Sandakan Travel Forum

the ferry leaves from sandakan at 10.00 am to lankayan.

Air Asia flight from K.L. arrives unfortunately only at 10.00 Is there any possibility to get to the island later? Even by private boat charter if necessary?

Hi, will be travelling to Sandakan as a gateway to the wildlife of Borneo. Would be staying 3 days in Sandakan. Was wondering if there are any nice cafes/restaurants? What are the local food?

Plus any tourist traps?

How are the people like? Friendly?

I went to Kuching, Sarawak; found the people friendly; the Sarawak laksa (food) spicy! But I like spicy food...

Thanks.

Hello,

Please help..my Mas Wing flight from SDK to TWU was cancelled on the 1APR.
Does any know where can i get a public coach and how much would it cost?
I need to be there by the 1APR as i have a pick up from TWU to Semporna jetty.
Private transfer is too much for the both of us...

Any coach company that i can call in SDK to find out fare and schedules?
Appreciate if someone could help....many thanks!

Hi,my friends and i about 6 persons will visit Sandakan for 6D/5N this coming Sept. We would like to include the following in our trip,
# Orang Utan Sanctuary
# 3D/2N Island trip where package for snorkeling provided (can make it at turtle island? Or the famous Sipadan Island?)
# eat the cheap but fresh seafood at Tawau...

Is 6D/5N enough for all these? Any others suggested must-go place? Please help to arrange....

Thanks a lot in advance...

We're planing flying from Zamboanga in the Philippines to Sandakan in Malaysia where can we book this flight and how much we have to pay?
I know Asian spirit fly's this route , but how much is this flight?
Salamat Datang,
Mtrue

Has anyone done the 5 day/ 4 night trip at Uncle Tan's? (2 nights at camp, 2 nights in the jungle) Any feedback? Tips? How were the leeches??

I will be in Sandakan in March. I will be staying at Uncle Tan's. Afterwards, I would like to go on to the Lahad Datu/Danum Valley area in an attempt to see orang utans. Is there any way to stay overnight in that area without staying at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge? That seems a bit too touristy. I've read a bunch of conflicting reports on being able to stay at a Research Station in this area. Your suggestions on this topic or other areas of Malaysian Borneo that are good for orang utan spotting would be appreciated. (I am aware of the "sanctuaries"...I prefer places were I could possibly glimpse them in the "wild") THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi,

We're off to Sabah in May '08 and we are looking for possible routes from Tawau to Sandakan. I have looked into flights with MASwings, but due to feedback on a number ofsites from people who have had flights cancelled / delayed, I would like to have a back up plan. Does anyone have any idea of how much a taxi ride would cost and how long this would take? I understand the bus would take around 5-6 hours, but due to time constraints on our holiday we would like to get there as quickly as possible and I presume a taxi would be quicker?

Any information would be most appreciated!

Hi there! Does anyone have information about bus service going between KK and Sandakan? How often does it run, and is it an overnight bus? Or, is there any bus service that goes from Kinabalu National Park straight to Sandakan? Appreciate any information provided. Thanks in advance.

Hello! My boyfriend and i are travelling all over asia our first stop is the philippines and we are wanting to come to Sandakan after however we are having a really hard time finding travel scheudals from Zamboanga/Mindanao to Sandankan we were hoping to take the cheapest means of travel but we can not find anything!! haha so if someone could help us out it would be great we are looking to leave the philippines on the 5th of october! if you could let us know costs of ferry how long the ferry takes if it travels to sandakan often! or if anyone knows cheap airlines the fly from Zamboanga/Mindanao to sandakan thank you!!!!!!!!

Any nice & budget accommodation recommended in Sandakan Town?

Any travel tips to Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary?

Any other special attractions in Sandakan?

Many thanks in advanced :)

We would like to visit Turtle Island, Borneo. Is it possible one day between the 21īst and 24īth of july?
Is it necessary to book ahead before arrivial? Please write to this adress: 240137@cvufyn.dk within the next week thanks.

From
Melissa Dorthe Hansen, Julie Boysen, Line Ammundsen og Marie Lind Pedersen

Hi,

I am interested in staying in Turtle Island when I visit Sandakan in August. What are the rates of the accommodation? How do I book the accommodation? Is there any website or contact which I can do so?

Thanks in advance.

I was wondering if anyone has been on either of these tours and could tell me which one would be better:

Red Ape Encounter's Discovery tour
http://www.redapeencounters.com/rae_pac_02.htm

or Sepilok Resort's Primate tour
http://www.sepilokjungleresort.com/TourPrimates.html

At the moment we can only do a max 3 day tour.

tarzana

I was told by FAX airlines can get you there but they do not respond to my emails... by bus? I was told it is a 6 hour ride. I imagine grueling. Has one done this bus ride? Does anyone know the bus or plane schedule?

tarzana

Hello

I am looking for advice on how to travel from Semporna to Sandakan - found lots the other way around so it looks I am doing things back to front!

Does anybody times/length/cost for buses/minivans from Semporna to Sandakan (or Lahad Datu). In fact I am hoping to get to the ferry next to Kinabatangan bridge - any ideas?

any help would be much appreciated!

Poh

We are in the process of booking two nights at the above lodge. Can anyone give us some idea on the best way to get there from Sandakan. We don't want to hire a car. Can we get a taxi there and back? If so what is the approx cost? Any help appreciated.

Hi fellow friends,

I will be going to Sandakan in 2 weeks time and I will be spending about 4days3night there.

My main objective is to visit Sepilok Orang Utan sanctuary. But since I have a few days with me, it will be great if someone can recommend places for me to visit and places to stay.

My preferences will be jungle or river location that are relatively easy to visit since I am travelling with my wife.

Thank you

Hi there,
my girl friend and I will be visiting Turtle Island, whats the facillaties like can you get a beer and some thing to eat? cheers Steve.

Hi there, we are visiting sandakan in june and would like to visit turtle island, i have heard that you are taken there early morning and there is nothing much to do until evening when you get to see the turtles. Can anyone tell me if this is right. thanking you Karen

I proposed to visit sandakan in March 2007.
I will Spend 4days 3 night in sandakan.
The places i wish to go are turtle island, sepilok orang utan.
Besides these any other place to go?
if anyone know which travel tour company organise the tour to these place?
If i go myself to these place which one is cheaper? how to go??
Which hotel in Sandakan is cheaper and near to the towm centre?

How easy is it to pick up transport from the airport to Sepilok and probsiscus monkey feeding area? what sort of costs involved? thanks

Hi all,

I'm thinking of doing Uncle Tan's wildlife trip and then moving on to Semporna to do some dives. The thing is, how do I get there?

From my research, there is an early direct bus to Semporna but I will leave Uncle Tan's camp at 10AM --> too late to catch the bus. The website says it can drop me off at Lahad Datu. Does anyone have any idea, from Lahad Datu --> Semporna, how I get a bus ticket/ how much it cost/ how long is the journey?

I think I can also go to Sankadan town and take an Air Asia flight KK then to Tawau and then a bus to Semporna but its too leceh (troublesome) and needs tooo many connections. *exhausted*

Thanks for reading this post and your replies!!


cheers,
Vyn

I will be flying into Sandakan on Airasia from JB in October, for 2 nights. Have provisionally booked one night at Sepilok Jungle Resort, as well as a Kinabantang river trip with one night in Bilit Camp. Planning to spend one morning at Sepilok Orang Utang sanctuary. Any other must see or do's in and around Sandakan ? How best to get from Sandakan airport to Sep Jungle Resort? Thanks for any advice
Reg

Will be travelling to Sabah in December. Thinking of going around by bus to save cost and seeing places. Can anyone help me with these questions?
1. How much from KK to Sandakan and the time taken?
2. The bus fare from Sandakan to Tawau and the time taken?
3. And from Tawau back to KK by bus and the time taken?

Are the roads okay and any other information will be greatly appreciated.

Stech

We will be staying in Sandakan at the Sabah Hotel at the end of April. Is there a danger of malaria and should we be taking a malaria prophylaxis? We have determined that we do not need it anywhere else we will be visiting. We will be on a tour. The group does not advise about malaria.
Thanks for your response.

Is one of the ferries running between Sandakan/Sabah and Zamboanga/Mindanao also transporting cars (ro-ro)?

Is it necessary to organise a river trip through a tour company, or are their boats that we could catch from the local jetty?

Thanks very much for any replies.

Dianne

Perth, Australia.

Can anybody help me by recommending the cheapest and best way to go to the
airport from the Ferry terminal to the Airport.

How much would the approx. costs costs be if by bus or taxi?

I am travelling with my wife and seven yr old son.

I'm planing to go on decembert to Sepilonk, and Sukau, overnight in a river lodge.

Is really the monsoon a trouble on these date?