Is Tawau safe? Malaysia travel risk
Is Tawau safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Tawau scores 26/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Malaysia Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions, updated 22 Feb 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country (updated 19 Mar 2026); Canada says: exercise normal security precautions (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Tawau scores 26/100 (Moderate). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Malaysia (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Tawau: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: security (33/100) and natural hazards (31/100).
A score of 26 is higher than the scores of 17% of the 241 countries we cover.
Consult the Malaysia travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Territorial & Position Context
Geographically located in Sabah (4.2710° N, 117.8960° E), Tawau sits 1,801.5 km W from Kuala Lumpur at 12 m elevation.
Sabah
4.2710° N, 117.8960° E
12 m
Asia/Kuching
113,809
Critical Services & Regional Transit
Adjacent Localities in Malaysia
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Tawau happened in July (1 of 1 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Malaysia travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Malaysia entry requirements.
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