Discover Tawau: Forest, Cocoa and Market

Discover Tawau through nature, local history and cocoa experiences. In the surrounding area, forest trails, waterfalls and basalt formations take centre stage; other highlights include the Belfy Bell Tower on Tawau Town Padang, Teck Guan Cocoa Village and Tawau Tanjung Market. If you’re looking for a holiday rental, it’s worth first deciding which of these aspects you’d like to shape your days.

Forest, Water and Basalt

At Tawau Hills Park, near Tawau, a 14-kilometre hiking trail leads through lowland and lower montane forest to the park’s highest peak, Mt. Magdalena. The route combines a clearly identified summit destination with two types of forest. The rivers in the park also shape the landscape: they form several waterfalls, and Table Waterfall has created a natural swimming pool. Hiking trails and waterfalls thus offer distinct ways to enjoy nature.

Columnar basalt can be found in Balung Cocos village, less than an hour from Tawau. If you’re especially interested in how landscapes are formed and what shapes them, you can add a geological feature to your travel plans alongside forest and water.

A Specific Building History

The Belfy Bell Tower on Tawau Town Padang was built in 1921 by prisoners of war, with financial support from Japanese businesspeople. The year it was built and the groups involved make the tower’s history tangible. This historic highlight complements the natural attractions in the surrounding area with a clearly dated story from Tawau.

Cocoa at Teck Guan Cocoa Village

The Cocoa Heritage Gallery & Museum offers educational videos and exhibits about processing raw cocoa beans into cocoa powder. At the Chocolate Making Station, visitors can make their own chocolate. The two experiences have different focuses: the museum centres on processing, while the station offers the chance to make chocolate hands-on. What’s available for visitors may change.

The Cocoa Culture Spring trails offer another way to experience Cocoa Village: visitors can hike to a waterfall and see columnar basalt formations along the Balung River. The Village’s offerings therefore appeal to different interests, including cocoa, hands-on activities and landscapes.

Goods at Tawau Tanjung Market

The ground floor of Tawau Tanjung Market offers fresh fruit, keropok amplang, dried crackers made in Indonesia, and other fresh produce. The first floor has long-lasting dried goods, such as salted dried fish, dried anchovies and dried prawns. The goods on offer may change. The two floors provide a clear guide if you’d like to explore the market for fresh produce or long-lasting dried goods.

Your Trip and Choosing a Holiday Rental

When planning, it helps to start with your interests: a focus on nature draws attention to forest and water, while cocoa, building history and the market offer other points of interest. If you’re travelling with children, you can decide together whether outdoor activities or discoveries involving cocoa and market goods should take up more of your time. These priorities offer a practical way to compare locations for a holiday rental in Tawau. This way, you can tailor your search to the style of your trip without giving every experience the same emphasis.

Discover more destinations: Semporna, Kota Kinabalu, Beaufort, Lahad Datu, Kundasang, Tuaran, Kinabatangan, Penampang.

For the overview of the wider region: Sabah.