Bongawan

Bongawan
Bongawan
Coordinates: 5°32′0″N 115°51′0″E
Country	Malaysia
State	Sabah

Pre-World War II shophouses in Bongawan.

Bongawan is a town in the state of Sabah in Malaysia. It is located in the West Coast Division and is approximately 60 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. Bongawan is situated within the parliamentary constituency of Kimanis. It is one of the major stops for the North Borneo Railway.

The name Bongawan is local parlance for 'bangau' (egrets), a common sight at the paddy fields surrounding the hamlet.

The town's main claim to fame are its two blocks of old wooden shophouses, which date from 1939. Architecturally-similar shophouses existed all over Sabah in the pre-World War II era. However, after all the major towns suffered heavy Japanese and Allied bombing in the war, most of these were completely destroyed and the shophouses in Bongawan have become a rare remnant of the pre-war era in this part of Sabah. Most of the current shops are operated by the Chinese minority, which comprise mainly of Hakkas and Hokkiens.