SEA-15-Book 1.indb

MALAYSIA

MALAYSIAN BORNEO – SABAH •• Sepilok lonelyplanet.com

to Lahad Datu, then catch a frequent minivan

to Semporna.

Getting Around

The airport is about 11km from downtown.

The Batu 7 Airport bus (RM1.80) stops on

the main road about 500m from the terminal.

A coupon taxi from the airport to the town

centre costs RM24; going the other way, a taxi

should cost around RM20.

The local bus terminal is on Jln Pryer, in

front of Gentingmas Mall. Buses run from

6am to about 6pm on the main road to the

north, Jln Utara, and are designated by how

far from town they go, ie Batu 8. Fares range

from RM1 to RM4.

Local minivans wait behind Centre

Point Mall; fares are from RM2. Use them

for Pasir Putih seafood restaurants and the

harbour area.

Taxis cruise the town centre, and park near

main hotels. Many hotels will steer you toward

a preferred driver – not a bad thing. Short

journeys around the town centre should cost

RM5; it’s RM12 to Bandar Indah, and RM40

for a lift to Sepilok.

SEPILOK

The little hamlet of Sepilok sees almost as many

visitors as the granite spires of Mt Kinabalu.

With up to 800 visitors daily, the Sepilok

Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre is the most

popular place on earth to see Asia’s great ginger

ape in its native habitat. Those who have time

to stick around will also undercover several

scenic nature walks, a sanctuary for the elusive

proboscis monkey, and a couple of great places

to call home for a night or two.

Orientation & Information

Sepilok’s main attraction, the Sepilok Orang-

utan Rehabilitation Centre, is located at Batu

14 – 14 miles (23km) from Sandakan. The

street connecting the highway to the rehab

centre is lined with a variety of accommoda-

tion suiting all budget types. Banks and medi-

cal services are located in Sandakan. Money

can be changed at the upmarket sleeping spots

(for a hefty change fee).

Sights & Activities

SEPILOK ORANG-UTAN REHABILITATION

CENTRE (SORC)

One of only four orang-utan sanctuaries in the

world, the Sepilok Orang- Utan Rehabilitation

Centre (SORC) occupies a corner of the

Kabili-Sepilok rainforest reserve about 25km

west of Sandakan. The centre was established

in 1964; it now covers 40 sq km and has be-

come one of Sabah’s top tourist attractions,

second only to Mt Kinabalu.

Orphaned and injured orang-utans are

brought to Sepilok to be rehabilitated to

return to forest life. When we visited there

were only seven primates on campus. It’s un-

likely you’ll see this many at feeding time –

three or four is more likely, or maybe none

at all.

Feedings are at 10am and 3pm and last

for around 30 to 50 minutes. Schedules are

posted at the visitor reception centre (%089-

531180; [email protected]; admission RM30, camera fee

RM10; h9-11am & 2-3.30pm).

A worthwhile 20-minute video about

Sepilok’s work is shown five times daily

(9am, 11am, noon, 2.10pm and 3.30pm)

opposite reception in the Nature Education

Centre auditorium.

RAINFOREST DISCOVERY CENTRE (RDC)

The Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC; %089-533780;

adult/child RM10/5; h8am-5pm), about 1.5km from

SORC, offers an engaging graduate-level

education in tropical flora and fauna. Outside

the exhibit hall, a botanical garden presents

varying samples of tropical plant life with

the accompanying descriptions every bit as

vibrant as the foliage. There’s a 1km lakeside

walking trail here as well. A series of eight

canopy towers are being built – three have

been completed.

LABUK BAY PROBOSCIS MONKEY

SANCTUARY

Proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) are an

even more exclusive attraction than orang-

utans. After all, you can see orang-utans in

Sumatra but the proboscis is found only on

Borneo. An ecofriendly plantation owner

has created a private proboscis monkey sanctu-

ary (%089-672133; http://www.proboscis.cc; admission RM60,

camera/video fee RM10/20), attracting the floppy-

conked locals with sugar-free pancakes at

11.40am and 4.30pm feedings. An estimated

300 wild monkeys live in the 600-hectare re-

serve. The sanctuary offers package trips. A

half-day visit costs RM160, including trans-

fers from Sandakan (RM150 from Sepilok).

Overnight trips with meals and a night walk

start at RM250.

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