Most travelers who go to climb Mount Kinabalu, go on jungle tour in Deramakot or want to do other activities in Sabah, start in Kota Kinabalu. This is the largest city in Sabah and the base for all the fun tours in Borneo. After Kota Kinabalu, it is a good idea to continue your journey to Sandakan. Sandakan is the base for visiting the orangutan rehabilitation center and the Kinabatangan River. But what exactly is the most convenient way to get from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan?
Many travelers choose the, in their eyes, easiest option: the plane. Besides the fact that the plane is hugely polluting and expensive, it’s also a shame that you can’t get to experience anything of Borneo’s beautiful scenery. When you choose to ride the bus, you will see so much beautiful nature. Everywhere you see green trees, beautiful mountain views and sometimes even monkeys.
There are several carriers offering the 7- to 8-hour bus trip. The bus station in Kota Kinabalu is called Inanam Bus Terminal and can be found in the north of the city. With a Grab, you can drive here in about 20 minutes. The cost of the Grab is 10 to 18 RM (2 to 4 euros).
Cost of the bus
You can choose to buy a ticket at the ticket office upon arrival, but if you want to be assured of a seat on the bus, it is wise to buy tickets online in advance through 12GO.Asia. This route is popular and tickets sell out quickly. We had to wait at the station for 1.5 hours until there was a bus that still had a seat for us. 1 ticket costs 46 RM. This is equivalent to about 10 euros. When you buy your ticket in advance with 12GO.Asia it costs the same but you are guaranteed a seat on the bus. Need help with 12GO.Asia? Let us know at the bottom of this article.
What to take with you on the bus
Be sure to bring plenty of food and drinks on the bus. Around dinner time, the bus will stop at a roadside restaurant where you can eat hot food for 2 euros. It is also wise to bring a sweater or blanket and something to keep you entertained.
What to do in Sandakan
Sandakan itself is not a nice city to stay in. It is not a popular tourist destination, dirty and it does not feel very safe. It is a better idea to spend the night in Sepilok. We spent one night at Jungle Eco Resort Sepilok and this was really nice. The rooms are spacious and located in the middle of the forest. When you walk to the restaurant, you walk across small bridges and right through the jungle. Very special and fun to experience that. There is also a nice swimming pool at the Jungle Eco Resort. We would so book here again.
Sepilok is also home to the orangutan rehabilitation center. This is a shelter for orangutans whose mothers are dead, or orangutans who are not functioning well in the wild. The first few years of care will be devoted to gaining strength and observing behavior, then it will be time to return the orangutan to the wild.
You can visit the shelter daily from 09:00 – 12:00 and from 14:00 – 16:00. Each day the orangutans are fed twice, at 10 am and 3 pm. The price for an admission ticket is 30 RM (7 euros) and if you bring a camera you have to pay a fee of 10 RM.
Further travel
Continue your journey through Borneo to the Kinabatangan River or go straight to Semporna for snorkeling or diving.
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