Borneo’s international sea crossing

Kuching to Tawau by flight

I left home by Grab car at 0830.  The driver took an unusually long route directed by Google Maps getting me to the airport around 15min later than I had expected at 0915.  I had breakfast at the lounge before settling in to do some last minute work on the computer.

I was cut short at 1000 when I heard the boarding call for my 1100 flight to Tawau!  WTF!!  Normally AirAsia has 25min turnarounds between flights.  Apparently the plane had just touched down. It pulled up to the gate at 1010 and we boarded around 1020.  The usual stragglers prevented us from a super-early departure, pushing back only ten minutes early at 1150.

We landed at Tawau airport 15mins early at 1230.  This airport has been my gateway (three times) to arguably the world’s best dive site, Barracuda Point, at Sipadan.  But today, I go to Tawau town for the first time, to board a ferry to the Indonesian town of Nunukan.

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Passing through Tawau

I summoned a Grab car with a nice friendly driver for the 30+ min ride to town.  We chatted a bit:

• Borneo’s ethnic diversity is further enriched (or sometimes complicated) by trans-migrants. The Tawau area (and south across the border) is now home to many Bugis who originate from south Sulawesi.
• The Tawau area is also home to Cocos Malays who chose to migrate here when their homeland (Cocos Islands) was transferred to Australia (but many remained in the Cocos). They are descended from slaves taken from throughout the Malay archipelago.
• I saw some school children in Indonesian school uniform with maroon pants; the driver explained that there are Indonesian schools here.

At the station around 1330, I found the office for collecting my ferry ticket booked through Easybook.com.  It had not been easy to find a complete schedule of boats from here, so I had booked the only one available online at 1600 which worked out perfectly.  Despite having message Mr Abu few days beforehand, he hadn’t prepared my ticket.

He told me to return at 1430 so I had time for a wander and a light lunch.  I got my ticket just fine and waited for boarding around 1520.  Women and then Malaysians were allowed to enter the departure hall first for immigration followed by Indonesians.  I went straight out to the waiting Mid East Express boat.

Tawau to Nunukan by boat

The rather empty boat departed at 1545 instead of 1600 for the journey to Nunukan.  The timetable had indicated a travel time of 1h08 but it took around 1h15.  There was phone signal most of the way on Malaysian networks and I changed to Indonesian a little before arrival at 1700.

We had Sebatik island on the left side the whole way.  It is an island that is partly Malaysia and partly Indonesia.  Wikipedia says:

• Sebatik Malaysia has a population estimated to be approximately 25,000; there are approximately 80,000 people in Sebatik Indonesia
• While there are border guards on the island, there is no immigration office, no customs house, no barbed-wire fence and no walls demarcating the border. Instead, the only evidence of a border are the concrete piles buried every kilometre from east to west.

Arriving at Tunon Taka Ferry Terminal, Nunukan. We disembark via two other boats to access the pier. It is common practice in Borneo.  The roof on the wharf was in tatters!

There were two large interisland ferries moored at the wharf, one belonging to the state ferry company Pelni and another private.  Large intercity and interisland ferries are an important mode of transport in a country with 17000 islands and the fourth largest population in the world.

I could see a new ferry building that was complete but not yet open.  The town has another ferry terminal. The plan was for international ferries to arrive there but the currents were not suitable, apparently.

Our arrival was processed in a small scruffy building.  There were two immigration counters but they worked quickly.  Luggage was x-rayed and I was out in no time.

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Nunukan nightstop

I was picked up by Ibu Diana the local Easybook.com contact for my next ferry to Tarakan tomorrow.  She was meant to deliver me to the Lucky Hotel (for a small fee) and give me my ticket.  But she only did the first but forgot the second.  But the hospitality and conversation was good.

This area of Borneo, on both sides of the border, is home to many Bugis people who originate from south Sulawesi.

Nunukan isn’t an interesting town by any means. For me, it is part of my exploration of my home island, and a way of getting to my destination in Sulawesi.  Actually, disregarding the Sulawesi portion, the journey through Borneo is very much the destination!

The Lucky Hotel was new and clean.  As daylight was disappearing, I dropped my bag and walked to the pleasant town square.  Hungry, I looked for food.  The stalls by the square didn’t have much that appealed; largely deep-fried snacks rather than meals.  I found a cafe which did meals but I settled on satay before I could return to the cafe.

As the ambience was quite nice in the square, I had dessert and tea.  Being Indonesia, I wanted their trademark banana, chocolate and cheese.  But here, they only had banana and cheese.  Upon request, they did sprinkle some Milo which kinda went part way to satisfy me.

I stocked up on rupiahs for my trip from two ATMs before retiring.