This war cemetery in Labuan, one of the federal territories of Malaysia, is hardly visited by anyone. It only sees activity in November each year when many war veterans flock here to pay their respects to their brothers who died fighting for our freedom.

The Labuan war cemetery is situated in Jalan Tanjong Batu, not too far from the city centre.

It is situated three kilometres from the city of Victoria and not far from the airport.

If you’re driving to the Labuan war cemetery, you will recognise it by its immaculately kept green lawn and pristine white stones.

This Commonwealth World War II graveyard is sacred ground, for it is the final resting place for 3,908 warriors who fought in The Battle of Labuan during the war. Those buried here are not just the locals.

There are also Indian and Australian troops, buried alongside the British, New Zealanders and the Punjab Signal Corps.

While some visitors come here to look around and take pictures, others come to visit for its immaculately manicured grounds where Christians, Indians and Muslims are buried in accordance with their respective beliefs.

When you visit this cemetery, do spend a few minutes to appreciate the peace and serenity as you ponder on the effects of war.

These brave fighters were separated from their family members, thousands of kilometres away while fighting on foreign soil.

Think about the atrocity of war and why most people today do not really appreciate what these soldiers have sacrificed for the freedom we now enjoy.

This is a place where peace and serenity are ironically juxtaposed with death and loss.

Khai and wife Amira are Malaysian travel bloggers who blog at Kaki Jalans. Their travels have taken them to almost all the countries in Asean and five countries in Europe. They are still actively travelling and adding to this list.