Tawau/Semporna (IV) - Day 1 (Teck Guan Cocoa Village & Tawau Cocoa Cafe - Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung) - Tawau Town)

We love island getaways where we can just relax and chill, so this Chinese New Year we decided to spend our holiday there. Having visited most of the islands around Semporna, we thought it would be fun to check out Pearl Island Resort, which only opened last year. Since there's no direct flight from Kota Kinabalu to Semporna, we flew to Tawau instead and stayed there for two nights before making the road trip to Semporna.

On the day of our departure, we took a Grab to the airport and arrived around 10.30am. My partner booked business class tickets with Batik Air (formerly known as Malindo Air) for RM 299 per person for a one-way trip. Since the tickets were purchased during a promotion, we were not able to access the lounge.

Check-in and customs were fast and smooth since it was a domestic flight. Before boarding, we stopped by McD for a quick bite. My partner had the nasi lemak with two pieces of spicy chicken while I went for four pieces of nuggets. One of my favourites from McD is definitely their nasi lemak with fried chicken and nuggets. The fried chicken was crispy and flavourful, though a bit spicy for me, and the rice was soft and fragrant, with a subtle hint of coconut. The nuggets were golden and crunchy on the outside, yet soft and tender inside. They looked slightly smaller than the last time I had them, but still tasty.

Boarding was at Gate A3. The flight departed at 12.10pm and arrived in Tawau at 1.05pm. During the flight, a chicken pizza was served with a choice of orange juice or Sprite. The pizza was served hot and tasted quite flavourful, with a crispy crust. After landing, we waited for our luggage until around 1.25pm. The airport was quite busy, with many Chinese tourists around. I even joked that it felt like we had landed in China while waiting at the baggage claim.

Nasi lemak from McD, served with two pieces of spicy McD fried chicken and Chicken McNuggets

A rainy view from the airplane window

Chicken pizza and orange juice

We rented a car from Kereta Sewa Tawau for RM 130 per day. Picking it up at the airport cost an additional RM 10, and returning it at Blu Sentral Hotel was another RM 10. We got a Myvi, and the driver was waiting for us at the airport to hand it over.

Our first stop was Teck Guan Cocoa Village, about a 22-minute drive from the airport. The road was a two-way street with no streetlights, and the last 2km leading into the village was quite bumpy. Entrance tickets cost RM 10 per person, which included one redeemable cocoa drink at the Tawau Cocoa Cafe. There's also a waterfall nearby, with an entrance fee of RM 15 per car (including RM 5 for parking), or RM 10 per person if you take the tractor ride. However, the tractor only operates with a minimum of seven people and takes about 15 minutes to reach the waterfall area, while driving takes roughly 10 minutes. Since we were the only visitors, we decided to skip it.

The place was very quiet, and it felt like we had it all to ourselves. We first stopped by the souvenir shop and noticed a lab building, which could only be viewed from the outside. Walking further in, we reached the cafe, surrounded by lush greenery and cocoa trees. We even spotted a squirrel nearby.

I ordered a Tawau cocoa soft serve ice cream. It was creamy, smooth, rich, and not too sweet. It was really nice. The complimentary cocoa drink was served cold and had a slightly grainy texture. Personally, I preferred the ice cream, as its cocoa flavour was more intense, and in the end, I couldn't finish the cocoa drink.

We relaxed there until around 3.20pm. The view from Tawau Cocoa Cafe was lovely. It had been drizzling when we arrived, but the rain stopped just as we were about to leave.

Ticket prices:

1. Tawau Cocoa & Cocoa Heritage: Standard - RM 20/adult | MyKad - RM 10/adult

2. Chocolate making (2pm to 3pm): Standard - RM 55/adult | MyKad - RM 45/adult

3. Cocoa exploration & chocolate making (2pm to 4pm): Standard - RM 65/adult | MyKad - RM 55/adult

4. Zipline & abseiling (Sunday & PH): RM 30/ride

5. Spring Waterfall Cafe (opening hours 10am to 4.30pm) / Waterfall explorer: Standard - RM 25/adult | MyKad - RM 10/adult (excluding RM 5 for drive-in access/parking)

Tawau Airport

Our rented car from Kereta Sewa Tawau

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village entrance ticket

The tractor that takes visitors to the waterfall

Teck Guan Cocoa Village souvenir shop

Diagram of how chocolate is made

Chocolate bar ingredients

Cocoa products

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

View from Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Tree house

Tawau Cocoa Cafe

Tawau Cocoa Cafe

Tawau Cocoa Cafe

Tawau Cocoa soft serve ice cream - RM 8 and complimentary cold cocoa drink

Cocoa pods

Cocoa tree with cocoa pods

Address:

Teck Guan Cocoa Village & Tawau Cocoa Cafe

Quion Hill Miles 14 Balung Apas,

91000 Tawau,

Sabah

Opening hours: 10am to 5pm

Our next stop was Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung), about a 20-minute drive from Teck Guan Cocoa Village. The road was lined with coconut palms on both sides, and the last 900m was gravel. Since our car couldn't handle the rough terrain, we decided to park by the roadside and walk in. There was a signboard stating that the entrance fee was RM 6 for adults and RM 3 for children under 12. However, we didn't see anyone around to collect the fee.

Walking in, we saw an amazing natural formation of basalt columns. The rocks were stacked closely together, neatly arranged by nature. There was also a lookout point that offered a beautiful view of the surrounding area. The gentle sound of flowing water added to the peaceful atmosphere, accompanied by rustling leaves and the occasional bird call. It was incredible to see this unique formation up close. Overall, Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung) is worth a visit if you enjoy nature and geology. It's a relatively small and quiet attraction.

 

The road leading to the Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

The road leading to the Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

The road leading to the Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung) lookout point

One of the lookout point floor is in bad condition

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

The road leading to the Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Address:

Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos (Sungai Balung)

Kampung Balung Cocos,

91000 Tawau,

Sabah

We spent about 20 minutes at Columnar Basalt Balung Cocos and left around 4.10pm, arriving at Restaurant Linda Delight by 4.40pm. This place was actually recommended to us previously by a Grab driver. We ordered just two dishes: Vietnamese prawns and curry fish slices.

The curry fish was fresh and flavourful, with a rich creamy sauce that wasn't too spicy. The dish came with long beans and brinjal, adding a nice variety of textures. The prawns were fresh as well, though the sauce tasted a bit like tomato sauce, which was okay. The dish also included lemongrass and onions. Overall, it was a simple, hearty meal and a perfect stop after a half day of exploring.

(Total bill - RM 76)

Restaurant Linda Delight

Ice water - RM 0.50 each

Condiments

Curry fish slices (barramundi) - RM 35

Vietnam Prawn - RM 38

Rice - RM 2

Address:

Restaurant Linda Delight

10, Lorong Bandar Sri Indah 1,

91000 Tawau,

Sabah

Opening hours: 10.30am to 8pm. Closed on Tuesday

We checked in at Blu Sentral Hotel around 6pm. Later, at 8.05pm, we walked to Signature by The Licious Beverages and ordered the last slice of tiramisu, a curry chicken puff, and a bottle of Moma water. The tiramisu fingers were a bit dry, and the cream had a slightly sour taste. The curry puff was served warm but wasn't flaky enough, though the taste was decent. Overall, the dessert was just so-so for me.

Signature by The Licious Beverage's & Moma water - RM 3

Restaurant ambience

Curry chicken puff - RM 7.90

Tiramisu - RM 17.90

Address:

Signature by The Licious Beverage's

Jalan Chong Thien Vun,

91000 Tawau,

Sabah

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm. Closed on Monday

After dessert, we walked back to the hotel and then drove to Kedai Kopi Yum Yum. We ordered chicken wings, stuffed chili, bean curd skin, bean curd with fish, cheese tofu, mee hoon bungkus, and ice water, bringing the total to RM 24.40. The service was slow, and we had to wait quite a while to pay after the meal. Our order was written on paper, and they ended up overcharging us. The mee hoon reminded us of a branch we used to like in Kota Kinabalu, which has since closed down. The chicken wasn't well marinated, but the bean curd with fish was good, while the bean curd skin was crispy yet very oily. Overall, the food was just average. We returned to the hotel after that, arriving around 10.30pm, and called it a night.

Kedai Kopi Yum Yum

Ice water - RM 0.50

Chili sauce

Mee hoon bungkus - RM 1.50

Chicken wings - RM 2, stuffed chili - RM 1.80, bean curd skin - RM 1.80, bean curd with fish - RM 1.60 and cheese tofu - RM 1.60

Address:

Kedai Kopi Yum Yum

No. 4409, KM 1,

5, Jalan Datuk Abu,

Bakar Titingan,

91000 Tawau,

Sabah

Opening hours: 11am to 2am