Discover Borneo: Blog

Rather, it would help ease pressure from the diving crowd coming from neighbouring Sipadan island, said state tourism, culture & environment minister Datuk Masidi Manjun yesterday.

He said the government was initiating efforts to restore the coral reefs which he claimed, had already been destroyed over the past 15 years due to illegal usage of fish bombs.

"I am not trying to defend the oceanarium... what the oceanarium is trying to create is a diving spot by rehabilitating the coral and marine life so that people need not go to Sipadan but just stay in Mabul.

SabahAir Aviation is a well-established heli operator with over 30 years' experience. It has a fleet of five helicopters in Kota Kinabalu and one in Sandakan. With their affordable rates, the company aims to change the perception that heli charters are for the rich and famous. Think again! Here are some of flights of fancy you might enjoy:

MOUNT KINABALU AERIAL FANTASY

Imagine a close-up view of majestic Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia. This flight takes you on an unforgettable journey over the mighty Mt. Kinabalu where you will enjoy stunning views of the seemingly endless Crocker Range.

MALIAU BASIN (SABAH'S LOST WORLD)

Maliau Basin, also known as the 'Lost World of Sabah', is located in the south-central part of the state. It is an area of approximately 58,840 hectares, surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs, which is rich is flora and fauna. Many people flock to this natural wonder to view the 7-tier waterfall.

KOTA KINABALU AERIAL DELIGHT

Avoid the hassle of traffic jams and save precious time as you fly above the city of Kota Kinabalu! Get a bird's eye view of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, the iconic Menara Tun Mustapha (Tun Mustapha Tower, also known as the Sabah Foundation building). See if you can spot your hotel or the famous Tanjung Aru Beach! A 20-minute joyride will cost around RM260 per person.

SabahAir Aviation also caters to special requests, transfers and tours. Just ask and you shall receive! In short, you can charter a flight from any point as long as there is a landing area the size of a tennis court. The Bell Jet Ranger 206 can seat up to four people, while the Long Ranger can seat six. To save time, dive enthusiasts and island hoppers can request to fly to any of the many islands along the east coast.

Golfers can also enjoy this service so they can spend more time on their favourite golf course rather than in a car. How about flying to Kudat to see the Tip of Borneo? The journey to Kudat by road from KK city can take 3 hours whereas it takes only 40 minutes by helicopter. Larger aircraft such as the Nomad (which can seat up to 10 people) are used for flights to Layang-Layang (an 80-minute flight from Kota Kinabalu).

Some interesting requests include a marriage proposal in which the gentleman had 'carved' his proposal on a sandy beach and asked the heli carrying his girlfriend to fly over the designated area. She accepted his sandy proposal with a resounding 'yes'. For SabahAir Aviation, no request is too grand!

But it's not all play for Sabahair Aviation. Their busy schedule includes various government projects, such as assisting in the building of schools in the interior regions of Sabah. They transport building materials using their helicopters; this has a low impact on the environment as trees are not chopped down to build roads to ferry material to the desired location.

The company is currently upgrading its services to include an interactive website where you can book all tours online and have them confirmed immediately without any hassle.