LUPA MASA

Forget time - that’s what lupa masa means in Malay. And when Charlie and his friend Tom built their out-of-the-way jungle camp in some primary rainforest on the outskirts of Kinabalu National Park, that’s exactly what they had in mind. Its remote location results in sporadic visits, but adventurous travelers that are up for the diversion are rewarded with a rustic get-away in the middle of a fairytale forest. It’s a half hour hike to the camp from the village of Poring, and by the time you arrive, chances are you’ll be wet and muddy from the knees down - it’s a great segue to Lupa Masa, and the perfect introduction to the backdrop for your stay in the jungle. The camp rests on three hectares of land, pinched in between two conjoining rivers and the national park boundary. As of now Lupa Masa consists of a few open-air bungalows, some basic bathroom facilities, and a big kitchen-tent with an adjoining sun-deck, all of which are constructed mostly of bamboo. The rivers are absolutely stunning, and both come tumbling down the jungly slopes with more than enough force to provide Lupa Masa with its hydroelectric power and water supply. I’d also say the rivers are largely responsible for Lupa Masa’s name. If there’s one thing that really causes you to ‘forget time’, it’s letting yourself become absorbed in the pure jungle current. The sound of the cascading water along with the hum of the rainforest will leave you in an aural utopia, and finding a warm boulder to lie on after a refreshing dip in the river will have you wishing you could press a pause button.

Charlie and Tom are very busy dudes. Lupa Masa is just one of a handful of projects that they’re involved with, and since it’s a good two or three hour drive from Kota Kinabalu, a young local guy named Libot manages the camp while they’re not around. Lupa Masa also takes volunteers, and more often than not there’s a traveler or two up there for an extended stay - helping out around the camp and getting to know a unique corner of the world. That’s where I fit in. I’ve spent a lot of ‘forgotten’ time in Lupa Masa over the last month, meeting guests in the village for the hike up to the camp, helping Libot cook, and lending a hand with daily upkeep. It's been a lot of fun, and I've come to feel pretty comfortable in the jungle. But alas, in a couple of months I'll be moving to a different kind of jungle, a concrete jungle! And I'm sure that'll be fun too.

The hydroelectric power generated at Lupa Masa starts with the little dam on the left which funnels water downstream through a series of pipes. The little shack pictured in the middle, houses the micro-hydro turbine pictured on the right, which provides up to 300 watts of free and sustainable power to the camp!