Sandakan Itinerary 2019

26^th September 2019 (Thursday)

Labuan >> Menumbok : Ferry ticket RM 2.50 & Depart 8:30am

Menumbok >> Kota KInabalu Sentral (KK Sentral): Menumbok Express RM 18

When in KK Sentral, I bought return ticket with Sipitang Express which cost me RM 18 (Depart 1:30pm).

27^th September 2019 (Friday)

Kota Kinabalu >> Sandakan 10:20am-11:05am

Unexpected the flight a bit early reach Sandakan, before 11am. We took Grab to OYO Hotel London. As the room is not yet prepare so, we walked to San Da Gen Kopitiam (opening hour 8am-5pm) for lunch. At there do not have printed menu. The menu written on a black board. Besides main dishes, it also sell some desserts such as UFO tart, avocado cream puff, durian cream puff and egg tart (RM 2.50).

The environment in San Da Gen Kopitiam is so beautiful and suitable for photo taking. At here, you can get Sandakan Heritage Trail map. I ordered traditional laksa (RM 11.90). The presentation is special as has bean curd skin.

If you wish to go Lubuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary Malaysian (Adult RM 15), you can ask more information with staff in San Da Gen Kopitiam as it provide shuttle bus to there. The nearest hotel with San Da Gen Kopitiam is NAK Hotel.

After lunch, we walked to Genting Mas Mall that near with bus stop. Although “Genting Mas Mall” has the word of “Mall” but I feel like it is a supermarket. That time I went, the mall was blackout so I just go around in ground floor.

Out from Genting Mas Mall, we walked to Sandakan Harbour Mall. Besides mall has the big word of “I love (Symbol of heart) Sandakan” that you can take picture. Inside mall did not has many shops; we stopped a while in Popular Book Store.

After came out from Sandakan Harbour Mall, we direct to our hotel. Around 5pm, we started our Sandakan Heritage Trail but chose some place to go by car. It is not advice to start by 5pm, as many temples and museum were close.

As it was still early, so we went to Kim Fung Market that operates 24 hours. My friend bought Chinese Dumplings. In Sandakan must try for seafood bakuteh and the two most popular restaurant are Nam Cha Seafood Bakuteh (Business Hour: 830am-2pm; 6pm-9pm) and Good Taste Restaurant (Business Hour: 8am-2pm; 6pm-9pm). These two restaurant located in same row.

We chose to go Nam Cha Seafood Bakuteh. As we did not know what to eat so the staff recommended us that every dishes come with a small plate for a taste. The vegetable is so special as also in Bakuteh soup. When you ordered single portion of seafood bakuteh, you will get a whole fish inside of bakuteh soup.

After dinner, my friend suggested to Home Garden Café. This café located in front of house. I like the environment of café which surrounding by plants. I ordered a cup of lemon tea with chocolate macaron. The macaron is taste good with chocolate filings.

28^th September 2019 (Saturday)

Early in the morning, we went for Sandakan Central Market (near Sandakan Harbour Mall) for breakfast. The 2^nd floor of market has Malay food while 3^rd floor has Chinese food or non-halal. We straight away to 3^rd floor and look for 1940 Fried Pork Kway Teow 家传正宗炸肉大粉 (5am-11am).  This kway teow come with small portion. The meat is nice!

Besides that, I saw online review that the food in stall No.33 also delicious. It has seafood noodles come with prawn and fish cakes. After breakfast, my friend drove us to Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre and Bornean Sun BearConservation Centre.

For lunch, we went to Sim Sim Floating Water Village. We looked for house number 84 (Business Hour: 6:30am-1pm). Inside of house has small restaurant that sell century egg dumplings, fish spring roll, sparingly noodle with fried pork.

After that, we look for number 90. At there has sell some dried seafood that is a good souvenir. I bought some dried food for my mum.

This was my first time to see salted fish hanging on the rack under the sun. 

For dinner, my friend suggested went to 傅贵临门 because many people recommend eating prawn noodle. Besides that, we ate Dongfeng snail, squids and vegetable.

After dinner, we went to Kim Fung Night Market. At there, I bought my first ever UFO tart for try. It goes by the name of UFO tart or Cowdung tart just so because of its cute shape. A true Sandakan dessert, this tart is made up of a thin cake base and with sweet custard and meringue top.

29^th September 2019 (Sunday)

Sandakan >> Kota Kinabalu 11:30am-12:20pm

Before went to airport, we were having lunch at Kedai Roti Gold Crown 金冠面包中西饼店 (Business Hour: 8am-5pm). At there has many pastries. We ordered fish soup for breakfast.

Many people come to this shop for UFO tart. I also bought UFO tart that is fresh from oven.

The Sandakan airport is quite small. Inside waiting hall, has a small bookstore that sell many types of illustration book. The flight also early reached KK which on 12pm.

From airport, I took Grab to KK Sentral. This was my first time to use KK Sentral so I not sure where is the place for bus departure. Luckily has kind people to give a direction. When at departure hall, I went down use stairs and wait for bus.

That time around 1pm, the bus was coming and I went inside. As I did not have time for lunch after the flight so I ate inside the bus. After finished eating, the bus depart. I was quite surprised when saw bus depart as the ticket that I bought was depart on 1:30pm.

As beside my seat has an enough seat so the bus stopped at bus stop and one man went into the bus. After that, the bus conductor started checked the ticket.  All the people in bus were holding red color ticket but my ticket was white color.

I wrongly went into the bus!! The bus initially depart on 12:45pm and the bus was late so depart on 1pm. The conductor gave me 2 options, one is go down from bus and another is buy the red color ticket. The red color ticket (Munumbok Express) and white color ticket (Sipitang Express) are not in same company.

Last, I bought a new ticket. When in ferry terminal, I took speedboat (RM 9.70) back. That time seems like want raining and luckily, no raining at the time I reached Labuan.

Future Listing:

• Mei Mei Restaurant/ Soup Ladies (Business Hour: 6:30am-3pm) : Many choice of soup such as seafood/pork spare parts, goji, salted vegetable, tomyam etc. All come with noodle. When use Grab, plot the place at “Equator Café” and walk to here.
• Foodcourt Sandakan Futsal
• Restoran Hung Fatt (Hong Kong Roasted Meat): Opposite Kim Fung Market
• Kedai Makan Kong Teck (Business Hour: 6:30am-11am& Monday close) –fish noodle & seafood cakes
• 7 Heaven Desset Partor (Business Hour: 12pm-10:30pm) : Frozen Yogurt Ice-cream
• Kedai Kopi Fui Chiew (Business Hour: 7am-4pm) : Fried Pork Kway Teow
• Kedai Kopi Baru Bar Lock Yuen (Business Hour 8am-5pm): Red bean paste bun with kaya & butter
• Pasar Makan 1.5 Batu: Near Tam Kung Temple
• Tropical Garden Steamboat

Sandakan Itinerary 2019: Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre & Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre (Malaysian Adult RM 5)               

When in Sandakan, do visit for Orang Utan. This place was quite far from town. We went there by self-drive.  I am not sure whether has any public bus can reach or not.

When in rehabilitation center, do remember that cannot bring the bag during visit and bring along your ticket. You can put those things inside locker provided.

Orang Utan live freely in the jungle, not inside of cage. On the way to a small house, we did not see any Orang Utan. When in small house, you can see the Orang Utan through the transparent window. Many people were taking camera or hand phone to take the best moment of Orang Utan.

Before feeding time, all of us went to a platform and wait for Orang Utan came to eat. At here, you can see lots of foreigners. After some while, we move to Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. On the way, the Orang Utan so close with us! I quite scared they will steal my hand phone. Haha.. Luckily, they are nice.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (Malaysian Adult RM 5.30)

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation is opposite with Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.

Near with ticket counter has souvenirs place such as magnet, t-shirt, books and many more.

Sun Bear same like Orang Utan also live freely inside jungle. See Sun Bear need some luck because they are so small. At the end, we did not see any sun bear, a bit disappointed. I think that maybe they are sleeping or too shy. Haha..

Although I did not have chance to see sun bear but I did saw the founder of Bornean Sun Bear Conservation.

Sandakan Itinerary 2019: OYO Hotel London

Hotel London started out as a residential development during the reestablished British North Borneo company rule and is one of the earliest development near 4th Avenue after the short reign of Imperial Japanese rule in Sandakan. This period after the Pacific war left Sandakan a shadow of its former glory and left many of the development at Sandakan in ruins.

The building was built in 1960 predating the adjacent Sandakan landmark Wisma Khoo and was rented out as several unit of residential apartment for Chinese migrants as well as local people of Sandakan. After a few years the owner decided that because there were a lot of foreign visitors coming to Sandakan during the 60s particularly oversea workers from Japanese construction firms and Hong Kong visitors who were riding the timber and construction boom during one of Sandakan's more busier times, Mr Hing decided that it has a potential to be operated as a Hotel.

Therefore from 1975 the building was operated as a family managed hotel and was named Hotel London. Hotel London started out as a Small budget hotel with 18 rooms and a small lobby at 1st floor and was proudly one of the earliest hotels in Sandakan.

Over the period of 40 years, the hotel has gone for through several renovations and facelift but as a family run hotel we still happily cater for budget oriented clients with the highest standard of hospitality—Online Resource

This hotel name “Hotel London” but not in London, in Sandakan. It is located at the heart of Sandakan city so the location quite strategic. Sandakan Harbor Square, Central Market, Restaurant and many more are within walking distance from hotel. Besides that, it is also within walking distance to Crystal Crest (Turtle Island Booking Office & Jetty) in 10 minutes’ walk.

The room that we stayed was Standard Double Room that cost us RM 32.51 per day (we stayed for 2 nights). We booked via Agoda. Opposite hotel has supermarket that you can buy some simple food and drinks.

At the lobby has computer with internet access. Water dispense also at lobby. Near with entrance has Tourist Information Corner with lots of brochure and catalog.

When I wrote this article, I just knew that it has rooftop garden & fishpond with reading materials and tea & coffee making facilities available.

The room equipped with air-conditional, TV (limited channel), cupboard, table, chair and others. Hotel did provide FREE Wi-Fi but I use my own internet data.

Inside washroom has water heater and it is quite clean.  Basic toiletries provided.

The room did not has hairdryer but you can request from receptionist.

In overall, the hotel is quite good with super cheap price. Bear in mind that the hotel only has stairs. With this hotel price, I can get basic need during travel although the room is quite old such as the door.

Hotel London

Lot D1-D2. Block 10, Jalan Empat,

P.O.Box 498, 90705 Sandakan, Sabah.

Email: hlondon.sdk@gmail.com

URL: http://hlondon.com.my/

Tel: (6) 089 216371, (6)089 216366

Fax: (6)089 216380

Sandakan Itinerary 2019: Sandakan Heritage Trail

Masjid Jamek: This mosque has more than 100 years.

Wiliam Pryer Monument-: Monument of Founder Sandakan.

Sandakan Heritage Museum (Business Hour: 9am-5pm) FREE entrance: Inside display some history of Sandakan.

100 Steps Staircase

Agnes Keith House (Business Hour: 9am-5pm) : Entrance fee RM2 which is a one day pass that can use in Kompleks Muzium Sabah (Kota Kinabalu), Rumah Agnes Keith (Sandakan) & Muzium Agop Batu Tulug (Kinabatangan) within a day. Agnes Keith is American author.

Sandakan Rotary Observatory Pavilion

Temple Godness of Mercy Temple: This temple has 150 year and also known as Kum Yam Temple. This temple close around 5pm.

St Michael & Angels Church

Sam Sing Kung: This temple close around 5pm/4:30pm.