Guides โ€บ Borneo (East Malaysia) โ€บ Lahad Datu
City guide

Lahad Datu

Lahad Datu is the capital of the Lahad Datu District in the Dent Peninsula on Tawau Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 27,887 in 2010.

Type City

Why go

  • Town and district capital in Sabah, Malaysia.
  • Served by Tomanggong Airport (TMG).

History

Lahad Datu is the capital of the Lahad Datu District in the Dent Peninsula on Tawau Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 27,887 in 2010. The town is surrounded by stretches of cocoa and palm oil plantations. It is also an important timber exporting port. The town has an airport for domestic flights.

Airports

Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) 15 km to the centre
Lahad Datu, 12, MY โ€” Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron โ€” plan for the weather on the day. โœˆ 1 airline (Malaysia Airlines) ยท direct flights to 1 destination incl. Kota Kinabalu (OpenFlights route data).
โœˆ Airlines & flight paths โ€” 1 airline, 1 direct destination

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 โ€” they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
Tomanggong Airport (TMG) 41 km to the centre
Tomanggong, 12, MY โ€” Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board โ€” bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Sahabat [Sahabat 16] Airport (SXS) 74 km to the centre
Sahabat, 12, MY โ€” Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board โ€” bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Jeroco Airport 33 km to the centre
Jeroco, 12, MY
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping โ†’
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map ยฉ OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May โ€“ September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather โ€” check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Tomanggong Airport (TMG); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: LDU has direct flights to 1 destination on 1 airline (incl. Kota Kinabalu).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Lahad Datu. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Tours & experiences

Sightseeing