Historical Sites

This Memorial is situated at Jalan Tanjung Batu. 3,908 graves of soldiers who either died in battle or captivity lie here. Most of the soldiers were Australians and British with some from the Punjab Signal Corp, New Zealand as well as a few locals. In February 1945, the Japanese, apprehending an Allied landing in the Sandakan area, started to force march the prisoners to Ranau on which was what came to be known as the infamous Ranau Death March. Hundreds upon hundreds perished along the way and those who were left behind at the Sandakan POW camp also died or were killed. Many of the dead were reburied here at Labuan. On 10 June 1945, Allied troops landed at Brown beach at Tanjung Purun to begin what was to be the liberisation of Borneo from the Japanese. Prior to this, Labuan town was heavily bombed aerially to flush out the enemies. Most of the buildings were destroyed. At the place known as the Pocket fighting also took place. The remains of the Allied troops were gathered from all over Borneo to be interred at the Cemetery. The graves lie in long neat rows all bearing a plaque, mostly identified, many not, but ‘known unto God’. The Labuan War Cemetery and Memorial is visited very regularly by War Veteran groups, especially from Australia who have included Labuan as an important destination on their battle-field tours circuit. On the first Sunday of November every year, a service to mark Remembrance Day is held here and is attended by locals and foreign visitors. The place was constructed, and is maintained by Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The lawns are beautiful kept and visitors will appreciate the peace and tranquility of the place as they seek to understand the senselessness of the deaths of so many brave young men.

Situated on a rise at Tanjung Kubong is the famous “Chimney”, a 106 feet high red brick stack believed to be linked to the coal mining days of Labuan. The Chimney, 106 feet tall, was made from more than 23,000 pieces of red bricks imported from England. The bricks layering and works are typical of British style. The Chimney was long thought to be nothing more than a ventilation shaft. However, recent findings revealed that there were no traces of smokes or burning to suggest its use as a chimney as popularly believed. Careful digging has revealed at least 12 layers of bricks beneath the surface. The structure sits firmly on a large tract of limestone rock containing rich kaolin or porcelain clay, which provided the strong foundation. The Chimney is still very much a mystery until today. Various hypothesis has been put forward to its purpose. Some said it was an unfinished mansion. While others said it was a light house beaconing passing ships. In its heyday, a thriving settlement was built at the sea front area below the Chimney. It was then used as a bell tower to announce the arrival of ships to the residents below. It has become an intriguing riddle that fascinates locals and visitors alike.

Peace Park or locally known as Taman Damai  was built to commemorate the fallen soldiers whom fought in Borneo Island and its surrounding waters during the World War 2. This park also mark as a symbol or prayer to world peace with hopes of building a better relationship and prosperity between two countries, that are Malaysia and Japan. Peace Park located in Kg Layang – Layangan, near to the beach. If you’re taking public transport, take a ride on bus number 4. A taxi ride would cost you around RM 12.00 ++ from town area. Rent a motorbike from GG Rent a Motorbike (call +6 087 429 792) The park construction was completed with the collaboration from Malaysian Government, Sabah State, Majlis Perbandaran Labuan (now Labuan Corporation) and Japan Government. The park construction was finalized with contributions from Japan Shipbuiilding Industry Foundation (chaired by Mr Ryoichi Sasagawa) and from the support of the fallen’s families, comrades and industrial firms.

Japanese Surrender Point is a famous and meaningful memorial spot located in Labuan Malaysia. It is situated near to one of the popular landmarks in Labuan – the Peace Park. The memorial point is located in a small park near to Timbalai where you can have a nice view of the South China Sea on the Western side of Labuan. The famous historical site in Labuan Island is definitely none other than the Japanese Surrender Point. This is where the Japanese officially surrendered their ruling on Labuan to the Australian in charge. About 50 meters away from the surrender point, the ceremony of signing and the handover took place. Lieutenant General Masao Baba officially handed his sword as a sign of handover to Major General George Wootten during the ceremony. This ceremony marks the end of World War II in Borneo. Another interesting and historical fact towards this Surrender Point is that this is the place where the trials of the first war crime were conducted in the whole of South East Asia. The nearest attraction that is too having historical means is the Peace Park. The park is built by the Japanese right next to the Surrender Point as they felt sorry for the trouble caused by their forefathers in the past. The park acts as a tribute to respect and appreciate the scarification of the lives that are involved in the World War II. Just as its name, the Peace Park marks the promise between Malaysia and Japan on peace and friendship. The accommodation in Labuan Island is not much of a different compared to other places around the world. The beautiful island offered various kinds of resorts and hotels all depending on your budget and preference. From budget bed and breakfast to high end luxurious hotels are all up for your pick. Spending a night or two in Labuan is a must as it has a lot to offer. The last thing you have to do before heading home is to shop for duty free goods. A wide range of duty free goods are offered and provided by the easy access duty free shops around the city centre of Labuan Island

The Museum is set up in a two-storey pre-war colonial building, with the ground floor dedicated to exhibiting the history of Labuan.Establish in 2004 by the Department of Museum and Antiquity of Labuan, the Labuan Museum is a one-stop centre with information on anything and everything related to Labuan and Malaysia.The Museum is set up in a two-storey pre-war colonial building, with the ground floor dedicated to exhibiting the history of Labuan: from the pre-historical era, to the Brunei Sultanate ruling, to the British colonisation, to the Japan occupation, to the Malaya independence, and to the Labuan today. On the top floor features graphic panels, replicas and models regarding the six main communities residing in Labuan, namely the Brunei-Malays, Kadayans, Chinese, Kadazan-dusuns, Indians and Sikhs. Outside the Labuan Museum is the History Square, where the four Flame of the Forest trees stand on all four corners of the square, which were planted by the Chinese, Malay, Indian and European communities in 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. There are also various plaques in the History Square to commemorate Labuan’s most important events throughout history, such as the 1846 handover of Labuan from the Brunei Sultanate to the British; the change of name for Labuan to Maidashima during the Japanese ruling in 1943; the memorial for General Maida, who perished in an air crash in 1943; and the landing of the Australian 9th Division in Labuan in June 1945, marking the start of the Borneo island liberation.

The Labuan Marine Museum is set up to preserve the precious marine heritage of Labuan. It aims at providing information and knowledge of the island’s rich marine life. A walk into this museum opens a sea world of colors with a fascinating panoramic view of fishes and corals not seen elsewhere. The Museum is built on the concept of a ship with two floors of exhibits. Its welcomes visitors through a metal bridge. Clear violet-blue aquariums display the various habitats of marine life such as sharks, rays, butterfly fish, angel fish, damsels, wrasses, moray eels, poisonous fishes, shrimps and lobsters. Visitors also have the rare experiences to touch and feel the displays placed in shallow waters such as starfish, sea cucumbers and king crabs. The second floor’s exhibits include habitats of coral reefs, habitats of sharks and rays, marine reptiles, commercial fish, marine mammals, marlins, fishing and diving activities, oceanography, marine biology, molluscs and crustacean