A trip to the beaches of Kudat
AS a professional wedding photographer, Hendry is constantly scouting for fabulous settings for wedding photography in Sabah.
On one of his working trips, this time to Kudat town, he invited me along. We left two days before his assignment, which presented us with ample opportunities to visit some gems of beaches in the district of Kudat.
It was not exactly in Kudat, but our first stop was at the Teringai Beach in Kota Marudu. To get there, we had to detour from the main road, and travelled for about an hour on an oil palm plantation road, traversing quiet villages along the way.
It was worth the drive as the beach presented itself worthy of a visit with its bluish water reflecting the azure sky. Casuarina trees line the shore of white sand washed by the gentle water of the South China Sea.
Over the horizon, protruding out of the water, is what appears to be a rocky island, for which the name Batu Teringai or Teringai Rock would not be lost. It beckons. Google is unable to provide a name for it.
A jetty, which probably has seen better days, stands in a derelict state in the water near the coast, rendering one a feel of the beach romancing with time.
The next day, we drove through another oil palm plantation road to arrive at another Kudat beach, Tindakon Dazang. It is a beach with all the natural trappings of loveliness. Name it, and it is there.
Compared to Teringai Beach, there were more people here frolicking on its inviting sand and water. A homestay operator has taken residence near the beach, whose staff have been assigned to collect a minimal entrance fee of RM2 from every visitor, but offer nothing else in terms of service.
The main building is in dire need of sprucing up, and while its nearby Rungus Longhouse, meant for tourists’ accommodation, is sturdy, it too needs some upkeep.
There are ample benches and tables near the beach shaded by Casuarina trees from the glare of the afternoon sun.
Nearer Kudat town is Bak Bak Beach. The beach has seen some development, but not much more. While its water is in place, a sandy beach is visibly absent.
In its place, a concrete wall has been constructed, creating an artificial waterfront. As a beach, it is least inviting. It would require some imagination to enjoy whatever it is offering, no thanks to the absence of amenities and shops in the vicinity as one would expect from a developed waterfront.
It is not so much its white sand that makes nearby Kelambu Beach unique as its stretch of sandbar that connects the mainland to vegetation-covered Kelambu Island.
As we strolled on the sandbar to the island, we were serenaded by the sound of the waves as they crashed gently on either side of the sandbar, making for a truly pleasant experience. The soft white sand completes the picture for this beach which is inviting as it is welcoming.
Perhaps the crowning glory of all the beaches in Kudat is Kalampunian Beach, which is located on the western flank of Simpang Mengayau, the northernmost tip of the Island of Borneo.
Simpang Mengayau means lingering junction, for indeed this is the point where the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea meet each other in a water tango of sorts.
While the ‘simpang’ itself is a rocky and craggy outpost, Kalampunian Beach, on the other hand, is an expansive stretch of sandy beach as far as one can see. Jogging enthusiasts will find it a joy treading on the beach from one end to eternity.
It is not farfetched to think that there are probably many other similar beaches, hidden from popular view, along Kudat’s stretch of the extended North Borneon coastline.
Many visitors to these beaches would have written lyrical about these beaches in praise of their beauty. Environmentalists, however, would abhor the environmental degradation that has come with the opening of these once pristine beaches to tourists.
At these five beaches, Hendry and I were starkly confronted with the bane of tourism, which comes, often time, in the form of garbage indiscriminately strewn everywhere.
Some people are simply devoid of civic-consciousness to resort to such irresponsible behaviour. Broken bottles, which certainly did not shatter by themselves, are particularly harmful.
With encouragement and support from the government, the local communities around these beaches could organise themselves to keep their beaches clean and safe.
They could impress upon tourists to enjoy the beaches while keeping in mind the popular motto, ‘Take nothing but photographs. Leave nothing but footprints,’ with firmness in their convictions. I am certain that tourists would be willing to pay a minimal fee to enjoy the attractions of these fabulous beaches.
The whole idea is to keep the beaches as natural as possible for them to remain exceptionally attractive. Over development of these beaches is best avoided since tourists, particularly foreign tourists, come for nature’s delights, not to view concrete.
Bak Bak Beach, with its concrete waterfront, has lost its allure as a natural beach compared to Kalampunian Beach which remains supremely in its natural state.
Certainly, Hendry would wish to take his clients to this part of Sabah for their photoshoots against the background of pristine beaches for many years to come.