Sawatan Camp Site (SCS)
01 Quick Facts
02 🌲 The Vibe
Deep-rural Sabah river life: hills close in like an open cave and the soundtrack is the river and birdsong.
Cheerfully low-fi — solar power, spring-water taps and tame fish that nibble around your feet.
Family and group outings dominate: birthdays, family days, school-holiday trips and office get-togethers by the water.
Quiet by design — the owner caps daily visitors so your group keeps its privacy.
03 🚗 Getting There
Getting there — KM34 Jalan Ulu Kimanis-Keningau, Kg. Wolit (Boligangai), Ulu Kimanis, Papar district, Sabah (Google address: Jalan Keningau Kimanis, 89709 Bongawan). ~75 km / 1 hr 7 min from Kota Kinabalu; ~38 km / 33 min from Bongawan. All vehicle types OK; Waze/Google Maps both work.
No electricity or plug points (solar only); Weak phone signal inland (Celcom ~1-2 bars)
04 🛏️ Staying at Sawatan Camp Site (SCS)
A deep-valley riverside nature camp where you swim in clear Kimanis river water surrounded by tame tagal fish, cook over a bonfire and sleep to the sound of the river — basic and off-grid, but genuinely 'back to nature'.
- Budget river camp - Entry is RM3 (adult) and camping just RM5 per adult — among the cheapest proper campsites in Sabah, with tent rentals from RM10 and free shared huts.
- Swim with tame fish - The camp sits on Sungai Kimanis and Sungai Sawatan, a tagal (protected) zone where fish are so tame they swim right up to you; fish food costs RM2.
- Basic, off-grid stay - No electricity (solar only), weak phone signal and simple facilities — toilets, changing rooms, a kitchen and spring-water taps — so bring your own tent, lights and gear.
05 🛠 Facilities
🏊 River swim with tame fish — Sungai Kimanis and Sungai Sawatan flow through the camp — clear, cool and gentle enough for kids, and the fish are famously tame (tagal zone), making swimming with them the main event.
⛺ Tent plots & rentals — Spacious grassy plots for your own tent, or rent on site: blue 10x10 RM5, 3-pax tent RM10, 4-pax RM15, folding mattresses RM5-10, plus a big shared hut that is free (RM20 for exclusive booking).
🚿 Basic wash facilities — Toilets, changing rooms, a cooking kitchen, sinks and taps fed by natural spring water — simple, but kept clean according to reviewers.
🔥 Campfire & BBQ — Bonfire spots and BBQ are standard; bring your own food and firewood — and don't chop trees, because herb plants grow around the site.
🌳 Native farm surrounds — Stroll the camp's little native farm (kebun desa), say hi to the resident guard cat, and take in views of the surrounding Bukau hills.
06 💬 What Campers Are Saying
"We went for camping here on 18-19th Jan 2025, with sunny weather and blue skies. Its one of the budget friendly campsite! ✅ Location: accesible for all types of vehicles, wazeable / Gmapsable ✅ Site condition: campsite is clean, grassy and spacious ✅ Facilities & Amenities: Basic and very clean, wash sink are available. No plug point and no electricity but they have solar. Line celcom around 1-2 bar but not sure other telco. ✅ Activities: Can rent lifebuoy/lifevest and can feed the fish using their fish food cost at rm2 only Last but not least, the owner is friendly and kind enough to let us check in early at 11am without charge. They also limit or control the number of visitors per day so that we could have our privacy."
"Good campsite or just as picnic place. Water is clear and air is fresh. Can see fish swimming around while swimming. Great place to be afk."
"A nice tranquil place to relax and get away from the daily urban life. Very basic facility. Ideal for "return to nature" wannabes. Limited WiFi coverage. That's why it is a great place. Love it. ps. Leave those fishes alone. 😁"
All 26 reviews sit between 4 and 5 stars (4.8 average) — mostly 5★ praise for the river and the prices, with the few 4★ reviews pointing at the very basic facilities and weak connectivity.
07 💰 What to Budget What you pay
| Day entry — adult | RM3 [OFFICIAL] |
| Day entry — child 3-12 | RM1 [OFFICIAL] |
| Camping — adult | RM5 [OFFICIAL] |
| Camping — child | RM2 [OFFICIAL] |
| Tent rental (3 pax) | RM10 [OFFICIAL] |
| Tent rental (4 pax) | RM15 [OFFICIAL] |
| Folding mattress (small / big) | RM5 / RM10 [OFFICIAL] |
| Shared big hut (kongsi) | Free; RM20 full booking [OFFICIAL] |
| Fish food | RM2 [CAMPER] |
| Day entry — adult | RM3 [OFFICIAL] |
Confirm current prices and availability with the camp before booking. Official price list published on sawatancampsite.wordpress.com; day entry and camping fees are charged separately. Kids under 3 and seniors 60+ enter free. Custom tent sizes quoted on request by phone.
08 🏕️ The Camp Tip
- Families camp here all weekend — a Naturehike storage box keeps the kids comfortable, and a Ise Mount tableware handles the everyday gear.
- The water is the main draw here — a Naturehike mosquito coil rack handles the wet gear, and a Naturehike wading shoes covers the basics for a river camp-out.
- Swim sessions are a big part of the day — a Naturehike inflatable sofa for the water, and a Naturehike thermos dries you off fast after.
09 ❓ FAQ
Q1Berapa harga masuk Sawatan Camp Site?
Dewasa RM3, kanak-kanak 3-12 tahun RM1; kanak-kanak 1-2 tahun dan warga emas 60+ percuma (harga rasmi dari sawatancampsite.wordpress.com).
Q2Berapa kos berkhemah dan sewa khemah?
Camping RM5 dewasa / RM2 kanak-kanak. Sewa khemah 3 orang RM10, 4 orang RM15, tilam lipat RM5-10; pondok kongsi percuma atau RM20 untuk booking penuh.
Q3Boleh berenang di sungai?
Ya — Sg. Kimanis & Sg. Sawatan bersih, jernih dan tidak terlalu deras, dengan ikan tagal jinak yang berenang bersama pengunjung. Dilarang menangkap ikan kerana kawasan tagal.
Q4Ada elektrik dan WiFi?
Tiada plug point, elektrik atau WiFi — hanya solar. Talian telefon agak lemah (Celcom sekitar 1-2 bar). Bawa power bank dan lampu sendiri.
Q5Bagaimana cara tempah?
Hubungi 011-268 5802 / 016-257 9657 / 012-866 4265 atau emel sawatancampsite@gmail.com. Tapak perkhemahan 24 jam hanya dengan tempahan; waktu operasi harian 9 pagi - 5 petang.
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Researched 23 Aug 2026 — fees and policies from the camp's official channels and Google reviews.