Sandakan, Star 2003

THE STAR
Saturday October 18, 2003
Compact with history and beauty

BY LIZ PRICE

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.

Located on the east coast of Sabah, Sandakan is the jumping off point for eco-tourism destinations such as the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary, Kinabatangan River, Danum Valley, Gomantong Cave, Turtle Islands National Park and many more.

The small compact town, consists of only about three blocks by four, so it is impossible to get lost.

According to the recent guidebooks and leaflets, there is no information office. But as I was walking around town on the first day, I happened to spot a familiar blue “I” sign. I followed this, and lo and behold, found an information office.

Inside, I met Elvina, who was very helpful and suggested lots of things to see and do – I didn’t realise that Sandakan and its surroundings had so much to offer. Elvina explained that the office wasn’t an official Tourism Malaysia one, but something that the townfolk had put together. They did a good job too, not just for the information offered but also for the tasteful décor and layout.

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.

After that was the William B. Pryer memorial. Pryer was an Englishman who founded Sandakan in 1879. He served as the first Resident of the East Coast after the initial settlement burnt down.

History buffs will be interested to know that 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 state’s capital until the Japanese invasion and subsequent

Allied bombing in 1945 which virtually destroyed the whole town.

One year later, the capital

was moved to a bigger town in the west coast – Jesselton – which is 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, and this was later sold to Alfred Dent, a Hong Kong-based publisher. It was only later that William Pryer appeared on the scene.

Under his leadership, Sandakan prospered, especially in the hey day of timber boom, when it was said to have the world’s greatest concentration of millionaires. This was probably an exaggeration, but the region has always been renown for luxury delicacies such as sea cucumber and bird’s 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 the Filipino Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia, 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 as they are parked on all street corners, and I found the drivers to be quite polite and not at all pushy. 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 you get good views over the town and bay at the top.

Sandakan nestles between the waterfront and the steep escarpment I had just climbed. 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 famous English Tea House and Restaurant. This is a renovated colonial house situated in the grounds of the Agnes Keith Museum. From 10am till midnight, visitors can enjoy food and drinks immersed in tranquil surroundings and enjoy the spectacular views over the bay.

You can even try your hand at croquet. Dating back to the 1800s, the sport of English croquet was an extremely popular lawn game, which reached Sandakan in 1870. Just next door to the restaurant is the Agnes Keith House.

This is a replica of the house used by the American author who lived there with her British husband Harry and their children from 1934 to 1942. It was here that she wrote her famous books, The Land Below the Wind, Three Came Home and White Man Returns.

The trail then descends down the hill 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 Sabah and Sarawak built in the 19th century.

Going further downhill brings you to the town field and the oldest temple, Sam Sing Kung.

The temple was constructed in 1885 for the Chinese from Guangdong province. The historical artefacts 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 too. Fruits seemed much cheaper and fresher than in Kuala Lumpur, so I binged on sweet rambutans and the like, which were all in season.

Having satisfied my stomach, I then 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 Buli Sim Sim, you get a good view over the village. I walked along the wooden bridges and plank walks, admiring the ornate houses and was wonderfully surprised to see several small sundry shops there.

At one point, I got out my camera to take a photo of some children and they screamed so loudly with delight that more children came running to join in the fun, while the adults all appeared from the houses to

see what was going on. I guess they don’t see too many Caucasians wandering around their village.

Not many tourists stay in Sandakan as they are all en route to the eco-tourism destinations, and those who do stay tend to go to the more upmarket hotel just outside town.

The surrounding area is a haven for wildlife lovers. The closest and best known attraction is the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary. This is about 25km from Sandakan, and many tourists opt to stay in one of the several lodges in Sepilok rather than in town.

Turtle Islands National Park is an ideal place to relax and watch rare turtles laying eggs. The Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley Conservation Area are great places for nature lovers, providing a good place to spot animals as they go about their daily life.

Finally there is the Gomantong Cave, but that is another story?