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Maliau Basin Conservation Area
Maliau Basin or Meliau Basin, or also Maliau Basin Conservation
Area, is a region in the Malaysian State of Sabah, which represents a
geological catchments surrounding the Maliau River.
Located in the South central part of Sabah in the Sandakan Division,
it was designated as a conservation area by the Sabah Foundation (Yayasan Sabah)
in 1981.
Dubbed as Sabah's "Lost World", the 588.4 square kilometers Maliau Basin
Conservation Area was upgraded to a Protected (Class 1) Forest Reserve by the
state government in 1997. The region also features Mount Lotung (1,667 metres),
Maliau Falls, and Lake Linumunsut.
The Maliau Basin contains an unusual assemblage of 12
tropical forest types, comprising
mainly of lower montane forest dominated by majestic Agathis trees, rare montane
heath forest and lowland and hill dipterocarp forest. The incredible Maliau
Basin rim is about 25 km in diameter, which is slightly bigger than the Island
of Singapore.
The main gateway for visitors to Maliau Basin Conservation Area is the Shell Maliau Basin Reception and Information Building, which was
officially opened in April 2007. This building aims to strengthen the role of
Maliau Basin as a centre of knowledge and learning on biodiversity conservation.
For tourists, the highlight of the adventure is to trek through the rainforest to reach the
Camel Trophy Camp and later, to reach the Luba Camp, all the way to the majestic
7 tiers Maliau Falls.
It must be noted that Maliau Basin is a remote, rugged and isolated area with
limited access, communication and safety facilities. Hence, permission to enter
must be obtained in advance from Yayasan Sabah. Other important notes for guests
or visitors include:
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Guest MUST submit a copy of their latest personal insurance policy that covers
emergency Helicopter evacuation.
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Guest MUST submit their latest certificate confirmed by physician or doctor.
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Special permission is needed and separate charges are levied for professional
photography or filming.
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Guest is to be accompanied by guide at all times and not allowed to wander on
their own.
Efforts are underway to nominate the area as a World Heritage Site, but the
Sabah government is currently promoting the Maliau Basin Conservation Area as
the third world heritage site in Malaysia.
This would certainly help in promoting concrete international support
and partnership for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the
ecosystems of Maliau Basin, as well as on the initiatives for a balanced and
sustainable development of national and regional ecological networks and
corridors.
Once a World Heritage Site status has been acquired, it will definitely augur
well for Sabah where its ecotourism industry is promoted internationally as a
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