> > by Craig Tansley
Although it’s less than three hours drive from Sabah’s capital, Kota Kinabula, Bak Bak Beach, near the town of Kudat, and its surrounding wilderness feels almost completely removed from the 21st Century. The local Rungus people still live in traditional longhouses and their lifestyles are as they always were.
You can mix with them while you swim or sunbake, although only on Sundays will there be any other beach-goers in these parts. Bak Bak is the most accessible of the beaches in this area of Sabah, it’s just eleven kilometres from Kudat Town and it’s postcard-perfect, a glorious bay set against gigantic rocks and perfect, safe, shallow waters. The beauty of this area has been its inaccessibility. Previously very difficult for tourists to get to, recent infrastructure improvements have meant access is easier, but so far there’s been no development to spoil the feeling of blissful isolation. Perfect for the couple who:
Love to explore – close to Borneo’s northern tip, the area is home to some of Asia’s most pristine beaches. Kelambu Beach is a highlight and is not far from Bak Bak. Made up of two stretches of sandy beach
separated by a sandy spit, it’s always completely deserted.
You can also catch a ferry to the rarely visited islands of Balambangan and Banggi.