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    Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
    kallerna / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Malaysia

    Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

    Point of Interest

    At the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan on the east coast of Sabah in northern Borneo, orphaned orangutans have been prepared for a life in the rainforest since 1964.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Malaysia
    7. Sabah
    9. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre
    At the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan on the east coast of Sabah in northern Borneo, orphaned orangutans have been prepared for a life in the rainforest since 1964. During feeding times you can watch the great apes from just a few metres away, in a protected forest rather than a zoo.Sepilok lies near Sandakan on Sabah's east coast. Before any planning, check the UK FCDO travel advice, which covers eastern Sabah specifically.Right next door is the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre for rescued sun bears, and a few minutes away the Rainforest Discovery Centre with its canopy walkway.

    Sehenswürdigkeiten

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)

    1Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)

    Nature Centre in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, just over a kilometre from the Orangutan Centre. The Rainforest Skywalk, extended in 2022, is around 620 metres long and about 25 metres above the ground, with forest trails and a plant garden. In the early morning and late afternoon, most birds are active.
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    Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

    2Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

    Since 1964, orphaned orangutans are prepared here for a life in the wild. Twice daily, at 10 AM and 3 PM, food is provided at a forest platform. Their appearance is never guaranteed, which precisely shows they live freely.
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    Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
    Zoo

    3Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

    Right next to the Orangutan Centre, the conservation centre, founded in 2008, cares for rescued sun bears, the smallest bear species. During the day, the animals roam in forest enclosures, which you observe from platforms. Admission is paid separately.
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    Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary
    Attraction

    4Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary

    Nature reserve in a mangrove forest on the coast northwest of Sandakan. During feeding times, wild proboscis monkeys come from the mangroves to the platforms. For an experience without feeding, head to Kinabatangan.
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    Essen & Trinken

    1

    Sepilok Fresh Coconut Stop

    A small stand on the access road to Sepilok with fresh coconuts and simple snacks. Just the thing after a humid morning in the rainforest.
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    Borneo Sepilok Rainforest Resort

    Restaurant in 1.5KM.
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    Tanini Sepilok (formerly known as Nature Lodge Sepilok)

    Bar in Jalan Sepilok.
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    2

    The Mango by Tanini

    Restaurant in Sepilok, not far from the Rainforest Discovery Centre. Great for a quiet dinner if you're staying at one of the local lodges.
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    3

    Banana Cafe

    Simple cafe just a few minutes' walk from the Orangutan Centre. Convenient for lunch between morning and afternoon feedings, offering Malaysian dishes and juices.
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    Protecting Borneo's Wildlife

    The center, founded in 1964, shelters young orangutans orphaned by deforestation or poaching, or those held as pets. Over years, these animals learn to climb and forage in the forest, subsequently living freely within the approximately 4,300-hectare forest reserve. It is operated by the Sabah Wildlife Department.The Sun Bear Centre next door was founded in 2008 and cares for the smallest bear species. Both projects illustrate how severely the habitat on Borneo is threatened by plantations.

    Arrival and Visit

    Getting thereFrom Sandakan, take Grab or a taxi to Sepilok. By public bus it takes 45 to 60 minutes according to the Sabah Wildlife Department. Buses stop on the main road, from where it is a longer walk to the entrance. On site, the attractions are close together.Opening hours and admissionAccording to the Sabah Wildlife Department, the orangutan centre is open Monday to Thursday 9 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm, and at weekends 9 am to 11 am and 2 pm to 4 pm. Feeding is at 10 am and 3 pm. Foreign adults pay RM 30. Check Friday and public holiday hours in advance. Bring rain and mosquito protection.Travel adviceSepilok is in Sandakan district, part of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone). Before any planning, check the UK FCDO travel advice, which covers eastern Sabah specifically.

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    Nearby

    Sandakan

    Sandakan

    This port city on Sabah's east coast was the capital of British North Borneo until 1946. Today it is mainly a base for Sepilok, the Kinabatangan and the Turtle Islands.Sandakan lies on Sabah's east coast. Before any planning, check the UK FCDO travel advice, which covers eastern Sabah specifically.In town, the Agnes Keith House and Sandakan Memorial Park recall the colonial era and the Second World War, and the harbour is the place for fresh fish and seafood.
    Kinabatangan

    Kinabatangan

    At around 560 kilometres, the Kinabatangan is Sabah's longest river and Malaysia's second longest. On its lower reaches around the village of Sukau in eastern Sabah, you can see proboscis monkeys, orangutans, hornbills and, with luck, Borneo elephants from the boat.The lower Kinabatangan lies in eastern Sabah. Before any planning, check the UK FCDO travel advice, which covers eastern Sabah specifically.Wildlife watching mainly happens on boat trips in the early morning and late afternoon, and you stay in lodges on the riverbank.
    Danum Valley Conservation Area

    Danum Valley Conservation Area

    Danum Valley in eastern Sabah protects around 438 square kilometres of largely undisturbed lowland rainforest with towering dipterocarps. On guided walks and night excursions you may see orangutans, gibbons, hornbills and, with luck, Bornean pygmy elephants.Danum Valley is reached via Lahad Datu on Sabah's east coast. Before any planning, check the UK FCDO travel advice, which covers eastern Sabah specifically.In 2019 Menara was discovered here, a yellow meranti of almost 98 metres that is considered the tallest known tropical tree in the world.
    Kinabalu National Park

    Kinabalu National Park

    Kinabalu National Park in Sabah in northern Borneo protects the 4,095-meter-high Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Malaysia. You come for the two-day summit climb to the sunrise or for the montane forests, which have been protected by UNESCO since 2000 as Malaysia's first World Heritage Site.On the way up, the vegetation changes from rainforest through cloud forest with pitcher plants and orchids to the bare granite dome. Even without the summit, the forest trails at the headquarters, the hot springs of Poring and the cool mountain village of Kundasang are worth it.
    Semporna Islands

    Semporna Islands

    The Semporna Archipelago in south-eastern Sabah is one of Malaysia's best-known dive areas. Off the small town of Semporna lie dozens of islands with coral reefs, stilt villages of the Bajau Laut and the dive site of Sipadan.Semporna and its offshore islands lie in eastern Sabah. Before any planning, check the UK FCDO travel advice, which covers eastern Sabah and its islands specifically.Sabah Parks issues only a limited number of permits for Sipadan each day. On the volcanic island of Bohey Dulang, a steep path leads to a viewpoint over the lagoon.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
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