Also in Tenom is the Sabah Agricultural Park, or Taman Pertanian Sabah, an amazing botanical garden and a research centre.

First opened in October 2000, the park is home to over 2,000 species of plants; some are local, others far from home.

The park was established with the goal of preserving Sabah’s natural plant diversity while educating visitors about Malaysia’s flora.

FMT Lifestyle paid the little-known park a visit during a recent trip to Sabah and found it to be a truly underrated gem.

Spanning over 200 hectares, one can easily spend several hours at this park, as there is much to see and learn here about the strange and wonderful world of nature.

Additionally, if you worry that walking for hours will tire you out, you can take advantage of the regular tram services available here.

One popular spot with visitors is the Crops Museum, which is more akin to an open air orchard featuring a wide variety of local fruits.

While West Malaysians are likely to recognise some of the fruits grown here like rambutan and durian, there are many fruit trees exclusive to Sabahan soil that may be unknown to foreign visitors.

The kesusu, a relative of the cempedak for example, is one of them. This fruit has a distinct sweet-sour taste that’s rather delightful.

Apparently, these can only be found growing on riverbanks in Borneo, where local deer feast on fallen fruits.

Another Sabahan fruit worth checking out is the buah bambangan, which resembles an oversized langsat.

Make no mistake though as this is actually a cousin of the ordinary mango and indeed, it is often pickled by locals here.

If you’re unsure if a fruit is ripe or not, just ask the guides at the park!

For folks who enjoy gardening at home, you simply must pay a visit to the park’s Ornamental Gardens.

Here, 21 gorgeous gardens can be found, each with its own themed landscaping. Needless to say, it is a sight to behold.

One garden resembles an English countryside, while another has a profusion of beautiful Japanese flowers.

The park’s pride and joy, however, is its orchid garden, which is the most extensive in all Malaysia. Apparently, orchids are slowly becoming an endangered species due to its high demand.

Hence, the Sabah Agricultural Park is working to preserve what known orchid species there are for future generations.

At the Native Orchid Centre, you can find over 300 species of orchids from Borneo, including their most prized one, the Sumazau Orchid.

The most expensive orchid in the world, the Sumazau can only be found on the slopes of Mt Kinabalu, with a single stem estimated to be worth upwards of RM23,000.

Meanwhile, at the Hybrid Orchid Garden, several new and strange orchid species are cultivated.

And for folks who want to set up their own herbs and spice garden, take some time to stroll through the Herb Park here.

There are over 100 species of herbs here, some of which you may want to one day grow yourself for their culinary or medicinal values!

Hence, whether you’re an avid gardener or a curious tourist, a trip to Tenom is incomplete without stopping by the Sabah Agricultural Park. Have fun, everyone!

Taman Pertanian Sabah
WDT 28, 89009 Tenom, Sabah

Contact: +6087737558

E-mail: [email protected]

Operating hours:
9am-4pm (Closed on Mondays except if a public holiday)