Located deep in an untouched tropical forest, the Danum Valley Conservation Area is a thriving paradise of diverse tropical vegetation and wildlife. The forest is a sanctuary to animals such as the Asian elephant, clouded leopard, orang utan, proboscis monkey and Sumatran rhino. All tours must be pre-arranged with tour agents. Danum Valley is situated about 70km west of Lahad Datu.Recognised as one of the world?s most complex ecosystems, a new species of plant is found by scientists here every week. Your alarm clock is the dawnchorus of gibbons, the chainsaw drone of cicadas is the soundtrack for breathless afternoons, and the shrill of crickets is your bedtime cue.

The area is also known for its medium-sized cats, with the beautifully marked clouded leopard spotted on night drives, as well as the flat-headed cat, marbled cat, leopard cat and cartoon-like bay cat. This almost impenetrable arboreal fortress is watered by Sungai Segama and shaded by 70m-high old-growth trees and 1093m-high Mt Danum. This pristine primary forest is currently under the protection of Yayasan Sabah logging concession (www.ysnet.org.my), a semigovernmental organisation tasked with both protecting and utilising the forest resources of Sabah. 

Must do:

? Enjoy a nature walk in the virgin rainforest

? Watch birds from the 170m-long canopy walkway

? Trek to the seven tiered Sungai Purut waterfalls

? Visit an ancient Kadazandusun burial site

? Go on a night drive in an open jeep to catch sight of nocturnal animals