Tampat Do Aman

The place is rustic, so it works well if you’re travelling solo, want a night or two away from the beaches, and are trying to save money. The wooden rooms have airflow, a bed net, fan, light, and power outlet. There’s no Wi-Fi, though a Celcom SIM works; the beach cafe has Wi-Fi. Showers are cool and outdoors in a separate building, and the compost toilets are a walk away, so bring a flashlight and mosquito repellent. There’s a seating spot beside an active rice farm, and an 11-acre jungle reserve across the road with a trail to a lookout tower. There’s also a small museum. Howard can take you to the beach around 8:30 or 9 in the morning and collect you at about 7:30 in the evening, or you can walk to the beaches in a reasonable amount of time. The Tip of Borneo is worth making time for, even though not many people do. The ocean is usually warm enough to swim, and the views and sunset make the four-hour trip worthwhile. I took a minivan from KK for 50rm, then hitched the last 12km. There’s also a door-to-door shared Maxim car for 70rm. Having a car, or at least another person along, is best, though you might be the only guest on a weekday. Howard can make coffee and egg toast for breakfast at 7:30am for 9rm. A few restaurants are nearby, but there are no supermarkets, just a basic minimart. Filtered cold water is free for refilling bottles. I had a good stay, as long as you’re ready for simple conditions.

I stayed here on a school trip, helping out with volunteer work in the local community, and was really impressed. The food and setting were amazing, and Howard was honestly one of the kindest people I’ve met. I love what he’s doing for the area. Such a fun time with a great community. Everyone should stay here sometime.

The beds and showers were really comfortable, and breakfast was delicious. It’s a lovely base for a few nights near the tip of Borneo, with a small nature reserve, walking trail, watchtower, and museum about local culture. The host was friendly and interesting, and I wish we’d had longer here. One caution from our stay: my partner and I both had loose stomachs after drinking the filtered water. We’re not used to it, so I strongly suspect that was the cause. It’s happened to me in other places around the world too.

Wildlife is everywhere here, with water monitors and prevost squirrels running past the room and birds all around the grounds. The staff are fabulous, and the mosquito net and fans in our room helped with the heat. There’s no internet, which made it easy to unwind and get away from the world. You can walk to beautiful beaches, and there’s a nature reserve right within the resort to explore. A restaurant is also within walking distance, while Kudat is far enough that you’ll need to drive. A dream for anyone keen on wildlife.