A Trip to Sepilok - Sandakan

Hi Reader,

On the 17th November after a long days work, on the 16th November we decided to take a short trip to one of Sabah famous tourist sports in Sandakan, The Urang Utan Rehabilitation Center (Sepilok).

It was a 30-35mnutes drive from the Sandakan Town. The charges to enter for local is RM5, but if you bring along a camera depending on the type/size of the camera the center will impose an additional charges, like mine since I brought along my D-SLR camera, I will have to add RM10 for the camera. 

Regulation : 

1) No Outside food & Drinks - 

for visitors safety reason, according to the staff if the orang utan saw food on your hand they will try to grab it from you. so no food and drinks when visit the urang utans

2) No Bags/Bag Packs -

Also for safety reason for small bag like a pouch will be acceptable but if you bring along a Camera pouch then we are required to keep it in a locker provided by the center. of cause additional charges for the locker too.

3) When enter the feeding area of the urang utan everyone has to be quiet.

As it might scare the urang utan away or worse the urang utans might feel annoyed and most probably react to the noise ( not sure how they react to the noise) but on the safe side we have to be quiet. A sign has been put up to remind visitor to be quiet at the urang utan feeding ground, the feeding area/ground is an open space with large space of viewing platforms.

This center was setup for the rehabilitation of the urang utans in Sabah, located in Sandakan, it was setup in the year 1964, the center is now 47 years old, it was setup in a 4300 hectar of State Forest Reserve in Kabili-Sepilok, and is assigned under the care for Sabah Wildlife Departments. It is also open to tourist and researchers from locals as well as abroads. to learn and watch how the urang utans live naturally. A boardwalk leads you to a viewing gallery and feeding platform where the apes are fed milk and bananas twice a day at 10.00am and 3.00pm by rangers. Feeding time also attracts long-tailed macaques to the area. 

Getting There

If you are not on any tour, public buses and taxis are available from Sandakan town. The Labuk Road Bus Company vehicles depart from the front of the Sandakan Town Council (Majlis Perbandaran Sandakan or MPS) from 6.00 am onwards. Fares are RM2.10 one way, but it will only stop at the junction to the Centre. You will have to walk about one and a half km in. You can hire a taxi for a return trip for about RM100.00 negotiable. The distance between town and the Centre is approximately 23km.

Opening Hours

Security Gate: Daily from 8.00am till 5.00pm
Reception & Ticketing Counter: Daily from 9.00am till 11.00am and 2.00pm till 3.30pm
Exhibition Hall: Daily (except Fridays) from 9.00am till 4.30pm
Centre: Daily from 9.00am till 12.00pm and 2.00pm till 4.00pm Fridays 9.00am till 11.00am, 2.00pm till 4.00pm 

Here are some of the photos taken during our trip there. 

Urang Utans Hanging by the Cable

Sepilok  Forest a Natural Habitat for the Urang Utans

This is Me...

Pathway to the feed ground of Urang Utans

For more Photos click here