Are you looking for a unique wild experience? Go to Sandakan, Sabah to see wildlife at Sukau, to watch engaging orangutan, and see the fascinating live turtles at Selingan. Sandakan offers the opportunity for you to explore and experience exotic wildlife.
The Sepilok boasts of its 40 sq. km. permanent reserve with flourishing main jungle where the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is established. This is where the confiscated, injured, or orphaned orangutans take refuge. Visitors can enjoy watching them during feeding sessions twice daily before they go back into the jungle.
In Selingan where the Turtle National Park is situated consists of three islands where Hawksbill and Green turtles come to lay their eggs on the beaches.
The Malaysia’s top wildlife viewing location is in Sukau where the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary stretches as far as 27,000 ha along Sabah’s Kinabatangan River. You can find here four primate colonies living in the same area; the grey langur, maroon langur, silvered langur, and the proboscis monkey.
Around the month of June, you can see here the Borneon pygmy elephants which are considered distinct species of the elephants in Asia.
Variety of birds are also found in the area like the crow, oriole, drongo, spiderhunter, 8 species of hornbill, flowpecker, oriental darter, and many more.
Your entire adventure includes Sandakan City tour, watch ashore for egg laying turtles, drop by the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, and wildlife viewing via river cruise. Sit back and relax as wildlife beauty gradually unfolds. The cost AS OF 2008 is around RM1,880 per person with a minimum of 2 persons.
Itinerary
1st Day: Sandakan – Selingan
At ETD 0740hrs you are expected at Sandakan airport. Then 30 minutes after, you will board the jetty for one hour travel to Selingan Island. Get a cottage. You are now free to explore the island. After dinner, the Park Ranger will guide you with others to watch the Green Turtle lay eggs.
2nd Day: Selingan – Sandakan – Sepilok
Go back to Sandakan by boat then go to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. See the feeding of the Orangutans while trekking through the forest. Proceed to Sandakan jetty to cruise along Kinabatangan, the longest river in Sabah, and take the chance to see wildlife and birds in rainforest habitats, wetland, and virgin mangrove. Cruise the river with electric motor in the late afternoon to view the ten species of monkeys including Proboscis monkeys.
3rd Day: Sukau
At 6 am you will board the river cruise along Kinabatangan River to view the wildlife and birds. Then you will head to the Kelenanap ox-bow lake for a brief walk in the jungle. The move on to see more wildlife through river cruise in the afternoon. After dinner, you can spot nocturnal animals, birds, and crocodiles via night safari cruise at additional fee. Spend the night in rainforest lodge.
4th Day: Sukau – Sandakan
You will then return to Sandakan by boat after breakfast. You will have a short tour at water village, The Australian War Memorial, and The Agnes Keith House in Sandakan town after lunch. You will then proceed to the airport for your departure flight.
You will be housed in Park HQ, a rainforest eco-lodge with 20 rooms which is world renown. Solar heaters supply hot water. All rooms are complete with hot shower, bathroom, mosquito netting, ceiling fan, and a twin bed. You will certainly find this as the most green and environmentally friendly lodge.
However, it excludes airfare of around US$58/person via Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan then back to Kota Kinabalu. You can visit here anytime of the year.
You can reach Sandakan by air from Kuching Airport at Kota Kinabalu. Daily flights are also available from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan is recommended so you can arrive on time during the 10 am Orangutan feeding at Sepilok Nature Resort, or you will have to stay overnight at Sepilok Nature Resort.
The entire tour starts and ends in Sandakan. You can also spend your leisure time at Lankayan Island Dive Resort at the end of the tour.
The Sukau Rainforest Lodge has its own power and water supply through solar energy and rainwater. It is made of hardwood stilts. There is a bathroom in each room with solar hot water shower. In order to minimize noise and air pollution, the river safari tours use electric motors.
The Sukau Rainforest Lodge was named “Tourism for Tommorow Award 1997” by British Airways. It has also garnered “Green Hotelier of the Year 1999” and “International Hotel and Restaurant Association Environment Award 1999”.
For every overseas guest who stays will correspond to a donation of US$1 (RM 3.2) for every adult to Sukau Ecotourism Research and Development Center (SERDC).
The lodge supports the local inhabitants of the area, the Orang Sungei, or commonly called the people of the river. Hiring and training of the locals are a priority. The community is the main source of other services and boats are also bought from them.
The special elephant pass is purposely built for the migrating elephants that move back into the jungle. This unique event happens every quarter.
