Why go
- Town and district capital in Sabah, Malaysia.
- Served by Tawau Airport (TWU).
History
Tawau is the capital of the Tawau District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the third-largest city in Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. It is located on the Semporna Peninsula in the southeast coast of the state in the administrative centre of Tawau Division, which is bordered by the Sulu Sea to the east, the Celebes Sea to the south at Cowie Bay and shares a border with North Kalimantan, Indonesia. The town had an estimated population as of 2010, of 113,809, while the whole municipality area had a population of 397,673. The municipal area had a population of 372,615 at the 2020 Census.
Restaurants & places to go
55 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 5 direct destinations
- Malaysia Airlines MH (737-800, ATR 72, 734) · 4 routes: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Sandakan*, Taraken*
- AirAsia AK (A320) · 3 routes: Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Tawau Airport (TWU); 5 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: TWU has direct flights to 5 destinations on 2 airlines (incl. Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Sandakan, Taraken). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Tawau Ferry Terminal, 0.2 km); routes include Sebatik - Tawau, Nunukan - Tawau Ferry, Nunukan - Sebatik.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Tawau. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.