Saker att göra i Sandakan

Vi hade den mest fantastiska och roliga tiden på denna tur. Vi älskade vår tid på Kinabatangfloden där vi såg makaker och näsapor, en pygmélefant, krokodiler och fågelliv. Våra guider Robert och Jeanette var mycket vänliga och kunniga. Bilit Lodge är enkel men mycket ren och tillfredsställande. Maten var också mycket njutbar och välsmakande. Vår enda nackdel var att vi bokade sent och inte kunde säkra boende i Sepilok, så vi missade möjligheten att tillbringa extra tid där. Resebolaget ordnade alternativt boende tillbaka i Sandakan, men detta innebar att vi tillbringade mer tid med att resa de första två dagarna. Sammantaget tyckte jag att detta var mycket väl organiserat och vi älskade möjligheten att komma nära den varierande djurvärlden. Människorna vi träffade på turen var alla mycket trevliga och säkerhetsprotokoll följs under flodturerna.

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!

The day was well-managed by Johnny, our guide, who accompanied us throughout. The transfers from our hotel to the various locations were well-executed. We would have appreciated receiving confirmation details from the company prior to the excursion. Otherwise, everything else went smoothly.

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!