Sandakan is definitely a favourite home away from home for Sabahans who live anywhere but, of course, Sandakan. Known as "Little Hong Kong" since it was here that many early Chinese settlers landed from Hong Kong, it is also known as "Food Heaven" because
OH MY GOD.
Charlotte and I went on a short 2 day 1 night road trip with one goal in mind: Seafood Bak Kut Teh! From KK city, it's about a 5 - 6 hour drive through Tamparuli, Kundasang, Ranau and Telupid, before you reach the junction to Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau. Along the way are the most beautiful roads, and Char's favourite bridge over Kinabatangan River!
Tourist Attractions:
Tamparuli -
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| Rumah Terbalik a.k.a. Upside Down House |
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| Tamparuli Suspension Bridge over Kiulu river |
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| Zip Borneo: Zipline across Kiulu river |
Kundasang -
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| Sinalau Bakas on the way up to Kundasang |
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| Best view of Mount Kinabalu peaks |
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| View of Mount Kinabalu from Kundasang National ParkDuring photo shoot for Tourism Malaysia |
and of course, the best weather in Sabah!
Ranau - Desa Cow Farm,
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Poring Hot Springs
During photo shoot for Tourism Malaysia |
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Sabah Tea Gardens
During photo shoot for Tourism Malaysia |
We stayed in Four Points by Sheraton, which is situated right in the middle of town on the harbour, and gifts you with an obstructed view of Sandakan Bay and the islands beyond. If you haven't guessed by my other posts, I LOVE sea views!
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| Four Points by Sheraton |
Upon arriving in Sandakan, we were starving so we dropped by Brew Cottage at Prima Square for a quick bite before continuing another 4 miles into town for a tour of the hotel.
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| Our room - Deluxe Seaview |
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| The bathroom |
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| Definition of a picturesque view |
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| Executive Suite |
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| Infinity Pool |
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| Gym |
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| Wrapped Bakery |
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| The Best Brew Bar |
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| Club Lounge |
As we were craving local food, we only had one meal at The Eatery @ Four Points, and that was a beautiful breakfast spread with the best view, which Char and I took full advantage of! Hey, how could we not selfie in this gorgeous light?
Where to go in Sandakan?
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| 1. Agnes Keith House |
2. Puu Jih Shih Buddhist Temple
3. St. Michael's Church
4. Sepilok
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| 5. Selingan Island a.k.a. Turtle Island ParkDuring photo shoot for Tourism Malaysia |
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6. Rainforest Discovery Centre
During photo shoot for Tourism Malaysia |
What to eat in Sandakan?
- Breakfast & Lunch:
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| Buffet at The Eatery, Four Points by Sheraton |
皮蛋水饺，fish noodles, 5 spice pork noodles @ central market
- Hi Tea:
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| Ba Lin Rooftop Cafe @ Nak Hotel - great for photos! |
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| UFO tarts |
English Tea House
- Dinner:
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| Seafood Bak Kut Teh |
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| Seafood |
- Dessert: 7 Heaven @ Mile 4, Cloud 9 @ IJM
The Good: Four Points by Sheraton is under the Starwood group, so just like
Le Meridien, they have
the most amazing beds! I'm not kidding, these I would take a staycation just to spend all
day wrapped in their beds haha. The infinity pool has a view of heaven, and the location
is perfect for both business and leisure.
The Could-Be-Better: The variety of the food at the breakfast buffet could be wider, but that's all
really!
For those who would like a quiet holiday, do try to avoid school holidays as Four Points is a family favourite. I would love to go back during low season and try capture that gorgeous sunset over the South China Sea..
Roadtrippin' Madness,
Calista xx
*Four Point by Sheraton photos by Charlotte Fong. For more amazing images, check out her Instagram HERE!
Love your hair! The post definitely reminded me how awesome home is and making me home sick😊
ReplyDeleteI always look forward to going out. A good tip would be to look out for those places with interesting concepts. This venue Houston is pretty amazing. I came up here with a friend. The place was spacious and food was great.
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