Excursion Sandakan heritage tour at Sandakan

Explore the local landmarks and heritage of Sandakan during this picturesque, half-day sightseeing excursion.

Sandakan Memorial Park, Red Hill, Puh Jih Sye Temple

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately 30-minute drive to Sandakan Memorial Park, a war memorial built on the site of the original POW camp set up during a period of Japanese occupation during World War II. The camp was set up with two main sections; one for the British POWs, and the other for Australian POWs. Following your visit, re-board your coach and head to the Puh Jih Sye Temple. Among the most popular temples in Sandakan, Puh Jih Sye is located atop the approximately 328-foot (about 100-metre) Tanah Merah (Red Hill). This extravagant red-and-gold-coloured temple is adorned with writhing dragons and glided Buddhas.

Agnes Keith Museum

Next, re-board your coach and drive to the Agnes Keith Museum. Built in the early-20th century, the typical colonial home of Agnes and Harry Keith is perched atop a hill overlooking Sandakan Bay. In her first book, Land below the Wind, Agnes writes, 'When we sat in that house and looked out through its open doors, the harbour of Sandakan became a background to our entire world. I knew then that was where I wanted to live.' This bungalow-turned-museum displays colonial life in the early-1930s to late-1940s, and the renowned Canadian writer's life in Sabah, Borneo.

English Tea House, High Tea, Sim-Sim Water Village

Leaving Agnes Keith's House, take a guided stroll over to the nearby English Tea House for high tea. Enjoy a cup of tea with your choice of an English scone or local hors d'oeuvre. The English Tea House is a colonial-style concept inspired by the famous Agnes Keith House. Afterward, re-board your coach for the short drive to the Sim-Sim Water Village, which is actual comprised of Chinese and Malay water villages. The oldest settlement in Sandakan, it was founded in 1879 by the British, who found the natural harbour to be among the most beautiful in the world and named it 'Elopura' (Beautiful Town). Your tour concludes with a short drive back to the pier.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Sandakan Memorial Park, Red Hill, Puh Jih Sye Temple, Agnes Keith Museum, English Tea House, High Tea, Sim-Sim Water Village

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking for approximately 366 yards (about 335 metres), at times over uneven and natural surfaces and inclines, with a few steps to negotiate to get on/off the coach, and four-ten steps at the Agnes Keith Museum and Puh Jih Sye Temple. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilise a wheelchair. Guests are advised to wear lightweight, comfortable, long-sleeve shirts and pants with flat, non-slip walking shoes, and bring sun protection, raingear, insect repellent, and bottled water from the ship; shorts and bare shoulders and midriffs are not permitted.  Proper attire is required to enter religious sites; shorts and bare shoulders are not permitted. Hats and shoes must be removed prior to entering the temple; we suggest bringing along a pair of thick socks, because the pavement may be very hot.  Flash photography is not permitted inside the Agnes Keith Museum. The tour sequence may vary.

Infrastructure in Malaysia may be basic, and local conditions may be challenging; coaches, guides, hotels, restaurants, equipment, and services are the best-available in the area, but may not be up to the standards of those found on other excursions. Therefore, we urge flexibility and understanding as we visit unique, less touristic destinations. Although English is very popular language in Borneo, Malaysia, local Tour Guides tend to have a strong accent therefore we urge flexibility and understanding.