For those who enjoy jungle hiking in a rainforest, Tawau Hills Park (Tamen Bukit Tawau) is a perfect place to explore. The park offers two trails for visitors to enjoy. The park is located north of Tawau city, and it takes about 1.5 hours by car from Semporna.
The first trail is relatively easy and enjoyable, leading you to the world’s tallest tropical tree, estimated to be around 88.3 meters in height. This magnificent tree is known as the Seraya tree. The hiking distance is about 900 meters, making it a pleasant trek.
The second trail is longer and more challenging, particularly the last mile. To navigate this trail, you must follow the colored tapes tied on the branches, which serve as your guide. Along the way, you will encounter muddy roads, including a few slippery slopes, as well as around four streams to cross. The trail spans approximately 2-3 miles, taking you to a sulfur spring at the end. Although it is called a hot spring, it is not actually hot; instead, it is a sulfur spring that emits a distinct odor detectable from hundreds of meters away. The sulfur creek merges with the river at the end of this trail.
Returning to the park’s gate from the sulfur spring takes approximately 1.1 hours. It is advisable to start your hike in the morning to fully experience the wilderness and avoid any concerns about darkness falling earlier in the forest.
During our hike, we encountered only five people, all of whom were Western travelers.
It is worth noting that we were delighted to find that there was not a single piece of rubbish along the entire trail. Respect!
(With courtesy of GPT for grammar correction)
