Rafflesia is a genus of parasitic flowers that bloom off vines in lowland rainforest regions of Borneo and Southeast Asia. The largest flower in the world, Rafflesia blooms only last between five and seven days, giving visitors a short window to photograph it in glory. In Sabah, the largest species is
Rafflesia keithii, grown abundantly in private farms at
Ranau. Most of these captive Rafflesia gardens are stationed along the main road to
Poring Hot Springs. When a blooming occurs, signboards go out and tour buses arrive, unloading visitors who pay between MYR20-30 each to see these flowers. A rarer species,
Rafflesia pricei, also grows in this region but is more well known from
Tambunan.
