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Agnes Keith House
If you should ever stroll along the stretch of
Jalan Istana in Sandakan, the much-talked about
Agnes Keith House is hard to miss. With its sprawling
green lawns and colonial-style wooden walls, the
residence has since been restored by the Sabah
Museum, in collaboration with the Federal Department
of Museums and Antiquities. This British colonial
government quarters, called Newlands, was once
occupied by famous American writer, Agnes Newton
Keith, who penned Land Below The Wind in 1939.
Two books followed her first success, namely Three
Came Home (1946) and White Man Returns (1951).
With the exception of the second book, Land Below
the Wind and White Man Returns were written in
the house on the hill where she had the best views
of Sandakan Bay at the front and the Sulu Sea
at the back.
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Batu Tulug
Located at Batu Putih village and 41km from the
Kota Kinabatangan township, Agop Batu Tulug is
a steep limestone cliff that stands 39 meters
high and is part of the 20-25 million- year old
Labang limestone formation. The word ‘agop'
in the Orang Sungai language means cave. There
are three main caves, agop suriba (lower) on the
forest floor, lintaga (middle) and sawat (upper)
betweeen 12-15m high.
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Gomantong Cave
Described by WWF as 'the best-managed edible birds'
nest cave in the world', Gomantong Caves in the
heartland of the Gomantong Rainforest Reserve
have been the focus for birds' nests for centuries.
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Kinabatangan River
Stretching 560km from the Crocker Range in the
southwest of Sabah to the Sulu Sea in the east,
the Kinabatangan River sustains one of the world's
richest ecosystems. The surrounding areas along
the river consist of five distinct habitats -
dipterocarp or dry, waterlogged and limestone
forests, and freshwater and saline swamps. The
lower basin of the river itself is the largest
forest covered floodplain in Malaysia and has
the largest concentration of wildlife in the South
East Asian region. |
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Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary
In the centre of the mangrove forests of Sumawang
is the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, where
you can see Borneo's indigenous proboscis monkeys.
This privately-owned sanctuary located within
an oil palm estate gives you the chance to observe
these animals up close and personal. |
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Lankayan Island
Lankayan, a tiny jewel-shaped island located on
the northeastern coast of Sabah, is part of the
Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA)
and is surrounded blue-green waters and coral
reefs. It is also one of Sabah's top diving spots.
The availability of jungle interior and interesting
diving attracts both divers and non-divers alike
to Lankayan.
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Libaran Island
In the northeast coast of Sandakan lies the island
of Libaran. This small island is ideal for those
searching for some quiet time and in need of a
relaxing trip. Many agree that the charm of this
island lies in its simplicity: a long stretch
of beach, crystal blue waters and beautiful sunsets.
In the evening, you can enjoy a river cruise in
the mangrove forest or have the unique experience
of night fishing. A great place to get away from
it all!
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Sandakan Crocodile Farm
The Sandakan Crocodile Farm is Malaysia's largest
with over 3000 of the reptiles. The original stock
came from wild crocodiles found along the Kinabatangan
River. The animals are farmed for their skins
to be turned into shoes and bags. Besides offering
visitors an up-close look at Sabah's biggest reptiles,
the farm hosts several other attractions as well,
including crocodile and snake shows. It also features
a mini zoo with a 100kg Amazonian fish, and a
children's park. |
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Sandakan Memorial Park
This site commemorates a tragedy and atrocity
which struck Sandakan between January and August
1945. The Memorial Park witnessed the death of
approximately 2400 Australian and British prisoners
of war held by the Japanese in the Sandakan POW
camp, within the sight of Allied victory in the
Pacific war. |
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Sandakan Heritage Trail
You can now enjoy Sandakan at your own pace. The
Sandakan Heritage Trail is a comprehensive walk
that covers the town's important and interesting
sites which have contributed to her rich historical
past. A leaflet will map out the entire trail
for you and it covers about fifteen spots. |
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Sandakan Town
Sandakan is located on the eastern seaboard of
Sabah; it is a city which is steeped in history.
Its character is shaped by the hinterland that
embodies Sabah’s rich and diverse biodiversity
in all its glory. Sandakan has a mixture of people,
lifestyles, cultures, and faiths. |
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Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary
The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre was
set up in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned baby orang
utan. Set in the lush 4,300-hectare Kabili-Sepilok
Forest Reserve, the Centre under the administration
of the Wildlife Department of Sabah attracts tourists
and researchers alike, giving them the opportunity
to watch the orang utan up close in their natural
habitat. A boardwalk leads you to a viewing gallery
and feeding platform where the apes are fed milk
and bananas twice a day at 10.00am and 3.00pm
by rangers. Feeding time also attracts long-tailed
macaques to the area. |
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St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan
The historical city of Sandakan is home to many
buildings and monuments, each witness to the changes
of time and events over the years. One of the
oldest buildings is St. Michael’s and All
Angels Church. The construction of the first stone
building in Sabah began in 1893 and took almost
30 years to complete. Designed by New Zealander
Mr. B.W. Mountfort, the building was first constructed
with belian (ironwood) timber, followed by brick
and finally stone, which is said to have from
the nearby Buli Sim Sim, while the white stones
that adorn the windows and doors are from Hong
Kong. |
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Turtle Island Park
The Turtle Island Park (gazetted 1977) lies 40km
north of Sandakan in the Sulu Sea and consists
of Selingan, Bakungan Kecil and Gulisan islands.
The park is a safe haven for the endangered green
and hawksbill turtles and gives you the rare opportunity
to watch turtle landings. Selingan, the largest
of the islands, houses the park's headquarters,
a turtle hatchery, tourist accommodation and basic
facilities. The other two islands are more for
conservation activities. |
