Bunga Raya

Bunga raya is the national flower of Malaysia, more commonly known as hibiscus. It is also the name of the resort in Borneo that we stayed at during our quick weekend getaway before my exam (and where this picture was taken). Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is divided amongst three countries: Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. We flew into Kota Kinabalu, which is a Malaysian city located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. Off the coast of KK (as it is often referred to) is a small island called Palau Gaya, uninhabited with the exception of two sister resorts, Gayana Eco and Bunga Raya.

Our lodge was nestled in the jungles of the island.


In the mornings, two muffins and fresh juice were delivered at 7 am, which we enjoyed on our outdoor patio facing the ocean.


We spent the days lounging by the infinity pool, taking swims when it got too hot, snorkeling and kayaking. There were about a total of ten guests staying at the resort even though there were 40 lodges, so we often had the pool to ourselves.



Our last full day at the resort, we went on a jungle trekking trip. This was no ordinary hike on some marked trails in the forest. Our guide told us that the trail had just been made earlier in the morning, and that his buddy had taken it in the morning but had not yet returned. That was very reassuring, especially in light of the waivers of liability we both signed before we stepped into the jungle. The jungle was incredibly dense and humid, and as far as we could tell there really was no trail. Our guide, albeit friendly, got lost more than once and told us to take a break a couple times while he looked for the trail. Finally, it appeared that he figured out where he was going, and we ended up at a newly constructed canopy, built by him and his team. It would not be opened to the hotel guests for another couple of months (and the hotel would be charging a bit of money for people to go on it) but since he seemed to take a liking to us and did not seem concerned about our safety, he allowed us to climb up a rickety ladder up to the canopy platform and walk around the canopy. He informed us that it is the widest canopy in Malaysia (the wider you make it, the more likely it is to flip over). He also informed us (of course after we had already walked around the canopy) that when the resort opens the canopy, all guests will be attached by carabiners to the canopy for safety reasons. From the canopy, it was maybe another five minutes before we emerged from the jungle.

Three days at the resort was just enough time, as, to be quite honest, it gets a little bit boring when you are on an uninhabited island essentially by yourself. Plus, I had to get back and get ready for my exam!