The rich biodiversity and unique culture of Sabah, a Malaysian State, has left participants of the latest Sail Malaysia Passage to the East rally awestruck.

According to reports, the participants in the 2-month-long sailing voyage, who hailed from 21 countries around the world, exchanged about their adventures and discoveries during a meeting with senior officials of Sabah Tourism at Kota Kinabalu, capital of Sabah.

Manuel Ribeiro

The reports say that the participants were felicitated by Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Chairman, Sabah Tourism Board at a farewell dinner for the Sail Malaysia participants at Kota Kinabalu on Sunday evening.

Manuel Ribeiro, a 63-year-old Portuguese tourist, told his hosts that while Portuguese tourists to Malaysia typically visit Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Melaka due to historical ties, Sabah offered a fresh and eye-opening experience.

“I have never been to Sabah before but most of us have only heard of it as a remote and exotic part of the world. After coming here, I see there is so much more that Sabah can offer, especially through the lens of the sailing community,” he said.

Another participant, Nikki Anderson, 34, who hails from Australia, spoke of the warm hospitality that the group received during their two-month journey.

Nikki Anderson

“We get to mingle and party with the locals and that has become part of our day-to-day life here. We have also explored the land, visited Kinabalu National Park and the tip of Borneo in Kudat. It is just amazing,” Anderson said on the occasion.

The participants also highlighted that during the entire trip they all felt extremely safe and secure, despite being in the wilderness for over 60 days as well as despite travel advisory against going to the east coast of Sabah that has been issued by some countries.

“I had a very safe journey through Sabah waters. With the security in place, I had no concerns about safety,” Ribeiro told Sabah Tourism officials.

“We have never once felt any threat. We want to thank the hosts and their security services for doing such a good job. We feel secure, especially since we are travelling with a six-year-old and a three-year-old,” said Anderson.

Datuk Joniston Bangkui

Bangkui of Sabah Tourism Board thanked the Sail Malaysia participants and encouraged them to share their experiences to friends and families, noting that events like Sail Malaysia have raised Sabah’s profile among global sailors.

“The continued organisation of Sail Malaysia is a clear indicator of how important Sabah is as a destination for sailors from around the world. We are committed to improving the facilities and infrastructure related to boat berthing, among others, in the future,’’ Bangkui said.

“We value participants’ feedback and will strive to enhance our visitor’s experience in every possible way,” he added.

The participants included those from Australia, United Kingdom, France, United States, Canada, Portugal and South Africa.