Tawau Tourism, Sabah Malaysia

Located on the South Eastern coastal lands of Sabah, Tawau or Tawao as it was known in the early 1890’s began as a tiny nucleus of only 200 inhabitants that crossed borders from Kalimantan. These immigrants fled from Bulungan and Tawi-Tawi, away from the oppressive rule of the Dutch ‘masters’. The villagers soon began a small trade with passing ships including Dutch trading boats. Not long after, the community began trading sea and jungle produce such as rattan, birds’ nest and rubber with imports such as dammar, Indian rubber, tortoise shells etc.

The village thrived on its plentiful surroundings and life was peaceful. Only access to these parts was by sea. In 1898, the village expanded into a settlement and not long after, Chinese migrants sailed in. Chinese did as Chinese will do anywhere … set up businesses, cleared land, worked on plantations, traded and made money. Tawau became a source of export for sea produce, jungle produce and plantation produce. The British administration entered the scene for a cut of the profit in the guise of the British North Borneo (Chartered) Company. Tawau’s reputation preceded her. Then in the 1930’s Japanese fishing fleets came by, unloaded japanese workmen and women and sent them to Si-Amil island (east of Sipadan Island) where a fishing  & canning station was set up. Others were sent to the rubber plantations also set up by Japanese businessmen, with all produce marked for export. The town enjoyed years of peace, unity and wealth until the 2nd World War.

In 1942, the Japanese navy and army invaded Tawau and for 3 ½ years, the residents were kept under the strict eye and disciplin of their oppressors. On 10th June 1945, several units of North Australian Division liberated Tawau but found the town, like others in Sabah to be devastated ~ ravaged by war, depravation and fear. The town suffered much from bombing and fire and like Sandakan, had to be completely rebuilt. Without boats to go out to sea, no farms, no supplies; the townspeople made do with supplies from the jungle.