La Rue Vibre !

By taking the train to go to Dabong, you leave behind the very urban Malaysia. Our train was 15 years old, 15 tough and very long years. Now doors open when the train is turning.

The city disappears, then its field and a luxurious forest. Every few minutes the train stop to drop villagers and school boys and girls. 3 hours latter we arrived to Dabong, the “big” city of 2000 souls and a few roads.

Here people are authentic : shy with strangers, as vitualy nobody speak English (urban Malay speak some words), they are also welcoming and scrupulously honest (it would be so simple to do the “tourist price”)

After 7 month on the road, this is the first time we are offered the breakfast and that our guest wash gratis our clothes (and look a bit offended when we ask the price).
(TIP: Rumah Rehat, only accommodation in town anyway, 20RM/night for a good double, Spartan bathroom tel:0199606789, ask for Din)

The city is peaceful, except at 5 in the morning of course (daily worship on public loudspeaker), but strangely enough the surrounding area is well developed for the Malay tourists.

At Gua Ikan, vast natural caves, there is a holiday village (a bit cranky). Disappointing to see so much concrete!

More interesting, Gunung Stong waterfalls, where water falls over 7 successive big rocky walls, in an impressive jungle setting.
The jungle path is sometime as steep as a ladder (no kidding), and for 1 hour of walk we may have lost 1 liter of water, but being able to bath just where the water gently roles over hot natural rock, thus enhancing the bathing experience!

A good swim accompanied by cicadas buzzing like metal saw!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

If you walk in the jungle do not forget to put some repellent on your feet and legs, some lichees could stick on you ! Do you see how strange they move !

So if you are spending a few days in Malaysia, forget about the big tourist city, and go green in the small town of Dabong!