Sabah, Land below the Wind is well known for its beautiful beaches around its seafront. Almost all have the charm of blue sea meeting the blue sky while some have that special appeal that makes one want to stay on the beach and just revel on the warmth and occasional cooling gusts of sea breeze.
One such beach is right in front of Teringai beach cafe and lodge sited in Kg Teringai Laut, Kota Marudu. The long stretch of Teringai beach is clean and quite pristine as there is pleasantly no rubbish strewn on the beach. One can enjoy the incessant waves from the ocean lapping the beach without seeing plastic bags with it.
The waves will be a little harder and higher by afternoon, as the wind picks up. The undulating waves of the blue green sea will be a little higher and stronger. The stark beauty of nature shows its strength and visitors are well advised to enjoy the breeze and watch the sea, but not run in for a swim.
It is advisable for visitors to stay overnight or maybe a few days in the area to really enjoy the beach and the beauty of nature around as it is quite far from the main road from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat. It is about 15 kilometres on gravel road. The area is about three hours drive from the State Capital but the gravel road can make it longer as one have to slow down and negotiate the road. Its well worth the drive though.
The accommodation available in the area is of course Teringai beach cafe and lodge, just nearby the beach. This lodge have ample accommodation for guests as they have a lodge with four bedrooms including a huge master bed room. This lodge can easily accomodate up to 18 people, as guests can request for extra mattress. There is also a huge kitchen where guests can cook and hold a barbecue.
Besides that they have a long house that can accomodate up to 35 people. There is an open space in the common area where guests can either put down their sleeping bags or extra mattress that can be acquired from the management. This longhouse is very spacious and airy due to its traditional architecture.
The other longhouse can house up to three families, as each room has three mattresses each. It is quite spacious and one can revel in its cool atmosphere.
The ultimate comfort is of course the new lodge. It has all the trappings of a resort room, with comfortable beds, good bathrooms with hot shower and air conditioning. It is rather nice to run in and cool down after a warm day enjoying the sea, sun and sand.
The establishment serves good food too. After a hard day adventuring under the sun, guests can be assured of some tasty victuals to titillate the taste bud and ask for more. Actually guests can opt to order ala carte or have the chef there rustle up some traditional food. The traditional food is recommended for those who want to try something new or in some cases enjoy some nostalgic tastes.
The fares include the traditional kampong rice, fried fish, chopped young mango and banana flowers; this is the end part of the banana. They cook it very well too. These are just a few of the dishes that they can serve up, but their cook Freddy Ampaon shares that there are many more types of traditional food that can be served up. A personal favourite is of course the seaweed called Lato which unfortunately wasn’t available during my visit.
After enjoying the food and a good rest, guests can also go for a ride on their ATV. The joy of having the wind buffet your face is well worth the effort to do this ride before dinner and turning in for the night. But of course not before you enjoy a spectacular sunset. This usually happens when its a good clear day though. During gloomy days, you can also enjoy the cool wind brought in by the sea that meets the slate grey sky.
So if you are thinking of adventuring in this neck of the woods, and enjoy the natural offerings of this place, drop in Teringai and have a blast. This place is family owned so one can be sure of an excellent stay with warm friendly people
More information can be acquired from 019-589 4668.- ce/BNN
