Lahad Datu is the capital of the Lahad Datu District, located on the Dent Peninsula within the Tawau Division of Sabah, Malaysia. As of a 2010 estimate, the town had a population of approximately 27,887 residents.
The surrounding landscape of the town is characterized by extensive cocoa and palm oil plantations. Economically, Lahad Datu serves as an important timber exporting port and features an airport that facilitates domestic flights.