A beautiful forest orchard and series of gardens marks the unlikely site of a Japanese POW camp and starting point for the infamous WWII 'death marches' to Ranau. Of the 1800 Australian and 600 British troops imprisoned here, the only survivors by July 1945 were six Australian escapees. Rusting machines testify to the camp's forced-labour program, and a pavilion includes accounts from survivors and photographs from personnel, inmates and liberators. See www.sandakan-deathmarch.com for more details of the death march route.
To reach the park, take any Batu 8 (or higher-numbered) bus from the local bus station on the waterfront in the city centre (RM1.50); get off at the 'Taman Rimba' signpost and walk down Jln Rimba. A taxi from downtown costs about RM30 one way.
