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KUL → TWU
Which side of the plane to sit from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Kuala Lumpur) to Tawau Airport (Tawau)?
Left Side of the Plane
The left side is the clear winner for this route, offering a spectacular distant view of Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, as you approach the Sabah coastline.
Klang Valley Urban Hub
Aerial views of the sprawling Greater Kuala Lumpur area and the iconic Titiwangsa mountain range shortly after takeoff.
South China Sea
Vast expanses of turquoise water and occasional views of remote islands like the Natuna archipelago in the distance.
Mount Kinabalu
On clear days, the majestic granite peaks of Kinabalu are visible to the north as the flight crosses into Sabah's airspace.
Kinabatangan Basin
View the winding, chocolate-colored rivers and dense mangrove forests of eastern Sabah during the initial descent.
Tawau Volcanic Field
Rugged, forested hills of the only volcanic area in Malaysia as the plane maneuvers for its final approach.
Book an early morning flight (departing before 08:00) to have the highest probability of seeing Mount Kinabalu before tropical convective clouds obscure the peak. A seat forward of the wing is ideal for unobstructed photography of the mountain range and coastline.
Tropical Cloudscapes
Massive cumulus cloud formations over the warm South China Sea, creating dramatic towers of white against the blue sky.
Borneo Interior
Dense, undulating canopies of the primary rainforest in Sarawak and Kalimantan visible in the far distance.
Palm Oil Patchwork
The geometric patterns of vast palm oil plantations that characterize much of the landscape surrounding Tawau.
Cowie Bay
The coastal waters near the Indonesian border, dotted with small fishing vessels and stilt villages as you land.
Choose the right side if you are flying in the late afternoon to avoid the direct glare of the sun. This side offers a better look at the agricultural scale of the region and the Celebes Sea coastline during the final turn toward the runway.
Distance: 1,830 km (1,137 miles)
Approximate Flight Time: 2 hrs 26 min
Departure: KUL (2.7455799579619997, 101.70999908446998)
Arrival: TWU (4.320159912109375, 118.12799835205078)
Route Type: Domestic
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