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Looking out towards the
Sulu Sea, this important tourist town in Sabah is set on a
spectacular bay on the northeastern coast of the state and it is
also a very busy commercial centre. Sandakan
is a very busy port and most of the action happens
here at this famous tourist attraction whereby common sights include ships loading
birds' nests, copra, rattan and timber. These are Sabah's main exports to other countries. Besides the
daily hustle and bustle along the waterfront,
visitors will also be surprised by the number of
barges, ferries and motorboats seen here. Sandakan is
also known as the gateway to Borneo's wildlife.
Popular tourists attractions in Sandakan include the Agnes Keith's House, Australian
Memorial and Japanese Cemetery at Batu 8 (Km 12) on
the road to Ranau whereby this is also the site of
the Japanese POW camps and the starting point of the
Sandakan Death Marches, Goddess of Mercy
Temple, Puu Jih Shih Buddhist Temple which is on a
steep hill overlooking Teluk Sandakan, Pasir Putih
Beach, Sam Sing Kung Temple, Sandakan
Mosque and St. Michael's Church and the All Angels
Church. Another place
popular among visitors is the Forestry Exhibition,
located at the middle of the town, which is known
for its remarkable collection of flowers and plants
found in this region as well as handicraft and
hunting weapons. For those who likes flowers, then
do not miss the Sandakan Orchid House which displays
many rare orchids. The Turtle Islands National Park
located about forty kilometers offshore is one of
the few turtle sanctuaries in Asia. Other places of
interest include the Gomantong Caves and the
beautiful Sungai Kinabatangan. With so much to see,
your time here is always too short.
Another important thing
to know is that there are three main roads that lead
out of Sandakan. The Labuk Road will take you back
to Kota Kinabalu going pass some scenic places such
as the cocoa and fruit plantations, farmlands, oil
palm, padi fields and tropical forests. The second
road is the Leila Road which is preferred by
tourists since it travels along the beautiful coast
providing spectacular seascapes with offshore
islands inhabited by seabirds and turtles. The third
road is the Sim Sim Road which brings you pass prawn
canneries, sawmills and shipyards. For the more
adventurous tourists, you will like to take an
afternoon tour by boat across Sandakan Bay to the
mouth of the great Kinabatangan River and then
proceed to the first settlement of Kampung Abai. You
trip only ends when the sun sets. For those who
wants to sleep over, then you will likely to end
spending the night at Sukau which is two hours away
by road from Sandakan.
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