Mahua Waterfall : The Hidden Gem of Tambunan (Ultimate Guide)

If you haven’t been in Sabah long enough, you probably would not know about Mahua Waterfall (Air Terjun Mahua), one of most beautiful waterfalls in Tambunan, Sabah. Even though Mahua Waterfall isn’t the most powerful or highest waterfall in Sabah, it is definitely the most assessable waterfall to visit without breaking a sweat.

When should you visit Mahua Waterfall?

Since Mahua waterfall is part of the Crocker Range National Park (Taman Negara Banjaran Crocker), it is open to the public daily between 8am – 5pm. As the waterfall can get a little crowded on the weekends, we suggest to plan your trip here on a weekday if you want to have the place to yourself.

Entrance fees :-

Malaysian

18 years & Above – RM 3

Below 18 years – RM 1

Below 16 – RM 0.50

Non-Malaysian

How to visit Mahua Waterfall?

Even though Mahua Waterfall is located at the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu (KK) city, there are a quite a few options to choose from. You can either rent a car, take a taxi/e-Hailing or join the local tours available.

How long is the journey to Mahua Waterfall?

Located around 88km East of Kota Kinabalu city, you can expect to travel around 2 hours to get here. The roads to Mahua Waterfall initially passes by Penampang which is an easy going drive. However as you enter Tambunan area which is where the waterfall is situated, there will be lots of road construction going on and to make it even more challenging the roads here are very windy and steep. 

 

During our trip here, the roads leading into Tambunan area was so foggy, dark and quiet even though it was a bright sunny day in Kota Kinabalu. There was only a handful of cars passing by the area every few minutes, so you can imagine how eerie the atmosphere must be driving there at night or alone. For those planning to drive here yourself, we suggest to use Waze/Google Maps to get here as some parts of the road have no signboards.

Can I stay overnight at Mahua Waterfall?

Yes, you can choose to either camp or stay at the accommodation available at the national park. For bookings and enquires, you can  contact Mahua Rainforest Paradise. 

 

There is also a restaurant located just beside the entrance in case you get hungry after swimming at the waterfall. So don’t worry if you forgot to pack up some food for your picnic. 

Useful tips

• If you plan to drive here, ensure that your car tyre and brakes are working well
• Take your time when driving and don’t speed as there are plenty of blind corners and ongoing roadworks
• We suggest leaving the area before it gets dark as there are no street lights at certain parts of the road
• If you are not a strong swimmer, stay on the shallower area as the water currents can be strong at times
• Be careful when you walk here as the rocks and walkway can be slippery when wet
• Please keep the waterfall and rivers clean so others can enjoy its beauty too
• Make sure to carry along your camera to snap memorable photos

So getting that out of the way, let’s find out what you can do at Mahua Waterfall?

1. Take a scenic stroll along the Mahua river

To get to the waterfall , you will first have to register at the park’s entrance and then take a 400m stroll along the scenic river view of Mahua. Here, you can find various flora and fauna as you make your way to the waterfall. The view here is so mesmerising that we made multiple stops along the way just to take photos. 

2. Have a picnic or BBQ by the waterfall

3. Take a dip in the freezing cold water

4. Hike up Mount Alab (Gunung Alab)

To all nature lovers, if you are feeling adventurous enough, why not take up the challenging Mount Alab hike which begins its trail at Mount Alab Crocker Range Substation and ends at Mahua Waterfall. The 12 km trail takes you right to the heart of Crocker Range which is made up of muddy and rugged terrain along the way. You can only take up the hike with a tour guide so prior booking is required if you plan to do so.

Have any experience or tips on visiting Mahua Waterfall? Or are you planning a trip soon? Let us know and share your thoughts and questions in the comments section. We’d love to hear from you! 

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