Lok Kawi Wildlife Park - Sabah Malaysia

LOK KAWI WILDLIFE PARK, SABAH

As there are many tourist attractions spread out in Sabah, one has to have a well-planned itinerary to experience Sabah to the fullest. There is no doubt that visiting the islands, mountains, jungles and city is time consuming and one may have to sacrifice one trip for the other.

For those who have a limited time in Sabah yet yearn to see the proboscis monkeys, you do not have to go all the way to Sungai Klias in Beaufort to see them. The newly-opened Lok Kawi Wildlife Park along the Penampang-Papar Road enables you to see the monkeys and various other animals of the tropical

rainforests. It may not be the same as seeing them in their original habitat but visitors get the chance to see the animals up close. Moreover, the park’s setting is virtually in the wilderness.
Located about 25 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu, the park is a combination of a zoo and a botanical garden. Sprawled over 280 acres of land, it is developed and managed jointly by the Sabah Wildlife and Forestry Departments.

Among the facilities at the park are the administrative building, visitor centre, car parks, public toilets and food stalls.

At the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, animals can be seen roaming wild within their enclosure. Currently, there are more than 88 animals in the park with plans for more animals to be brought in from other zoological parks in the world from time to time.

Animals at the park are divided into three major habitat zones. The orang- utans, bats, snakes and eagles are put under the forest canopy zone while large animals such as sun bears and elephants are put under the forest floor zone. Gibbons, turtles, crocodiles, proboscis monkeys and snakes are all located at the water and water edge zone.

Other animals include tigers, mouse deer, barking deer, ostriches, various species of birds and a Sumatran rhinoceros.

One of the first animals to greet visitors at the park is the exotic clouded leopard. Elusive by nature, the leopard looks so adorable that even in its sleep; it manages to pull a strong crowd.

The aviary is a much more animated section with the sound of mynahs greeting visitors with a simple hello. Other birds at the aviary include hornbills, pigeons, egrets, parrots and eagles.
It is both entertaining and educational to watch the antics of the orang- utans and the pygmy elephants. Observing the playful otters somersaulting in the water and the gibbons showing off their loud, elaborate voices are fascinating too. Occasionally, the friendly wide-eyed deer will shove its nose towards the visitor for a gentle rub.

The children’s section of the zoo features pygmy elephants, ponies and goats among others. Children can enjoy elephant rides daily from 10.30 am to 11.30 am and from 3.30 pm till 4.30 pm. The park’s 1.4 km walking trail and signposts make the visit more fun, informative and convenient.

The botanical garden which is managed by the Forestry Department covers about 200 acres. Various types of jungle trees, wild plants, herbs and flowers can be found there.
The Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is open daily from 9.30 am until 5.30 pm. However, the ticket counter closes at 4.30 pm.

The admission fee is RM10 for adults and RM5 for children while foreign tourists pay RM20 and RM10 respectively. It is free for senior citizens aged 60 and above and the handicapped.
For more information, please contact the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park at 6-088-765710.

Getting there

Sabah is a Malaysian state in the northern part of the island of Borneo. Its state capital is Kota Kinabalu, where the Kota Kinabalu International Airport is located. As the main gateway into Sabah and the island of Borneo, the Kota Kinabalu International Airport has become the second busiest airport after Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is located near the small town of Lok Kawi. It is about 10 minutes drive from Lok Kawi and about 40 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu. There is no direct public transport to the park however, visitors can take a bus to Lok Kawi town and take a taxi from there. You can arrange with the taxi driver to transport you back to Lok Kawi town. Alternatively, you can pay between RM80 and RM100 to have a taxi take you there from Kota Kinabalu and back.


Issued by Communications Division, Tourism Malaysia
Date: 6 November 2007
For more information, please contact sitirahmah@tourism.gov.my
Tel: +603 2615 8188, Fax: +603 2693 5406
Or visit www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my