Sandakan Wildlife Trails Experience

Start your tour with an 8am pick-up from your hotel in Sandakan or be met upon your arrival into Sandakan Airport (Preferably on the AK6492 or MH2042) and be transferred to the jetty.

At 9.30am, your boat will depart to Turtle Island. It will take approximately an hour to reach Selingan Island which lies 40km north of Sandakan in the Sulu Sea off Sabah's east coast.

Selingan Island is the main nesting area for the green turtles. A day of relaxation for you to swim or snorkel at the island.

After dinner, prepare to wait for the Park Ranger to inform you of the sighting of turtles laying eggs. Learn about the conservation of these turtles, witness the collecting of eggs from the nesting site, planting them in the hatchery and see baby turtles scrambling to the open sea upon release on the shore.

Overnight stay at the Island Chalet - room with an attached bathroom.

Check out at 6.30am and have breakfast. Embark on another boat ride back to the mainland Sandakan.

Proceed to drive for about 30 minutes to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre where orphaned and injured Orang Utan's are bought to Sepilok to be rehabilitated to return and fend for themselves back to the wild. Sepilok is a primary lowland forest; a fine showcase of Borneo's remaining rainforest. Witness the 10am feeding of Orang Utan's from a platform in the forest and later watch the 25 minutes scheduled video documentary show.

Drive for about 2.5 hours through rustic countryside studded with villages. Take a short boat transfer to Borneo Nature Lodge. Time for orientation, have lunch and check-in.

Relax by the river before embarking by boat up-river at 4pm along Sabah's longest river, Kinabatangan with an opportunity to view wildlife, the birds in its virgin rainforest habitat. Search for some of the primates species including the endemic Proboscis Monkeys as they settle down on treetops. Kinabatang Wildlife Sanctuary is on the best places in Southeast Asia to observe wildlife.

Overnight at Borneo Nature Lodge.

Wake up to the calls of birds, insects and animals. At 6am, take a morning cruise up to The Kinabatangan River and onto Kelananap Ox-Bow Lake for bird watching and in search of other wildlife.

Take a short jungle walk (if weather permits) and experience the wilderness of Borneo before returning to the lodge for breakfast. Free at leisure to explore the surrounding areas or nearby village. In the late afternoon at 4pm, take a boat cruise along the river to see many species of flora and fauna of the rainforest.

Overnight stay at Borneo Nature Lodge.

Optional tour: Night Cruise, Night Walk and Tree Planting can be arranged at the lodge at a small supplement depending on the weather condition (Optional night activities starts at 8pm)

Depart early morning and visit to Gomantong Cave, famed for its edible birds nest. Take about 15 minutes' boardwalk  to the opening of Simud Hitam cavern and explore the cave system on boardwalk. Return to Sandakan and stop off for lunch at a local restaurant.

At 2pm after lunch, proceed for a city tour and explore the various landmarks of Sandakan which may include the Central Market, the most amazing variety of fresh seafood and agricultural products, Sim-Sim Water Village where houses are all built close to the water surface while observing the fascinating view of the sea. Visit Puh Jih Syh Buddhist Temple which offers a panoramic view of Sandakan Bay situated on the hilltop of Tanah Merah. After the tour, transfer to the airport for your evening flight back to Kota Kinabalu.