The coastal areas of eastern Sabah on the island of Borneo remain risky for travelers, despite a substantial increase in police and military presence since Abu Sayyaf guerrillas from the Philippines took hostages from the islands of Sipadan and Pandanan in 2000. Last month, six Indonesian and Filipino workers were abducted from a resort in the area in a similar attack. The region is vast and remote and difficult to patrol, with lots of open water and islands for rebels to seclude themselves. If trouble arises, emergency assistance may not be available.
