Wildlife lodge inside Tabin Reserve
An hour and a half from Lahad Datu, Tabin Wildlife Resort is a collection of 18 timber chalets on the Lipad River. It suits wildlife travellers and photographers seeking productive night drives and small cats.
Wildlife lodge inside Tabin Reserve
An hour and a half from Lahad Datu, Tabin Wildlife Resort operates 18 timber chalets on the banks of the Lipad River. The reserve is encircled by agricultural estates, and this edge habitat supports a vast population of rodents. On the boundary road after dinner, a leopard cat is a realistic target and civets appear on most stays.
At Tabin Wildlife Resort, you can spend your evenings on rewarding night drives and return to an air-conditioned timber chalet. It is an excellent fit for travellers who want a high density of small cats and civets in a setting that provides air-conditioned rooms and hot showers.
If you want a pool, a spa and towering primary rainforest, Borneo Rainforest Lodge is the one; its construction and expansion period runs from 1 January 2025 to 22 January 2027. If you are focused entirely on the Sunda clouded leopard, choose Deramakot for dedicated night drives and stays in government forestry quarters. If you want leopard cats and a comfortable base in a rich regenerating forest, Tabin is the clear choice.
Why stay here
Tabin Wildlife Resort strikes a balance between physical comfort and serious wildlife access. It offers air-conditioned chalets with hot showers in a profoundly remote environment. The food is hearty, home-style Malaysian fare served buffet-style and the layout keeps the focus firmly on the forest. Because the chalets face outwards into the canopy rather than towards each other, you can sit on your veranda and watch birds or primates in privacy.
The only accommodation inside the 120,500-hectare reserve, established in 1999.
18 en-suite timber chalets spread between river and hillside units.
Leopard cats are a realistic target and civets appear on most stays.
Explore via 4x4 night safaris, birdwatching, forest walks and volcano treks.
Combine air-conditioned comfort with intensely rewarding night safaris.
Rooms
There are 10 River Chalets positioned on ground level along the banks of the Lipad River. Each features a private timber balcony extending towards the water and provides a shaded, enclosed jungle atmosphere. Because they are connected to the main dining and reception areas by flat timber boardwalks, the River Chalets are an excellent choice if you are travelling with children or prefer to avoid stairs.
Enquire about this roomThe 8 Hill Chalets stand on the steep embankment behind the central cafe. These units capture substantially more natural sunlight and offer sweeping views of the dense hillside forest or the river below. Some of these chalets are larger and accommodate 3 single beds, making them a popular choice for families. Accessing the Hill Chalets requires navigating timber staircases of between 20 and 150 steps. The terrain suits people who are steady on their feet; if you prefer flat access, be sure to ask for a River Chalet.
Enquire about this roomFrom your doorstep
By day, the guided programme explores the forest on foot. A highlight of the stay is the trek to the Lipad mud volcano. The walk takes about 20 minutes through the forest and leads you to a vast clearing of bare, grey mud. Subterranean gas forces mineral-rich mud to the surface and creates a natural salt lick that acts as a magnet for herbivores.
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Wildlife you may see
Sightings are wild and never guaranteed: that is the point. These are the residents your guides will be listening for.
Packages
Rates on enquiry, no prices are published.
2 nights at the flagship lodge: the canopy walkway at dawn, a night drive, and dinner beside the river.
Full board · on enquiry
EnquireA private week across the Lodge and the Study Centre: hides, flexible dawn starts and a vehicle that waits for the light.
Full board · on enquiry
EnquireYes. An entry permit and a conservation fee are required but these are arranged by the team and included in your accommodation package.
Yes. The Sabah Wildlife Department mandates a fee for professional DSLR and mirrorless cameras with telephoto lenses. This is paid directly to the department on site. Standard smartphones and compact cameras incur a nominal fee.
While Tabin is a stronghold for the Critically Endangered Bornean banteng, the remnant herd lives on artificially cultivated pastures managed by conservationists. These zones are strictly off-limits to tourism to protect the animals.
Camera-trap research at Tabin documents the Bornean bearded pig's sharp decline following the African Swine Fever outbreak across Sabah. The study compared 2023–2024 records with a 2010–2012 baseline and recorded no juveniles.
Yes, terrestrial leeches are common on the trails especially after rain. You should wear specialised leech socks and sturdy walking boots for all jungle treks.
How to get there
Tabin Wildlife Resort is reached from the east coast town of Lahad Datu. The resort provides scheduled minibus or 4x4 transfers that take 1.5 hours and align with late-afternoon domestic flights.
Open the interactive mapExtend the journey
Borneo Rainforest Lodge — The flagship luxury lodge inside Danum Valley's primary rainforest with a construction project running until 22 January 2027. Danum Valley Study Centre — A working research station with a famous canopy walkway. Deramakot Forest Reserve — A forestry reserve famous for gruelling night drives and clouded leopard sightings. Kinabatangan River — River safaris for proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants.
Plan your trip
Speak to the team to arrange your stay at Tabin Wildlife Resort and secure dedicated night drives.
Sources referenced on this page: Sabah Wildlife Department (no URL verified).
