One of those things I always wanted to do and did not disappoint. Guaranteed sightings of the Orangutans with their meal times. We actually saw them up in the tree even prior, which was very special. The interaction of the Orangutans with eachother is very special, you will see their social order, how mother protect child, children play and the elderly get respected. Must see!

My wife and I came to the Orang-Utan rehab centre expecting to see them in pens etc, and were blown away by the sheer size of the forest the Orangs have as a safe rehab area. There is a paddock with an inside viewing deck where two of them were being kept. We saw an Orang in the forest section almost immediately as we stepped onto the decking path. Later on one of the older Orangs was walking around on the path bannister. One of the wardens/keepers there was walking alongside, making sure the Orang didn’t hurt anyone or vice versa. It was incredible seeing them up close!

The pinnacle of our journey was observing the orangutans. Two feeding stations are available, each offering both morning and afternoon feeding sessions. The initial station functions as a nursery for orangutans, where sightings are frequent, while the second offers a broader view, including the chance to see various monkey species. Fortuitously, we spotted a mother and her baby orangutan right on the boardwalk. Entry cost 30RM per individual, and although bags and water bottles are not allowed inside, complimentary lockers were available for storage.

Fantastic few days in Sandakan. Anzar picked us up from the airport and gave us lots of great information. He then drove us to different locations and recommended places to stay. You can contact him via WhatsApp: +60 17-821 7605 Definitely work the visit 😊

Had an amazing time at the sepilok sanctuaries :) Highly recommend Anzar as a driver and guide in Sepilok and Sandakan. I whatsapped Anzar a few days prior to our arrival in Sandakan and he managed to organise a flawless day trip which included pick up from sandakan, a morning river cruise on the Kinabatanagan river and visits to the proboscic, orangutan (during feeding times) and sunbear sanctuaries and the Rainforest discovery centre too. Our day ended when we were dropped off to the local bus station in sandakan. He was knowledgeable, reliable, reasonably priced and a very nice guy. His details are below for whatsapp. +60178217605

This was a great way to start our trip our guide Leo was very good he was pointing out old nests and gave us so much info. The nursery I really liked the set up only problem was it got very loud even though it was supposed to be quiet for the Orangutan’s but it did settle down after a while. The other feeding platform is a great idea they can come back for food if they need it we seen a mother and baby come down. We found the morning session very busy and loud but if you have enough time come back for the afternoon feeding we found it was much better and calmer if you keep your ticket from morning you can use that to get back in.

The Orangutan rehab centre undertake some fantastic and commendable conservation work. This is a centre worth visiting in Sepilok. I would suggest staying a bit longer past the feeding times. We had a male orangutan walk out of the forest and into the viewing platform very close to us!

Through trip advisor reviews with the tour guide Anzar, we arrived in Sandakan airport where he was waiting for us to begin the itinerary he had planned for us. I arranged all this whilst still in the uk. Communication was excellent before we met and then he showed us the places ,a very careful driver and knowledgeable of his own country. We had an amazing friendly day with him eventually he returned us back to the airport. If you need a guide for your time in Sepilok I would definitely recommend you contact him( WhatsApp +6017-8217605)

This was a highlight of our time in Sandakan. The nursery area provided equipment as well as a feeding platform and it was easy to observe their antics through the glass. Feeding time for the adults produced lots of pigtail macaques scrambling for food. The icing on the cake was the mother and baby orang-utan. Other orang-utans who didn’t come to feed could be seen in the surrounding jungle.

Ideally this place would not exist, and their mission is to keep going until there is no longer a need. But until the Orangutan’s greatest predator, man, stops poaching, keeping them as pets and destroying their habitat this place better bed down for a long time. In that context they do an incredible job rehabilitating up to 60% of these majestic beasts back into the wild. Some remain semi wild never roaming too far from the sanctuary without being residents, and those who will never roam wild again typically go to zoos. Here you will observe young orangutang at play and feeding, and the older more independent ones are to be seen at the feeding platforms. We were lucky, none had come for three days, and on our visit two arrived. Try not to be disappointed if they don’t show, it is actually a measure of their success if the apes are foraging for themselves and not depending on the platforms. Couple this visit with the RDC and you may see one swinging over your head. We did!! This is why you come to Borneo, don’t miss it.