Maliau Basin Conservation Area is situated just above the Equator in south central Sabah, the northernmost of the two East Malaysian states on the island of Borneo.
Known to the world as Sabah's "Lost World", Maliau Basin is a remote forest enclosure and full of mysteries. It has remained pristine, rarely visited and completely devoid of humans. There's no sighting of prehistoric creatures there but it is an ideal place to see nature at its very best.
So, if you desire to see this pristine natural setting and be one with nature, be prepared to endure an experience where the mode of travelling is your two feets ONLY.
Maliau Basin is located in south central Sabah, some 200km from the town of Tawau and Keningau and about 40km north of the Kalimantan (Indonesian) border.
It is called a basin because it represent a single water catchment and is drained by a set of radiating tributaries of the Maliau River, one of which descends to form a magnificent seven-tiered series of waterfalls known as Maliau Falls.
Visitors are welcome but access is strictly controlled and you enter at your own risk. One must remember that Maliau Basin is a very isolated and remote area. The only communication system use in this area is VHF radio sets and must be carried into the area by all groups.
Accomodations are kept to the minimum so as not to disturb the vegetation. Water and bathing facilities are in nearby streams and rivers. By the way, electricity is not available.
The activities available at Maliau Basin includes adventurous jungle and wilderness trekking, bird watching, nature photography, night walks, night drives to spot nocturnal wildlife as well as waterfall swimming.
So take a walk on the very wild side literally and gain a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore nature at its original form.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
- No hunting is allowed in the Maliau Basin Conservation Area or Yayasan Sabah Concession Area. Firearms are absolutely forbidden.
- No collecting or trapping of any plant or animal specimens without written approval from the Maliau Basin Management Committee.
- No slashing of vegetations or cutting of new trails.
- No graffiti on rocks or trees.
- All litter/rubbish must be taken out of Maliau Basin.
- All visitors must be accompanied by at least two Yayasan Sabah Forest Rangers, stay only in designated areas and bring along VHF radios.
- Forest fires are a real danger and campfires can be lit only under supervision of the Rangers.
- Maximum group size is 15 although 10 is preferred and each group must designate its own leader and deputy leader.
HOW TO GET THERE:
- Maliau Basin Conservation Area is accessible either via Tawau or Keningau. It is a 190-km or four to five hours' journey from Tawau and takes about five hours from Keningau. Four-wheel drive vehicles are essential as most of the journey is on rough terrain.
- From the Agathis Camp, it is a six-hour walk over the southern rim of the Camel Trophy Camp and another day's walk from there to the Maliau Falls. There area no roads inside the conservation area.
- Gate passes for each vehicle complete with the names of each passenger must be shown at the Maliau Basin Security Gate before entering. These passes can be obtained from the Yayasan Sabah Forestry Division offices in Kota Kinabalu or Tawau.
