Sepilok is not really a town in the travel sense. It is a compact wildlife area west of Sandakan, where three strong conservation stops sit close enough together to make an easy and worthwhile day: orangutans, sun bears, and lowland rainforest.
The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre is the headline, especially around feeding times, but it should not be treated as a simple animal show. The better visit pairs it with the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre next door and the Rainforest Discovery Centre, whose canopy walkway gives you a different view of the forest.
Sepilok is easiest from Sandakan. It fits naturally into a Sabah wildlife route that continues to the Kinabatangan River, but it also stands on its own if you have only one spare day in the area.
Destinations in Sepilok
- Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre - semi-wild orangutan rehabilitation centre and nursery
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre - rescue centre for the world's smallest bear
- Rainforest Discovery Centre - canopy walkway, trails, and birdwatching in Kabili-Sepilok forest