Pamol is believed to be derived from the words ‘Palm Oil’ which means palm oil. According to historical, Pamol was once known for its logging activities. Then, this area was cultivated by private companies by planting palm on a large scale. From there, Pamol became a well-known area in Beluran with palm oil production activities. It is about 150 km from Sandakan Town, 109 km from the town of Beluran and 299 km from Kota Kinabalu.

After the construction of the road network, from Sapi-Nangoh, there were many villages started to grow in this area. In the past, the medium that connected people from this area to Beluran Town or Sandakan City were Sungai Pamol and Sungai Labuk. With the difficulties of land transportation, an airport was once built in this area for transit for flight routes from Sandakan to Kudat with a passenger capacity of 13. However, the transit service at Pamol was stopped around the 1990s.

In terms of populations, the people of Pamol consists of various tribes such as Kadazan, Dusun, Dumpas, Bugis, Sungai and so on. Despite located in a remote area, there is a secondary school which acts as a hub for secondary education for the locals.

How to Get There

If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, get a flight to Sandakan or Kota Kinabalu. If you are from Kota Kinabalu, you can also take a bus. Beluran can be reached by bus or plane from Sandakan city and Kota Kinabalu. However, getting to Pamol by bus is not really convenient. Hence, take a taxi or rent a car straight from the town of Beluran.

Tourist Attractions

Kota Kinabalu Park

The National Park is a protected reserve area, governed by the Sabah Parks. Covering 754 square kilometres of area, this park offers scenic views to the visitors. The main attraction of the park is Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South East Asia. Despite being the third largest mountain, climbing Mt. Kinabalu is one of the easiest journeys and takes approximately 2-3 days with no special hiking equipment needed. Being a home to some 90 lowland mammal species, the park consists of more than 5,000 vascular plant species and has no shortage of fauna. Also, you will get to enjoy Poring Hot Springs, one of the famous attractions that has been developed into open air Japanese styled baths here.

Lankayan Island

Practically a virgin island in the Sulu sea, Lankayan Island is located at just 1.5 hour boat ride from Sandakan. This island is unpopulated and covered by thick tropical island vegetation on its topside. The pristine blue water of the island offers an excellent chance to spot the Whale Shark, Hawksbill Turtles and the colourful fishes and corals. You can also see new hatchlings of baby turtles being released during the period between June and September. The island is also home to the famous Lankayan Wreck, a popular diving spot for divers visiting Sabah. The only resort on the island is Lankayan Island Dive Resort.

Danum Valley Conservation Area

Located towards the southwest of the town of Lahad Datu, Danum Valley Conservation Area covers more than 400 square kilometres of untouched, virgin forests and is home to some rare species of animals like the orang-utans, Wallace Flying Frog, Sumatran rhinoceros, mouse deer and blue coloured leopard. If you are visiting this area, there is accomodation available. An eco resort, Borneo Rainforest Lodge, nestled within the magnificent setting of this valley. You will get to enjoy many excellent amenities provided by the resort as well as outdoor activities such as jungle trekking, river swimming, bird watching and night jungle tour.