived, and we were now able to go with him down to the beach, and watch them lay eggs in the torch gleam. Then we went back to the hatchery to put the eggs in cages, where the ranger noted the date and number on small labels. The sex of turtles is determined by the temperature which the eggs lie in the hatching period. If they are hot, most become females, and cooler - most will become males. So we went back towards the beach, where we helped to "launch" a team of just hatched chicks ... Next morning we were back at Sandakan by boat again, after we had packed up and eaten breakfast. After all, the Turtle Island trip was a bit short but very nice and a unique experience :-) |
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| Sandakan with slum / Monitor Lizzard and Soren in front of the "turtle farm" in Turtle Island Park |
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Sandakan and Turtle Island Park |
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Tip: Let your mouse be at the bottom of the picture, if you still want to see the description of the image at the top of the slideshow ... |
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<<--- See footage from Selingan Island here |
| * | Back to the start |
