# Things to see in Sandakan (Malaysia): 12 places and when to go > Sandakan is a city in Malaysia with around 392,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 12 places in and around it, mainly Temples (6), History (2), Nature (2). The best known are Sandakan District Mosque, Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and St. Mary's Cathedral, Sandakan. The best time to come is February to April and June to August; also possible: January, May and September to October. There are about 12 h 20 of daylight all year round: this close to the equator the days barely change. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/sandakan/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-08 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **Where:** Malaysia · 5.843, 118.108 - **Population:** About 392,000 - **Places:** 12 places on this site, in the town and around it. - **What people come for:** [Temples](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/espiritual/) (6) · [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/historia/) (2) · [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/naturaleza/) (2) · [With kids](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/familia/) (1) · [Wildlife](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/fauna/) (1) · [Museums and art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/museos/) (1) - **Best time:** February to April and June to August. - **Also possible:** January, May and September to October. - **Nearest airport:** BKI Kota Kinabalu, 228 km as the crow flies ## What to see in Sandakan The places in and around Sandakan, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies. - [Sandakan District Mosque](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/sandakan-district-mosque/): Mosque in Malaysia · 2.4 km - [Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/sepilok-orangutan-rehabilitation-centre/): Wildlife sanctuary in Malaysia · 18 km - [St. Mary's Cathedral, Sandakan](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/st-mary-s-cathedral/): Church in Sandakan, Malaysia · 516 m - [St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/the-parish-of-st-michael-s-and-all-angels/): Church in Sandakan, Malaysia · 603 m - [Puu Jih Shih Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/puu-jih-shi-buddhist-temple/): Buddhist temple in Sandakan, Malaysia · 2.6 km - [Sam Sing Kung Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/sam-sing-kung-temple/): Chinese temple in Malaysia · 740 m - [Agnes Keith House](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/agnes-keith-house/): Museum in Sabah, Malaysia · 836 m - [Chartered Company Monument](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/chartered-company-monument/): Monument · 940 m - [Sandakan War Monument](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/sandakan-war-monument/): World War II memorial in Sabah, Malaysia · 932 m - [Tam Kung Temple, Malaysia](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/tam-kung-temple/): Chinese temple in Sandakan, Malaysia · 1.7 km - [Telukan Dalam](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/inner-bay/): Bight in Malaysia · 21 km - [Bukit Timbang](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/timbang-hill/): Mountain in Sabah, Malaysia · 18 km ## When to go to Sandakan The best time to visit Sandakan is **February to April and June to August**; also possible: January, May and September to October. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Possible | 11 h 42 | | February | Best time | 11 h 49 | | March | Best time | 11 h 58 | | April | Best time | 12 h 08 | | May | Possible | 12 h 16 | | June | Best time | 12 h 20 | | July | Best time | 12 h 18 | | August | Best time | 12 h 12 | | September | Possible | 12 h 02 | | October | Possible | 11 h 52 | | November | Better not | 11 h 44 | | December | Better not | 11 h 40 | There are about 12 h 20 of daylight all year round: this close to the equator the days barely change. In February, 12 of the 12 places are at their best. When to go to Malaysia in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/#cuando-ir). ## Getting to Sandakan The nearest main airport is Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI, Kota Kinabalu), 228 km as the crow flies. How to get around Malaysia (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/#antes-de-salir). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=5.843%2C118.108) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=5.843%2C118.108) ## Other towns nearby - [Tawau](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/tawau/): 13 places · 177 km - [Kota Kinabalu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/kota-kinabalu/): 16 places · 222 km - [Kuching](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/kuching/): 26 places · 988 km - [Kuantan](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/kuantan/): 6 places · 1,656 km - [Kuala Terengganu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/kuala-terengganu/): 25 places · 1,662 km - [Johor Bahru](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/johor-bahru/): 43 places · 1,670 km And all of Malaysia, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is there to see in Sandakan? The best known: [Sandakan District Mosque](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/sandakan-district-mosque/), [Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/sepilok-orangutan-rehabilitation-centre/), [St. Mary's Cathedral, Sandakan](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/st-mary-s-cathedral/), [St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/the-parish-of-st-michael-s-and-all-angels/), [Puu Jih Shih Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/malasia/puu-jih-shi-buddhist-temple/). In all, 12 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one. ### When is the best time to visit Sandakan? February to April and June to August; also possible: January, May and September to October. There are about 12 h 20 of daylight all year round: this close to the equator the days barely change. ### How do you get to Sandakan? The nearest main airport is Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI), 228 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=5.843%2C118.108) opens the route on the map. ### How do I add it to my trip? Create a trip with Sandakan as the destination and these 12 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby. Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).