I created a separate page for Borneo because it differs from Peninsular Malaysia. 

Borneo has many Indigenous tribes, such as the Iban, Dayak, Kayan, and Bidayuh. In the past, the Ibans and Dayak hunted for human heads. 

I attended my first Iban wedding, where I discovered the tribes are prolific drinkers. Although I had just walked through the door, everyone wanted to do shots with the white guy. I drank over ten shots. Some men had scotch and whisky, but the drink was homemade rice wine. Although the wine tasted decent, I experienced quite a hangover the next day. 

Toward the end of the wedding, the tribe formed a small circle with a ritual ceremony bowl in the centre. The men collected things from the ceremony bowl and placed them on the plates before them. Subsequently, the tribe chief chanted many words while holding a chicken. He moved the chicken in a circle to emphasize his words. Unfortunately, the chicken did not make it. Someone took the chicken outside with a large knife and returned with feathers. The people around the circle added feathers to their plates.

Borneo, Malaysia

• The country's area spans 287,000 square miles, making Borneo the third-largest island in the world.
• Borneo encompasses three countries: Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
• In 2010, the population was estimated at 19.8 million; most people and cities are on the coasts.
• Borneo has 140 million-year-old rainforests filled with 15,000 forms of flowers, 3,000 species of trees, 420 types of birds, and 221 species of animals.
• Borneo possesses vast wealth with petroleum and natural gas deposits along the coasts and forests filled with timber.

Kota Kinabalu is a popular tourist destination. Tourists come to climb Mount Kinabalu, scuba dive along the coral reefs, hop from island to island, shop in the numerous malls and markets, or enjoy spicy Malay and Chinese food.

Although I experienced no problems walking around downtown, even at night, Kota Kinabalu has no shortage of shady people wandering the streets at night.

Kuching is the largest city in Malaysia, Borneo, and the state capital of Sarawak, with more than 600,000 residents. Residents refer to Kuching as the City of Cats because many believe the name Kuching was derived from the Malay word cat.

The city, with its historic buildings and friendly locals, offers a unique cultural experience. Strolling along the sidewalks in the historic city centre, you'll find a myriad of shops and small stores, each offering a glimpse into the local culture. I stumbled upon a traditional Chinese herbal store and couldn't resist stocking up on lingzhi, wolfberries, and cordyceps, a truly unique experience. 

While Kuching is about an hour's drive from the shores of the South China Sea, the journey is well worth it. The city's riverfront park offers a serene setting to watch the sunset, a sight to behold. The South China Sea is a paradise for nature lovers with its crystal-clear waters and picturesque coastline.

Kuching is the only gateway to Indonesia, offering a unique opportunity for adventure. I embarked on a bus journey from Kuching to the Indonesian side of Borneo, a thrilling experience that allowed me to explore this fascinating region's diverse landscapes and cultures.

A tiny island located between Brunei and Kota Kinabalu. The Malaysian government is developing the island, granting numerous tax advantages. The government does not tax liquor, alcohol, chocolates, and cigarettes. Tourists flock there to buy cheap booze and cigarettes. People can open bank accounts with numbered accounts. 

Smugglers head to Labuan. They buy quantities of alcohol for low prices and smuggle the products to cities across Malaysia, avoiding the USD 10 duty on every bottle of booze and wine. 

Labuan's tourist industry remains underdeveloped. Hotels are expensive and charge tourists excessive rates. For example, I overpaid to stay at a budget hotel and stayed in a disgusting room. The bathroom had no hot water, and the room required numerous repairs. I kept the light on at night so the cockroaches crawled in the shadows. 

I have little to say about Miri except that I live here. Miri is a small prison without any walls. To visit the neighbouring cities, I would have to drive for hours.

Miri is a small community and is the capital of Malaysia's petroleum and natural gas industry. Many oil rigs scatter along the coast of the South China Sea.

One drawback is that the city never integrated the shoreline with the downtown. Miri has a few sidewalks along the shore of the South China Sea.

However, I should be lucky the city has a McDonald's, Starbucks, and Sushi King. I also boosted my research level, and I draw and write more. Furthermore, Miri has excellent dive sites, where I learned to scuba dive.

Mount Kinabalu towers 4,095 meters or 13,435 feet above sea level and is the tallest mountain in Malaysia.

The climbing path is well-developed, and I describe it as the eternal staircase to the heavens. Although I regularly jog, my body needed to prepare for the climb. Walking up and down stairs uses different muscles than jogging on a level surface.

The government and tour agencies require climbers to stay at the hostel overnight at 3,350 meters or 11,000 feet. The overnight stay helps acclimate climbers to the thin air and lets them rest for the final climb to the summit. Of course, they feed the climbers well at the hostel with an all-you-can-eat buffet.

They awaken the climbers at 4 a.m. for the final trek up the mountain. Unfortunately, I did not reach the summit. Once I had reached the check-in station, the wind started howling and blowing while the icy rain pelted the ground. At this height, the granite mountain becomes quite slippery when wet. The officials closed the mountain, so I received the black-and-white achievement certificate. If climbers reach the top, they earn a colour certificate of achievement.

After my two-day hike, I was sore for two weeks. Next time, I will train by jogging up and down staircases to prepare myself for the long climb.

Mulu National Park is a short flight from Miri, Malaysia. We are thrust into the wildlife of Borneo, surrounded by dense rainforests, caves, and streams.

Niah National Park is located between Miri and Bintulu, about 110 kilometres from Miri.

It's not just any park. Niah National Park uniquely blends forests, caves, and jungles. As we strolled along the winding path, we were immersed in the beauty of the natural surroundings.

The Great Cave, the largest of its kind, is a thrilling adventure that snakes through a mountain. At times, the cave narrows, plunging us into complete darkness, adding an extra layer of excitement to our exploration.

After the Great Cave, we trekked through the forest to reach the last cave, Painted Cave, where we viewed the cavemen's drawings. Unfortunately, most of the paint had flaked away from the cave wall because the tourists had touched it. 

Sapi Island is one of the many islands tourists can visit while staying in Kota Kinabalu. The island has several restaurants and well-developed swimming and boating areas. Some tourists learn to scuba dive.

Wild boars steal travellers' water bottles and food as the tourists swim in the sea while Komodo dragons wander around the island, scampering for food. The dragons can be dangerous. A giant Komodo dragon was blocking the entrance to the scuba diving storage. I tried to shoo him away, but he whipped me hard across my chest with his tail. It stung for a while, although I wore a thick dive suit.

The scuba diving was excellent. I saw a giant turtle and a crocodile fish. After leaving the island, I saw a water sprout dance across the water. By the time I retrieved my camera, the water spout had disappeared.