Why go
- Malaysian town.
- Served by Sandakan Airport (SDK).
History
Sandakan formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of the state in the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo. In 2010, the city had an estimated population of 157,330 while the overall municipal area had a total population of 396,290. The population of the municipal area had increased to 439,050 by the 2020 Census.
Where to stay
Sandakan Harbour Square, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · ormondsandakan.com
Jalan Utara, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · sabahhotel.com.my
Lorong Indah 10, Bandar Indah, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · grandhotel2sandakan.com
Lot 229, Block 22, Ground and First Floor, Prima Square, Jalan Utara, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · facebook.com
Lor Prima 9, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · hotelprimasandakan.com
Lot 144 & 145, Ground Floor, Block 15, Jalan Utara, Bandar Indah, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · yxoasishotelsandakan.com
28-33, Jalan Utara, Bandar Prima Square, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · hoteldnorthstar.com
Prima Square, Lot 97, Block 11, Lor Prima 1, Batu 4, Jalan Utara, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · primabackpackers.blogspot.com
Lot 53 -52, Blok hs5, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Jalan Utara, Mile 4, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · livingstonhotel.com.my
Lot 3, Block B, Lorong Tong Huat 2, Batu 3, Jalan Utara, Bandar Tong Huat, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · sandakaninn.com
Lot 1-7, Block B, Jalan Leila, Bandar Fajar, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · facebook.com
Block HS-14, Lot 130-131, Sandakan Harbour Square, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Malaysia · oyorooms.com
Jalan Pelabuhan Lama, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · oyorooms.com
1st Floor, Blok 25, Lebuh Dua, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
1, Jalan Leila, Bandar Ramai Ramai, 90709 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · oyorooms.com
7617, Jalan Bunga Raya, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · oyorooms.com
Lorong 5 Mile 1.5, Leila Road. Bandar Hsiang Garden., Lorong Hsiang Garden 5, Sandakan, 90717 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · asiagreentravels.com
Block 31, Lot 2 Mile, 4, Jalan Utara, Bandar Indah, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · oyorooms.com
Hotel Ramai, 1, Jalan Leila, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · oyorooms.com
Jalan Leila, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · sanbay.com.my
Prima Square, Lot 118, 199 & 120, Block 13, Lor Prima 2, Batu 4, Jalan Utara, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · hotelmutiaraemas.com
Lot 4-5 , Blok 30, Bandar Indah, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Prima Square, Lot 185, Block 19, First Floor, Lor Prima 7, Batu 4, Jalan Utara, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
3, 4, Blok 43, tingkat 1, 2, Lebuh Tiga, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
?, Lot 37, Block D, Bandar MAju Jalan Utara Mile 1, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Jalan Buli Sim Sim, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Jln Dua, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Lot 1-7, Block 36 Mile 4 North Road, Bandar Indah, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Indoor
Indoor
Lot 3A-4B, Block 22, 4Th Avenue, P.O.Box No 624, 90707 Sandakan, Malaysia
4, Jalan Tiga, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Jalan Tiga, Pusat Bandar Sandakan, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Lot E, 1-G, Jln Letat Jaya, Bandar Letat Jaya, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia · gloriaswisshotel.com
lot 1, 90727, Lorong Hing Lee 2, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Restaurants & places to go
Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-22:00 Features: takeaway, air conditioning
Regional, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-Mo 10:00-24:00 · 2002 Jalan Istana, Sandakan, 90000 · englishteahouse.org
Fried Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-18:00 · Jalan Pelabuhan Lama, Sandakan, 90000 · facebook.com
Cake, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-17:00 Features: air conditioning · Sandakan · facebook.com
Breakfast, Curry, Malaysian, Noodles, Restaurant · Opening hours: We-Mo 06:00-14:30 · Lorong Prima 2, 90000 · facebook.com
Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-20:00 Features: takeaway · Jalan IJM, 90000
Sushi, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-23:00 Features: air conditioning · 211 Lorong Prima 4, Sandakan, 90000
Burger, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, delivery, halal · mcdonalds.com.my
Japanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:00 Features: takeaway, air conditioning · Lebuh Tiga, Sandakan · facebook.com
International, American, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00 Features: outdoor seating
Asian, Malaysian, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:30-17:30 · Jalan Pelabuhan Lama
Chinese, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating, air conditioning · facebook.com
Malaysian, Chicken, Burger, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, halal
Pizza, Restaurant · Features: takeaway, delivery
Tea, Coffee Shop, Cafe · Features: takeaway
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 12:00-00:00; Sa-Su 10:00-00:00 Features: outdoor seating · facebook.com
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:00 · facebook.com
South-Western American, Restaurant · South-Western American restaurant · Jalan Bokara, Sandakan · facebook.com
Donut, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, air conditioning
Dimsum, Chinese, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating
Noodle, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating, takeaway
Indian, Restaurant · Features: halal
Indonesian, Fast Food · Indonesian fast food
Steak House, Restaurant · Steak House restaurant
Pastry, Restaurant · Pastry restaurant
Seafood, Chinese, Restaurant · Seafood/Chinese restaurant
Malay, Restaurant · Malay restaurant
Steamboat, Restaurant · Steamboat restaurant
Local, Cafe · Local cafe
Dessert, Cafe · Dessert cafe
Bubble Tea, Cafe · Bubble Tea cafe
Food Court · Features: outdoor seating
Ice Cream · ice cream
Chicken, Noodles, Asian, Malaysian, Thai, Curry, Barbecue, Chinese, Kebab, International, Indian, Arab, Restaurant · Features: vegetarian options
Regional, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating, takeaway
Fried Chicken, Fast Food · Fried Chicken fast food
Ice Cream, Cake, Cafe · Ice Cream/Cake cafe
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Coffee Shop cafe
Asian, Chicken Rice, Restaurant · Asian/Chicken Rice restaurant
Chinese, Asian, Regional, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 06:00-18:00
Malaysian, Restaurant · Malaysian restaurant · Jalan Sejati Ujana 8, Sandakan, 90000
Pizza, Restaurant · Pizza restaurant
Restaurant · Opening hours: 24/7
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-20:00 · Sandakan, 90000 · facebook.com
64 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Sandakan Airport (SDK) 9.3 km to the centre
Sandakan, 12, MY — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 2 airlines (Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia) · direct flights to 4 destinations incl. Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kudat, Tawau (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 4 direct destinations
- Malaysia Airlines MH (737-800, ATR 72, DHT) · 4 routes: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kudat*, Tawau*
- AirAsia AK (A320) · 2 routes: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Pamol Airport (PAY) 81 km to the centre
Pamol, 12, MY — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Nangoh Airport 92 km to the centre
Nangoh, 12, MY
Getting there by ferry
Sandakan
Ferry terminal · 5.1 km from the centre
Bongao PH - Sandakan MY
Ferry route
Zamboanga PH - Sandakan MY
Ferry route
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Sandakan Airport (SDK); 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: SDK has direct flights to 4 destinations on 2 airlines (incl. Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kudat, Tawau). By water: 1 ferry terminal within 20 km (nearest: Sandakan, 5.1 km); routes include Bongao PH - Sandakan MY, Zamboanga PH - Sandakan MY.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Sandakan. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Trains & rail
National rail
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing