It was only recently that the Maliau Basin Conservation Area, situated just above the Equator in south central Sabah, began to be explored for its beautiful and natural wonders.

There are more than 30 species of mammals, 270 bird species and over 80 species of orchids, rare and endemic, were recorded. Numerous waterfalls have also been discovered throughout the Basin.

The Maliau River drains through a gorge out of the southeast of the Basin into the Kuamut River, which in turn feeds into the Kinabatangan, the longest river in Sabah.

There is so much to discover in the unspoilt wonderland, and due to its importance in the conservation of the ecosystem, visitors to the park are limited especially at the various camps set up.

* Images of Maliau Basin, courtesy of Sabah Tourism.

Key Tips

The Basin is almost unvisited and completely uninhabited by man.

How To Get There

Plane
Visitors can arrange to get on a plane from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau, before proceeding with own arrangements to Maliau Basin.

Who To Contact

The Secretariat Maliau Basin Conservation Area Research & Development Division Yayasan Sabah Group P.O. Box 11622. Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: (6 088) 326300 / 326318 Fax: (6088) 326316 / 326315 Email:albinus@icsb-sabah.com.my http://www.ysnet.org.my/maliau http://www.borneoforestheritage.org.my

Maliau Basin Sabah

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Several small mud volcanoes spewing cool, mineral-rich mud can still be found near the summit of the island. The notion that this mineral rich mud is good for your skin makes mud-bathing a must-do activity on this island.

The island’s lush green jungle serves as a soothing backdrop, while the fine, white sand beaches and the clear unpolluted water are a wonder for nature lovers.

The coral reefs encircling the island are home to many species of fish and other marine life. Among the activities that await you here are diving, non-motorised water sports, trekking, bird watching and mud bathing.

The Park Headquarters is situated on the southern side of the island, not far from Pulau Tiga Resort, the only resort facility available on the island.

Key Tips

Pulau Tiga and Pulau Kalampunian offer great snorkelling just a short distance from the beach.

How  To Get There

By Road
From Kota Kinabalu, drive 140km south to Kuala Penyu at the Klias Peninsula, then board a boat to the islands.

By Sea
The islands are 18km away and about 45 minutes by boat. Some tour agents also organise tours and ferry services to the islands.

Declared a bird sanctuary in 1933 by the Colonial Government of North Borneo and re-gazetted in 1963 by the Malaysian Government, the dense vegetation on Sipadan Island supports a large variety of tropical birds which include sea eagles, kingfishers, sunbirds, starlings and wood pigeons. Exotic crustaceans including the amazing coconut crab roam the beaches and scurry among the undergrowth.

When diving here, encounters with turtles, resident schools of jacks, bumphead parrotfish and barracudas are almost assured around the tiny coral island.

Key Tips

Try to be part of an early-morning dive to Sipadan at the famous Barracuda Point. In the early hours of the morning, you are most likely to swim amongst big schools of swirling barracuda…

How To Get There

By Air
The jump off point to Sipadan Island is Kota Kinabalu or Tawau.

By Car
Continue the journey by a 1-hour drive to Semporna town.

By Sea
A 30-minute speedboat will take you to Mabul, which is the jump off point for Sipadan Island explorations.

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

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Aside from the orang utan, over 200 species of birds and a variety of wild plants can be found within the 5.666 hectares of forest reserve.

Key Tips

As flash photography is not allowed during feeding times, make sure you set your camera to ASA 400 or higher, as it’s quite dim in the jungle.

How To Get There

By Bus
From the local bus stand next to the Sandakan waterfront market, board the blue bus marked ‘Sepilok Batu 14′ (Sepilok – 14th Mile). The 30-minute bus ride will take you directly to the rehabilitation centre. Regular buses, marked ‘Batu 14′ or higher, will drop you at the turn-off to Jalan Sepilok. However, you’ll have to walk 1.5km to get to the Orang Utan Centre.The last bus leaves Sepilok to Sandakan at 4:30 pm.

Who To Contact

For more information, please contact Sabah Tourist Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

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Key Tips

The most valuable – and rarest – nests are the white ones, which can fetch RM2,000 or more per kg.

How To Get There

By Road
The caves are near the Lahad Datu-Tawau Highway. The turn-off is 69km from Lahad Datu. Watch out for the signpost that says ‘Gua Madai’. From the turn-off, it is 3km to the caves.

By Bus
All buses between Lahad Datu and Semporna or Tawau will pass the turn-off to the caves. From here, you’ll be able to find a minivan to take you to the caves. But you might have to walk back out to the highway to catch your ride back.

Who To Contact

For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732

Madai Caves Sabah

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Diving is the main activity on this island, and it can be done all year round. Marine life that can be seen here includes sea horses, exotic starfish, fire gobies, crocodile fish, pipefish and snake eels. There are over eight popular dive spots, each with its own speciality.

Three resorts cater to scuba divers — two are on the island itself while one is on a converted oil rig platform about 500m offshore. All of the resorts provide day trips for their guests to the nearby Sipadan and Kapalai Islands.

Key Tips

There’s no airport in Semporna, so book your flight to Tawau instead and organise a pick-up from your tour operator for the hour-long drive to the jetty at Semporna.

How To Get There

By Sea
To reach Mabul Island, it is a 30-minute boat ride from Semporna and 20 minutes from Sipadan Island.

Who To Contact

For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732 or visit their website at http://sipadan-kapalai.com

Mabul Island Sabah

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Some of the marine animals observed around the 14 dive sites include black-tip sharks, hammerheads, jacks barracudas, bump-head parrotfish, lionfish, moray eels, turtles, nudibranches, gobies and the ghost pipe fish.

Key Tips

If you have ever wanted to see a school of huge hammerhead sharks, come in the months of April-June. Your chances are very good during this time.

How To Get There

By Air
The nearest kick-off point to Layang Layang Island is Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, where a private charter company flies clients to Layang Layang. This is arranged by Layang Layang Island Resort. Direct flights to Kota Kinabalu are available from Tokyo, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Seoul, Hong Kong, Manila, Cebu, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Who To Contact

For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

Layang layang Islan Sabah

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It has the only dive resort in Malaysia’s Sulu Sea called the Lankayan Island Dive Resort and is one of the best spots for whale shark sightings. The location of the whale shark is usually indicated by flocks of seabirds screeching high above the placid surface. With luck, divers and snorkellers may get close to this gentle giant, although it won’t stay close for long.

During the day you can witness black-tip sharks swimming about by the beach. At night, hawksbill and green turtles may be spotted coming to shore. Large stretches of beautiful hard and soft corals belonging to numerous genera can also be found here, the perfect habitat for colourful friendly fishes.

Among the 40 dive sites is Lankayan Wreck, where the remains of an ocean-going fishing boat can be explored. This wreck now hosts many different species of fish from small glassfish, harlequin ghost pipefish, painted frogfish to giant grouper and marbled stingrays.

Despite the remoteness, the island has all the amenities of a tropical resort. Visitors can stay in wooden bungalows that blend into the natural surroundings.

Indeed, Lankayan is not only for discerning divers but for anyone who appreciates the tranquility of a paradise island that offers beautiful sunrises, spectacular sunsets and magnificent seascapes.

Key Tips

Lankayan’s speciality is ‘macro’ diving – looking for beautiful tiny creatures – although ‘big fish’ pelagic diving is also available.

How To Get There

By Air
Guests will have to catch the morning flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan.

By Sea
Speedboat transfer is from the Sandakan Yacht Club to Pulau Lankayan, takes about an hour and a half.

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

Lankayan Island, Sabah

It was gazetted to preserve this valuable natural environment. The mountains have a fascinating geological history, taking ‘just’ a million years to form. The mighty Mount Kinabalu is actually a granite massif that was later thrust upwards through the crust of the surface.

Subsequent erosion removed thousands of feet of the overlying sand and mud stone, exposing this massif. During the Ice Age, glaciers running across the summit smoothed it out, but the jagged peaks that stood out above the ice surface remained unaffected, retaining the extremely ragged surfaces. This rugged mountain is the focal point of the National Park.

Key Tips

If you plan to climb the mountain, be sure to bring a head torch for the early morning climb to the summit which starts in utter darkness and cold weather gear. The summit temperatures have been known to dip to below freezing! Climbing Mt Kinabalu is a different experience for each person, but what makes most people succeed above all, is perseverance.

How To Get There

By Taxi
Car rentals can be arranged through major hotels in Kota Kinabalu. Taxis go to Park HQ at Ranau and take a maximum of four passengers. You can negotiate for the taxi to pick you up from Park HQ for your return if you hire the whole taxi.

By Bus
All express and minibuses between Kota Kinabalu and Ranau or Sandakan pass the park turn-off, from where it is just 100m to the Park HQ.

Who to Contact

For more information about Kinabalu Park, kindly contact their office at (+6088) – 211 881 or (+6088) – 212 719. You could also visit their website at http://www.sabahparks.org.my Tourism Malaysia Sabah also could provide some information about this place by contacting them at (+6088) -248 698 / 211 732 / 447075

The natural vegetation here is of the oak or chestnut types. Large trees, especially of Shoreas, can be found on ridges and slopes. One Shorea with a girth of just under 600cm was found at an elevation of 1350m.

Key Tip
The Rafflesia takes a long time to bloom, and when it does, it stays in bloom for just seven days, after which it rots and has an extremely pungent smell. You may end up smelling a wilting Rafflesia before you see it.

How To Get There
By Road
From Kota Kinabalu, take a Tambunan or Keningau minivan to the reserve. The journey takes about 30 minutes and the minivans run frequently until dusk.

Who to Contact
For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Office Tel: +6088-248 698 / 211 732

Accommodation: www.dynamictourism.com

Sabah Rafflesia Center