Sandakan & Sepilok travel guide
Orangutans, sun bears and the Kinabatangan River. Most people stay 2–4 nights. Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Highlights
- Sepilok orangutans
- Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Kinabatangan River cruise
- Rainforest Discovery Centre
Things to do in Sandakan & Sepilok
- Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre · 2.5 h · about ₹600 per person. Feeding times are around 10am and 3pm; keep bags zipped and no insect repellent near the platform. Closed for a break around midday.
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre · 1.5 h · about ₹650 per person. Opposite the orangutan centre; pair the two on one visit.
- Kinabatangan River wildlife cruise with Gomantong Caves · Full day · about ₹7,000 per person. Wildlife is most active on the dusk and dawn cruises, so an overnight at a river lodge beats a day trip. Expect flooding in Dec–Feb.
- Rainforest Discovery Centre canopy walk · 2.5 h · about ₹350 per person. Best at opening or late afternoon for birds; guided night walks run from nearby lodges.
- Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary · 3 h · about ₹1,300 per person. Feeding sessions are mid-morning and mid-afternoon; transport from Sepilok is about 45 minutes.
- Sandakan heritage trail & Agnes Keith House · 2.5 h · about ₹300 per person
- Sandakan Memorial Park (WWII POW camp) · 1.5 h · free
- Turtle Islands Park (Selingan) overnight · Full day · about ₹18,000 per person. Beds on Selingan are limited and sell out months ahead; turtle nesting is watched in small groups after dark.
Where to stay in Sandakan & Sepilok
- Sandakan town centre (budget, ₹1,500–₹3,000 a night): Seafront hotels near the market and heritage trail; 30 min to Sepilok.
- Sepilok jungle lodges (mid, ₹3,500–₹8,000 a night): Walk to the orangutan and sun bear centres; night walks from the lodge.
- Kinabatangan River lodges (premium, ₹9,000–₹22,000 a night): Full-board river lodges with dawn and dusk wildlife cruises, about 2h from Sepilok.
What to eat
- Seafood: Sandakan town seafront restaurants
- Dim sum breakfast: Sandakan town centre
Getting there
- Flights from Kuala Lumpur ~2h45m or Kota Kinabalu ~45 min
- Bus or car from Kota Kinabalu ~6h via Kinabalu Park
- Taxi from SDK ~25 min to Sepilok
Good to know
- Dec–Feb rains can flood Kinabatangan lodges and paths.
- Sepilok feeding times are fixed; plan arrivals around them.
Malaysia itineraries with Sandakan & Sepilok
- Sabah wildlife: Kota Kinabalu, Kinabalu Park & Sandakan · 8 days · 8 days, Kota Kinabalu → Kinabalu Park & Kundasang → Sandakan & Sepilok · from ₹84,475 per person, base estimate before flights. Islands off Kota Kinabalu, cool mountain air at Kinabalu Park, then orangutans, sun bears and the Kinabatangan River.
- Sarawak and Sabah: Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Kinabalu Park & Sandakan · 11 days · 11 days, Kuching → Kota Kinabalu → Kinabalu Park & Kundasang → Sandakan & Sepilok · from ₹1,00,000 per person, base estimate before flights. Both Malaysian Borneo states: Kuching's orangutans and longhouse culture, then Sabah's islands, mountain and river wildlife.
- Grand tour: the peninsula and Sabah · 15 days · 15 days, Kuala Lumpur → Cameron Highlands → Penang → Kota Kinabalu → Kinabalu Park & Kundasang → Sandakan & Sepilok · from ₹1,18,050 per person, base estimate before flights. Two weeks from Kuala Lumpur's towers to the tea hills and George Town, then across to Borneo for the mountain and the wildlife.