Places to See and Do in SABAH, BORNEO!
KOTA KINABALU
Monday-Sunday 9am-5pm.
15MYR per person.
Saturday-Thursday 8am-12pm, 2pm-3:30pm and 4pm-5:30pm. Friday CLOSED.
5MYR per person and 5MYR per person per rental of appropriate clothing.
Tuesday-Sunday 9am-4pm. Monday CLOSED.
15MYR per person.
Tuesday-Sunday 8am-6pm. Monday CLOSED.
FREE
Saturday-Thursday 8am-12pm and 2pm-5pm. Friday 2pm-5pm - Day of Prayer.
FREE
SANDAKAN
There are plenty of companies who offer tours for this. We chose River Junkie, which was 495MYR per person or around £190 for two. This included two afternoon cruises, two night walks, one day trek, two morning cruises, two breakfasts, one lunch, two dinners, two nights accommodation and transport to and from.
For more details on this specific tour and an itinerary, click the link below.
Monday-Sunday 8am-5pm.
30MYR per person.
Feeding Times Monday-Sunday 10am and 3pm.
30MYR per person. 30MYR per camera (phone cameras excluded.)
However, this place, along with Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, has caused considerable controversy online. People have highlighted that these animals have almost been forced into these tight areas because of deforestation and now they are being profited off. The Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary has caused significantly more backlash amongst people due to the maintenance of the area, the diet provided for the monkeys, lack of information and, most damning, apparently, the owner also being a palm oil plantation owner - individuals who are directly responsible for the destruction of these animals’ habitats.
OUTLAND SEMPORNA
Semporna is located on the east coast of Sabah and is a segway destination for Tun Sakaran Marine Park.
We booked a tour through Klook, costing £43.90 per person, to explore these three islands, and it was only okay. The islands were beautiful, but the schedule was strict, and the company was extremely late picking us up. We would suggest spending more and staying on one of the islands like Pom Pom Island, Mabul Island or Kapalai Island.
ACCOMMODATION
During our two weeks in Sabah, we did not have the best luck with our accommodation. Below you can read our opinions on these places:
Lazy Elephant Airbnb - £20.95 per night
Pros - Personal space and kitchen facilities
Cons - Location best ONLY for market and small
Overall = GOOD
For 1 day of our stay in Sandakan, prior to our river cruise, we stayed in OYO Lady Anne Hotel. We have not recommended this accommodation as it was a total and utter shambles. It looked absolutely nothing like the photos. Cobwebs, dust, dead bugs, dripping air con and an intense smell of smoke – overall grotty!
For another 4 days of our stay in Sandakan, after our river cruise, we stayed in Sepilok Jungle Resort. We have not recommended this as it was very disappointing considering its price. The bathroom had a permanent open window, meaning we had a constant flow of bugs, the bedroom walls were stained and it wasn’t the cleanest either.
For the 4 days of our stay in Semporna, we stayed in Perfect Hub. Although the hostel/hotel was nice, we will not recommend it as we felt the surrounding area was unwelcoming and uncomfortable. As I said previously, we recommend staying at one of the island’s resorts.
To conclude, either expect to pay a lump sum of money or accept that this part of Malaysia is still very much under development with little choice of accommodation.
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