仙本那
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Welcome to
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鬥湖機場
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| 仙本那的住宿: 1) Dragon Inn龙门客栈, www.dragoninnfloating.com.my/db2/ 2) 城市酒店 www.cityinn-semporna.com/ 3) Seafest Hotel 三星级酒店 www.seafesthotel.com/ 镇上最好酒店 4) Sipadan Inn: www.sipadan-inn.com/ 5) LEES RESTHOUSE www.sipadan-inn.com/lee_resthouse/index.html
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Semporna,仙本那是马来西亚沙巴东海岸的一座小渔村,我实在佩服翻译人的功力,可以把它的发音以及意思都表达得如此传神。没错,它的名字就已经在告诉我们“仙境本应那样”:它远离喧嚣,默默地独处一隅。它集中了海岛应有的一切特质:蓝天白云、椰林树影和明媚阳光,唯一与其它海岛有别的是:这里把每一点都发挥到了极致——海水总是清澈纯净,海里总有如织的鱼儿穿梭着,天空总有飞鸟盘旋,孩童总是那么地充满着纯真。踏上这片土地才能体验到那份难以形容的纯净的、原始的美感。
去仙本那是需要在沙巴的亚庇或者吉隆坡,再转乘内陆航线到斗湖才能前往的。其实去过亚庇的游客都知道,那周边已经有不少享有盛名的美丽海岛:东姑阿都拉曼海洋公园、金之岛、美人鱼岛等。如果说它们已经让人喜欢的话,仙本那及其附属的海岛则会让你惊叹人间还有如此仙境。
仙本那海域有众多大大小小的海岛,而我们此行去了最受欢迎并且设有酒店的四个岛:邦邦岛、马达京岛、卡帕莱岛和马布岛。四者的风格各有千秋,适合不同爱好的游客。邦邦岛是小资的:典型的私人小岛,有着纯净的白色沙滩,沙滩屋和水上屋任君选择;马达京岛
而它们的相同之处则都是被清澈透明的海水包围着,到处生长着随风摇曳的椰子树,色彩斑斓的珊瑚礁,变幻莫测的天空云彩。随着阳光的变化和深浅不同,海水会呈现出不同的颜色:近岸沙滩处是透明的,接着是薄荷绿、翡翠绿、浅蓝、蔚蓝。阳光下,海水清澈见底。 坐在船上,我们能看到水蛇般起舞的绿色水草,看到一团团黑色的海胆和黄色、蓝色的漂亮海星,还能看到巨大的石花,以及各种彩色的鱼儿在水底游来游去。水面上的小船仿佛是浮在空中一样,你甚至都快要看不出海水的存在了。仙本那海水的澄澈实在让人倾心,而且老天特别眷顾这个小岛,沙巴是著名的风下之乡,它处于台风圈外,使得海水波澜不惊而又清澈迷人,简直就是天然的游泳池。 这里的空气纯净,也不乏灿烂的阳光。每次阵雨过后邂逅彩虹简直就成了家常便饭。游人经常会看到色彩艳丽的巨型彩虹挂于天际或凌驾在海面上,甚至会看到两条彩虹重叠出现
仙本那让世人所认识,很大程度归功于距离它36公里的诗巴丹岛,诗巴丹岛是潜水者心目中的圣地和天堂。而这并不是潜水员的专利,我们浮潜甚至在岸上也同样可以欣赏到丰富的海洋生态景观。与其他度假海岛不一样,这里不允许拿面包来喂鱼,因为要保护这里最天然的食物链。
“我要你陪着我,看着那海龟水中游”的歌词在这里并不只是一个美好的愿望,而是让我们变得习以为常的景象。从第一天在邦邦岛上,希望保留“白富美”形象的我,不愿意与同伴出海游泳,结果同伴们与大海龟同游的经历让我抓狂无比。
在马达京岛还让我们看见了一项更有趣而有意义的活动:海龟放生。由于这一带的优越环境吸引着众多海龟晚上爬到岛上生蛋,而岛上的工作人员会把它们捡到指定的区域,待小海龟孵化后就集体放生。我们在5点踏上马达京岛,工作人员说小海龟刚出生1个小时,已被工作人员用盆子装好拿到海边。工作人员挑了较为平整、离海水约5米远的沙滩放出小海龟,别以为5米的路途很短,这一段路对于刚出生的它们来说,一点不亚于长征。据了解,放生
刚入住马布岛的水上度假村时,我们看到两个光着身子的小孩在马布岛附近的海域上划着独木舟,划舟的小男孩看上去约四五岁,同船坐着大约两岁的小女孩。划舟而来的小兄妹吸引了我们去探访马布岛上的村落。 几根木头、几张茅草搭成的高脚屋,就成了当地人的安身之处。这里没有电视、没有网络、没有玩具,可是当我走进这条村时,发现村里的小孩用仅有的物料玩起属于他们的游戏,譬如用简单的桌子和棍子玩台球。当我们把镜头对准他们时,孩子们会友善地露出笑容,并摆好姿势,事后也没有向我们索取小费,唯一的要求就是看看刚拍的照片。 据了解,村里的大人们会在附近的度假村打工或靠造船捕鱼为生,而小辈们还没学会走路,便已学会了游泳。于是在蔚蓝的海面上,经常会看到很多才四五岁大的小孩独自划着独木舟,那是他们在海里唯一的交通工具。仙本那的孩子们与城里的小朋友相比,虽然物质上有着天壤之别,但那清澈的眼神和无忧无虑的笑容让我感受到,阳光下的大海依然是孩子们最美的天堂。 Tips 交通:从中国出发先飞到吉隆坡或沙巴亚庇,再转机到斗湖(无论马航或亚航,每天都有航班到斗湖,航程约55分钟)。斗湖机场有24小时的计程车服务载游客到仙本那镇,单程费用大约是马币95元一车(可乘坐4人)。你也可以在斗湖机场乘坐到斗湖市的巴士,然后在斗湖市再坐巴士到仙本那,但路途会较遥远(2个小时),而且早上8点至下午5点之间才有班车。 签证:赴马来西亚旅游签证手续比较简单,只需要两张大一寸照片以及护照,办理需时3个工作日。 住宿:建议先到镇上住一晚,次日出海,上岛后在岛上居住。可以提前让旅行社代为预订,或自行到沙巴旅游局网站查询,各家酒店的网址及价钱都能查到。注意,有潜水配套和非潜水配套的房价会不同,若选择带潜水课程的套餐,房价能有一定幅度的优惠
在巴夭語和馬來語中Semporna字面意思為‘完美的’ 。城鎮被海水包圍著, 仙本那和它的附屬海島就像是一個現實世界中的夢境之島。純淨的白色沙灘、椰子樹和平靜美麗的如綠松石般的Sulawesi 海的海水輕輕拂過五顏六色的礁石。
仙本拿的巴夭族船家,每年都會舉辦此項彩船節和傳統、絢麗奪目的帆船賽,讓仙本拿鎮氛圍沸騰起來。精彩的趣味游戲及競賽如船隻拔河、獨木舟和划艇比賽等,也將在屆時進行,許多出乎意料的狀況,肯定會讓人回味無窮。仙本拿是著名的新鮮海產出產地,也是前往世界最頂尖潛水島嶼的出發站。
仙本那彩船节 |
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LEPA Water Festival Annual Water Festival of the Sea Gypsy 17th Regatta Lepa, Semporna: April 24, 2010 - April 25, 2010
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Fish cage culture farm in Pulau Bum-Bum Island, Sabah : http://www.mcsuk.org/semporna/resource/23.htm
Management Plan for the Semporna Islands Park : Semporna Islands Park (PDF)
Safeguard Semporna's exceptionally high level of marine biodiversity : http://www.dive-the-world.com
| Bukit Tengkorak (Skull Hill) |
More about Semporna
Town in Malaysia
Link - Semporna Travel Blogs :
http://www.travelblog.org
| Tour Agents in Semporna : Sipadan Scuba |
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| Arriving Sabah As most travelers start their journey to Sabah from Kuala Lumpur, you should check with your travel agent on how to get to Semporna. Kota Kinabalu is the capital
city of Sabah. There are direct
flights from Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong,
Taipei, Manila, Brunei, Singapore, Kuala
Lumpur and Kuching. |
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Semporna is the departure point to the world's best dive sites and island-resorts of Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai. Semporna is Sabah Royal Malaysian Navy's main post. State-of-the-art patrol craft ply the waters of the ocean area.
*Sabah has been chosen to host the
Eco-Challenge 2000.
* There is also a deer park a few km’s out
of Semporna which is owned by the state governor TYT
and has a beautiful park area with goldfish ponds
and native birds. Worth a look. |
| Just 25 km from Semporna is an 18 hole golf course set in a palm oil plantation, owned and operated by the plantation. There is a beautiful clubhouse set in the local style with a jungle walk and waterfall behind. There are cabins for overnight stays, but I heard they are closed at present for renovation. There is a local pro to help with any problems, and best of all there is never any congestion. I have played there and we were the only people on the course except for the ground staff. The price for a round of golf was reasonable as well. Setarawarni Tourism will put together a package for a day’s golf with lunch, caddie, transfers for RM 85.00. |
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Transport Buses and taxi’s are abundant. Taxi do not have meters, it is best to negotiate the price. |
| Communication The communication system is provided by TELKOM Malaysia and although it is efficient their public phones usually don’t work especially in remote areas. Internet cafes are cheap but a little hard to find. The hotel you stay normally has free internet access. |
| Entertainment in Semporna In such a small town DO NOT expect plenty of nightlife and restaurants or such city life like night clubs and disco or Karaoke. While the town of Semporna does not have much nightlife, the Seafest Inn serves cold beer and good food, and there are a variety of sea food, Chinese, Indian, and local restaurants to choose from. |
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In 2000 the dive resorts on Pulau Sipadan were ordered to ship out in a controversial move to conserve the island's fragile ecosystem. As a result dive centers, budget motels and hotels have sprouted along the waterfront of Semporna to cater for the increasing number of tourists. The waterfront section of Semporna has been transformed with new shop houses that host a few budget hotels. Water taxis busy plying the shore. More about the Waterfront of Semporna. Every one come to the town of Semporna for the world-famous diving spots in Pulau Sipadan, and Pulau Mabul and Kapalai Reef. Daily dive trips can be arranged from Semporna to Pulau Sipadan and the boat journey takes about 1.5 hours. More about The Island of Sabah The local Bajau Laut (sea gypsy) display their exotic lepa sailing boat design. They associate themselves with the bountiful ocean surrounding them. A stroll to the nearby fishing harbor as well as the wet market is spectacle. More about The Fishing Harbour of Semporna. Just right before sunset, witness the dozens of lepa single mask boats parading themselves home, bringing back daily catch. Most Visitors know Semporna as a gateway to Sipadan - an island voted the world's Top 5 Dive Destinations. But Semporna is more then that. This little town is also gateway to an ancient seafaring community on islands to be explored and discovered. There many inhabited islands in the Sulu Sea off Semporna. A place where people still live as they have done for centuries, with some modernization. The old ways are dying out but visitors can still see very traditional weddings and local dancing, performed not by paid performers but by the village people. There are 49 islands scattered off the coast of Semporna, with some of the best coral and beaches one can find in Malaysia. Many of the islands are uninhabited with only the local sea Bajau visiting on fishing trips or to camp overnight. In Semporna you can stop at various points along the sea side to watch the every day Sea Bajau's life such as floating villages, seaweed farming and fishing and how the locals going about their everyday chores. You'll see many different types of boats that the sea gypsy depend on for transportation.Semporna is the 'jump-off' point for Sipadan Island the diving paradise and other islands. Semporna is also the place where Sabah pearls are cultured. The new Semporna public library is open in 2009. It is within walking distance from SK Pekan Semporna, a primary school originally built in 1939. The original Semporna district office – (built in the 1930s) - is currently being restored as a heritage building by Jabatan Warisan Negara. |

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Accommodation in and around Semporna Town
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| Land based Accommodation | Sea based Accommodation |
| Borneo Global Sipadan Backpackers | Sipadan Water Village Resort |
| Dragon Inn Resort | Sipadan Mabul Resort |
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Seafest Hotel
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Borneo Diver Resort |
| Scuba Junkie Backpackers | Seaventure Resort |
| Singamata Adventure Water Chalet | |
| Sipadan Inn | |
| City Inn Semporna |
| Hotel / Resort in Semporna | Tel | Rooms | Rates (RM) |
| 089-785088 | |||
| Hotel Damai (for local) | 089-782011 | 45 - 60 | |
| Lee's Resthouse (Hotel) | 089-784491 | 70 | |
| Dragon Inn Resort | 089-781088 | 100 |
15, 90 - 150 |
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Seafest Hotel
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150 | 145-1000 | |
| Scuba Junkie Backpackers | |||
| Singamata Adventure Water Chalet | 019-8430550 | 30 | |
| 089-78766 | 85 - 180 | ||
| City Inn Semporna | |||
| SEMPORNA HOLIDAY RESORT | 089-784597 | 20 |
50-100 |
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City Inn Semporna Located at
the center of Semporna town in Sabah, the gateway to world's most
spectacular scuba diving activities - Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai to name a
few. City Inn Semporna is in a very good location, You can find many shops outside your room: bank, restaurants - clinics, hypermarkets, etc are all just less than 2 minutes away by walk. |
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DEWAN MASYARAKAT SEMPORNA Semporna community hall |
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The local population is made up of a great mix of local Bajau, Chinese, Philippino, Indonesian and few other mixes speaking a variety of dialects and languages. These are some of the friendliest people as they don’t often get to meet to many foreigners. Semporna population is around 133,000 in 2006. Majority is Bajau live in sprawling stilt villages over the sea water on the outskirts of town. Semporna is visited by tourists as a base for
scuba diving or snorkeling trips to Pulau Sipadan (Sipadan Island), some 36
kilometers southeast of town. |

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| The Kumpit During the festival In Semporna waterfront are two types of boats; the decorated Lepa, and the smaller, less ornate Kumpit. |

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State-Level Cultural Carnival,
Semporna 2009
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Tun Sakaran Marine Park (Semporna Islands
Park) Off the coast of Semporna Town is a new marine park called Tun Sakaran Marine Park (Semporna Islands Park). Tun Sakaran Marine Park was gazetted by Sabah Parks Authority in 2004. SEMPORNA ISLANDS PARK ACTION PLAN 2001-2005 : http://www.mcsuk.org/semporna/actionplan/actionplan.htm Pulau Gaia, off Semporna Town , is one of the most beautiful island lagoons in Sabah |
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Rumpai
Laut - Seaweed
(Eucheuma - Kappaphycus alvarezii) Seaweed culture in Semporna started in the late 1970s. A priority of the Department of Fisheries Sabah as a supplementary income-generating activity among the fishing communities in Semporna. In 1980 a demonstration farm was set up on Sebangkat reef top. Today many fishermen have involved in seaweed farming of Euchema cottonii because it provides a higher income to fishing. Culture plots are found mostly on the extensive ‘reef top platform’ to the north of Sebangkat and Selakan. In SIDP, Seaweed Farming is an alternative livelihood for the fisherman in Semporna. Fishing communities now can earn extra income by growing seaweed for sale to processing plants in Sabah. Carrageenan extracted from the seaweed is used as a stabilizer in food and cosmetics. Department of Fisheries provided manual on seaweed farming. This manual, in Bahasa Malaysia and Bajau, made easy the farming method by illustration in cartoon drawings and step by step instructions. Under the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP), Sabah is to produce 250,000 metric
tones of seaweed by the year 2010. Financial support to augment production is not likely to be an issue
since the Federal Government has "identified" seaweed farming as a 'high
impact project', where it is going to get high priority treatment and
emphasis 1) Semporna seaweed processing mill 2) Lahad Datu-based seaweed processing mill Both mill process 'semi refined caragenaan' (SRC) for export to Japan, UK, USA, China and Korea Sabah is looking for application of "fine technology" for the production of high-quality seaweed seedlings which feature high gel strength, faster growth rate and resistant to disease. This is the key strategy is to improve farm technology. For seaweed production Sabah can be found in following areas: 1) West coast of Kota Kinabalu and Labuan Island; 2) Kota Kinabalu northward South China Sea islands; 3) Balabac Straits; 4) Murudu Peninsula including Darvel Bay 5) Semporna Peninsula; 6) Reefs and islands in the Semporna area. |
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The Semporna Islands Darwin
Project (SIDP) in Sabah, Malaysia The Semporna Islands Darwin Project (SIDP) is an initiative involving local communities in coral reef conservation in the recently gazette Tun Sakaran Marine Park, Sabah, Malaysia. The project is managed by the Marine Conservation Society in collaboration with Sabah Parks, and the aim is to protect the outstanding features and biodiversity of the site while promoting sustainable use of natural resources, economic development and traditional culture. |




This very small town does not have enough street
lights. Most new visitor do not feel safe walking around at night.
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| Sipadan | Mabul | Kapalai | Mataking |
| Diving package available from Island Resorts Mabul Island is close to Sipadan Island. All island resorts offer budget diving. Popular package is 3 Day/2 Night pick up from Semporna, includes accommodation, 3 dives a day, equipment and transfers RM 700 to 100.00 (some meals not included). Available also organized snorkeling camping trips to the other reefs and islands.
Sipadan, of course, is the most famous Island rated as
one of the world’s top 10 dive destinations. But visit to
Sipidan is only possible if you are booked with one of the
resorts. |
| In the Bajau and Malay language, "semporna" literally means, "perfect". The town with its feet in the sea, Semporna and its many islands are like a dream come true... pure white sandy beaches, coconut palms and tranquil waters lapping over colorful reefs in the beautiful turquoise waters of the Sulawesi Sea. The richness of the sea, fishes of all kinds, sea cucumbers, shells, pearls and in recent years, seaweed farming - all these have attracted seafarers and fisher-folks to Semporna and its islands. |
| The early Bajau people lived their entire lives aboard their boats. Today, most live along the coasts, perched on stilts over shallow reefs, where they continue their love affair with the sea. Every April, Semporna celebrates with a Regatta Lepa. Thousands sail into town in all kinds of boats including the gaily-decorated lepa and jungkong, their traditional boats, to compete for prizes. Arrangements can be made to explore the islands off Semporna to visit water-villages and seaweed farms, swim and snorkel. The Semporna people also boasts they have the best seafood in all of Malaysia, the freshest and least expensive! |
