 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Read more...
 |
The nostalgic romance of an old steam train…passing through
villages and coastal towns paddy fields, rainforests and plantations of rubber
and coffee… A ride on the North Borneo
Railway is truly a journey of rediscovery into the heart of Borneo, transporting
you back into the past; to the days of the Chartered Company…and British
Colonial Office…of young Englishmen setting out to be planters in the
interiors of Borneo… |
The North Borneo Railway runs 36 miles between Kota Kinabalu, the state capital, and Papar, an agricultural town, known as the rice bowl of Sabah. From Tanjung Aru Station, your train, with an open observation car, travels along the main road to Putatan, a small village on the outskirts of the city. Beyond this station, the journey continues along a lovely bay dotted with mangrove swamp, protecting the coast from the South China Sea. View the fishermen waist-high in the waters collecting shrimp and small fish in these safe coastal waters.
|
As the train rounds the
bay, it veers into the interior, leaving the main road behind as it makes its
way through the countryside. Kinarut, a small kampong (village in Malay),
is our first whistle-stop. Famous for its pre-war shop houses, passengers
will de-board here for a quick tour of lovely Tsim Shen Tsui Temple, a temple
built in honour of Mainland Chinese by the local community. It features 18
statues of Buddhist monks, a 20-foot giant smiling Buddha, and a lotus-pond in
honour of Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Back onboard, enjoy the
journey, surrounded by mangrove swamps and acres of Nepa Palm and Screw Pines.
This swamp region is vital for the local community, as villagers collect the
Nepa fronds to make baskets and mats, as well as the atap roofs for their
houses. The area is also rich with fish and prawn, as mangrove regions are
tidal. Local villagers travel through the swamps on little dugout canoes,
painted in bright greens and blues. |
 |
The train then passes
through a deep mountain tunnel, the sole tunnel along the entire route from Kota
Kinabalu to Tenom, in the heart of the interior. As it emerges on the
other side, the landscape changes dramatically from swampland to padi field.
Watch as the farmers toil away in the fields, harvesting Sabah’s favorite
crop. Water buffalo dot the fields, many with perched egrets on their
shoulders, highlighting the pairs symbiotic friendship.
 |
The train then enters
Papar town, crossing a bright yellow trestle bridge over the Papar River.
Blue, yellow and red fishing boats dot the river’s edge, docked to bring the
day’s catch to the vast fish market in town. The train steams into town,
met by waiving locals. In Papar, the Vulcan engine refills with water and
utilizes a turn-table to reverse for the return journey into the heart of
Borneo. |