Sandakan, Served with a Sea View and a Side of Jungle
A wildlife holiday does not always have to mean giving up the nice things.
At Ormond Sandakan, a day can begin with breakfast overlooking Sandakan Bay, continue with orangutans or a Kinabatangan River cruise, and end with dinner and a sunset drink back at the hotel.
That combination is what makes the property interesting.
Rather than sending travellers deep into the wilderness and leaving the comforts of a town behind, Ormond Sandakan keeps the two within the same holiday. The hotel sits on the Sandakan waterfront, within walking distance of the heritage town centre, markets and harbourfront, while Sabah’s famous wildlife experiences are within reach for day trips.
The hotel has 299 rooms and suites, from standard rooms to spacious suites and connecting family rooms, all facing Sandakan Bay. The rooms themselves are deliberately calm, with natural textures, soft tones and touches of local materials.
But the more interesting part is what happens beyond the room.
Step outside and Sandakan is there. The markets and harbourfront are close enough to explore on foot, offering a chance to see the city at its most ordinary and, arguably, most interesting. There is seafood, local produce, the bustle of the waterfront and all the small details that disappear when a destination is treated merely as a jumping-off point.
Of course, the reason many travellers put Sandakan on their Sabah itinerary is what lies beyond the town.
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre offers an encounter with one of Borneo’s most recognisable animals, while Turtle Islands Park introduces visitors to Sabah’s marine environment.
Further afield, the Kinabatangan River is where things get wonderfully unpredictable. River excursions offer opportunities to spot proboscis monkeys and Bornean pygmy elephants along the banks. There are no guarantees, which is exactly what makes wildlife watching so addictive.
Then, after hours of looking for movement in the trees, you can return to the waterfront.
That is the best part.
You do not have to rough it to get close to nature. Back at Ormond Sandakan, the day can continue at a rather different pace.
Pietro serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes built around fresh seafood, handmade pastas and Bornean ingredients, while Rasa focuses on Malaysian flavours with Sabahan influences.
For sunset, Bayu offers drinks, tropical-inspired snacks and panoramic views across the bay. And breakfast the following morning is served at Rise, with local and international favourites to fuel another day of exploring.
All these can happen without the guests having to switch their base.
And perhaps that is Ormond Sandakan’s strongest selling point: it gives travellers a way to experience the wilder side of Sabah while keeping the pleasures of a proper waterfront hotel stay firmly in the picture.
About The Author
Officially a Deputy Editor with over 10 years in travel media. Unofficially? A professional suitcase overpacker with a knack for turning chance encounters and itineraries into vivid, story-driven features. When not fine-tuning articles, she's likely front row at a concert, taste-testing something spicy, or deep in a conversation that veered wonderfully off-topic.
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