What To Do In The Small Village Of Sepilok

We will start our itinerary in the small village of Sepilok on the island of Borneo. Sepilok is home to a rescue station for endangered orangutans. You will also find here a reserve with the smallest bears in the world or a center where you can learn a lot of information about the importance of rainforests on our planet. To get to know the local environment, this place is the most suitable starting point for the beginning of the journey through Malaysia.

How to get to Sepilok

To be able to start your journey through Malaysia at this point, after arriving in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, you will have another three hours of domestic flight with one of the above-mentioned companies. The village of Sepilok is 23 km from the airport in the city of Sandakan, where you will land. Unfortunately there is no public transport directly from the airport, so you only have two options to get to the village. The first, but more expensive option is Taxi. The second, better and cheaper option is the Grab app. The airport is small, but the Wi-Fi connection works, so once you land here, you just connect, go to the front of the hall, open the app and order a ride to the village. The trip will cost you 20-30 MYR for the whole car and will take about 30 minutes.

Accommodation

There are not many accommodation facilities in the village, but each of them offers the beautiful environment of the local jungle and the peace that you cannot find in the cities. From our own experience, we can definitely recommend Sepilok Jungle Resort. This resort is actually in the jungle, so it is not unusual to encounter monitor lizards, snakes, macaques or lots of birds. The rooms are basic but clean. There is a nice pool, gym, breakfast included and Wi-Fi connection, but it works mainly in the restaurant. You will pay 135 MYR (approx. 671 CZK) per night in a double room. You can contact the accommodation at +60 89 533 051 or through the portal www.booking.com.

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

One of the main reasons why you should go to Sepilok is definitely to visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Here, local workers try to provide orphaned and injured orangutans with the necessary care and, above all, facilities in which they can prepare for their return to the wild.

The station also serves as an educational center, so during your visit you will also learn a lot of information about these beautiful creatures that are very similar to us. It is best to go here around 9:00 in the morning or 2:00 in the afternoon. At 10:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m., feeding takes place here, which also includes orangutans and macaques from the surrounding jungle.

So at this time you really have a great chance to see several individuals. The entrance fee to the rescue station costs 30 MYR, you will pay another 10 MYR if you want to take photos and videos with something other than your phone. Before entering the station, you may have to leave your backpack in the locker in front of the entrance. It’s for your safety, because macaques like to steal and your backpack is a big attraction for them :-). There is no charge for renting a locker.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Just opposite the orangutan rescue station is the entrance to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, which is home to the endangered Malayan Bear. There are currently around 40 rescued bears living in the reserve, so there is a good chance that you will see some of them with your own eyes. The visit will take about 30 minutes and you will pay 50 MYR to enter the center.

Rainforest Discovery Centre

In Sepilok, don’t miss the Rainforest Discovery Centre. An educational trail leads here through the original rainforest, where you will learn a lot of information about the animals and plants that live here. The center is a popular spot for bird and plant watchers. Here you can walk among the crowns of up to 1,000-year-old trees along the longest Canopy Walkway in the state of Sabah. The entrance fee costs 20 MYR and the visit takes about 2 hours.

Labuk Bay

Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary is not located directly in Sepilok, but you should not miss a visit to this reserve. In it, you will see an endemic species of monkeys living only in Borneo, the proboscis monkey. In the reserve, their feeding takes place several times a day, so here you have a great chance to see a really large group of these, at first glance, very funny animals.

he reserve is located 21 km from Sepilok, but the journey here is really easy. If you will be staying at a hotel recommended by us, arrange a ride directly at the reception. The cost of transportation here is the same as if you took a public bus, only the driver will pick you up directly at the resort and will also take you back immediately after visiting the reservation.

The public bus to the reserve runs only once a day, from the orangutan rescue station at 10:30 in the morning. Back to Sepilok, the bus leaves at 15:00 and at 17:00. Whether you use the transfer from the hotel or the public bus, you will always pay MYR 20 for one way. The entrance fee to the reservation then costs MYR 60. Feeding times sometimes change, so it is better to check their exact time first on the website www.proboscis.cc.

Tips for visiting the village of Sepilok

A short distance from the Rainforest Discovery Center stands a newly built resort called Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort. Not only is the cooking excellent here, but the prices for the meals are surprisingly very low.

You can find a great deal here for 15-30 MYR (approx. 74-149 CZK). There is also an excellent restaurant at our recommended accommodation.
If you want to visit all the places mentioned above, set aside at least two days to visit Sepilok. It is also possible to do it in one day, but you will have to fly through all the places.

What to watch out for in Sepilok

If you will transfer directly to a connecting flight to Borneo in Kuala Lumpur and fly only with hand luggage, expect that there will be no place to buy a data SIM card. There is no SIM card shop at Sandakan airport and at Kuala Lumpur airport you would have to climb outside the transit area and go through the entire check-in process again. Therefore, you will need more time. In Borneo, you can only buy a data SIM in the town of Semporna (see below). Alternatively, you can arrange with the Grab driver to stop you somewhere on the way to Sepilok.

There is also no ATM in Sepilok, so withdraw enough cash immediately after landing at Sandakan airport. ATMs are in the departure hall and you can find them here