4 Educational Things to Do in Sandakan, Borneo
If you’re heading to Malaysian Borneo in South East Asia and wondering is Sandakan worth visiting, read on for unique things to do in this area of Sabah. There are educational things to do in Sandakan that will make your trip meaningful whether you want to learn about wildlife in Borneo or learn about how Sandakan was effected by WWII.
The main reason I was in Borneo was to do an epic wildlife safari with Borneo Eco Tours. I wrote a blog post detailing the whole 3 day trip which you can read about here. On this trip, I stayed in the same lodge as Sir David Attenborough (the lodge that is on Nat Geo’s list of Unique Lodges of the World)! Before and after my wildlife trip, I spent one day in Sandakan which was the meeting place for the safari tour. The city has lots to offer for travellers and here is a list of things you can do for educational purposes in Sandakan.
At time of writing, 5 MYR = £1
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Getting to Sandakan
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Fly direct from Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia. I paid around £100 for return flights from KL to Sandakan. Alternatively, you can fly internally from most Malaysian airports.
From Sandakan, you can take a taxi or Grab to your accommodation. Grab is such a useful app and widely used in Malaysia. If you download the Grab app, use my referral code GRABHDTRAVELS and we’ll both get discounts on our rides.
Fun fact: Sandakan has something in the middle of every roundabout such as an Orang-utan statue!
Where to Stay in Sandakan
I stayed in a hotel called My Dream Hotel which was about 10 minute drive from Sandakan airport. It was conveniently located with shops and restaurants nearby. The hotel has a 24/7 reception with friendly staff to greet you on arrival. The room was spacious, had air-con, TV to use and a comfortable bed. There is a shared bathroom on the same level.
Click here to book My Dream Hotel.
Educational Things to Do in Sandakan
- Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC)
- Rainforest Discovery Centre
- Sandakan Memorial Park
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
Orangutan translates as ‘Man of the Forest’ and rightly so, as they share 96.4% of our DNA! Sadly, Orang-utans are endangered due to things such as deforestation. There are lots of conservation work happening to help the Orang-utans and visiting Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is one of those things.
Visiting Sepilok is ethical tourism because it is not a zoo but a place that cares for Orangutans. The UK charity, Orangutan Appeal UK support the centre and raise funds for projects and conservation.
According to Orangutan Appeal UK,
- ‘It is estimated that there is a Bornean population of approximately 105,000 individuals which is projected to decline to 47,000 individuals by 2025.’
- ‘The combined impacts of the above threats equate to an 86% population reduction of the Bornean Orangutan between 1973 and 2025, which means they are now listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are a species close to extinction.’
You have the opportunity to visit the centre to learn about Orangutans, conservation work and even see Orangutans in the wild. On arrival at the centre, you are shown a video which tells you all the information about the centre, the Orang-utans and other ways you can help.
Afterwards, you put your belongings in a locker because you cannot take bags/hats, etc. into the reserve because the Orang-utans are extremely curious and may take your stuff! Then you show your ticket and you can explore the rainforest.
Within thirty seconds of entering, there was one orang-utan sat, perched on the fence of the boardwalk and we were advised to quickly walk past. There are guides all over the place and one of them distracted the Orangutan so I could walk past; it was surreal.
We also saw one climbing a tree and also a mother and her baby feeding. There is a rehabilitation nursery that you can visit with orphaned Orang-utans playing and eating. They have a lot of information about how they help the young and eventually release them back into the wild.
It is a one-of-a-kind experience and an unmissable thing to do in Borneo.
Note: You must not come in close contact with the animals or even make eye contact. As they share such close DNA with us they are likely to catch diseases.
Entry Price for Orangutan Centre: 30 MYR
Address: Sabah Wildlife Department, W.D.T. 200, Sandakan, Jalan Sepilok, Sepilok, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC)
Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre is within the same grounds as the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre so it’s easy to do them in one trip. Bornean Sun Bears are the world’s smallest bears and only found in South East Asia. The centre has around 43 Sun Bears, all of which will hopefully be released back into the wild.
There are stories you can read at the centre about previous Sun Bears released into the wild and how the rehabilitation does work.
Entry Price for Sun Bear Centre: 15.90 MYR
Address: Sabah Wildlife Department, W.D.T. 200, Sandakan, Jalan Sepilok, Sepilok, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Rainforest Discovery Centre
Located in the Sepilok Forest Reserve, about 40 minutes drive from Sandakan city centre, is the Rainforest Discovery Centre. The rainforest has a sky tower to see the forest from a high view point including rare bird species and other wildlife if you’re lucky, such as the Bornean Bristlehead. We didn’t see much wildlife but we marvelled at the beautiful nature surrounding us. We did see a tree that is about 2000 years old though!
The indoor centre (with air-con) is where you can learn a lot about flora, fauna and wildlife in Sabah. They have extensive information with pictures and examples surrounding the room where you can learn how special Borneo is to have this incredible wildlife. Sepilok is located in the state of Sabah and here are some facts about animal species in Sabah:
- 221 species of mammals
- 586 species of birds
- 197 species of reptiles
- 98 species of amphibians
- 155 species of freshwater fish
- 819 species of marine fish
The centre is one of the best things to do in Sandakan.
Entry Price for Rainforest Discovery Centre: 7 MYR
Address: Sepilok, 90715 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Sandakan Memorial Park
Sandakan Memorial Park is in remembrance of the Prisoners of War from World War II and the sacrifices of local people.
This was a harrowing experience and something you must do when visiting Sandakan, out of respect for all those who lost their lives.
There was a total of 2,500 prisoners, of which only 6 survived. The park has boards dotted around that help you understand what happened during the war including the death march, the local heroes and the conditions of the camps. There is an indoor centre that inform you about the story including personal accounts from the survivors. It was deeply moving.
The story of Sandakan might never have been known if it was not for those 6 survivors.
The park has a serenity about it and is a good place to remember what happened to the victims during the war. You can sit on the benches, walk through the pathways and observe the lake to reflect with remembrance.
Address: Mile 8, Jalan Labuk, Taman Rimba, 90702 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
That’s my four recommendations for places to visit in Sandakan, Borneo. Of course, going on a wildlife safari is probably at the top of your list but if staying in the city, definitely check these places out. Alternatively, if you want to go on a guided tour in Sandakan, see here.
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