If you want to see the Rafflesia flower, one of the strangest botanical wonders of the world, head to Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve located 25km from the town of Tambunan within the interior division of Sabah, East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The 386 acre forest was announced as a Class VI Virgin Jungle Reserve by the State Government of Sabah in 1984 for conservation of this exotic and mysterious flower. Since the gazettement of the reserve more than 900 Rafflesia flowers have been recorded in the area.

This strange flower was discovered in South Western Sumatra in 1818 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles and Dr Joseph Arnold; it was named Rafflesia Arnoldi to honour both naturalists. Since the time from when it was named, scientists have been wondering about the flowers botanical family origins. Native to the rain forests of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines there are about 20 types of the Rafflesia in South East Asia of which eight endemic species can be found in Malaysia.Ever since the flower was discovered, scientists had not been able to figure out to which botanical family it belonged. The Rafflesia was difficult to place because of its bizarre characteristics; it is rootless, leafless, has no stem, and contains no chlorophyll. The flower is parasitic, and is found feeding only on the roots of the Tetrasigma Vine, a woody type of tropical grape vine.

Finally in 2007, the mystery was solved when researchers found that the plants, which have up to 1metre wide, blood-red, rotten-flesh stinking flowers, belong to a group called Euphorbiacea which typically bear small flowers. Botanists believe that about 46 million years ago, the plants' blooms began to develop at an accelerated pace increasing in size 79 times from when they first evolved. The Rafflesia’s size means they also become a very effective visual cue to attract flies so that they pollinate the plant. The buds of the Rafflesia can take up to 10 months to grow while oversized blossom, that can weigh up to 10kg, lives only for a matter of days before it develops a fruit and seeds. The centre of the flower, which can hold several litres of water, contains numerous spikes whose functions are unknown. Traditionally the flowers have been harvested, dried, and then boiled and given to women who have just given birth to aid in recovery.

The unique Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve is one of the only developed tourist attraction in the Crocker Mountain Range. Throughout the reserve are swift flowing rivers and breathtaking scenery. There are eight marked hiking trails that lead to the Rafflesia flowers that may be blooming at that time. The reserve is primarily made up of lower montane forests where the canopy is 30-35 metres high; on the ridges in the south eastern area is lower kerangas montane forest which reaches a maximum height of 15-20 metres. Rattan and wild gingers are scattered on the forest floor amongst the temperate Oak, Chestnut and Dipterocarp trees.Numerous indigenous birds of Borneo can be found at the Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve, such as the Mountain Serpent Eagle, Bornean Spiderhunter, Mountain Barbet, Chestnut Crested Yuhina, Bornean Leafbird and the Whitehead’s Trogan.  Here you can also find the Bornean Ground Cuckoo which rates as one of Borneo’s most enigmatic and exciting endemics.

The park is open from 8 am to 3 pm daily and it is advisable to pay for a local guide to take you to the Rafflesia. Typically there have been 4-5 blooms a month with the best time to go being August – October. There is no accommodation inside the Tambunan Rafflesia Reserve itself, but there are a few acceptable places to overnight in the nearby town of Tambunan