Nature Tour Article/Travelogue

The Conservation of Danum Valley, The Lost World of Borneo

The Danum Valley Conservation Area, located in the district of Lahad Datu, in the south east of Sabah, is a natural paradise of lush tropical lowland rainforest habitat with an incredible diversity of plant and animal life, a perfect destination for a Nature Tour. The conservation Area consists of 43,800 hectares of protected virgin forest rich in Sabah’s unique flora and fauna. It has been acknowledged to have one of the world’s most complex ecosystems.



The conservation of the Danum Valley began in 1996 by the State government of Sabah. The Danum Valley Field Centre was established on the same year as a tropical rainforest research and environmental education station. Today, the Field Centre has undertaken many important tropical rainforest and conservation research papers and findings.

Some of the wildlife attractions at Danum include 275 species of birds including all eight species of hornbills native to Borneo, 110 species of mammals such as Asian elephants, Orang Utan, civets, clouded leopards, five species of deer, and a full house of Borneo rarities ranging from the Sumatran rhinoceros to Bulwar’s peasant.

To get to Danum Valley, You can take an early morning flight from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu (suggested flight: MH 2084; ETD 0655hr; ETA 0750hr), and transfer by road for about 2 hours to your accommodation (i.e., Borneo Rainforest Lodge). Scheduled transfer to the Borneo Rainforest Lodge is at 9.30am. Alternatively, you might want to stay overnight at Lahad Datu (recommended hotels are Executive Hotel and Grace Hotel), a small town about 407km or 6 hours by road from Kota Kinabalu.

Proper gear is important when visiting Danum Valley. You must make sure that you bring insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts, raincoat, hat, swimming gear, trekking boots, flash light, binoculars, camera and video as well as a water bottle. It is also advisable to take anti-malaria pills in advance before reaching Danum Valley.

To experience the best of the “Lost World”, it is recommended that you have at least a 3-day/2-night stay. This is because unlike the jungles of Nepal or the African Savannah, the attractions of the Borneo rainforest are more subtle, and much harder to spot. Sometimes, you would have to be patience to have a glimpse of the rare but prominent wildlife species. Transferring out of the Borneo Rainforest Lodge is scheduled at 1.30pm, and if your onward journey takes you back to Kota Kinabalu, the recommended flight is MH2097 (i.e., ETD 1735hr; ETA 1830hr).

-------------------------------------------
About the Author: e-borneo.com is a leading Borneo travel gateway, trip advisor, and tour intermediary for the best custom/full-package vacation deals to Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysia Borneo) and Brunei Darussalam. Check out some of Sabah’s top tour packages or for more info on Sabah, please visit our sister site at Borneo Tropical Vacation.
-------------------------------------------