Lahad Datu

hotel in lahad datu :

Grace Hotel

MDLD 4578, Level 4 & 5,  Lahad Datu Centre Point, Jalan Kastam Lama, Lahad Datu, Sabah

Telephone : 089-881000, 089-866649  Fax: 089-887000

Lahad Datu is basically a planters' town, surrounded by miles of cocoa and oil palm plantations. It is also the gateway to the virgin rainforests of the renowned Danum Valley Conservation Area, the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in the east and Madai Caves further south. A settlement is said to have existed here as early as the 15th century as excavations have unearthed potteries confirming contact with the imperial dynasties of China. Just east of Lahad Datu, lies the village of Tunku, which achieved notoriety as the base of Illanum pirates and slave traders in the 19th century. In August 2000, Eco-Challenge Sabah 2000, the world's toughest adventure race, covered areas like Silam, Danum Valley and Madai. Hundreds of international media and professional support teams from all over the world converged at Lahad Datu, the gateway to pristine rainforests wonders that has wowed many a celebrity and royalty. One may drive to Lahad Datu, it's a leisurely 6-hour drive or take a 40-minute flight from Kota Kinabalu. From Sandakan, it takes about 2 1/2 hours by road.

Sahabat Beach Resort : Sahabat Beach Resort is a sprawling 200 meter-long beach front of white sandy beaches and cool-refreshing sea breeze. The resort is a perfect escape, a place to unwind and have fun with a wide range of activities planned throughout your stay. A place for blending business and leisure, Sahabat Beach Resort proves to be an ideal choice for business meeting.

The Tabin Wildlife Reserve occupies a large part of the peninsula forming the northern arm of Darvel Bay. Large mammals such as the endangered rhinoceros, elephants and wild oxes still roam about freely here. Tabin has several intriguing mud volcanoes that provide mineral salts for the wild animals. Efforts are being made to provide some basic facilities for visitors at these popular look-out spots.

Madai Caves is another important place for birds' nests. The village at the entrance of the largest cave comes alive twice a year when the Idahan community comes to harvest the birds' nests from various parts of the caves. It is a special communal event, almost like a festival. The harvesting is a dramatic event with the men risking their lives to pries precious nests from the cave roof. Nowadays, the harvesters are hired. The Idahans have held their rights to the Madai Caves for over 20 generations.

In August 2000, after offering special sacrifices and prayers, the Idahans gave permission for the teams of the world's toughest endurance race, the Eco-Challenge Sabah 2000, to enter the Caves, climb the rattan-ladders and do the flying fox from its summit, down to the jungles below.

To visit the Caves, permission must be obtained from the Idahan elders. Visitors may visit the District Office in Lahad Datu town to make prior arrangements for entrance permission on their behalf.

Tingkayu & Baturong - On the east of the road linking Lahad Datu with Semporna and Tawau, are several stark white limestone outcrops. Recent discoveries have led archaeologists to believe that cavemen lived in this region as early as 20,000 years ago around the shores of Lake Tingkayu. When the lake drained dry, they moved to the limestone massif of Baturong and eventually shifted further east to the Madai Caves.

Gomantong Caves

Described by WWF as "the best managed edible birds' nest cave in the world", Gomantong Caves has been the focus for birds' nests for centuries. Historical records have traced it as a source of this precious delicacy to the Chinese Emperor centuries ago.

Two cave complexes are found in this intricate cave system. Simud Hitam is a five-minute walk from the Registration Centre and a picnic area. It is a more accessible cave with its roof soaring up to 90 meters high. A well-maintained boardwalk makes it easy to explore this dramatic cave with its specialized ecology. Simud Puteh is where the more valuable 'white' saliva nests of the swiflets are found.

Twice a year, licensed collectors risk their lives climbing to the roof of these cave complexes in a dangerous operation that involves only rattan ladders, ropes and poles precariously attached together. These caves are protected by the Wildlife Department, which only allows the collection twice yearly. Catch the collectors in action between February and April, when the nests are first harvested just after the birds have built them. The next harvest is between July and September, when the new rebuilt nests, are abandoned after eggs have been laid and hatched.

The Gomantong Caves is home to a rich range of birds with crested serpent eagles, kingfishers, Asian fairy bluebirds and leaf birds. Don't be surprised if the magical sight of colorful butterflies suddenly surround you!

Gomantong Hill is the largest limestone outcrop in the lower Kinabatangan area, and contains at least nine caves. For centuries, the Gomantong Caves have been renowned for the valuable edible birds' nests made by two of the four species swiftlets that roost in the caves. During the harvesting month visitors may be able to witness the birds' nest collectors action. This is an age-old tradition and the trade history of bird nest spans several hundreds of years.

The birds' nests harvesters are individuals who have nerves of steel and skills honed through years of experience. Dangling precariously from the narrow network of ladders is not a task for the faint hearted! It is not surprising that there are only a few experienced individuals who are very much in demand by people and communities that hold the Government's harvesting -licenses. Edible birds' nests are protected under the Birds Nest ordinance and the Forest Enactment. Heavy fines and penalties are imposed on unlicensed collectors.

Generally, two collections are made. The first takes place early in the breeding season before the swiftlets lay their eggs. The birds then make another nest in which they finally lay their egg. After the young have fledged, the second collection is made. Care must be taken to assure that the nests are collected only after the young swiftlets have abandoned these nests.

Besides observing the exciting display of skill and courage by the birds' nest harvesters, another activity for keen naturalists would be to watch the spectacular display of over 2 million or so resident bats as they spiral out for their evening feed. This usually occurs between 5:15pm and 6:15pm but rain may delay or 'cancel' this spectacular event. As the bats leave, the swiftlet are usually beginning to make their way back to the caves after a day's foraging. The changing of 'shifts' between the bats and birds makes quite a fascinating scene! Look out for the Bat Hawks that linger not far from the scene, as they prey specifically on the bats as they leave their roost.

Kinabatangan River

It is said that the Chinese Imperial merchants sailed up Kinabatangan River in search of the precious bird's nests. Its floodplain is one of the most exceptional areas in Malaysia. Influenced by the tides of the Sulu Sea and rainfall in the interior, the lower part of the river plain floods regularly. Thus over the centuries, 5 distinct habitats have evolved, waterlogged and dry forests, saline and freshwater swamps and limestone forests, each contributing towards some of the most diverse concentrations of wildlife in Borneo.

The River is 560 km. long and the Lower Kinabatangan is estimated to have the largest concentration of wildlife in all of Malaysia. In fact, all 8 species of hombills found in Borneo - the rhinoceros, helmeted, black, pied, wreathed, wrinkled, white-crowned and bushy crested hombills, have been spotted here. The region is also renowned for colorful tropical birds, crocodiles, huge monitor lizards, wild pigs, otters and several species of monkeys and tree snakes. It is a haven to the rare proboscis monkey, orang utan, the oriental darter, king-fishers and more...

A dawn or dusk river ride past swamps filled with mangrove and nipa promises exciting sightings of wildlife. A view that never fails to delight is a glimpse of the playful proboscis monkeys. These huge-bellied, long-nosed primates with long white tails live by the river and are especially active during these hours when they are socializing, crashing through trees or foraging for food.

The unique landscape feature of the Kinabatangan is the unusual oxbow lakes. A crescent-shaped lake lying alongside a winding river, these lakes are formed as erosion and deposits of soil changes the river's course over time.

An unforgettable experience is the peaceful and serene village-life... as dawn creeps across the river... gentle mists shroud the surreal atmosphere... voices maybe heard across the water as you catch the silhouettes of children floating past in their boats... amidst the birds singing and the animal calls...
 

Kinabatangan River starts deep in the heart of southwestern Sabah, where trickles spilling down from the watersheds of Trus Madi and the Maliau Basin merge with countless other rivulets to form small streams. These streams grow into the Kuamut and Milian rivers, always moving steadily to the northeast, then merge into one large river, by now the color of kopi susu or milky coffee from silt washed off the sides of the steep slopes down which it flows. The volume of water increases and picks up speed as it moves ever onwards, finally threading through coastal mangroves and spilling out into the Sulu Sea. This is the Kinabatangan, at 560 km, Sabah's longest river and the second longest in all of Malaysia.

Each year, the lashing rains of the northeast monsoon cause the river to swell rapidly. Unable to disgorge into the sea quickly enough, the river frequently overflows its banks and spreads across the flat land of its lower reaches, creating a huge floodplain. The lower Kinabatangan teems with both animal and plant life, making it the best area for viewing wildlife, not just in Sabah but in all of Southeast Asia.

For centuries, the rare treasures of Borneo's forests acted as a magnet for traders who came in search of edible birds' nests, rhinoceros horn, elephant ivory and hornbill casques for the Emperor and the wealthy mandarins of China. They also sought a hardwood resin, damar; flexible rattan vines; beeswax to make candles; fragrant woods and oil-rich illipe nuts. The mighty Kinabatangan was the only route into the forests of northeastern Sabah, to the scattered riverine settlements where forest produce and birds' nests were traded.

Today, a different form of riches draws visitors to the Kinabatangan: its remarkable wildlife and fascinating habitats which include limestone caves, dry land dipterocarp forests, riverine forest, freshwater swamp forest, oxbow lakes and salty mangrove swamps near the coast. The lower Kinabatangan offers an incredible opportunity to see a large range of wildlife including Borneo's unique Proboscis monkeys, the endearing and endangered orangutan, Bornean pygmy elephants, crocodiles, wild cats, bears, otters, wild pigs and countless rare and beautiful birds such as the hornbills and the Oriental Darter.

The conservation of the Kinabatangan is vital, not only in terms of saving Sabah's wildlife but for the indigenous Orang Sungei whose lives depend on the river, and for safeguarding the region's fresh water supply. In order to protect this priceless heritage for all, the 26,000-hectare Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary was declared Malaysia's first Gift to the Earth in 1999. In 2001, the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary was gazetted as a Bird Sanctuary, and work to gazette the area as a permanent wildlife sanctuary is currently underway.

Currently, most nature tourism is concentrated around Sukau, accessible by road and offering comfortable accommodation to visitors prepared to pay for well-managed tours.

Visitors prepared to travel slightly off the beaten track will be rewarded by the opportunity to view the wildlife in less crowded conditions, to get to know the lifestyle of the local people, and to know that they are helping to make tourism a sustainable activity by encouraging the Orang Sungei to benefit from nature tourism and thus be even more committed to the preservation of Kinabatangan's wildlife.

When to visit

The Kinabatangan region can be visited all year round, though it is often flooded during the wettest part of the year in December and January. The main flowering and fruiting season, from April to October is generally fairly dry and a good time for spotting many birds and animals. During the northeast monsoon, from November to March, there are often heavy showers during the afternoons, particularly during December and January. During the rainy season, however, it is possible to negotiate many of the river channels leading in to the oxbow lakes, where there is often a greater concentration of wildlife.

The first harvesting of birds' nests at Gomantong Caves generally lasts from February to April, and the second from August to September.

How to get there

Fly from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan on Malaysia Airlines, whilst those from Kuala Lumpur can take direct daily flights to Sandakan on AirAsia. Alternatively, take an air-conditioned bus to Sandakan or Lahad Datu from Kota Kinabalu. You can also take a ferry boat to Sukau from the Sandakan harbour.

Where to Stay

In Batu Putih, you can opt to be a part of the Miso Walai homestay programme. Uncle Tan's Jungle Camp, located at Danau Girang, is a favourite. In Sukau, many of the major tour operators maintain lodges. All lodges offer packages, which usually include transport, accommodation, food and guiding services.


For more information, please contact Sabah Tourism Board at 088-212121 or Sri Pelancongan Sabah at 088-232121. To purchase this book, visit Kadaiku located at Sinsuran Complex, Kota Kinabalu.

Danum Valley

One of the last remaining reserves of primary lowland rainforest, this 438 sq. km. area is said to have the world's most complex eco-system. Home to over 275 bird species, numerous reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and insects, its uniqueness lies in the dipterocarp forests covering over 90% of the area, a haven for various indigenous plant species and over 110 mammals, including the rare Sumatran rhino, clouded leopard, orang utan and proboscis monkeys.

An untouched paradise in the heart of the natural world, it is located 80 km. inland from Lahad Datu. A journey by car takes 2 hours but permits have to be obtained beforehand. A better alternative would be to arrange for transport with local tour agents.

Overnight stays are advised to better appreciate the variety of wildlife. Viewing platforms and the 27-metre high tree-top canopy walkway give a majestic view of the forest and is perfect for bird-watching. Engage an experienced guide to lead you on a night drive in search of nocturnal creatures or to trek over the 50 km. of hiking trail through forest  habitats.

A nominal fee that contributes toward conservation activities is charged upon entrance to Danum Valley.

Contact:

Borneo Nature Tours Sdn Bhd

Tel: 089-880 207 / 880 206 Fax: 089-885 051
E-mail: ijl@po.jaring.my