Ocean life in Borneo

My third and final ode to Borneo is centred around the beautiful achepeligo of islands off the coast of Semporna. Semporna in Sabah has gained popularity as the gateway to world-famous diving destinations, but it’s also home to the Bajau Laut people (also know as sea gypsies).

The Bajau Laut people Live off wooden boathouses or huts built on stilts atop coral reefs around the islands off Semporna. They are a nomadic people originating from the Southern Philippines, the Bajau have taken refuge on the seas around Sulawesi, Indonesia and the islands of the coast of Borneo. The Bajau Laut earn their living based solely on the ocean’s resources, but their way of life is being threatened by diminishing sea life.

Trying to find information on visiting the Bajau proved difficult, in fact in convosations with locals we were told that the governement has restricted tourist (and photographers) visiting the villages (mainly due to the fact that the Bajau laut are a stateless people not something that the government wants to advertise).

We managed to visit some villages on various islands (although not all of these villages were composed of bajau people, and being nomadic, some of the villages we visited had been abandoned). Never the less this portion of the trip was perhaps my favourite (I’m an ocean girl at heart) here are some of the top moments…