“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.†– Jack Kerouac
American novelist Jack Kerouac may not have travelled with Tumi when he and his free-spirited friends journeyed across America back in the late 1940s, which he chronicled so brilliantly in the zeitgeist-defining On The Road, but his spirit of adventure and carefree attitude was clearly evident in a trip Tumi and YTL Hotels’ Gaya Island Resort organised recently to showcase the luxury travel accessories brand’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection as well as the idyllic resort’s paradisiacal attractions and features.
Arriving at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, we were whisked away by luxury MPVs to the Sutera Harbour Marina and seconded in the cool Gaya Lounge, where our check-ins were done efficiently. The warmth of Borneo hospitality was already felt when the entire front office team from the Gaya Lounge gave us a nice send off, hand on heart, and waving to us as we boarded a private speedboat bound for the resort.
Our first stop was Tavajun Bay, the tranquil private beach located a short five-minute ride from the resort. We arrived just in time for lunch and, as we got off the speedboat, Tan Yin Yin, Assistant General Manager of Tumi Malaysia, Singapore & Australia, and Kirinjit Singh, Manager of Gaya Island Resort, were waiting to welcome us. A colourful and cheery table was set up, where a delicious Thai lunch was waiting. As Tumi’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection had a Hawaiian theme, so did the decoration of the table, which lifted the mood of everyone present.
A tour of Gaya Island Resort’s Marine Centre, located just next to our lunch venue and conducted by the resort’s knowledgeable resident marine biologist, Scott Mayback, had all of us oohing and aahing over the cute rescued turtles that are being nursed back to health. We also learnt about the marine conservation endeavours of Gaya Island Resort in the surrounding area before we were off to check into our rooms. As our speedboat arrived at the resort, what struck us was the way the 121 villas and suites blended seamlessly into the lush tropical rainforest set on a hill along the coast of Malohom Bay. Low-key yet luxurious, the villas oozed comfort and style, yet retaining an earthy vibe, thanks to the abundant use of natural materials like wood. After a welcome drink, called Kinabalu Vaik, at the reception, we were escorted to our rooms. Mine was in the Kinabalu Villas and had the best view of Mount Kinabalu – which was visible early in the morning from my bed.
After a quick shower and some unpacking, we regrouped at the jetty for a sunset cruise on board the resort’s 64ft luxury yacht, Lumba-Lumba. Ladies changed to soft flowing gowns while the gents donned shorts and t-shirts and, when the yacht set off for the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, all of us congregated at the bow, enjoying the sea breeze and taking in the myriad colours of nature’s canvas – the oranges, reds and yellows that coloured the horizon as the sun set for the day. While sipping champagne and nibbling on delicious canapés, this was the Instagram-perfect moment for those who whipped out their mobile phones and snapped away.
When dusk turned to night, we returned to the resort and walked down the beach on Malohom Bay, where we were greeted by staff wearing traditional Kadazan tribal outfits, who welcomed us with orchid leis and tropical cocktails like Pina Coladas and Mai Tais, as well as a selection of red and white wines. Around a crackling bonfire, we played the Perception Game, where a piece of paper was stuck on our backs and we had to write what we thought each other’s occupation was, based on the way we looked. This ice-breaker certainly elicited plenty of laughs and giggles as some occupations were less than savoury!
We then took our places at the beautifully decorated long table set up on the beach, and some of us kicked off our shoes to enjoy the feel of the sand. A tantalising Borneo tribal-style barbecue beckoned, with the delicious aroma of grilled slipper lobsters, green mussels, squid, yellow prawns, lamb chops, crabs and baked whole seabass, snapper and grouper, among other fare, filling the air. While eating, we were entertained by both a Kadazan tribal dance troupe and a singing brother and sister act, Daniel and Gina Mojinaw.
The next day, we satisfied our sense of smell at a specially organised olfactory class at the tranquil and award-winning Spa Village, set amidst the serene mangroves. We each made our own blend of essential oils, guided by a scent artist. For lunch, we adjourned to Feast Village, the resort’s all-day diner, where Borneo specialities awaited us, including hinava, fresh chunks of snapper fillet with bird’s eye chilli, lime juice and ginger, and Sinalai tulang kambing, slow-roasted lamb rack rubbed with lemongrass and ginger. A massage at the Spa Village followed and it was just as well that I opted for the gentler Rolling Waves treatment as a heavy lunch beforehand would not have gone down well with the harder indigenous massages.
The late afternoon and early evening was the highlight of this trip – the preview of Tumi’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection. Held at the Suria Suite, a private villa perched on a sloping hillside with uninterrupted views of the South China Sea and Mount Kinabalu, this two-storey villa was the ideal place to showcase Tumi’s latest offerings. Inspired by the island of Hawaii, the collection is divided into different themes, with the core collection featuring an array of new colours like Atlantic Blue and Charcoal in its signature ballistic nylon that pays tribute to Hawaii’s volcanic beaches. Maui Wave attracted the most attention with its soothing and distinctive blue ocean wave print on Tumi’s Tegra-Lite carry-ons and suitcases as well as Alpha-Bravo’s Cannon backpack. Jack Kerouac may have written about his battered suitcases piled high on the sidewalk before he set off on his travels but, you can be sure, had he travelled with Tumi’s Tegra-Lite Max suitcase, it certainly would have been in a better condition.
Appealing to both men and women, the new collection has masculine colours like Earl Grey and Graphite in the premium Astor collection, while the Dalston collection gave a new spin to camouflage in Black and Multi Camo. The bestselling Alpha Bravo Cannon backpack was re-issued in shades of Grey Atlantic and Baltic. Softer and fancier designs are available for women with the newly re-launched Voyageur collection available in eye-catching Hibiscus-print Black Floral and Fossil Floral, inspired by Hawaiian flora. A key silhouette for ladies this spring is the Athens carry-all, a nifty and huggable bag in black light-weight nylon with gold-coloured zippers and hardware to add some glamour.
A selection of specially created cocktails and hors d’oeuvres was served while we wandered around the 188 sq m villa admiring Tumi’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection, which was tastefully grouped into colour and collection themes and placed all over the suite. Some ventured out onto the expansive verandah, complete with daybeds, to catch a last glimpse of Mount Kinabalu just before sunset.
Finally, after all that excitement and visual feast from the collection, we adjourned to the romantic Fisherman’s Cove restaurant for a spread of a different kind. The open-roof seafood restaurant allowed us to dine under the clear night sky and twinkling stars. Again, the Tumi and Gaya Island Resort teams outdid themselves with a beautifully decorated table and delectable cuisine. With the centre panel of our long dining table lit from within, the cylindrical glass vases containing exotic Cymbidium orchids appeared to float on the table top. A six-course dinner, consisting of pan-seared scallops, a refreshing assam boi and grape cucumber gazpacho, lemongrass seafood broth and cod steak, all washed down with a Chilean Maipo Alto Cabernet Sauvignon and a chilled Marques de Riscal Sauvignon Blanc, made this evening and, indeed, the entire trip, something even better than what Jack Kerouac and his travelling companions ever experienced when they were on the road.
