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Major city · Malaysia

Sepilok

Give Sepilok one full day and one night: orangutans at the 10:00 feeding, sun bears next door, canopy walkway before the RDC ticket counter closes (reported 17:00 — check current hours). Two nights only if you add Kinabatangan.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Sepilok is a 26 km strip of forest reserve outside Sandakan, built around three wildlife sites within walking distance of each other: the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre and the Rainforest Discovery Centre. Most travellers see it in a single day between Sandakan and the Kinabatangan river, or as a two-night stop on a Sabah loop. There is no town centre, no bank and no ATM: you sleep at a resort or lodge on the same road, and you plan around feeding times, not opening hours.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
MYR
Best months
Mar–Sep (check — seasonal rainfall patterns for Sepilok are not confirmed)
avoid Nov–Jan (check — wettest months not confirmed); peak crowds at the 10:00 feeding in Jul–Aug
Airports
SDK · BKI
Nights
1–2
Rules in force · 5Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Malaysia ↗Most foreign visitors must submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online shortly before arrival; use only the official immigration site.
  • Malaysia ↗Remove shoes before entering mosques, temples and homes; cover shoulders and knees, and use the robes on loan at major mosques.
  • Malaysia ↗Cards and e-wallets are common in cities; keep some ringgit in small notes for hawker stalls, taxis and tolls.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Sepilok999 ▾
  • Police and ambulance999
  • Fire994
  • From a mobile112

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Sepilok, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or cold drinkRM4–10
  • Street or quick mealNoodle or rice meal at a lodge caféRM12–25
  • Museum or sight ticketOrangutan Rehabilitation Centre entry, foreign adultCamera fee extra; ticket valid all dayRM30
  • Budget bedHostel or lodge dorm bed, a night, per personRM40
  • Mid-range bedResort chalet double room, a night, per roomRM240
  • High-end bedResort chalet double room, a night, per roomRM420

A day, not counting the bed: Budget RM150 · Mid RM280 · High RM550

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation CentreBornean Sun Bear Conservation CentreRainforest Discovery Centre canopy walkwayKabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve
Airports
SDK Sandakan Airport (About 45 min by road (check); pre-arranged car from your accommodation is the usual transfer, roughly RM45 one way) · BKI Kota Kinabalu International (Long-haul gateway to Sabah; bus or flight onward to Sandakan, then road to Sepilok)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    30°C (86°F)

  2. Feb

    not flagged

    30°C (86°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    32°C (90°F)

  5. May

    Best

    32°C (90°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    32°C (90°F)

  7. Jul

    Care

    32°C (90°F)

  8. Aug

    Care

    32°C (90°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    31°C (88°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    31°C (88°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    31°C (88°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    30°C (86°F)

Best: Mar–Jun, Sep. Mixed: Jul–Aug. Avoid: Nov–Jan. Month by month →

Warmest Apr (32°C (90°F)), coolest Jan (24°C (75°F) low), wettest Dec (20 rain days), driest Apr (11). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Sepilok: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

30°C (86°F)

24°C (75°F)

18 rd

Feb

30°C (86°F)

24°C (75°F)

14 rd

Mar

31°C (88°F)

24°C (75°F)

12 rd

Apr

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

11 rd

May

32°C (90°F)

25°C (77°F)

12 rd

Jun

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

12 rd

Jul

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

13 rd

Aug

32°C (90°F)

24°C (75°F)

14 rd

Sep

31°C (88°F)

24°C (75°F)

15 rd

Oct

31°C (88°F)

24°C (75°F)

17 rd

Nov

31°C (88°F)

24°C (75°F)

19 rd

Dec

30°C (86°F)

24°C (75°F)

20 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

There is no public transport inside Sepilok. The orangutan centre, sun bear centre and Rainforest Discovery Centre sit along the same road and forest boardwalks, with the RDC about 2 km from the orangutan centre: walking between them is possible but hot at midday, and a taxi from the Sepilok road junction to the park runs about RM5 per person. Pre-arranged cars through your lodge handle airport runs and Labuk Bay. Grab works from Sandakan but return drivers are unreliable; agree the wait and the price before you leave.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary

caution

Door to door: Half day

About 30–40 min by car or Grab from Sepilok Road; no public bus

Feeding platforms at set times; a return Grab or taxi means a long wait, so agree the price and waiting time up front.

Sandakan

go

Door to door: 45–60 min

Bus 14 from the minibus station, roughly hourly, or a taxi about RM50 one way

Use it for ATMs, restaurants and the airport; not worth a day of its own.

Kinabatangan river (Sukau)

overnight

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Taxi or pre-booked transfer to Sukau, then boat

River wildlife is best at dawn and dusk: sleep at least one night, two is better.

Semporna and the islands

overnight

Door to door: 5–7 h

Bus to Semporna, about 5 h, or fly Sandakan–Tawau then road

A separate leg of a Sabah trip, not a day trip.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Sepilok Road (Mile 14) resorts

Chalets and lodges 5–15 min walk or a short drive from the orangutan and sun bear centres; the default for a one-night wildlife stop.

Jalan Rambutan / RDC side

Quieter, closer to the Rainforest Discovery Centre and its canopy walkway; good if birding is the point of the trip.

Sandakan town

Cheaper beds, restaurants and ATMs, but 26 km (16 mi) and 30–45 min each way; use it only if you have your own car or a booked transfer.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
RM120–200 excl. bed
Mid
RM200–350 excl. bed
High
RM350+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Resort chalet double room1 × 1 night × RM240RM240
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × RM280RM560
Sandakan airport transfer, both ways2 × RM90RM180
Orangutan centre entry, foreign adult2 × RM30RM60
Sun bear centre entry, foreign adult2 × RM50RM100
eSIM, about a week of data2 × RM40RM80
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeRM122
Trip total≈ RM671 per person per day, bed includedRM1,342≈ US$350

2026 estimate in ringgit; flights and Kinabatangan packages excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre entry, foreign adultCamera fee extra; ticket valid all dayRM30
Sun Bear Conservation Centre entry, foreign adultRM50
Rainforest Discovery Centre entry, adultCanopy walkway includedRM20
Kabili Trail permit, on top of RDC entry8 km (5 mi) each way to the mangroves; bring your own food and waterRM15
Taxi Sepilok junction → parkAbout RM5 per person
Taxi Sandakan → SepilokAbout RM50 one way
Noodle or rice meal at a lodge caféRM12–25
Coffee or cold drinkRM4–10

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Sepilok is a forest reserve, not a town: the real risks are heat, mosquitoes, uneven boardwalks and cash. Violent crime against visitors is rare; keep valuables in your lodge safe and don't walk the main road after dark without a torch.
  • No banks or ATMs in Sepilok: bring cash for tickets, taxis and small shops. The nearest ATM is at Mile 8, a paid taxi ride away.
  • Bags, water and food must be left in the free lockers at the orangutan reserve entrance; cameras are allowed, and other items are not confirmed as prohibited.
  • The 10:00 feeding draws tour buses from Kota Kinabalu; the 15:00 feeding is usually quieter and each ticket is valid all day.
  • Feeding times can be delayed by rain, and there is no shelter at the feeding platform.
  • Sun bears rest in the heat: go early or on a cloudy day, and allow 30–40 min inside.
  • Book Kinabatangan river lodges and any Sepilok accommodation in Jul–Aug and on Malaysian school holidays well ahead.

Emergency numbers

Police and ambulance
999
Fire
994
From a mobile
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

SepilokSepilok

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Tolong hantar ke alamat iniTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police and ambulance999
  • Fire994
  • From a mobile112

Embassy

Most embassies and high commissions are in Kuala Lumpur; several countries keep a consulate in Kota Kinabalu.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Sandakan airport → Sepilok, pre-arranged car: about RM45 one way
  • Sepilok junction → park, taxi: about RM5 per person
  • Bus 14 Sandakan → Sepilok: roughly hourly, about RM6

Say or show

  • Terima kasih — Thank you (terima kasih)
  • Berapa harganya? — How much is it? (berapah harganya)
  • Di mana tandas? — Where is the toilet? (di mana tandas)
  • Saya tidak faham — I don't understand (saya tidak faham)
  • Tolong tunggu saya — Please wait for me (tolong tunggu saya)
  • Boleh bayar dengan kad? — Can I pay by card? (boleh bayar dengan kad)

Cash matters here: no ATMs in Sepilok, and small shops and taxi drivers may not take cards.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Sepilok. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–Sep (check — seasonal rainfall patterns for Sepilok are not confirmed) · avoid Nov–Jan (check — wettest months not confirmed); peak crowds at the 10:00 feeding in Jul–Aug · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SDK: pre-arranged car times, taxi fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Three walking clusters with heat anchors: orangutan centre, sun bear centre, RDC canopy walkway.
  3. Place pages with verified feeding times and ticket counters (orangutan centre, sun bear centre, RDC, Labuk Bay) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Wet-season and crowd fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Malaysia

Sources