MALAYSIA
MALAYSIAN BORNEO – SABAH •• Sandakan Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotelsand the like, think again: the setting’s real for-
est but the facilities themselves are quite pat-
ently artificial. For some, wading in a cauldron
of floating skin flakes is a huge anticlimax, for
others a perfect playground worth far more
than the customary quick stop.Sleeping & Eating
It’s worth spending a night around the base
of Kinabalu before your ascent, and there are
plenty of accommodation options suiting
everyone’s budget.
Puncak Borneo Resort (%012 828 0866; Kundasang;
dm/s/d incl breakfast from RM40/168/188; ai) A re-
spectable choice, Puncak (pronounced ‘poon-
chak’) makes a few worthy attempts at style
with lipstick-red accent walls and animal-
print rugs. The stairs up to the reception can
feel like an impossible obstacle if you’ve just
climbed the mountain.
Kinabalu Rose Cabin (%088-889233; krc145@yahoo
.com; Km 18, Jln Ranau-Tuaran; r RM130-250) Look for the
shiny blue-roofed pagoda and you’ve found
Rose Cabin. Rooms are as kitschy as their
shimmery brochures, but frequent midweek
discounts sweeten the deal. A minivan from
there to nearby attractions will cost RM5.
Kinabalu Pine Resort (%088-889388; Kundasang–
Ranau Hwy; r from RM150) A paradigm of country-
club landscaping, this welcoming camp-style
resort is extremely popular with Sabahans,
who sit on the wooden balconies while en-
joying the breezy sunsets. Ask for a room
with hardwood floors – the carpeting here
is a bit tattered.Getting There & Around
The area around Mt Kinabalu is easily acces-
sible from KK, with buses running at a high
frequency throughout the day (7am to 8pm).
Transport stops in front of park headquar-
ters and in Ranau (RM15, two hours).
Shuttle buses and minivans are constantly
moving tourists around the base of the moun-
tain and taxis can be hired if you don’t have
time to wait for public transport. Minivans
operate from a blue-roofed shelter in Ranau
servicing the nearby attractions (park HQ,
Poring etc) for RM5. Opting for a taxi will set
you back RM30 (if you negotiate).SANDAKAN
pop 453,750
With a colourful history of slow boats and
fast women, Sandakan has been a dot on atrader’s map for centuries. After the nearby
natural wonders – Sepilok and an archipelago
of idyllic islands – the city’s biggest draw is
its turbulent history retold through religious
relics, haunting cemeteries and stunning co-
lonial mansions. Although Sandakan is far
less exciting than it used to be, the city has
plenty of character and even a certain down-
market charm, though once the shop shut-
ters come down in the evening the centre can
feel a bit deserted and creepy. Nights are best
spent singing karaoke, clinking cocktails at
sunset, and devouring an aquarium’s worth
of seafood.Information
Cyber Café (3rd fl, Wisma Sandakan, Lebuh Empat; per hr
RM3; h9am-9pm)
Duchess of Kent Hospital (%089-219460; Mile 2,
Jln Utara)
Forestry Department (%089-213966; 2nd fl, Jln
Leila) Get permits for the mangrove forest walk to Sepilok
Bay. Located next to UMW Toyota, 2km west of the main
post office.
MayBank (Lebuh Tiga) In addition to full-service bank
and ATM, a sidewalk currency-exchange window is open
9am to 5pm daily, changing cash and travellers cheques.
Main post office (%089-210594; Jln Leila)
Standard Chartered Bank (Lebuh Tiga)
Tourist Information Centre (%089-229751; pempt
[email protected]; Wisma Warisan; h8am-12.30pm
& 1.30-4.30pm Mon-Thu, 8-11.30am & 2-4.30pm Fri)
Located opposite the municipal offices (known as MPS) and
up the stairs from Lebuh Tiga.Sights
Central Sandakan is light on ‘must-see’ attrac-
tions, although history buffs will appreciate
the Sandakan Heritage Trail brochure avail-
able at the tourist office.
On the hill above town overlooking
Sandakan Bay, Agnes Keith House (Jln Istana; admis-
sion RM15; h9am-5pm) is a trip back to Sandakan’s
colonial heyday. Keith was an American who
came to Sandakan in the 1930s and wrote
several books about her experiences, most
famously The Land Below the Wind. The
two-storey wooden villa was destroyed during
WWII and rebuilt identically when the Keiths
returned. To reach the museum, follow Jln
Singapura and turn right up the hill, or head
up the shady Tangga Seribu to Jln Residensi
Dr and turn left.
Now just a quiet patch of woods, Sandakan
Memorial Park ( Taman Peringatan; admission free;500