Things to do in Sandakan

We were picked up from our hotel by our driver, who drove only us throughout the day. Unfortunately, he spoke very little English, so the 2.5-hour drive was quiet. When asked where we would be taken first, he couldn't answer and had us speak to the (presumably) tour guide via his phone. Our first stop was a local restaurant called "Restaurant Simpang Tiga" directly on the Kinabatangan River, where we were asked to have drinks and food. The restrooms there were in local conditions (no flush, no paper). Afterward, our driver took us to Lepit Jetty (Sukau Backpackers), where we were equipped and boarded a boat with about 8 other people to go out on the river. We were very lucky that day, as we saw orangutans, hornbills, elephants, and proboscis monkeys. The river cruise was therefore beautiful. Our guide unfortunately didn't talk much with us, but it was also his first tour.

We had the most amazing and fun time on this tour. We loved our time on Kinabatang River where we saw macaque and proboscis monkeys, a Pygmy elephant, crocodiles and birdlife. Our guides Robert and Jeanette were very friendly and knowledgeable. The Bilit Lodge is simple but very clean and satisfactory. The food was also very enjoyable and tasty. Our only downside was that we booked late and couldn't secure accommodation in Sepilok so missed the opportunity to spend some additional time there. The tour company arranged alternative accommodation back in Sandakan but this meant we spent more time travelling on the first two days. Overall I thought this was very well organised and we loved the opportunity to get close up with the variety of animals. The people we met on the tour were all very lovely and safety protocols are followed on the river rides.

I was a little worried about the accommodation being either a resort or a homestay, but I was relieved to find it was a resort with air conditioning, hot water, and a refrigerator. The evening cruise was fantastic; we saw orangutans, proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, and Borneo elephants. During the night walk, we saw sleeping birds and slow lorises. On the morning cruise, we spotted a large crocodile. I know seeing animals depends on luck, but I was very satisfied with all the different creatures we encountered!

Unfortunately, the forest resort was fully booked, so we switched to the Sandakan Hotel, which meant we couldn't experience the jungle atmosphere. The first day of the itinerary started with airport pickup at 7:30 AM, picking up other group members along the way. In the morning, we watched the orangutan feeding show and sun bear feeding within the park, which involved a lot of walking. We had lunch at the Banana Cafe, where we could upgrade our drinks for an additional charge. In the afternoon, we visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre, learning about local bird species, frogs, plants, and their history. The center had many specimens of beetles, butterflies, snakes, and more; it was a small exhibition hall but packed with rich resources. Afterward, we went on a rainforest hike, actually walking through the jungle to look for small creatures. During the hike, the guide asked us which route we preferred and helped us take photos. This part lasted about an hour, and we listened to the guide's explanations along the way. They were enthusiastic in answering any questions we had. We arrived at our accommodation around 3 PM to rest. In the evening, we had dinner at the hotel, and breakfast was provided the next morning. Although there weren't many choices, it saved us the trouble of deciding what to eat. The next day was just the airport drop-off. It's a shame we couldn't spend more time exploring the forest resort, but overall, it was still a good experience.

It was absolutely fantastic! A must-do in my opinion! We had two exceptional guides! We saw everything possible (orangutans, sun bears) and had a super beautiful hike!