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The Danum Valley Conservation
Area
 The
Danum Valley Conservation Area comprises 43,800 ha (108,186 acres)
of virgin forest. It is a vast reserve of lush tropical lowland forest rich in
Sabah's unique flora and fauna. The area has been recognised as one of the
world's most complex ecosystems.
In 1986 the Sabah Foundation, entrusted with the
conservation of the Danum Valley established the Danum Valley Field Centre, a
tropical rainforest research and environmental education station. Accommodation
at this centre is exclusively for researchers and scientist on assignment. If
you wish to visit the centre you need to obtain permission from the Sabah
Foundation at their Lahad Datu office.
But Danum Valley's wonders are accessible to the public. Located another 35 km
from the Danum Valley Field Centre is the Borneo
Rainforest Lodge, established in 1994 to cater specially for
visitors to Danum Valley and offering luxurious accommodation and exciting
excursions in the equally luxurious and exciting environment of Danum Valley.
Built with local timber and river stones, the chalets, or "sulap," are
designed after the traditional Sabah Kadazandusun dwellings.
The journey to Danum Valley is by air and land. You most probably will have to
take a flight from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu in the morning, and then travel
another 2?hours overland before you reach the prestigious Borneo Rainforest
Lodge.
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Madai Caves - Lahad Datu
 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"
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 prise 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.
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.
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Tabin Wildlife
 Tabin
Wildlife Refuge is a nature preserve in
Sabah, eastern
Malaysia,
on the island of
Borneo. It was created in
1984 to preserve
Sabah’s disappearing wild animals. Occupying a large part of the peninsula
forming the northern arm of Darvel Bay, it is located 48 kilometers east of
Lahad Datu.
Tabin Wildlife Reserve (TWR or Tabin) comprises a rectangular
area of approximately 122,539 ha. in the centre of the Dent Peninsula,
north-east of
Lahad Datu
town, south of the lower reaches of the Segama River and north of the Silabukan
Forest Reserve. It can be reached via sealed and gravel roads from Lahad Datu in
about 40 minutes. The reserve is covered with lowland dipterocarp forest. Tabin
has been declared a Wildlife Reserve primarily on account of the large number of
animals inhabiting it's forests, some of which are highly endangered. The three
largest mammals of Sabah, namely Asian Elephant, Sumatran Rhinoceros and
Tembadau are all found within the reserve; nine species of primate are present,
as well as three species of cats all of which are on the protected wildlife
list. Of birds species, 42 families representing 220 species have been recorded.
The land belongs to the people of Sabah. It is under
government ownership and has Reserve Satus. The Wildlife Department of Sabah is
the custodian of the animals in the reserve. The Forestry Department of Sabah is
responsible for the tress in Tabin. In 1998, the Government has privatized
eco-tourism programmes for Tabin and over the last few years, increasing numbers
of tourists have been coming to the reserve. Among activities permitted in the
reserve are jungle trekking, wildlife viewing, photography and filming. Natural
mud volcanoes are an important natural attraction for wildlife seeking salt, and
these have become a bonus for visitors to see wild animals.
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