Private Sandakan City Tour: Half Day with Local Lunch

Four hours, four landmarks, and lunch at a local restaurant

A private half-day tour of Sandakan with an English-speaking guide and hotel or airport pickup, visiting the Australian War Memorial, Sandakan Central Market, Sim-Sim Water Village, Puh Jih Shih Buddhist Temple and Agnes Keith House, with local lunch included. The tour runs about four hours and suits all fitness levels. Your driver collects you around 9am and returns you to your hotel or airport afterward.

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel or airport around 9am. Your first stop is the Australian War Memorial, which honors roughly 2,700 Australian prisoners of war who died at the Sandakan POW camp and during the subsequent death marches through Sabah's jungles. From there you move to Sandakan Central Market, where the stalls overflow with fresh seafood and local agricultural products: the kind of working market that shows how the city actually feeds itself.

Next is Sim-Sim Water Village, where houses sit built directly over the water on a stretch of coast that was once uninhabited jungle and mangroves. After that comes lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon continues to Puh Jih Shih Buddhist Temple, which sits high enough to command views across Sandakan Bay. Your last stop is Agnes Keith House, the former home of the American writer who penned "Land Below the Wind" and "White Man Returns": now a heritage house that opens a window into life during the British colonial period. Your driver then returns you to your hotel in town or to the airport.

What’s included

• Local lunch.
• round-trip transportation by air-conditioned car or minivan.
• English-speaking tour guide.
• goods and services tax.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 25 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by MAM Holidays Malaysia

Is this one for you?Four hours leaves the rest of your day open for other activities or a second exploration: ideal if you want to see Sandakan's key sites without committing to a full day, or if you're arriving or departing on the same day and need to fit sightseeing around your flight.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What exactly is the Australian War Memorial in Sandakan?

The Australian War Memorial is a site dedicated to the roughly 2,700 Australian prisoners of war who died at the Sandakan POW camp and during the death marches that followed through the jungles of Sabah. It is the first stop on the tour.

Is lunch included in the price, and where do we eat?

Yes, local lunch is included. You eat at a local restaurant during the afternoon portion of the tour, after visiting Sim-Sim Water Village.

What time does the tour pick me up, and how long does it take?

Your driver picks you up around 9am from your hotel or airport. The entire tour runs about four hours, ending with your return to your accommodation or the airport.

Who was Agnes Keith, and why is her house worth visiting?

Agnes Keith was an American writer best known for "Land Below the Wind" and "White Man Returns." Her house is now a heritage site that offers insight into daily life during the British colonial era in Sabah.

Do I need to be in good physical shape for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You spend most of the time in a vehicle moving between stops, with walking at each site but no strenuous hiking or climbing required.