The 6 Best Things to Do in Sandakan Borneo: What I Loved & What You can Skip

Last Updated on June 21, 2025 by Oliver

I’m going to assume you’re in Borneo for the same reason I was: the wildlife. Seeing wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and pygmy elephants was at the very top of my list when I planned my trip to Borneo.

The good news is, you can do all of that from here, Sandakan. The city was my base for several days while I explored the rainforest by boat and on foot, trying to spot some of Borneo’s most incredible animals.

Now, just to be upfront: Sandakan itself isn’t anything special. In fact, I’d say it’s a little rough around the edges actually. But the location is what really matters here and the amazing things to do around Sandakan more than make up for it.

In this article, I’ll walk you through my experience, the best things to do in Sandakan, and whether or not each one is actually worth it. Let’s get into it.

Things to Do in Sandakan – My Experience

So like I mentioned in the intro, I didn’t really like Sandakan as a city. It’s just not very pretty. But I did find a cheap and comfortable place to stay, and it worked perfectly as a base to explore Sepilok and the Kinabatangan River.

I stayed in Sandakan the whole time and just took Grabs (the local Uber equivalent) to places like the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Rainforest Discovery Centre. Most rides took about 30 minutes and only cost me between $6–8, which is crazy cheap.

I know I could’ve stayed in Sepilok instead, and honestly that probably would’ve been nicer. You’d be closer to all the wildlife stuff, and the accommodation options there are definitely more scenic and peaceful. But I just wanted somewhere affordable with cheap food options around, so I stuck to Sandakan. That said, if you’re happy to spend a little more, I’d absolutely recommend staying in Sepilok instead.

Anyway, back to the actual highlights. The wildlife activities around Sandakan were easily my favorite part of the whole Borneo trip. From watching baby orangutans at the orangutan sanctuary to spotting hornbills at the Rainforest Discovery Centre and chasing the Bornean Big 5, it was some of the best wildlife experiences I’ve ever had.

1. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

I absolutely loved the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, this was where I saw orangutans for the very first time in the wild. (Well, semi-wild maybe, but still incredibly special.) The orangutans here are completely free to go wherever whenever, I pretty much only come back to the feeding platforms and after the feeding they head out back into the rainforest.I actually visited the center twice in one day. I went in the morning for the 10 AM feeding, then during their lunch break I visited the Sun Bear Sanctuary next door, and came back for the second feeding at 3 PM, your ticket is valid all day, which is great.

Seeing the bigger orangutans swing down from the trees with their little babies was honestly so cool. They came right over our heads to get to the feeding platform, and it felt super close and personal. Then in the nursery we watched a bunch of younger ones just messing around with each other, which was super entertaining. It was definitely one of the biggest highlights of my Borneo trip.

One thing I’ll mention is that there are some pretty ridiculous reviews online calling this place a zoo, which couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re at all unsure about the ethics of visiting, go to the visitor center, watch the short documentary, and read about the work they’re doing here. It’ll give you a much better idea of just how important and helpful this sanctuary is for the orangutans.

2. Sun Bear Conservation Center

The Sun Bear Conservation Center was actually a fun little place to visit and since it’s right next door to the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, I’d definitely recommend doing what I did: visit the orangutans in the morning, then head over to see the sun bears afterward.

Sun bears are the smallest bears in the world, and they’re honestly so cute and playful. We ended up standing there for at least 45 minutes just watching them mess around, they were hilarious. 

The setup here is a bit different from the orangutan sanctuary. While the orangutans roam freely, the sun bears are in large, forested enclosures. Most of them were rescued from situations where they were kept as pets or mistreated, and unfortunately, they can’t be released back into the wild. That’s why they live here now, in a protected environment where they can still climb, dig, and just be bears.

There’s also a visitor center and a short film, which I really recommend watching, it gives you a better understanding of the work being done and the challenges these animals face.

Little highlight: while we were at the sun bear sanctuary, we actually saw an orangutan swinging through the trees above us, which makes total sense, they’re free to go wherever they want. Such a cool surprise.

3. Rainforest Discovery Center

I wasn’t actually sure if I wanted to visit the Rainforest Discovery Center, but I’m so glad I did. I went on my last day in Borneo and it turned out to be super cool.

The center is also in Sepilok, and it definitely feels more like you’re really exploring the jungle and less like a boardwalk experience and more like proper walking trails and small treks. When I was there, it was super quiet, barely anyone else around, so it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. We ended up spotting hornbills and these giant squirrels (which are honestly weirdly massive, I’d never seen anything like them).

The canopy walks here are awesome too. You get these high-up views over the rainforest that honestly gave me total Jurassic Park vibes. You can spot orangutans and other monkeys here too, although we didn’t get lucky. But if you’re looking for a more immersive, off-the-path rainforest experience, I really rate the Rainforest Discovery Center.

4. Kinabatangan River Cruise

My absolute highlight in Borneo was the Kinabatangan River cruise. The Kinabatangan River, part of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, is one of the best-preserved patches of rainforest in the world. It’s incredibly dense and home to a crazy amount of wildlife.

We stayed at a lodge by the river for two nights and did both jungle treks and boat cruises along the river, hoping to spot Borneo’s “Big 5.” Spoiler alert: we saw 3 out of 5. But we did see wild orangutans, which honestly felt even more special than seeing them in Sepilok. We also spotted proboscis monkeys, different types of macaques, silver leaf monkeys, tons of hornbills, and some kingfishers. We didn’t get lucky with pygmy elephants or crocodiles, but the overall experience was still amazing.

I’d definitely recommend staying at the Kinabatangan River for at least two nights if you can, but if you’re short on time, a one-night stay or even a day trip is still 100% worth it.

5. English Tea House

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m not the biggest fan of Sandakan, and I don’t want to pretend there’s loads to do there. But I still felt like I should include at least one thing to do in the city itself, and that’s visiting the English Tea House.

The restaurant has a cute little garden and some great views over Sandakan and the ocean. It’s located next to the Agnes Keith House. It’s an English colonial-inspired spot, so not exactly authentic, but still a fun place to have lunch.

It actually reminded me of the English tea places in Sri Lanka, where they feel a bit more authentic because of the colonial history and honestly, this one didn’t really live up to that. 

We went for the high tea, and while the quality was just okay, it was still a fun little experience if you’re looking for some fun things to do in Sandakan. That said, I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here again.

6. Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary (Controversial)

So I actually didn’t visit the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary myself because I wasn’t sure about it. When I did my research, it seemed like a lot of people were boycotting the place since the owner of the sanctuary also owns a huge palm oil plantation in the area, which, as we all know, is one of the biggest threats to the rainforest.

On the flip side, they did leave a chunk of the forest intact for the proboscis monkeys to live in, and the sanctuary does have scheduled feedings, kind of like what they do at the orangutan center. So I’ve read very mixed reviews, and I’m still not sure where I stand on it.

Personally, I skipped it. And then I ended up seeing loads of proboscis monkeys during my Kinabatangan River cruise anyway, which was a much better and more natural experience. So my advice is, do the Kinabatangan cruise first, there’s a good chance you’ll see them in the wild. If not, then you can still think about visiting the sanctuary afterward.

The Best Time to Visit Sandakan

The best time to visit Sandakan, and Borneo in general, is during the dry season, which runs from May to October. Yes, it can get pretty hot, but you’ll mostly get blue skies. And that’s exactly what you want when it comes to spotting orangutans because they hate the rain even more than we do. When it rains, your chances of seeing them drop big time.

How to Get to Sandakan

In most cases, I recommend flying into Sandakan. It has its own airport, and you can even fly directly from Kuala Lumpur, which honestly makes a lot of sense if you’re only coming for the orangutans and wildlife, you can totally skip Kota Kinabalu if that’s the case.

Otherwise, if you’re already in Kota Kinabalu, you can fly from there too (quick and cheap if you book early) or take the bus, which is what I did. It’s an 8-hour journey and wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but definitely not the best either.

Where to Stay in Sandakan

I’d definitely recommend staying in Sepilok over Sandakan if you’re happy to spend a bit more. Sepilok Nature Lodge is a gorgeous rainforest lodge with a sun terrace and deck over a lake. The decor feels like proper jungle vibes, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot orangutans from your bedroom window since it’s right next to the Sepilok orangutan rehabilitation center.

Book Here: Sepilok Nature Lodge

If you want to stay somewhere a little more upscale but still be in Sandakan, then Sabah Hotel is one of the best hotels in Sandakan for you.. It’s the most upscale hotel in the area and definitely where I’d stay if I was looking to base myself in Sandakan.

Book Here: Sabah Hotel

But if you’d rather stay in Sandakan, maybe to be closer to the airport or because you’re traveling on a tighter budget then there are some pretty decent cheap options too. We stayed at YX Oasis Hotel, which was super basic but also super affordable and only 7 minutes from the airport. It totally did the job for a budget stay.

Book Here: YX Oasis Hotel

Final Thoughts on the Top Things to Do in Sandakan Malaysia

Well, again, Sandakan as a city is meh. But as a base to explore the wildlife in the area, it’s amazing. The Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary is one of my favorite places in Borneo, and I definitely think both the Sun Bear conservation centre and the Rainforest Discovery Center are worth visiting too. That’s probably why I’d recommend staying in Sepilok over Sandakan, everything you’re coming for is right there.

The absolute highlight of my time in Borneo was the Kinabatangan River cruise. If you scroll down a bit, you’ll find more of my guides that explain in detail how to do one. Alright, I hope you have the best time possible in Borneo. Happy orangutan spotting!

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