Danum Valley, Malaysia Plan a trip

The Danum Valley Conservation Area stretches across 43 square kilometres. Its aim? To protect the region from logging and the terrible consequences of this industry. Technically, the Conservation Area is part of central Sabah, but it feels quite far away from this city. You’ll have to travel a little distance to get to Danum Valley; it’s about two hours from Lahad Datu. However, this means that there’s a great sense of seclusion that you don’t get in the busy towns and cities of Malaysia.

Find your way through the thick green canopy on the treetop trail. Look out over the dramatic mountains from the viewpoints and take a moment to reflect on the peaceful surroundings. On your way, you might pass the ancient Kadazan-Dusun burial site. Stop here for a moment to learn a little more about this interesting culture and intriguing historic spot. As you travel through the jungle, keep an eye out for the local wildlife. Orangutans, macaques, gibbons and red leaf monkeys swing through the trees while pygmy elephants take shelter underneath them. You might even spot a clouded leopard if you’re lucky.

Go on a night safari to see these beautiful creatures or one of the other cats that roam the forest, including the flat-headed cat, marbled cat, leopard cat and bay cat. There are some great hiking trails on the eastern side of the valley, so head there if you fancy doing some exploring by foot. The tall trees will help keep you cool and the gibbons and cicadas will wake you up in the morning. It’s never quiet here, but you’ll soon get used to the musical sounds of the rainforest. Eventually you won’t even notice, so if you stay the night you won’t need to worry about the noise keeping you up.

To keep it safe from trampling feet, the rest of the valley is out of bounds, but there’s still plenty to see during your stay. The locals have worked extremely hard to preserve this area and protect it from logging. It’s now a wonderful tourist destination where you can really get close to nature. Don’t miss your chance to explore the Danum Valley; it’s one of the best wildlife watching spots in the country.

Plan your trip to the Danum Valley today.