Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Away
Air
Malaysia Airlines
( 1300-883 000; cnr Jln Pelabuhan Lama & Lebuh Dua & 1st fl,
airport)
has daily flights to/from KK and KL; its subsidiary,
MASwings
, located in the
same office, offers one daily flight to/from Tawau and two to/from KK.
AirAsia
(
089-222737; 1st & 2nd fl, Airport)
operates two daily direct flights to/from KL and KK.
GETTING TO THE PHILIPPINES: SANDAKAN TO
ZAMBOANGA
Getting to the border
Sandakan is a good spot to grab a ferry to the southern Philippines.
Weesam Express
(
089-212872; ground fl, Hotel New Sabah, Jln Singapura)
goes to Zamboanga in the Philippines (1st/2nd
class RM260/280) on Tuesday and Friday, leaving Sandakan harbour at 6am and arriving in Zamboanga at
7.30pm the same day. There are ostensibly ferries to Jolo (1st/2nd class RM240/260) and Bongao (1st/2nd class
RM220/240), but these weren't running at time of research due to political unrest on those islands. Travellers we
spoke to said you didn't need an onward ticket to enter the Philippines, and the Filipino government says other-
wise; it's wise to have one just in case.
At the border
Once you get to the Philippines, the Filipino government requires you to provide evidence of an
onward ticket to enter the country. From Zamboanga you can grab buses to the rest of Mindanao or ferries to the
Sulu Archipelago, assuming the security situation in those islands has calmed down.
Bus & Minivan
Buses and minibuses to KK, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau leave from the long-dis-
tance bus station in a large car park at Batu 2.5, 4km north of town (ie not particularly
convenient). Most express buses to KK (RM33 to RM40, six hours) leave between 7am
and 2pm, plus one evening departure around 8pm. All pass the turn-off to Kinabalu Na-
tional Park headquarters.
Buses depart regularly for Lahad Datu (RM20, 2½ hours) and Tawau (RM40, 5½
hours) between 7am and 8am. There's also a bus to Semporna (RM33, 5½ hours) at 8am.
If you miss it, head to Lahad Datu, then catch a frequent minivan to Semporna.
Minivans depart throughout the morning from Batu 2.5 for Ranau (RM26, four hours)
and Lahad Datu (some of those continuing to Tawau). Minivans for Sukau (RM15) leave
from a lot behind Centre Point Mall in town.
