Rainforest Discovery Center Nature Trail in Sabah

Nature Trail at Rainforest Discovery Center Sabah

The Rainforest Discovery Trail or Plants Discovery Trail is one of the highlights at the Rainforest Discovery Centre RDC in Sepilok, Sabah.

This unique 800-meter long trail is filled with all kinds of rainforest flora and a very educational walk.

I must admit that I had an awesome time viewing the different types of plants and flowers along this walk at the RDC. You must be a nature or flower lover to enjoy this trail and in this article, it is all dedicated to the Flora of Sabah Borneo.

Rainforest Discovery Centre RDC Nature Trail

At the beginning of the nature walk here, you are introduced to the various flowers from the Heliconia family.

While some of them I have seen, most of the other heliconias were entirely new to me and so my Rainforest Discovery Trail began with much interest.

With the support of Sabah Tourism, I first visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Dec 2009 to explore the wonders of Eco-tourism that Sandakan and Sabah have to offer.

Sabah Yellow Orange Heliconia FlowerHeliconia flower in Orange-Yellow

Sabah Pink Heliconia FlowerHeliconia flower in pink

Sabah Heliconia Flower Heliconia flower in red

Ginger Plant Species Sabah Borneo Various Ginger Plant Species on a display board

From Heliconias you will start to see various Ginger Flowers and plants along the concrete walkway.

The flowers and plants are well planted on both sides of your trail so keep a look out as there may even be some rare flowering species here.

RDC Medicinal Plant Garden Medicinal Plants garden at the RDC

After the Ginger plants, we came to the Medicinal Plants section where many locals still believe and use local medicinal plants of the rainforest.

Popular names like 'Misai Kuching' (Cat's Whiskers) and 'Tongkat Ali' (Ali's Walking Stick) plants can be seen in this section.

Plants and Fruits at the RDC Sabah Strange fruits growing out of a tree bark

Tiger Orchid Plant Malaysia A large Tiger Orchid plant growing here

One of my personal highlights was the Tiger Orchid (Orkid Harimau) plants which were abundant throughout the beginning of the trail. Some of the Tiger Orchids were extremely huge and beautiful.

I have a small Tiger Orchid growing at my mum's place and it has flowered twice in a span of one year.

Sadly, I did not see any flowering ones here at the RDC but the sheer size of them put a big smile on my face.

Information on Tiger Orchids Tiger Orchid information (Orkid Harimau)

Tiger Orchids are the largest orchid species in the world in the world and some say that even after growing them for five to ten years, the orchid never flowered. They are usually found in the tropical forest of Malaysia and growing on trees.

Fern Corner RDC Fern Corner at the RDC

Another section that was along the rainforest trail was the Fern Section (Sudut Paku Pakis). This is one of my favorites as well due to the beauty of the various wild ferns. I have a collection of wild ferns growing at my mums place too.

Staghorn Fern SabahA very large Staghorn Fern

On seeing the local Staghorn Fern (Tanduk Rusa) growing healthily and beautifully, I could not hesitate but to take a shot of this.

The Stag Horn Fern or Platycerium (Polypod Family) was amazingly very healthy with leaves growing to a length of five feet long. Something I rarely see in captivity.

Cat Tail Fern SabahEkor Kuching (Cats Tail Fern)

Another species of fern which caught my eye was the Cats Tail Fern or locally known as Ekor Kuching fern. This fern from the Lycopodium family is one of the beautiful ferns that impress me always.

Some of the Ekor Kuching ferns in the wild grow up to over 6 feet in length while most in captivity is about two to three feet and there are a few types of this Lycopodium found here at the RDC.

Orchids at Rainforest Discovery Center Various orchids growing off a tree stump

Arriving at the Orchid section, there are just too many to name and are grown everywhere. Orchid lovers would find this a wonderland. Some of the rarest tropical species are found growing here too.

Slipper Orchids which are much protected can land you in jail if caught removing them from the rainforest. And there were a few of the Slipper Orchids growing here at the trail. Sadly they have not flowered yet.

Sabah Borneo Umbrella OrchidBulbophyllum Longiflorum or Umbrella Orchid

Did you know that Sabah has over 1500 species of the 30,000 species of orchids known to man and Sabah is one of the top hot spots for orchid enthusiasts from around the world.

There are about 300 species of orchids found in the Rainforest Discovery Trail at RDC and some of the names are Apostasia, Arundina, Aeredas, Coelogyne, Dendrobium, Dipodium, Eulophia, Calanthe, Cymbidium, Bulbophyllum, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, and Renanthera.

Pitcher Plant Garden Pitcher Plant Garden

After about 30 minutes of beautiful flowers, we approached the Pitcher Plants (Peruik Kera) area. A relatively small area but with quite a good collection of Pitcher plants found in Sabah Borneo.

Nepenthes Pitcher Plant SabahNepenthes gracilis Pitcher Plant

The Pitcher Plant or Monkey Cup as it is commonly known are protected species and one can get fined or jailed or both if caught stealing them from the forest reserves.

Scientifically known as Nepenthes, there are 31 species throughout Borneo Island while 15 of them can be found in Sabah alone.

At the Rainforest Discovery Trail, I must have seen at least five different types of Pitcher Plants here.

Wooden Walkway Rainforest Discovery CentreWooden walkway at parts of the trail

The final section of the Rainforest Discovery Walk is along with the tall dipterocarp trees. By then, we had already done a good 45 minutes walking with our nature guide Ben.

Along the way, Ben had explained almost everything to us including the scientific names of flowers and plants.

Video of Rainforest Discovery Trail at RDC Sandakan


Sabah Tall Rainforest TreeCreepers growing on tree bark

Some of the dipterocarp trees growing here are taller than a hundred feet (33 meters) and have an amazing life surrounding them.

Sounds of the rainforest drown everything else and the air smells of green. Best not to look up too much or you will have a neck ache like I did.

Photo of Sabah FungiFungi are seen on tree stumps along the walk

Fungi are also spotted at a certain part of the trail where parts of the walkway are made from wood elevated over the rainforest ground. Be careful not to touch them too.

Sabah Jungle CreepersLianas or Forest Highway

One of the things that caught my eye again was the Lianas or The Forest Highway which will captivate anyone along the trails here.

These amazing plants which are vines begin life on the ground as small self-supporting shrubs and rely on other plants to reach the light-rich environment of the upper canopy.

They can be seen along the trail here at the RDC and some of them grow to an amazing six inches in diameter.

Lianas Creeper InformationInformation on the Lianas plant

Sarawak KalumpangKalumpang Sarawak or Wild Almond Tree with fruit

Apart from the general tropical rainforest trees, I chanced upon some unique ones with strange fruits growing out of the tree barks.

One popular tree named the Kalumpang Sarawak (Sterculia megistophylla) or Wild Almond Tree had a bunch of fruits hanging out in a bright red color. Apparently, they are non-edible but are absolutely fascinating.

Rainforest Discovery Centre Tall TreesTall various dipterocarp trees line the trails

The other great thing about the Rainforest Discovery Walk is that along the entire 800 meters, there are various signs informing of the names of the flowers, shrubs, ferns or trees.

Most of them are pinned on to the trees or on the ground so you will always know what type of flower or tree it is.

Sabah Rainforest Discovery Centre Flora Butterfly creepers growing up a tree bark

While some strange ones are seen like the Butterfly Creeper on the tree above, you may need the assistance of a good guide to giving you the information. Luckily I had my own personal guide Ben with me during this nature walk.

Rope Bridge RDC SabahCrossing a wooden bridge at the RDC

At one point during your nature walk, you will come across some bridges and also a section which leads to the Canopy Walk.

The Canopy Walk at the RDC was another amazing place which I learned more about the rare birds of Sabah.

Bridge at Rainforest Discovery Centre SabahWood and rope bridge over the lake at RDC

Finally, at the last bridge over the lake, the path takes you around and to the endpoint which is where a small shack selling drinks and doubling as the paddle boat operator is located.

Lake at Rainforest Discovery CentreThe RDC Lake

At the lake, there are some chairs where you can take a breather and enjoy the serene beauty of the entire place. We spent a total of almost two hours throughout the trail and it was a memorable one.

I had learned so much about our rainforest and about the various flora here and my thanks go to Ben - Our guide and also Sabah Tourism for making this visit possible.

How to Go to the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok?
  • Located just out of Sandakan town, RDC Sepilok is about 23 kilometers from town. Getting to RDC Sepilok is fairly simple as it takes about 30-40 minutes by car or van. (Self-drive or tour company)
  • There is a public bus service from the Labuk Bus Company that departs from the Sandakan Town Council at RM2.10 (US$0.60) one way but the bus stops at the junction of the main road. You then need to walk in about 1.5km.
  • Taxi service from Sandakan is available with a return trip costing about RM100.00 (US$29). Do negotiate with your taxi about the prices.
  • Getting to Sepilok from Kota Kinabalu (KK) is also possible. A bus ride would take about 7 to 8 hours from KK to Sandakan and would cost around RM30-50 (US$9-$15) one way. 
  • A better option is to fly to Sandakan as there are direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching. AirAsia offers some cheap tickets if you book early. Malaysia Airlines also has some decent ticket prices if you want to compare it.
Getting to the RDC via car or bus:
  1. Drive along Jalan Labuk from Sandakan Town
  2. Turn left at the Mile 14 roundabout (with a large Orangutan statue)
  3. Drive along until you see the large, pictorial RDC sign and turn right
  4. Drive for about 500m to the RDC car park
Map to Rainforest Discovery CentreMap courtesy of RDC

Tickets/Entrance Fees for the RDC:
  • Adults: RM15.00 (US$4)
  • Children (5-17 yrs) RM7.00 (US$1.50)
  • Children (Under 5 yrs) Free
Opening Hours for the RDC:
  • Daily 8.00 am to 10.00 pm
  • Birders start as early as 6.00am
What to bring
  • Bring mosquito or insect repellent, a poncho or umbrella in case it rains as the walkways are not covered. 
  • Bring some snacks and bottled water as well. 
  • A pair of binoculars is a must if you want to see birds. 
  • Wear proper shoes here as some of the walkways can be slippery. 
  • You may want to bring some snacks if you have kids as there is no food available there except for a kiosk that sells drinks and some local snacks by the lake and closes at around 5pm.


* Remember to practice Responsible Tourism wherever you are.

Address for the Rainforest Discovery Center RDC:
PO Box 1407,
90715 Sandakan,
Sabah, Malaysia.
Telephone: 60 089 533780 / 781
Website for the Rainforest Discovery Center

Map to Rainforest Discovery Center RDC

View RDC Rainforest Discovery Center Sepilok in a larger map

Final Thoughts on the Rainforest Discovery Center Nature Trail

If you are a nature lover or want to enjoy some serious flora and fauna, I recommend that you make a visit to the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok and experience the many nature walks offered here.

If you're lucky you may even see some birds, animals, and insects here. This place is excellent for exposing kids to nature and for the city-loving people, it would be a change from your usual touristy place.

The location is not too far from Sandakan City, and one of the best places to observe the flora and fauna is of course at the Rainforest Discovery Centre nature trails. 

Malaysia Asia

Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school. Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards). After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

10 Comments

Please Select Embedded Mode To Show The Comment System.*

Previous Post Next Post

Contact Form