Tamparuli Bridge (Tuaran, Sabah)

Tamparuli is a small town and a sub-district of Tuaran on the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It is populated mainly by native Dusuns, while a sizeable Chinese community runs most of the shops in the town proper. As with many other small towns in Sabah and indeed Malaysia as a whole, the town itself consists of both newer concrete shoplots as well as old wooden ones, which are particularly prone to destruction by fire as evidenced in the destruction of one of the wooden shoplots in recent years. Shops in Tamparuli town.

The most famous landmark in Tamparuli is a long hanging bridge, which is immortalised in the song Jambatan Tamparuli, a popular Kadazandusun song. Another bridge, built for motor traffic, spans the river far below the hanging bridge and is frequently flooded during heavy rain.

Tamparuli is located just off the Kota Kinabalu - Sandakan road, making it a popular stop for a snack or meal for travellers taking this route from the direction of Kota Kinabalu. The town is also a convenient stop en route to the town of Kiulu, a popular whitewater rafting destination for domestic and foreign tourists alike. (Source: Wikipedia)

Here I share the song, Jambatan Tamparuli :)

Somehow, I prefer Marsha's version :)

Rumah Terbalik (Tuaran, Sabah)

Turn your world upside down when you visit this unique house in Tamparuli – literally! The ‘Rumah Terbalik’ (which translates to Upside Down House) is the first of its kind in South East Asia and among the five upside-down structures in the world (3 are found in Europe and another in Japan). 

The house was opened to the public in early February 2012 and has since been attracting visitors from near and far. The house itself is hard to miss, having been flipped upside down, with its floor facing skyward. Everything inside the house, from furniture to household appliances, hover above your head, as the ceiling is actually the floor. Visitors will notice some distinguishing Sabahan décor and features showcased in this house. In the garage, a car is parked upside down. It might seem disorienting in the first few seconds, but the fascination of it all takes over. This architectural wonder has also been included in the Malaysia Book of Records for being the first of its kind in the nation. Visitors can enjoy a meal or afternoon snack at the Rumah Terbalik Café or pick up a souvenir at the Gift Shop. Guided tours are available.

The house is located along Mile 21, Jalan Telibong, Tamparuli. The journey by road takes approximately 40 minutes. Taxis can take you from the city centre but be sure to make return arrangements as taxis on standby may not be readily available at this location.

The entry fees:
MyKad holders: RM10.00
Others: RM18.00
Students/Children below 12 years: RM5.00
Children below 3 years: Free of charge
 ** Kindly note that indoor photography is prohibited.

It opens daily (including public holidays): 8:00am to 10:00pm.

Mabul: I took the diving course!

Yeah, I was a bit nervous when my friend asked me whether I want to do diving. I didn't prepare like them, the suits and mentally prepared for diving. But in the end, Keith and I, agree to join them. So, 6 of us altogether. I signed for Open Water Course. I couldn't believe it but yes, I did.

It was very challenging with the quiz and exam, not to mention the lesson and skill that I needed to do for confine water and open water. I love adventure! So, yes I love it so much.

Here was the place we studied, did quiz and exam. Thank you so much Keiko for the patience :)

Prepared our stuff for diving. Keiko had been a very good instructor! 

Look at the tank. I was so excited! My dream came true.

We are ready!

The mask cleaning skill. Keiko was helping me.

Done our session. There were 4 dives that we needed to complete.

After the dive :)

Cool isn't it? I enjoyed the dive so much even though at first it was a bit scared with the pain in the ear for not equalize correctly, and the silence in the water. It was very different.

After the dive, tired but we were very happy :)

Relaxing at the chalet. Yes, we were starving after the dive haha.

My choice was perfect. Perfect place too, as I could see many sea creatures underwater which I will share with you in the next post. I had plan about taking the diving license for so long but I was busy with so many things included exam, thesis, dengue and stolen car. Glad that at last, I could make it!

If you have gut to try it out, don't hesitate to ask me more about the info. You won't regret! :)