Tawau & Meliau Basin

I rode to Tawau from Semporna which was an easy and short ride, went around riding around town and I guess the long time of travelly is finally eating into the lazy time soul.

I cant say much about Tawau really, it looks like there are things to be discovered but its one of those town that dont really attracts tourist at all, not even those transit type. Anyway one night was all I spend before heading the next day to camp at the Meliau Basin reserch center.

Tawau Watefront Monument

Tawau - Keningau Road 

I took the Tawau-Keningau road which was really nothing in between and a road that cuts through the dense rainforest silently quiet I barely even see another vehicle. Half way mark was Meliau Basin conservation Area and I stopped there for the night.

The Meliau Basin also known as the Borneo’s Lost World is not really a tourist stop per say but more or a research camp area that has some facilities for people for whatever reason they have to hang around. Camp grounds was the most expensive I ever had at RM 50 pernight just to pitch my own tent. More expensive than even a Hotel in Tawau actually.

Maliau Basin Entrance 

3D Model of the Maliau Basin

Main Registration Area of Maliau Basin

Entry into the actual conservation Basin itself is not possible without a pre-arrange guide. But there was a small trail one could do on their own which has an amazing canopy walk devoid of any humans. I walked that small trek of course and realized that even with guide, this was no simple jungle walk but one that would need to bush-whack a path into the rainforest.

Talking to some of the research staff at the main research station told me that this area mostly only for high level research facilities due to its untouch and rich biodiversity. While the base camp which is just outside the basin (its where I pitch my tent to camp) is actually built as a gateway stop and with its basic facilities other would book the area as host to team building activities by companies or schools.

Camp Grounds at Meliau Basin

Mini Trek at Maliau Basin base camp

The Main River flowing out from Meliau Basin

Sky Canopy Walk - Meliau Basin

Leftover Notes of some Corperate Team Building event at Meliau Basin Base Camp. 

One night was all I could afford to camp in Maliau Basin and off again through the Tawau-Kenningau road towards Kota Kinabalu. One thing I realized was that there was almost no petrol stataion between Tawau and Kenningau. Its a long way too and for the first time in a long time I started to worry on fuel rationing. Base on calculation I should reach the first Petrol Station somewhere close to Nabawan. I missed the petrol station and made a back turn cocking my head a few times to make sure I was seeing correctly. Old retro Petrol HUT was more like it.

Petrol Station / Hut at Nabawan

Fill up by the Liters - Nabawan 

Traveled on: Sep 2019