Sandakan is the largest city in eastern Borneo and acts as a base for exploring the wildlife of the area. The harbour itself is rather smaller, but you can soak up the local atmosphere and see a few sights.
Sandakan is a great base for trips to Sepiloku, the Kinabatangan River and also to some of the islands.
What to see in Sandakan?
Sandakan doesn't exactly abound in sights, but there are a few historical attractions:
- Sim Sim Water Village - A village on wooden stilts over the water where you can walk around and see the traditional way of life.
- Puu Jih Shih Temple - A classical Chinese temple above the town with views of the harbour and ocean.
- Agnes Keith House - A colonial villa with a museum in honour of writer Agnes Keith, who lived in the town and wrote several books about life in Borneo.
- St. Michael'sChurch- A beautiful stone church from colonial times that you really wouldn't expect to find in Borneo.
Accommodation in Sandakan
Sandakan has a good network of accommodation - from simple backpacker hostels to comfortable hotels.
The following hotels are worth recommending in the port area:
If you don't mind staying outside the city centre, choose from these hotels as well:
Transportation to Sandakan
There are several ways to get to Sandakan.
By air
The city has a small airport , Sandakan SDK, with direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and several cities in Borneo.
By bus
There are direct buses to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu, Semporna, Tawau and many other cities. You can buy bus tickets online through 12go.com.
The bus terminal is located on Jalan Lintas Utara to the north of the city.
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in Sabah.
