Enjoy the Adventure of Padas Farmstay

Enjoy the Adventure of Tenom Padas Farmstay

TYK Adventure Tours Can Take you into the Heart of Borneo

(February 28, 2026, Tenom, Sabah) The location of the Padas Farmstay, is impressive. Set on a hill in Tenom, in southern Sabah, it looks over lush fields, orchards and the distant mountains. Roslan stopped the bus below the building where we looked up at the residential / office building. All I could see was a thin concrete path going up to the house. I thought I would soon dragging my suitcase up the hill. I was mentally prepared for the climb when Roslan drove on, around the base of the hill to the driveway that took us up to the entrance. No sweaty climb up the hill.

Padas Farmstay is much more than a building with rooms. The three Tham brothers have a number of operations and are well-known not only in Sabah, but throughout Malaysia. Mr. Tham Yau Kong the founder, is an expedition leader and pioneer of Sabah adventure tourism. He founded TYK Adventure Tours in 1999 and is a key figure behind Padas Farmstay and community-based tourism in Tenom. He has over 500 ascents of Mount Kinabalu and has led major expeditions across Sabah, Sarawak, and Kalimantan. He has been presented with multiple Malaysian Tourism Gold Awards.

Tham Yau Siong, the third brother is known for his involvement in Tenom, Murut cultural tourism, and rural community projects. He works closely with local villages, artisans, and homestay networks. The Murut are the predominant tribe in this region.

His second brother, Tham Kim Leng, (pictured) an accountant by training and profession, is the Adventure Tour Manager at TYK Adventure Tours. He is a skilled adventure guide and operations manager of Padas Farmstay. He too has been recognized for his efforts in tourism as he was Finalist – Most Promising Tour Guide (Sabah Tourism Awards). He is active in ASEAN tourism events and training. Mr Tham greeted us in the parking lot of Padas Farm Stay.

The areas of expertise of TYK Adventure Tours include jungle and mountain trekking, renown jungle survivor expeditions, mountain biking, wetland wildlife observation, and the historical Sandakan Ranau Death March. There is also specialist bird watching and cultural tours. Expedition planning, adventure challenge and team building, are part of stand-alone projects or within an incentive or conference package.

The Padas Farm Stay main building is large. You enter into the dining / office area that is large enough to accommodate many people. There are steps up to a mezzanine floor where there are doors to dormitory rooms. Directly below that is the kitchen and offices. Across the floor was access to the hallway that passed several more dormitory rooms and at the end, the entrance to the washrooms and showers. This is where our rooms were and we quickly deposited our things four double beds each. We all had our own room so there was space to spread out.

Mr Tham encouraged us to sit at a table where drinks awaited and we could see a large TV screen that would be used in his introduction to the area. “Please try the ‘Asam Boi’. It is a calamansi drink produced freshly from the trees on the farm.” Their signature drink.

He began our introduction to the region with the arrival of the British who found Tenom to be very suitable for agriculture. “The Padas and the Pegalan Rivers flow through and around the Crocker Range and the Trus Madi Range that has Sabah’s second‑highest peak creating a fertile valley that supports a vast range of spices, fruit and vegetables. Here coconuts, calamansi, durian, mangosteen, lemongrass, lime, ginger and pepper grow. And importantly for the Murat people, Belian or Iron Wood. An extremely hard wood that has many uses.

The British introduced rubber, coffee, and tea, which have become economically important to Sabah. While Padas Farmstay does not yet produce coffee, there are plans to do so. “We won’t compete with Yit Foh,” he is quick to point out. “We will produce Premium organic coffee.”

In addition to asam boi the company produces essential oils under the Paal Valley brand. Lime Citrus, Mint and Lemongrass are available. Essential Oils are used for treating digestive issues, relieving stress/anxiety, easing headaches, and repelling insects. Naturally, with the variety of fruit grown on the land, dried fruit is another product the company produces. No pesticides are used on their land.

Mr Tham, understandably, wished the government would put more emphasis on building an economy based on agriculture rather than industry. “We have land, lots of land, and it is perfect for agriculture. We are in the ‘Land Below the Wind’. Unlike the Philippines we do not get typhoons. We don’t have to go out and rebuild everything after a storm blows through. This saves us time and resources. And we are out of the volcano belt. We have many advantages here."

“This basin,” Mr Tham indicated on a map, “between the Crocker Range and Trus Madi Range, is perfect for agriculture. We always have water because the mountains act like a reservoir and the water slowly drains into the valley.”

Padas Farmstay began by doing community service and tourism and then moved to agrotourism where visitors get involved in the production of the farm. Accommodation is available for travellers, volunteers and large groups. They have been successful in hosting school tours from Britain. “They love coming here,” Mr Tham states. “They live in cities and they don’t get to experience the countryside and the animals. It is new and exciting to them. We will have two groups coming in the summer.

On their 40 acres up to 40 guests can experience and explore nature. With the talent available on the team quality Adventure Trekking and camping are offered. Or do a Leisure Camp at any of a number of camps in the region.

Mr Tham gave us a walking tour of the farm, talking about the plants and the facilities. We were amused at the farm dogs eating durian that had fallen from a tree. We peeked into the farms out buildings and work shops.

For dinner Mr Tham hosted us at Robusta Restaurant at Yit Foh Coffee Park where I got to see how beautiful it was at night and enjoy another exceptional meal.

There are many reasons to be in touch or visit Padas Farmstay. It is not just for tourism, but for business opportunities as well. Quality products are produced here and would be popular in any market. If you do group or individual tours Sabah and the Tenom area are fresh new destinations where many experiences await.