Menumbok the gateway to Labuan

Pekan Menumbok will be a sleepy hollow on a dead end road
if not for being the gateway to duty free paradise Labuan island.
The lively hood of this small town which doesn't have a bank or petrol station
depends solely on the transport and related services
provided by the locals at the jetty
like vehicle ferry(to Labuan ),speed boat,taxi,car park,food outlets
and a small 5 room government rest house
besides fishing and agriculture.

There was a big plan during the last national election

to build a bridge to the island which is about 8km from here

which is of significant consequences to both the people here and on the island.

Many jobs will be lost here as the new road to the bridge will definitely

bypass this part of the town

and over on the island will see lots of happy faces

on the businessmen welcoming the influx of customers

but for the rest of the people here it will means crowded roads,lots of traffic jams,

lack of parking space and other social problems cause by visitors who come here

more for the cheap booze,smoke and entertainment.

Eventually a bridge will have to be build as development catches up in this part of Sabah.

Rush to board the 12 passenger 200hp speedboat

which will take you to Labuan in 20 minutes

or you can follow the slow vehicle ferry above

which will entertain you for about one half hour in airconditioned room

with a movie before you arrive.

Getting to Labuan

There goes the speedster.

The only row of wooden pre war shop house,

somewhere in the middle is a coffeshop

which serve the best 'mee soto' in town.

This is what you get when there isn't a petrol station around.

Sea creatures will welcome you here.


A direct translation will means punching the whole Sabah,

what a punch from this taxis which will bring you any where in Sabah.

A jetty for anglers.










Coconut trees by the river near the district office.



A wooden jetty at Kampung Laut Sekalong.





Thanks to my retired friend Awang Ku Chuchu

a malay of Brunei decent who lives both on the Labuan island

and here at Kampung Laut Menumbok on the mainland Sabah

for driving me around this lovely place.

View Menumbok in a larger map