Indeed, a visit to distant Sabah can certainly be an eye-opening experience. And while some claims about East Malaysia are definitely exaggerated (no, Sabahans don’t live on trees!), others are rooted in truth.
FMT Lifestyle recently paid a visit to the Land Below the Wind. Here are some observations on how unique life in Sabah is.
1. Bad roads, polite drivers
People in the Klang Valley should never again complain about the quality of roads back home. The state of transport infrastructure in Sabah – as many Sabahans will attest to – is functional at best, and dismal at worst.
Parts of your journey along the coastal road will be bumpy, with the asphalt layer completely missing at points.
On the plus side, this is made up for by the good nature of Sabahan motorists, who exercise far more patience than their KL and PJ counterparts.
You would be hard-pressed to find a motorist honking at you, although do be warned that locals drive at a leisurely pace most of the time.
2. Oh, no, the sun
Yes, the same sun shines on us all – but while the entirety of Malaysia follows the same time, Sabah is actually geographically located in another time zone.
In the Klang Valley, 7pm sees Malaysians returning home from work with the sun close to the horizon. In Sabah, 7pm means you will be making your way back in darkness with stars dotting the sky.
It also works the other way around: 6am in Sabah sees the morning sun shining through the windows, much to the annoyance of still-sleepy Klang Valley visitors.
3. Everything is really, really far away
It’s common knowledge that Sarawak is Malaysia’s biggest state, but did you know Sabah is next in line? In fact, you could fit a total of nine Selangors into Sabah, with some wiggle room to throw Perlis in!
Hence, when travelling from one town to the next, it could take an hour before you reach civilisation again.
In some parts of the state, you might travel down roads with neither a building nor street light in sight – only endless rainforests lining the road.
So check your vehicle before embarking on any journey, lest you want to wait for a mechanic in the middle of nowhere.
4. Food, glorious food
It may be a delicacy but no, Sabahans don’t eat butod – those chubby little grubs – on a regular basis. Still, food culture here is definitely different from what Klang Valley-ites are used to, even in developed Kota Kinabalu.
Mamak shops are rarely sighted here, if at all; if you wish to hang out with friends, the hawker centre would be a safer bet.
And while food in KK can be surprisingly pricey as in KL, prices are apparently much more affordable in Sabah’s smaller towns.
Everyday staples to enjoy include mee tuaran and roti cobra, which are much harder to find in West Malaysia.
5. Muhibbah to the max
It would be an oversimplification to say Sabah has no ethnic strife. Still, at first glance, the situation here is admirable, with many Sabahans aware and proud of their unity.
In KK, it is uncommon to find a local who doesn’t have a family member from a different ethnic group.
Intermarriage is common here, leading to Sabahans being a diverse lot who rarely fit into the categories West Malaysians are used to.
And matters of faith or culture are deemed personal, which makes it fascinating to see Sabahans of all stripes attending the same festive events without issue.