Sandakan is a harbour town on the east coast of Sabah, facing the Sulu Sea, and it is the gateway to some of Borneo's best-known wildlife. Orangutans, sun bears, proboscis monkeys and nesting sea turtles all live within reach of town, which is why so many visitors book flights to Sandakan rather than making the long overland journey from Kota Kinabalu. Travellers from Peninsular Malaysia often search for a KL to Sandakan flight to start a nature holiday, while Sabahans use the airport for work and family trips.

About Sandakan Airport (SDK)

Location

Sandakan Airport lies on the north-western side of town, inland from the waterfront. It is a compact regional airport, so the drive into the town centre is short, and the Sepilok wildlife area is also conveniently placed on the same side of town, which suits travellers heading straight to the orangutans.

Terminals

SDK operates a single passenger terminal handling both arrivals and departures. Check-in counters, the baggage hall and a small set of food outlets are all close together. As Sabah runs its own immigration checks, arrivals from Peninsular Malaysia pass through a counter on landing, so keep your MyKad or passport in your hand luggage.

Getting to and from the airport

Taxis wait outside the arrivals area and generally charge set fares to the town centre and Sepilok, so agree the price before you set off. Ride-hailing apps are widely used in Sandakan too, and many lodges near Sepilok or along the Kinabatangan River will arrange a pickup if you ask when booking. Public buses are limited around the airport, so a taxi or e-hailing ride is the practical choice.

Direct and Connecting Flights to Sandakan

Direct flights to Sandakan operate from Kuala Lumpur and from Kota Kinabalu, and those two cities are also the main connecting points for travellers coming from elsewhere in Malaysia or abroad. When you search from KUL to SDK on Traveloka, switch on the direct-flight filter to see only nonstop options.

If you are travelling from Penang, Johor Bahru or overseas, you will usually connect in Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu. A single booking that covers both legs keeps your bags checked through and protects you if the first flight is delayed, so it is usually worth comparing against separate tickets.

When to Fly to Sandakan

Sandakan is warm and humid all year, with showers possible in any month. The northeast monsoon brings the wettest spell, roughly from November to February, when heavy downpours can be frequent and sea crossings to the islands rougher. The drier months from about March to September are more comfortable for river cruises and jungle walks, and turtle nesting on the Turtle Islands is usually busiest in the second half of the year.

Flights get busy during Malaysian school holidays, over Hari Raya when many Sabahans working in the peninsula return home, and around Chinese New Year and year-end. Booking these periods early, or checking the fare-by-month chart on this page, helps you plan around the rush.

Popular Places in Sandakan

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

Rescued and orphaned orangutans are cared for here before returning to the forest. Visitors watch feeding time from a boardwalk platform, and the nursery area lets you see young orangutans learning to climb.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Right next to Sepilok, this centre protects the smallest bear species in the world. Elevated walkways give you a view of the bears foraging and climbing in their forest enclosures.

Kinabatangan River

Malaysia's second-longest river is lined with forest where proboscis monkeys, hornbills, crocodiles and sometimes pygmy elephants can be spotted. Dawn and dusk boat cruises from riverside villages such as Sukau and Bilit are the highlight of many Sabah trips.

Turtle Islands Park

Offshore in the Sulu Sea, Selingan Island is where green and hawksbill turtles come ashore to lay eggs. Visitor numbers are capped for conservation, so overnight permits need to be arranged well ahead.

Labuk Bay and the Rainforest Discovery Centre

Labuk Bay is known for close views of proboscis monkeys at feeding platforms, while the Rainforest Discovery Centre near Sepilok has a canopy walkway for birdwatching above the treetops.

Where to Stay in Sandakan

The town centre and Harbour Square area are handy for seafood restaurants and the waterfront. Sepilok, on the airport side of town, is the natural base for wildlife lovers, with quiet guesthouses set in the forest. For river safaris, most travellers spend a night or two in the lodge areas at Sukau or Bilit on the Kinabatangan, while the newer suburbs along the main road out of town suit longer stays with a car.

Food to Try in Sandakan

Fresh seafood

Sandakan's fishing heritage shows in its seafood restaurants, where you pick live prawns, crab, lobster and fish to be cooked with butter, salted egg, chilli or steamed with ginger.

UFO tart

A small sponge base topped with custard and a swirl of meringue, this local pastry is so closely linked with Sandakan that visitors carry boxes home.

Hinava

A traditional Kadazandusun dish of raw fish cured in lime juice with chilli, shallots, ginger and grated bambangan seed, fresh and tangy.

Kuih cincin

These crunchy, ring-shaped rice-flour snacks sweetened with palm sugar are a Sabah favourite, sold at markets and souvenir stalls and served at festive open houses.

To start your Borneo wildlife trip, compare flights to Sandakan, set a Price Alert for your holiday dates and keep your e-ticket on your phone with Traveloka, backed by 24/7 customer service.