Who has seen my long ass Instagram post? 😂 This is gonna be an even longer version of it but it will be informative so bear with me 😉 You can start with my Introductory post to Bario from here.
We were shared that there are only two main ways to access Bario;
1) Flight via Mas Wings from Miri (Only from Miri, so you'd have to fly to Miri first)
2) Drive for 10 to 12 hours from Miri
The 10 - 12 hours drive is apparently a treacherous one, where you must use a 4WD to go through. I know someone who has done it, and in some cases you'd have to sleep on the road / camp along the forest. Imagine - you are going to a forest in the HIGHLANDS. Initially I wanted to do this to save cost, but who am I kidding, I was coming alone and I wasn't so sure whether it would be a safe idea.
I am quite savage, but that seemed like too epic even for me.
Turns out, I wasn't gonna come alone. Yuen decided to come to Bario with me!!!
The flight was an adventure itself no less.
It was a 12 seater twin otter flight via Mas Wings. 12 seater meant, it is 12 seats only 😐. It's a relatively, no wait, it is indeed a VERY small plane. Much smaller than any of the commercial flights you are probably used to, so please mentally prepare yourself 😜
When we got our tickets I wanted to laugh out loud because I realized it was numbered 1.ONE. Many thousand miles later, I finally had the chance to seat at number 1. Not even by accidental assignment of putting us into the emergency aisles, you know how they do that just to have someone there and probably be the first to flung out if anything happens.
When we got into the plane.......... we were looking for the seats not knowing it was free seating. The locals walked up to the plane so suave and sat around without looking at their tickets. We sat right behind the pilots sharing their same birds eye view 😳😅
The moment it started its engine............................ Yuen and I clenched hands.
And when it did started going mid air, I must have lost my stomach and my soul at that time because clearly that wasn't for the faint heart. I could hear every flutter of the wind, every switch turned on, every metal of the plane stuttering through the pilot's deck.
Holy grail!
The entire journey WAS SO BEAUTIFUL tho. En route to Bario were pristine green forests that looked like from Narnia or something. I have never had the chance to fly into the highlands! Between wanting to close my eyes the entire time, and wanting to experience this beautiful journey, I struggled with my shaking hands when taking photos of the scenery.
I didn't realise it has been an hour when we finally touched ground. I must have fainted halfway through.
Heart warmed when we arrived at the small and humble the airport. Everyone greeted each other 💗
We still didn't know what we're getting ourselves into.
We stayed in Ngimat Ayu Hostel. They were one of the two that appears on Agoda.com. But I think it's better to book directly from Ngimat Ayu Hostel themselves. Just email them via Tripadvisor :) Scott who attended me the through emails was very nice! I was expecting Scott but he wasn't around and was welcomed by Felicity (Scott's sister) instead, and later by Tepu (her mum) who took us as their own for the few days.
The home was a lovely wooden house, home to many rooms. Ours was on ground floor towards the very end. There was no fan.... but plenty of windows for ventilation. We didn't know what to expect, it is the highlands, and we were told that it would get colder by the evening.
Our room overlooking valleys and hills.
It was truly a home away from home - especially mine since there were a lot of things I could relate to. They prepared meals, asked about our well-being.
When we arrived, I scoured all over the house for wifi / phone service. For a brief moment, I couldn't believe that the entire house has no data or wifi service. And was told, that there was only ONE place that has it. Absurd, I thought.
So like a desperate city slick I had my body jutting out of window, bending on one corner, climbed stairs, kneeling mid walkway, looking for the three stripes or data or ANYTHING!
Still no connection.
Felicity and Tepu prepared for us a delicious lunch.
Right after, we took a mini hike behind the homestay. It was muddy and we had sneakers on.
^Triplets! :)
Look at this amazing view.
You don't get this often.
We climbed a short one and started descending upon not knowing where we were heading to. That's when I slipped and fell off of a muddy path knocking my sense off.
Day 1, I thought.
After little wandering, Yuen and I decided it's time for dinner. It's amazing here.
Time moves really slow, and you're left with a book or conversations to begin with. I am a curious george so I ask about anything and everything. How do you guys make your own jam?? What about the rice??
Dinner was to die for. After what seemed like a really long day, when really, it was just me hovering around trying to figure out what to do - I was looking forward for food.
We had fresh passion fruit to call it a day 💓💓 I could eat a basket of it to be honest.
Felicity and Tepu asked what we did the entire day, and there was something so guilty saying "we did nothing" these days. Why? It was the truth though haha. Yuen and I were just hiking around the area, walked towards a school (which later in the trip we walked beyond, and was one of the best decision of our lives).
That was it.
Now, come to think about it, what I'd give to say I did nothing. To just laze around by the day and see day turn to night. Idk.
Welcome to Bario ❤️ And damnit Jacqkie, time forget wifi or phone service.
Love,
Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.
We were shared that there are only two main ways to access Bario;
1) Flight via Mas Wings from Miri (Only from Miri, so you'd have to fly to Miri first)
2) Drive for 10 to 12 hours from Miri
The 10 - 12 hours drive is apparently a treacherous one, where you must use a 4WD to go through. I know someone who has done it, and in some cases you'd have to sleep on the road / camp along the forest. Imagine - you are going to a forest in the HIGHLANDS. Initially I wanted to do this to save cost, but who am I kidding, I was coming alone and I wasn't so sure whether it would be a safe idea.
I am quite savage, but that seemed like too epic even for me.
Turns out, I wasn't gonna come alone. Yuen decided to come to Bario with me!!!
The flight was an adventure itself no less.
It was a 12 seater twin otter flight via Mas Wings. 12 seater meant, it is 12 seats only 😐. It's a relatively, no wait, it is indeed a VERY small plane. Much smaller than any of the commercial flights you are probably used to, so please mentally prepare yourself 😜
When we got our tickets I wanted to laugh out loud because I realized it was numbered 1.ONE. Many thousand miles later, I finally had the chance to seat at number 1. Not even by accidental assignment of putting us into the emergency aisles, you know how they do that just to have someone there and probably be the first to flung out if anything happens.
When we got into the plane.......... we were looking for the seats not knowing it was free seating. The locals walked up to the plane so suave and sat around without looking at their tickets. We sat right behind the pilots sharing their same birds eye view 😳😅
The moment it started its engine............................ Yuen and I clenched hands.
And when it did started going mid air, I must have lost my stomach and my soul at that time because clearly that wasn't for the faint heart. I could hear every flutter of the wind, every switch turned on, every metal of the plane stuttering through the pilot's deck.
Holy grail!
The entire journey WAS SO BEAUTIFUL tho. En route to Bario were pristine green forests that looked like from Narnia or something. I have never had the chance to fly into the highlands! Between wanting to close my eyes the entire time, and wanting to experience this beautiful journey, I struggled with my shaking hands when taking photos of the scenery.
I didn't realise it has been an hour when we finally touched ground. I must have fainted halfway through.
Heart warmed when we arrived at the small and humble the airport. Everyone greeted each other 💗
We still didn't know what we're getting ourselves into.
We stayed in Ngimat Ayu Hostel. They were one of the two that appears on Agoda.com. But I think it's better to book directly from Ngimat Ayu Hostel themselves. Just email them via Tripadvisor :) Scott who attended me the through emails was very nice! I was expecting Scott but he wasn't around and was welcomed by Felicity (Scott's sister) instead, and later by Tepu (her mum) who took us as their own for the few days.
The home was a lovely wooden house, home to many rooms. Ours was on ground floor towards the very end. There was no fan.... but plenty of windows for ventilation. We didn't know what to expect, it is the highlands, and we were told that it would get colder by the evening.
Our room overlooking valleys and hills.
It was truly a home away from home - especially mine since there were a lot of things I could relate to. They prepared meals, asked about our well-being.
When we arrived, I scoured all over the house for wifi / phone service. For a brief moment, I couldn't believe that the entire house has no data or wifi service. And was told, that there was only ONE place that has it. Absurd, I thought.
So like a desperate city slick I had my body jutting out of window, bending on one corner, climbed stairs, kneeling mid walkway, looking for the three stripes or data or ANYTHING!
Still no connection.
Felicity and Tepu prepared for us a delicious lunch.
Right after, we took a mini hike behind the homestay. It was muddy and we had sneakers on.
^Triplets! :)
Look at this amazing view.
You don't get this often.
We climbed a short one and started descending upon not knowing where we were heading to. That's when I slipped and fell off of a muddy path knocking my sense off.
Day 1, I thought.
After little wandering, Yuen and I decided it's time for dinner. It's amazing here.
Time moves really slow, and you're left with a book or conversations to begin with. I am a curious george so I ask about anything and everything. How do you guys make your own jam?? What about the rice??
Dinner was to die for. After what seemed like a really long day, when really, it was just me hovering around trying to figure out what to do - I was looking forward for food.
We had fresh passion fruit to call it a day 💓💓 I could eat a basket of it to be honest.
Felicity and Tepu asked what we did the entire day, and there was something so guilty saying "we did nothing" these days. Why? It was the truth though haha. Yuen and I were just hiking around the area, walked towards a school (which later in the trip we walked beyond, and was one of the best decision of our lives).
That was it.
Now, come to think about it, what I'd give to say I did nothing. To just laze around by the day and see day turn to night. Idk.
Welcome to Bario ❤️ And damnit Jacqkie, time forget wifi or phone service.
Love,
Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.
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