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Experience the best of Sandakan

Sandakan is a harbour town on Sabah's east coast in Malaysian Borneo, and the gateway to orangutans, sun bears, turtle islands and the Kinabatangan River.

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Sandakan sits on a deep bay on the north-east coast of Borneo, in the Malaysian state of Sabah. It was the capital of British North Borneo until 1946, and its waterfront still has stilt villages, a fish market and old shophouses. Puu Jih Shih, a Chinese temple on a hill, looks over the harbour, and Agnes Keith House recalls the American author who lived here. A memorial park marks the site of a wartime prisoner-of-war camp.

At Sepilok, west of town, an orangutan rehabilitation centre cares for orphaned apes in a rainforest reserve, and a neighbouring centre looks after sun bears. Boat trips on the Kinabatangan River spot proboscis monkeys, hornbills and sometimes pygmy elephants. The Gomantong Caves swarm with bats and swiftlets whose nests are harvested, and Turtle Islands Park protects green turtles that nest on its beaches.

Seafood is the main event here, from grilled fish and crab to prawns, served at open-air waterfront stalls, alongside hinava, a Sabah dish of raw fish in lime, and strong kopi in old Chinese coffee shops. The climate is equatorial, hot and humid year-round, with the heaviest rain from November to February.

  • 4.1 across the top 2

Top experiences in Sandakan

Day trips from Sandakan

12

Guided tours in Sandakan

27

Outdoor and adventure activities in Sandakan

5

Nature and wildlife tours in Sandakan

13

Desert and safari experiences in Sandakan

8

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