Danum Valley

Getting there

About 80 km from Lahad Datu. Sabah Tourism says you must arrange permission, transport and accommodation before you go, and only registered, permitted vehicles may enter.

What to do

• Guided jungle walks, birdwatching, night drives and river tubing.
• Walk the canopy walkway, 27 m above the forest floor, and visit Fairy Waterfall.
• Look for orangutans, banteng, Bornean pygmy elephants and clouded leopards; a yellow meranti here was measured at 100.8 m, reported as the tallest tropical tree in the world.

The weather here

Heavy rain makes the forest tracks muddy and can raise the river, so river activities and travel in and out may change: leave a day of slack. The forest is hot and humid in the middle of the day; walks are best early.

Good to know

• Danum Valley is a 43,892 hectare Class 1 (Protection) Forest Reserve. Two places take the public: Borneo Rainforest Lodge and the Danum Valley Field Centre; book directly with them.
• Sabah Tourism lists tour packages from 3 days 2 nights up to 5 days 4 nights.

Sunday 15 November has the least daytime rain in the weather forecast: about 2.5 mm between 8 am and 8 pm.

• Friday 13 November: Rain, 29°C / 23°C, rain 3.5 mm in the morning and 7.0 mm in the afternoon.
• Saturday 14 November: Rain, 29°C / 23°C, rain 6.2 mm in the morning and 4.5 mm in the afternoon.
• Sunday 15 November: Light rain, 31°C / 24°C, rain 0.2 mm in the morning and 2.3 mm in the afternoon.
• Monday 16 November: Rain, 28°C / 24°C, rain 5.4 mm in the morning and 4.1 mm in the afternoon.
• Tuesday 17 November: Rain, 28°C / 24°C, rain 8.3 mm in the morning and 5.1 mm in the afternoon.
• Wednesday 18 November: Rain, 27°C / 23°C, rain 6.2 mm in the morning and 4.7 mm in the afternoon.
• Thursday 19 November: Light showers, 27°C / 23°C, rain 2.1 mm in the morning and 1.3 mm in the afternoon.

Weather forecast issued Thu 12 Nov, 21:18 (MYT) from the MET Norway weather model; smoke forecast from Copernicus CAMS. Forecasts from models, not measurements.