Bajau Sea Gypsies of Borneo

28/07/2024

Out snorkeling with pals in crystal clear waters off the Celebes Sea. Pristine natural conditions such as these are rare and must be protected against mass commercial tourism products such as excessive developments of concrete hotels, ports or airports and all forms of mass commercial construction and development. Only niche bontique relatively high-end hotels staffed by well-paid, motivated and nature-loving staff especially locals with local knowledge should be encouraged, and supported.

13/04/2024

When the local community protects its reef ecosystem from unregulated excessive commercial developments, their reef will remain pristine and thriving with marine wildlife. This will attract high-end high-paying tourism jobs.

11/02/2024

The sea tribes of Alor, Indonesia- one of the handful places in the world where they still live.

13/11/2023

Get your mask and fin - we’re snorkeling later this afternoon. The clear pristine waters off a reef wall teeming with fishes and diverse soft and hard corals. Leave nature untouched and alone - do not develop anything that is commercial near her - she’s worth many fold more to everyone in her pristine original form.

14/08/2023

In Mozambique's Niassa Special Reserve, people revere baboons, birds guide honey hunters, and elephants are making a comeback.

24/04/2023

Why Semporna must reactivate commercial cultivation of sea weeds and rope in Japanese and Koreans MNCs to jointly-manufacture and export downstream seaweed snacks and personal skincare cosmetics to global markets. No other industry can improve the communities standard of living and purchasing power in that part of Borneo faster than more effectively than the seaweed industry.

Analysis estimates that kelp forests are at least three times more valuable for food and the planet than previously thought.

18/12/2022

Do you want to see coral reef in this pristine condition? Do not build any factories, ports, airports or property development near them- selected miles of beaches and the sea must be strictly restricted to eco-tourism and nature and must not be compromised in the name of “development”. The economic multiplier effects would be much more far-reaching and richer than “developments” that benefited only the ”developers and banks”. Remember, once destroyed, the ecosystem cannot be restore to its original pristine pure condition.

31/08/2022

Out snorkelling in the Celebes Sea, off Semporna

31/07/2022

when there’s no or little humans destructive activities and developments, this is how clear, clean and pristine the sea water is and will be. Promote sustainable eco-friendly tourism, or sea weeds and pearl integrated farming-manufacturing instead (to raise wages of local communities), not mass-volume low prices tourism.
pix courtesy of semporna photography tour.

02/07/2022

Out snorkelling on a hot Saturday afternoon -there aren’t many reef this pristine and water this clear left in our planet. Do not build anything near these treasures. Converse ‘em forever.

17/04/2022

TImba-Timba island - Do u know why the sea is that blue and clear? This is one of the island in the Celebes Sea that is furthest away from Semporna town-40mins speedboat ride. Any further out is the international borders of Philippines and there aren’t much developments out here - there are no destructive and polluting industries here, little human sewage and disruptions, people live simple but happy idyllic contended lifes out in this still pristine archipelago. We hope if development arrives, it would be complimentary and help raise people standards of living, without harming any of the coral reefs, mangrove and ocean currents that’s teeming with diverse abundant wildlife.

20/03/2022

Mataking Island - one of the island in the Cebeles Sea archipelago that’s furthest away from Semporna and closest to the Phillipines border - Mataking Island - is still pristine owing to its remotenes. Worth a visit.

26/12/2021

Merry Christmas 🎄 and Happy Boxing Day. Remember not to damage or overdevelop Borneo’s rainforest, coral reef, mangrove swamps, rivers, sea and the mountains - money can’t or won’t bring “em back once it’s gone. Find other ways to make money, do not damage nature 🌱

26/11/2021

Build more jetties because they are natural habitats for fishes, especially juveniles and soft corals

10/10/2021

Snorkelling on a sunny Sunday afternoon in clean, unpolluted sea and healthy pristine coral reef

10/07/2021

Was Semporna’s coral reel like this a long time ago? Does sabahans wants to see Semporna’s reef returns to it’s former pristine glory? Do we know sustainable eco-tourism pays a lot more than low value mass-tourism? Protect and nurture our reef ecosystem back to its pristine health. Stop poaching and damaging the reef and her wildlife.

27/06/2021

19/05/2021

Open up a competitive tender bidding process to both local and international hotels & resorts MNCs to FDI hospitality/eco-tourism capex into Borneo - this will ensure long-term sustainability of local communities employment, and even more multi ler effects across other sub-sectors (such as transportation and F&B).

25/04/2021

Do not eat them, for they are worth much more alive - to the people and families that is dependent on eco-tourism- that dead, digested and discharged from our bowels as faeces. Protect and nurse back their population in the wild.

11/03/2021

Afternoon dive beneath the jetty - build more jetties and they will become home to an abundant of marine life. Plus, helps villagers to move themselves and goods around more efficiently. Use mangrove woods if we can’t afford belian timber- just needs to repair and replace more regularly (as opposed to belian timber which last 200-years)