Aerial view

We just flew from Sandakan down to Tawau (still the east coast of
Malaysian Borneo, but we are now just about at the Indonesia border),
on our way to a dive resort on Mabul Island. This shot shows what we
saw practically the entire flight ...plantation after plantation of
palm oil trees.

We are blowing our accommodation budget on a semi-luxurious package
resort instead of our original plan of cheap hotel on the mainland in
Semporna and boat trips to the islands. We still couldn't bring
ourselves to pay for the waterbungalows that sit on stilts on top of
the water, but we'll be staying in a chalet on the island and will be
getting fed, 3 boat dives per day, and unlimited diving on the resort
jetty.