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Deramakot Forest Reserve is an area of mixed Dipterocarp forest located around 100 miles southwest of Sandakan. One of the Sabah Forestry Department’s flagship projects, Deramakot is managed in accordance with sustainable forestry practises and covers an area over 55,000 hectares. The internationally recognised Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) first certified Deramakot in 1997 which means that to date it is the longest certified tropical rainforest in the world.
The Sabah Forestry Department aims to manage the commercial forest reserves in a way that minimises the impact on the wider rainforest ecology. The final aim being to produce low volume, high quality and high priced timber in a sustainable manner.
Practises have been reviewed and refined over the years with changes in technological developments and scientific research. Whilst the reserve has been practising sustainable logging since the 1990s, logging was taking place in this region of Sabah from the 1950s onward and in some pockets of the rainforest the damage is evident in terms of the ecology. Sabah Forestry Department and the reserve are very open about lessons learnt from previous experiences. The “Domingos Trail” has a number of educational signs explaining the changes over the past 70 years and concludes with the mantra “We learn from our mistakes”.
Today, Deramakot Forest Reserve offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience adventure, off the beaten tourist trail and also to see some of Borneo’s best wildlife. The lust rainforest and varied landscapes makes a brilliant habitat for animals such as civets, flying squirrel, leopard cat, deer, langur, orangutan and even the elusive clouded leopard. Gibbons can be heard calling out across the forest at dawn and bird sightings are particularly varied here with the mighty hornbill often spotted flying above.
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Suggested itinerary featuring Deramakot Forest Reserve
This sample itinerary will give you an idea of what is possible when you travel in Deramakot Forest Reserve, and showcases routes we know work particularly well. Treat this as inspiration, because your trip will be created uniquely by one of our specialists.
Places near Deramakot Forest Reserve
- Garama Wetlands 11 miles away
- Kinabatangan River 36 miles away
- Maliau Basin 44 miles away
- Danum Valley 46 miles away
- Sepilok 52 miles away
- Sandakan 57 miles away
- Kinabalu National Park 76 miles away
- Mount Kinabalu 77 miles away
- Tabin Wildlife Reserve 92 miles away
- Kota Kinabalu 100 miles away
- Gaya Island 106 miles away
- Manukan Island 107 miles away
- Brunei 173 miles away
- Mulu National Park 194 miles away
- Miri, Niah Caves & Lambir Hills National Park 247 miles away
Photos of Deramakot Forest Reserve
Our expert guides to exploring Deramakot Forest Reserve
Written by our specialists from their own experiences of visiting Deramakot Forest Reserve, these guides will help you make the most of your time there. We share both our practical recommendations and the best ways to appreciate Deramakot Forest Reserve at its best.
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Seeing orangutan in Borneo: Malaysia or Indonesia?
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