TAWAU > HOTELS IN TAWAU TOWN >
HOTEL SOON YEE
Hotel Soon Yee
1st -2nd Floor, T.B. No 1362, Jalan Stephen Tan, Tawau, Sabah. TEL: 089-772447
P.O.Box No: 326,
91007 Tawau, Sabah.
Tel: 089-772447
SINGLE ROOM : Rm 30.00
DOUBLE ROOM : Rm 35.00
Most of the old hotels in Tawau are budget hotels established in
the 1970s, 1980s during the Timber Bloom era in Sabah. Providing affordable
accommodation to those workers who need somewhere to sleep before continue their
trip to the jungle the next day to cut down more trees.
1970s and 1980s was also the period when the Hippies arriving Asia continuously
in numbers. Hippies are young men and women of the 70s running away from Western
Countries trying to stay in Asia as lengthily period as they could - 1 years? 5
years? some even decade as long as financially allowed. They achieved this by
traveling as cheaply as possible, and living as cheaply as possible. Every where
they went, they seek out the low cost accommodation of the town.
The great demand of information on suitable accommodation resulted the birth of
travel guides one of which is an Australian guidebook Lonely Planet. In one of
the series of guides Lonely Planet covered Malaysia's cities and towns with all
available low cost accommodations including an unknown town at that time - Tawau.
Soon Yee Hotel came to light to the Western travelers just like that.
But don't get me wrong. Tawau Town and Soon Yee Hotel are never linked to the
infamous Hippies. In those years the Malaysian government avoid the Hippies like
they are avoid the Terrorist like plaque today.
Soon Yee Hotel is neither linked to the Hippies of those years or to the
Terrorists of recent years. Soon Yee Hotel just remain a favorite of backpackers
with its low cost with no frills policy.
However, Soon Yee, like several others old time hotels of this town, unable to
catch up with the time of fast technology advancement. Soon Yee Hotel doesn't
take online reservations. For its old guests, they still call in advance for a
room :
Call : +6089-772447
This shop lot style low cost hotel made famous by Lonely Planet is still
situated directly across from the Parkwell Supermarket. The hotel offers rooms
with either private or shared baths. Private rooms are air conditioned; shared
bath rooms have fan ventilation. Within walking distance of several open air
food stands and night markets.
About the Hippies, their long trail from Europe across the hemisphere reached
Malaysia. They congregated at a beach North of an Island, the Penanag Island,
where local residents were quick to realized their need by building many low
cost sea side huts just for them. Blue sea, isolated beach, romantic tropical
huts and a care free life................until...........
By the way, any of the Hippies made their Hippy trail across the ocean to Borneo
Island to this most remote town at the Eastern end - Tawau Town?
Overland from Europe to Asia in search of Hashish : http://www.richardgregory.org.uk/history/hippie-trail.htm
