Tambunan Rafflesia Centre
Encyclopedia
The Rafflesia Forest Reserve covers an area of 356 ha of Tambunan district, Sabah
, Malaysia. It was established in 1984 by the Sabah Forestry Department to protect the Rafflesia
flowers abundant in the area.
The Rafflesia Information Centre, located directly along the road from Kota Kinabalu
to Tambunan
, is the main touristical target within the reserve. Several sites of Rafflesia pricei
are reachable from the centre on hiking trails.
The journey by road to the Rafflesia Information Centre takes nearly two hours, with roads winding up and down the mountains. Visitors who are prone to motion sickness are strongly advised to bring medication.
Visitors are advised to wear shoes and socks and long pants. The Rafflesia are located on the mountainside and 2 hours of hiking is often the norm to see them. Shoes and socks offer some protection against tiny leeches that live under the leaves and dead foliage.
Along the way up to the Rafflesia Information Centre from Kota Kinabalu is the newly opened Kipandi Butterfly Park. Highly informative guide and recommended for shutterbugs.
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
, Malaysia. It was established in 1984 by the Sabah Forestry Department to protect the Rafflesia
Rafflesia
Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowering plants. It contains approximately 28 species , all found in southeastern Asia, on the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand and the Philippines.Rafflesia was found in the Indonesian rain forest by an Indonesian guide working for Dr...
flowers abundant in the area.
The Rafflesia Information Centre, located directly along the road from Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
to Tambunan
Tambunan
Tambunan is a valley district located in the Interior Division of the state of Sabah. The district covers an area of 1,347 km2.. Its population was estimated to be around 27,852 in 2000, based on the 2000 Population and Housing Census conducted by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia....
, is the main touristical target within the reserve. Several sites of Rafflesia pricei
Rafflesia pricei
Rafflesia pricei is a parasitic flowering plant endemic to Borneo. It is named after amateur botanist William Price, who discovered the species on Mount Kinabalu in the 1960s.-External links:*...
are reachable from the centre on hiking trails.
The journey by road to the Rafflesia Information Centre takes nearly two hours, with roads winding up and down the mountains. Visitors who are prone to motion sickness are strongly advised to bring medication.
Visitors are advised to wear shoes and socks and long pants. The Rafflesia are located on the mountainside and 2 hours of hiking is often the norm to see them. Shoes and socks offer some protection against tiny leeches that live under the leaves and dead foliage.
Along the way up to the Rafflesia Information Centre from Kota Kinabalu is the newly opened Kipandi Butterfly Park. Highly informative guide and recommended for shutterbugs.