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Voykit pocket guide · 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.
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.
- Country
- Malaysia
- 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–AugNov–Jan (check — wettest months not confirmed); peak crowds at the 10:00 AM feeding in Jul–Aug
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MYR
- Money
- Malaysian ringgit (MYR, RM); cards and e-wallets are widely used in Kuala Lumpur.
- Daily spend
- Budget RM120–200 excl. bed · Mid RM200–350 excl. bed · High RM350+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile and Unifi sell tourist SIMs at KLIA with passport registration.
- Emergency
- Police and ambulance 999 · Fire 994 · From a mobile 112
- Plugs
- Types G · 240 V · 50 Hz · UK three-pin; hotels often have universal sockets.
- Tipping
- Hawker stalls: Nothing.; Restaurants: Nothing if 10% service charge is added; otherwise round up.; Grab / taxi: Round up.; Guides: RM20–50 a day.
- Water
- Treated in cities, but most people filter or boil; bottled water is cheap.
- Toilets
- Western and squat toilets side by side; water hose instead of paper; some public toilets cost RM0.20–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre entry, foreign adult | RM30 |
| Sun Bear Conservation Centre entry, foreign adult | RM50 |
| Rainforest Discovery Centre entry, adult | RM20 |
| Kabili Trail permit, on top of RDC entry | RM15 |
| Taxi Sepilok junction → park | About RM5 per person |
| Taxi Sandakan → Sepilok | About RM50 one way |
| Noodle or rice meal at a lodge café | RM12–25 |
| Coffee or cold drink | RM4–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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
Typical fares
- 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
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get 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 (1.2 mi) 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.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 1.2 mi (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.
See and do
Known for
- Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Rainforest Discovery Centre canopy walkway
- Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary | About 30–40 min by car or Grab from Sepilok Road; no public bus | Half day |
| Sandakan | Bus 14 from the minibus station, roughly hourly, or a taxi about RM50 one way | 45–60 min |
| Kinabatangan river (Sukau) | Taxi or pre-booked transfer to Sukau, then boat | 1.5–2 h |
| Semporna and the islands | Bus to Semporna, about 5 h, or fly Sandakan–Tawau then road | 5–7 h |
Sleep
- 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.Cheaper beds, restaurants and ATMs, but 16 mi (26 km) and 30–45 min each way; use it only if you have your own car or a booked transfer.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Terima kasihterima kasih |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?berapah harganya |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana tandas?di mana tandas |
| I don't understand | Saya tidak fahamsaya tidak faham |
| Please wait for me | Tolong tunggu sayatolong tunggu saya |
| Can I pay by card? | Boleh bayar dengan kad?boleh bayar dengan kad |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake or hand on heart; wait for women to offer a hand; avoid: Firm grips, hugging
- Pointing: Use the thumb with fingers folded; avoid: Index finger pointing
- Homes: Shoes off; avoid: Walking in with shoes
- Mosques: Covered clothes, headscarf for women; avoid: Entering during prayers
- Public affection: Keep it low-key; avoid: Kissing in public
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sepilok yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
- Rainforest Discovery Centre canopy walkway
- Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Sabah Wildlife Department — Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre: wildlife.sabah.gov.my/index.php/20-protected-areas/50-sepilok-orangutan-rehabilitation-centre
- Wikivoyage: Sepilok, revision 5239357 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5239357
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Sepilok
Tolong hantar ke alamat ini
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies and high commissions are in Kuala Lumpur; several countries keep a consulate in Kota Kinabalu.
Cash matters here: no ATMs in Sepilok, and small shops and taxi drivers may not take cards.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sepilok). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.