Encircled by a wall of foreboding slopes some 1,600m high, Sabah's Maliau Basin remained unknown until a British pilot flew over it by chance in 1947. From the cockpit, he was mesmerised by what he saw.

Streams of water cascading down the steep cliffs at several places, dissipating into fine drops of moisture that form a perpetual cloud of mist which flow and ebb like a mystical ocean floating above the trees, curling up as it hits the cliffs.

Slightly larger in size than Singapore, this crater-like 'Lost World' support an unusual montage of 12 types of tropical forests, comprising of lower montane forest dominated by soaring coniferous trees, rare montane heath forest and lowland and hill dipterocarp forests. In the absence of human intrusion and natural calamities, these forests have remained untouched for millions of years.

It is also home to more than 80 species of mammals, 270 bird species and a diverse flora of over 1,800 species, many of which are listed in the Red List of Threatened Species issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Although the Bornean Bearded Pig thrives in the basin, the native Muruts, to whom this swine is a delicacy; stay clear of the basin. They confine themselves to the periphery during their annual hunt for the animal. The Muruts believe that a dragon dwells in Lake Linumunsut - Sabah's only freshwater lake, which lies in the Maliau Basin.

Inaccessibility topped with a foreboding legend has fortuitously preserved the basin's ecosystem.

Several attempts to penetrate the Maliau Basin proved unsuccessful. Eventually, in 1981, a survey party from the Sabah Foundation landed in a helicopter and prepared the groundwork which subsequently enabled a 43-member expedition to spend three weeks there in 1988.

The basin has the highest concentration of waterfalls - 19 and still counting - recorded in any one area in Malaysia. The most prominent is the mesmerising 7-tiered staircase shaped Maliau Falls. Dead leaves lying at the bottom of the streams secrete tannin, which make the water appears murky.

Camping is the only mode of accommodation here. A range of satellite camps, inter-linked by well-maintained trails, provide spartan amenities. Each camp can accommodate 20 persons. Some of the camps are so remote; they are only accessible by helicopter.

Over 70km of marked trails takes visitors through the rainforest to reach the camps and the Maliau Falls, providing a fascinating introduction to the pristine eco-system. A 33-metre high observation tower allows a breathtaking view of the surrounding forest canopy and the wildlife that it hides.

GETTING THERE

With more than 50 percent of the area still uncharted, the Maliau Basin is without doubt one of the most significant natural treasures of Sabah, if not the world. As such, efforts are underway to nominate it as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Permission to enter must be obtained from the Sabah Foundation office either in Kota Kinabalu or Tawau. You need to have a personal insurance policy that covers emergency helicopter evacuation and your latest health certificate, to qualify for a permit.

The Shell Maliau Basin Reception and Information Centre - the nerve centre for all information and activities in the basin - is a 5-hour drive from both Tawau and Keningau, in Sabah. A 4WD vehicle is essential as you will be travelling over corrugated track.

Alternatively, one can charter a helicopter and fly into the Maliau as there are several helipads which are used for emergency evacuation.

To date, only about 2,000 people have set foot in the Maliau Basin. Those lucky enough to be given the privilege, never fail to be awed by the mystical aura of a world tucked in what seemed to be the very edge of the world, a world lost in time and uninhibited by man: a 'Jurassic Park' sans dinosaurs.

Further details can be obtained at www.ysnet.org.my.

-- BERNAMA