Tagal Moroli, Sabah

Fish spas were all the rage a couple of years ago. You know those establishments in shopping malls where you put your legs in a tank of water with fish swimming about which will then proceed to merrily pick at your legs and eat the dead and coarse skin off?

But do you know that there is actually a river in Sabah where you actually do this in natural and picturesque surroundings? 

The Moroli river in Kampung ("village") Luanti Baru in Sabah is a natural fish spa. Located off the main road between Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, this is a river where you can wade in and have fishes do the fish spa thingy on your feet! 

Getting there is easy if you have a car. Just 19km after the town of Ranau, it is located  after the intersection to the Sabah Tea Garden. Immediately after the intersection there is a slip road to the left. You drive down and buy your entrance tickets at the shop by the roadside. 

The cost of tickets are as follows:

To dip your legs in the river:

RM10 for an adult (MYKAD holders RM5), and RM5 for a child (MYKAD holders RM2).

To swim in the river:

RM25 for an adult (MYKAD holder RM10).

There is also an additional charge for bringing in a camera.

Once you have bought your ticket, you can drive in and park your car, then walk to the entrance to the river where they will check your ticket. You can also buy fish pellets to feed the fish here. You will also be told of a time limit you can actually stay in the river.

Then just walk into the river barefooted and let the fun begin! The fish will begin pecking at your feet and eat all the dead and hard skin off your feet. 

The water is cool and inviting, and the setting in this natural hollow of the river is picturesque and makes this a rewarding place to visit. If you are staying in the vicinity of the Kinabalu park, Kundasang or Ranau, this is an easy outing to make. It is also well worth a pit-stop if you are doing the long 5.5 hour drive between Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.