01 February 2014

Sandakan is a small city on the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia Borneo. It is a port city and relies heavily on the palm oil trade, as well as other exports like cocoa, tobacco and sago.

Tourists use this city as a gateway to Sabah’s natural beauty with nearby eco-tourism destinations such as the Sepilok reserve, Turtle Islands, Danum Valley and the Kinabatangan River. It does not have much to see in the city itself but offers a couple of nice restaurants and a shopping mall at Harbour Square.  There are also a few historical sites and a museum if you have some time to kill.

It is about 6 hours by bus to Semporna and 2.5 hours to Bilit (known for eco-tourism lodges along the Kinabatangan river).

Read more on Sepilok, Kinabatangan River and Semporna here.