Sandakan is at the neck of a bay on the northeast coast of Sabah and looks out to the Sulu Sea. It is a post-war town, much of it rebuilt on reclaimed land, and is Malaysia’s biggest fishing port. Sandakan is dubbed ‘mini Hong Kong’ because of its Cantonese influence; its occupants are well-heeled and the town sustains many prosperous businesses, despite being rather scruffy. It is now also home to a large Filipino community, mostly traders from Mindanao and the Sulu Islands. Manila still officially claims Sabah in its entirety – Sandakan is only 28 km from Philippines’ territorial waters.
In the centre of town is the riotous daily fish market, which is the biggest and best in Sabah. The best time to visit is at 0600 when the boats unload their catch. The Central Market along the waterfront sells fruit, vegetables, sarongs, seashells, spices and sticky rice cakes. The Sandakan Heritage Trail is a 90-minute loop that takes in the town’s historical highlights including a good lookout point. The tourist office has trail maps.
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