Ficus variegata is one of Asia’s most widespread and common fig trees found growing wild from China south to Northern Australia. In Borneo F. variegata is common in both virgin and secondary forests and attracts a vast array of mammalian dispersers including palm civets, binturongs, fruit bats, gibbons and macaques. The fallen fruit feed wild pigs and deer.
The Maliau Basin is in south central Sabah approximately six hours drive from Kota Kinabalu via Kimanis and Keningau including rest stops. There are two alternative roads which you can use to cross the Crocker Range. Both are rich in sites where you can see interesting figs. On a 4 day, 3 night round trip from Kota Kinabalu to Maliau you would be likely to encounter up to 100 different species of figs. This would not be possible anywhere else in the world.