Does the rafflesia flower really smell bad💐?

Turns out — not always! The variant we saw in Kota Kinabalu didn’t have a strong scent at all, just a faint musty smell. We visited the Tambunan Rafflesia Information Centre, you can hire a local guide (recommended) as you probably will not be able to find the flower. The guide was friendly and very knowledgeable, we asked her a lot of questions and she gave us a lot of insights on the flower! Depending on the season, the hike to the bloom varies — the one we did was about 30 minutes downhill to the furthest point. Not too tough, but wear proper shoes (might be slippery if it’s raining) Added a photo of what a Rafflesia looks like after it dies — it only blooms for a few days before wilting and turning into this dark, cabbage looking thing😅 📞 Pro tip: Call the center beforehand to check if the flower is blooming and how long the hike will be — it changes based on the time of year. Overall, a unique and worthwhile stop if you’re exploring KK! #kotakinabaluguide #travel #naturalwonders #rafflesia #kotakinabalu #mountain #myitinerary