Padas River (Malay: Sungai Padas) is a river in southwestern Sabah, Malaysia. The river has a total length of 120 km from its headwaters in the mountains of northwest Sabah to its outlet at the South China Sea, southwest of Beaufort town.
The river is one of the popular destinations for water rafting activities in Sabah, from Beaufort town to the starting point of rafting, there is a railway for tourists.
The current of Padas River is extremely strong, the raft will flow fast once it has been put on the river.
The water of Padas River is quite muddy, the tour guide says that ‘Padas’ in Malay means mud, no wonder.
River rafting in Padas River is not easy, overturn is inevitable, make sure you are not scared of water before joining.
The scenery along the river is not so beautiful, but the forest looks green and wild, good enough to forget the hustle and bustle in your real life.
Padas River is the main water supply of the cities along it, it is also the main source of hydroelectric power to the entire west coast of Sabah.