Sandakan, colonial capital of Sabah
Urban and jungle: Founded in 1879 by Resident William Pryer, Sandakan prospered, especially in the heyday of timber boom, when it was said to have the world's greatest concentration of millionaires. Picture: www.malaysiasite.nl
Liz Price
SANDAKAN
Saturday, October 20, 2007
THE directions on the tourist leaflet said "go up the stairs with the 100 steps". What it didn't mention was the long ascending slope that followed all the steps, gently climbing to the top of the hill. Luckily it was a shady walk, and quite pretty with the lush vegetation. It was a peaceful retreat from the bustling town below. However, it is a bit unfair to call Sandakan bustling, as it is actually relatively quiet as towns go.
Sandakan on the east coast of Sabah is the launching pad for eco-tourist destinations such as Sepilok orang utan sanctuary, Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley, Gomantong caves, Turtle Islands National Park etc. It is a small compact town, consisting of only about three blocks by four so it is impossible to get lost.
Armed with the Sandakan Heritage Trail leaflet, I set off on a walking tour of the town. First stop was the 100-year-old town mosque, Masjid Jamek, perched on a small hill overlooking the town.
Next stop was the William Pryer memorial. He was an Englishman who founded Sandakan in 1879. He served as the first Resident of the East Coast after the initial settlement burnt down. For history buffs, Sandakan was made the capital of British North Borneo (the pre-independence name for Sabah) in 1884. The British North Borneo Company ruled Sabah from 1881 to 1946. Sandakan remained the capital until the Japanese invasion and subsequent Allied bombing in 1945 which virtually destroyed the town. One year later the capital was moved to Jessleton, now called Kota Kinabalu.
Even earlier than that, Sandakan was ruled by the Sultan of Sulu from the Philippines in the 18th century. An Austrian acquired the lease from the Sultan in 1878, this was later sold to Alfred Dent a Hong Kong base publisher, and then William Pryer appeared on the scene. Sandakan prospered, especially in the heyday of timber boom, when it was said to have the world's greatest concentration of millionaires. This is probably an exaggeration, but the region has always been renown for luxury goods such as sea cucumbers and birds' nests.
Today Sandakan is a commercial centre at the entrance of a beautiful island studded bay. The docks and wharves are particularly busy as boats unload fish and other produce, and take away rattan, bird's nests, timber, rubber, copra and palm oil. Strolling around town, I kept forgetting where I was as I heard a variety of languages such as Filipino and Indonesian, as well as the normal variety of Malaysian languages. It was quite a cultural awakening and pleasant as no one hassled me, and people were friendly without being a nuisance.
There are three small bus stations all within a stone's throw of each other. Taxis are easily available, they are parked on all street corners, and I found the drivers to be quite polite and not at all pushy in wanting your custom. Passenger ferries shuttle back and forth to Zamboanga in the Philippines.
But I digress from my walk. From Pryer's monument I followed the signs and numbers painted on the ground and found myself at the bottom of the "100 steps". It was worth the climb as from the top are good views over the town and bay. Sandakan nestles between the waterfront and the steep escarpment which I was just climbing. At the top I detoured to see the huge cemetery. I assumed it was a Chinese cemetery, but the leaflet said it was Japanese.
I then headed for the English Tea House and Restaurant. This is a renovated colonial house situated in the grounds of the Agnes Keith Museum. From 10 am till midnight you can enjoy food and drinks immersed in tranquil surroundings and enjoying the spectacular views over the bay. You can even try your hand at croquet. Dating back to the 1800's the sport of English croquet was an extremely popular lawn game, which reached Sandakan in 1870. Just next door is the Agnes Keith House. This is a replica of the house used by the American authoress who lived there with her family from 1934-1942. It is here where she wrote her famous book The Land Below the Wind. She also wrote a couple of other books on their experiences in Borneo.
The trail then descends downhill and leads to a small Goddess of Mercy temple, and onto St Michael's and All Angels church. This quaint stone church is one of the few stone buildings in East Malaysia, built in the 19th century. Going further downhill brings you to the town padang and the oldest temple, Sam Sing Kung. It was constructed in 1885 for the Chinese from Guangdong province. Historical artifacts and plaques contain a wealth of information on the early history of Sandakan.
Next item on the itinerary was lunch. Sandakan abounds in eating places and bakeries, and caters for all palates: there are plenty of halal restaurants, as well as Chinese ones and seafood places. Fruits seemed cheaper and fresher than in KL, so I binged on rambutans and the like, all in season.
After a good meal I boarded a local bus for Buli Sim Sim. This is a picturesque stilt village, where the Malay fishermen live, just 3km east of the town. From the main mosque at Sim Sim you get a good view over the village. I walked along the wooden bridges and plankwalks, admiring the ornate houses and was surprised to see several small sundry shops. At one point I got out my camera to take a photo of some kids and they screamed so loudly with their delight that lots more kids came running to join in the fun, whilst the adults all appeared from the houses to see what on earth was going on. I guess they don't see too many mat sallehs wandering around their village.
Tourists tend not to linger in Sandakan as they are all on route to the eco-destinations. The surrounding area is a haven for wildlife lovers. The closest and best known attraction is Sepilok orang utan sanctuary, about 25km from Sandakan.
Turtle Islands National Park is an ideal place to relax and watch rare turtles laying their eggs. The Sungai Kinabatangan and Danum Valley Conservation Area are great places for general nature lovers, providing a good place to spot animals as they go about its daily life. There are various tour companies based in Sandakan who run trips to these places. Finally there are the Gomantong Caves, but that is another story.
The Brunei Times
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/life/2007/10/20/sandakan_colonial_capital_of_sabah
No comments:
Post a Comment