There is an app you can download for free when you arrive that guides you around the park and tells you the story of the former POW camp. The park is well maintained and the guide leads you to the information centre with informative boards. I had never heard about the death marches or realised the WW2 history until arriving in Borneo more people need to learn about this tragic piece of history. A must visit if In Sandakan.

The park is peaceful and pleasant, a stark contrast to it's atmosphere during the second world war. The memorial building has been put together very well with vivid descriptions of the the camp that once stood there and the death marches. Well worth a visit to understand the sacrifice made by so many and the brutality of their captors.

When you arrive at the airport, few will be aware that the site was originally cleared by forced labour of Brit and Aussie POWs captured during the fall of Simgapore. The memorial built on the POW camp is close to the airport for a reason. Out of over 2500 POWs exactly 6 survived, all of whom escaped during the forced March to Renau, and their heroism is best remebered here. The warning signs at the entrance about snalkes, wasps etc is a legal disclaimer only but don't be deterred, you'll be way more at risk on your wildlife excursions (and even then way safer than on roadways). It was empty when we went mid afternoon, but also very hot. The enclosed pavilion is fan cooled and the well built walkway mostly shady, but mornings would be cooler and less likely to rain. Finally, I've also been to the Capas National shrine in the Philippines, the end point of the Bataan death march which is much more famous among my countrymen but almost 1000 survived that so it had a much lower attrition rate. I hope all Americans coming here will devote an hour to this experience and realize that the 5eyes is more than an intelligence services alliance, it is an unbreakable brotherhood in the never ending Manichean struggle between good and evil, btween freedom/democracy and totalitarianism. RIP to all our fallen brothers in arms who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be free.