Malaysia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 504

INFORMATION
Tourist information The tourist o ce (Mon-Thurs
8am-12.30pm & 1.30-4.30pm, Fri 8-11.30am &
2-4.30pm; T 089 229751) at Wisma Warisan, up the
stairs from Lebuh Tiga, is a mine of local and regional
information; pick up your Sandakan Heritage Trail
booklet here.

Sim Sim Seafood Restaurant Sim Sim 8. Located at
the Sim Sim stilt village, this recently spruced up joint
rightly lives up to its reputation and serves some of the
best seafood for miles around. Pick your fresh meal from a
fish tank and they'll do the rest. Take a taxi to Sim Sim
Bridge 8. Daily 8am-2pm.

6

SEPILOK
Twenty-five kilometres west of Sandakan
lies SEPILOK , an area known primarily for
the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation
Centre (SORC) - the most reliable place in
Borneo to see the stunning redhead of
the simian world. Nearby is the
Rainforest Discovery Centre , with nature
trails through the jungle and canopy
towers for wildlife-watching. A new
attraction, the Bornean Sun Bear
Conservation Centre (BSBCC) , has opened
right next door to SORC, so you can see
two of Borneo's most beguiling mammals
during an easy day-trip.

ACCOMMODATION
Harbourside Backpackers Lot 43, 1st floor, block HS-4,
Sandakan Harbour Square T 089 217072, W harbourside
backpackers.com. A great central location, super-nice staff,
a/c-cooled rooms and a good bathroom-to-guest ratio
make this a top ba ckpack er choice. Breakfast included.
Dorm RM25 , double RM80
★

Nak Hotel Jln Pelabuhan Lama at Jln Pryer T 089
272988, W nakhotel.com. Refurbished, super-central
hotel with friendly, helpful staff, spacious rooms with
cable TV and sparkling bathrooms, as well as a superb roof
lounge, Balin (see below). Wi-fi only in l obby or in Balin .
Breakfast included and singles available. RM118
Sandakan Backpackers Lot 108, Block SH-11,
Sandakan Harbour Square T 089 221104, W sandakan
backpackers.com. Located right on the waterfront, this
hostel features large, bright dorms and rooms, as well as
a rooftop garden and lo unge w ith pool table . Price also
includes breakfast. Dorm RM25 , double RM70

Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation
Centre
One of only four orang-utan sanctuaries
in the world, the Sepilok Orang-utan
Rehabilitation Centre (daily 9-11am &
2-4pm; trails 9am-4.15pm; feeding
times 10am & 3pm; RM30; camera fee
RM10; T 089 531180) is home to
semi-wild orang-utans that have been
orphaned or rescued from captivity.
Young orang-utans learn essential skills -
climbing, nesting, finding food - in the
“Nursery” before they're allowed into the
jungle and their dependence on humans
is decreased until they're ready to be
integrated into the wild orang-utan
population of Borneo once more. he
20-minute video screening at the centre
(daily at 9am, 10.30am, 11am, noon,
2.10pm and 3.30pm) shows the rescue
and rehabilitation of orang-utans.
he orang-utans generally roam the
surrounding jungle, but know exactly
when feeding time is and have their body
clocks well tuned to free fruit, so a
sighting is pretty much guaranteed. A
short boardwalk leads to feeding station
A, which is linked to the trees with taut
ropes that allow you to see them coming
long before they reach the platform,

EATING AND DRINKING
There are numerous inexpensive restaurants along the
waterfront, serving Malay, Chinese and Indian dishes.
Central Sandakan is quiet in the evenings; Batu (Mile) 4
is a good place to head for local nightlife and a plethora
of restaurants.
★

Balin Roof Garden At the top of Nak Hotel . A chic
Balinese-inspired roof lounge with loads of cushions to
recline on and a good restaurant and a bar overlooking the
sea from the open-air section. The menu is mostly fusion,
the thin-and-crispy pizzas are excellent, the fresh fruit
juices are better than the cocktails on offer and the staff
are just lovely (mains from RM15). Get there early for
incredible sunsets over the sea. Daily 8am-11pm.
The English Tea House and Restaurant Jln Istana.
Set up high on a hill overlooking the town, this attractive
colonial building is home to an English teahouse. Come
for the setting, the views and the scones, clotted cream
and tea, but skip the rest of the menu. Also has a good
wine list for those in need of more than cake. Daily
10am-midnight.
New Market Jln Pryor. Behind the waterfront Marriott,
this market resembles a multi-storey car park. Head
upstairs for the halal food stalls serving an excellent mix
of Filipino, Chinese, Malay and Indonesian specials (mains
from RM4). Daily from 7am until early afternoon.