For the last few years a few new hotel buildings were completed in Tawau town center.   Almost all hotels are center around Jalan Haji Karim.

If one think in term of Tawau as a small town, it is very doubtful these several new hotels could survey in business. But those think in term of the eastern reason of Sabah with Tawau as the regional center of vast agricultural developments planned for next few decades, one  understand hotel accommodation is still insufficient in Tawau and that at least 10 new hotels will mushroom out by the end of 2020.

The agricultural sectors of Tawau Region are mainly managed by Peninsular Malaysian. Each day hundred of agricultural related business personal travel between Tawau and West Malaysia.  Tawau Custom handle about 1,500 heads both in and out between Tawau and Indonesia each day.  Out of these about 300 are business related between Malaysia and Indonesia.  Indonesian businessman from Eastern Indonesia travel to Malaysia via Tawau.

Fajar Commercial Area is becoming the Golden Triangle of Tawau. Most of the budget hotel are found in this Fajat area.

Backpackers usually head directly to Fajar area for the cheap hotels here where rate are Rm50 to Rm100. 

There are also plenty shop lot 'hotels' in Tawau at a rate as low as Rm10.00 but these rooms are for those foreign laborers who are on transit in Tawau to and from Indonesia and Philippines.

This hotel area is convenient to most visitor to get by. There are nearby supermarkets Milimewah and Parkwell (5 minutes walk), a few 24/7 convenient stores. If you need medication the pharmacies Wah Choi and Hope Pharmacy are near by. For your tea break there are bakeries such as Multibake and Southern Cake House in the middle block. For night life entertainment there are just too many karaoke and pubs around for such a small and quiet town.  When the time to book your ticket home the Malaysian Airlines offices and  Airasia office and many travel agents are located in Fajat area.

For those who come for official duty, the government & corporate offices, branches of almost all major bank are with in walking distance.

Japanese Restaurant Eido Ichi, Sabah Chicken Rice, Jade Ocean Restaurant and Pizza Hut all open till late night.
 

Long-distance buses terminate at Sabindu bus station on the eastern end of Jalan Dunlop (which runs parallel to the shore), opposite the state library.  Here you also find land cruisers to Keningau. There's a bus to Sandakan (6hr) and KK (12hr) at around 8am and another at 8pm.

The Short-distance minibus station : Previously this station was in Jalan Stephen Tan.

The Local minibus station : Serving minis bus services to nearby plantations such as Apas and Merotai

Taxi Station : The main taxi station is beside the Local Mini Bus Station.

The new airport (tel 089/776175) is just 30km east of town – take one of the hotel courtesy buses waiting there, hail a taxi (RM30). The sole Sipadan dive operator not based in KK is Pulau Sipadan Resort, Block P, Bandar Sabindo (tel 089-765200).

Almost all Malaysian banks have a branch in the commercial area known as the Fajar Centre, east of Jalan Masjid. Here you find both the Telekom building in Block 35, and the MAS office in Wisma Sasco; Post office is across the southern side of Jalan Dunlop.

Two blocks below Jalan Dunlop in the Sabindo Complex, the two-hundred-meter stretch of open-air restaurants and stalls collectively known as Taman Selera sets up daily. You'll find lots more hawkers and several good Indian Muslim restaurants on Jalan Chen Fook to the south edge of the town centre. Internet access is available at Cyberland, on the 1st Floor, block E, Bandar Sabindo, two blocks behind (south) Jalan Dunlop.

More about restaurants in Tawau...

There is not a great deal to see or do in Tawau Town, but since you are here, the old market beside Soon Yee hotel is worthy of a browse

For backpackers, try to look for hotels in the Fajar Area because foods and nightlife ate within walking distance.

Seafood in Tawau is extremely cheap, you must try seafood prepare in Chinese cooking style at the food stalls by the sea side of sabindo area.

There are 2 super markets in the town center where you  get what ever stuffs you need there. Survey Parkwell Supermarket is just next block to Soon Yee Hotel.  You can easily find the brightly painted Orange color building (see photo below)