Airports near Sepilok
TWU・SDK・LDU
What airports are closest to Sepilok?
Sandakan Airport (SDK) is the nearest gateway to the sanctuary, situated just 12.6 km away, and is typically reachable by a direct taxi or rideshare service in about 20 minutes. For those traveling from the southeastern region, Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) is located 103.1 km from the city center, often requiring a road transfer of approximately 2 hours. Lastly, Tawau Airport (TWU) is a significantly more distant option, lying 174.6 km from the target, with ground travel typically taking at least 4 hours by private car. Because these regional airports are located in neighboring cities, travelers should prioritize flights into Sandakan Airport (SDK) to minimize transit time and costs, ensuring you reach the orangutan rehabilitation center in time for the daily feeding sessions. and book hotels in Sepilok
This content is AI-generated. Please refer to actual conditions.
Airports near Sepilok: TWU, SDK and LDU.
Airports Near Sepilok: Key Information
Number of airports in Sepilok
0
Closest airport to the city center
Sandakan Airport (SDK)
Distance
12.6 km
Fastest arrival time
20 minutes - 30 minutes
Airport with the cheapest transport
Sandakan Airport (SDK)
Compare domestic and international airports near Sepilok.
Tawau Airport
Distance: 174.7 km
Transport option
Est. duration
Est. fare
Features/best for
Private Airport Taxi
Fastest
4 hours - 5 hours
MYR 480-600
Comfort
Express Coach to Sandakan
Cheapest
6 hours 30 minutes - 7 hours
MYR 80-260
Budget
Shared Minivan Service
5 hours - 6 hours
MYR 130-190
Balanced
Sandakan Airport
Distance: 12.6 km
Transport option
Est. duration
Est. fare
Features/best for
Airport Taxi
Fastest
20 minutes - 30 minutes
MYR 45
Comfort
Grab Ride-Hailing
Cheapest
20 minutes - 30 minutes
MYR 30-45
Balanced
Resort Private Transfer
20 minutes - 25 minutes
MYR 40-50
Speed
Lahad Datu Airport
Distance: 103.1 km
Transport option
Est. duration
Est. fare
Features/best for
Private Charter Taxi
Fastest
2 hours - 3 hours
MYR 340-410
Comfort
Intercity Express Bus
Cheapest
3 hours 30 minutes - 4 hours
MYR 80-170
Budget
Bus and Taxi Transfer
2 hours 40 minutes - 3 hours 10 minutes
MYR 110-150
Balanced
Compare 3 airports near Sepilok
Airport Guide
Compare 3 airports near Sepilok
For most travelers, Sandakan Airport (SDK) is the practical choice: it is the primary gateway located in a neighboring city, offering the fastest and cheapest access to Sepilok. Lahad Datu Airport (LDU), also in a neighboring city, serves as an alternative for those exploring the southeastern conservation areas, though it requires a longer, more expensive road transfer to reach the sanctuary. The remaining option, Tawau Airport (TWU), is located in a distant neighboring city and is generally not recommended unless you are already combining your trip with a visit to Semporna or the islands. While Sandakan Airport (SDK) provides the most direct convenience, international travelers often arrive via major hubs before transferring. For the most cost-effective and comfortable journey, we suggest pre-arranging your transfer from Sandakan Airport (SDK) through your accommodation, as on-demand options like ride-hailing can sometimes be less reliable for the return journey. Always verify your transport arrangements in advance when traveling from the more remote regional airports.
Flights to Sepilok
Kuala Lumpur to Tawau Airport
Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan Airport
Kuala Lumpur to Lahad Datu Airport
See all flights
Hotels near Sepilok airport
Breakfast
Very Good201 Reviews
Sepilok|1.14km from city center
Impressive facility in the middle of the jungle. The premises are huge with lakes, a restaurant, a large common area, a large pool, different kinds of rooms. They offer night tours of the property and even during the day it's possible to see wild animals and birds.
Good breakfast, clean room and very close to the Orangutan and Sunbear centres.FromUS$12
Very Good72 Reviews
Sepilok|1.23km from city center
We stayed here in 2019 and enjoyed our stay back then, so decided to book again. Unfortunately after this stay we will not be coming back. First off, our room had the most cumbersome door lock, which required you to slide a wooden bar through the handle and padlock it. A pain when your hands are full. Second the front desk person told us to call if we needed anything, but there was no phone in our room nor a phone list with numbers or contact info. Third nowhere to put luggage but on the floor, even though there is a huge dead space along a wall where a luggage stand could’ve easily been placed. The area where to hang clothes, the bench area was too narrow to fit a suitcase. Fourth , no lamp at the bedside, so you have to get out of bed to turn off the lights after reading. Plus the main light is on while others are trying to sleep. Lastly we asked 2 different front desk people to call the RDC to reserve a spot for us for the night walk. Both parties said they would. We when we got to the RDC our names were not on the list. Luckily they let us join as my daughter was really looking forward to it and it was our only night to go. I won’t stay here again. We checked into the Sepilok Nature Lodge after, and for a little bit more we had the most fabulous room, with an upstairs and 3 beds, double sinks, large fridge, bench at the end of each bed for suitcases etc.FromUS$19
Family friendly
Very Good201 Reviews
Sepilok|1.14km from city center
Impressive facility in the middle of the jungle. The premises are huge with lakes, a restaurant, a large common area, a large pool, different kinds of rooms. They offer night tours of the property and even during the day it's possible to see wild animals and birds.
Good breakfast, clean room and very close to the Orangutan and Sunbear centres.FromUS$12
Very Good72 Reviews
Sepilok|1.23km from city center
We stayed here in 2019 and enjoyed our stay back then, so decided to book again. Unfortunately after this stay we will not be coming back. First off, our room had the most cumbersome door lock, which required you to slide a wooden bar through the handle and padlock it. A pain when your hands are full. Second the front desk person told us to call if we needed anything, but there was no phone in our room nor a phone list with numbers or contact info. Third nowhere to put luggage but on the floor, even though there is a huge dead space along a wall where a luggage stand could’ve easily been placed. The area where to hang clothes, the bench area was too narrow to fit a suitcase. Fourth , no lamp at the bedside, so you have to get out of bed to turn off the lights after reading. Plus the main light is on while others are trying to sleep. Lastly we asked 2 different front desk people to call the RDC to reserve a spot for us for the night walk. Both parties said they would. We when we got to the RDC our names were not on the list. Luckily they let us join as my daughter was really looking forward to it and it was our only night to go. I won’t stay here again. We checked into the Sepilok Nature Lodge after, and for a little bit more we had the most fabulous room, with an upstairs and 3 beds, double sinks, large fridge, bench at the end of each bed for suitcases etc.FromUS$19
5 star
Very Good72 Reviews
Sepilok|1.23km from city center
We stayed here in 2019 and enjoyed our stay back then, so decided to book again. Unfortunately after this stay we will not be coming back. First off, our room had the most cumbersome door lock, which required you to slide a wooden bar through the handle and padlock it. A pain when your hands are full. Second the front desk person told us to call if we needed anything, but there was no phone in our room nor a phone list with numbers or contact info. Third nowhere to put luggage but on the floor, even though there is a huge dead space along a wall where a luggage stand could’ve easily been placed. The area where to hang clothes, the bench area was too narrow to fit a suitcase. Fourth , no lamp at the bedside, so you have to get out of bed to turn off the lights after reading. Plus the main light is on while others are trying to sleep. Lastly we asked 2 different front desk people to call the RDC to reserve a spot for us for the night walk. Both parties said they would. We when we got to the RDC our names were not on the list. Luckily they let us join as my daughter was really looking forward to it and it was our only night to go. I won’t stay here again. We checked into the Sepilok Nature Lodge after, and for a little bit more we had the most fabulous room, with an upstairs and 3 beds, double sinks, large fridge, bench at the end of each bed for suitcases etc.FromUS$19
Very Good43 Reviews
Sepilok|0.2km from city center
Convenient location, five minutes walk to the rainforest, 15 minutes to the orangutan center. There is a shared kitchen with a stove and dishes. The room is spacious, the bed linen is snow-white. There is hot water in the shower, the water pressure is not very strong. Breakfast is not great, but you will not go hungry. Prices in the cafe in the hotel and the cafe next door are the same, dishes are 18-20 ringgit per one, we did not eat so I do not know about the taste. A good place, but not wow.FromUS$18
Very Good201 Reviews
Sepilok|1.14km from city center
Impressive facility in the middle of the jungle. The premises are huge with lakes, a restaurant, a large common area, a large pool, different kinds of rooms. They offer night tours of the property and even during the day it's possible to see wild animals and birds.
Good breakfast, clean room and very close to the Orangutan and Sunbear centres.FromUS$12
Very Good48 Reviews
Sepilok|0.06km from city center
It's not far from RDC and the Orangutan Conservation Center. The sanitation is good, the environment is nice and quiet, and the front desk service is good. One thing to note is that it's not so easy to get a taxi from there to the city. I waited for 20 minutes before I got one.FromUS$21
Very Good46 Reviews
Sepilok|0.18km from city center
This hotel is suitable for an overnight stay if you're catching an early flight after a Kinabatangan River cruise. The room was a bit dark, but everything else was fine. It has a cabin-style vibe with a small garden and a tiny pool. As for breakfast, it's just like a standard budget hotel breakfast, so don't expect too much. The staff were very enthusiastic.
The nearby Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) is very close and worth a visit, and you can also book a night tour there. As for the Sun Bear Conservation Centre and the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, honestly, only go if you're really bored and have money to spare! Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform) really misleads people; anyone who goes will regret it. Once you've been, you'll truly understand the quality of the zoos back home.
The Sun Bear Centre just cages a few bears. The orangutan centre is no different: everyone sits in a glass enclosure watching a group of monkeys (not orangutans!) eat bananas and vegetables on an outdoor platform – basically watching them ”mukbang.” Then you watch a few orangutans ”mukbang” on another open-air platform. We couldn't bear to watch it. After seeing how wild animals live on the Kinabatangan River, these scenes were just unbearable.FromUS$21
FAQs
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Which airport is the closest to Sepilok?
The nearest airport to Sepilok is Sandakan Airport (SDK), about 12.6 km away.Tawau Airport (TWU) (174.7 km) and Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) (103.1 km).
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How long does it take to get from Sepilok to the airport?
Getting from Sepilok to Sandakan Airport (SDK) takes about 20 minutes - 30 minutes.
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How do I get to Sepilok?
We recommend flying into Sandakan Airport (SDK), which is approximately 12.6 km away. The fastest mode of transportation is Airport Taxi, reaching downtown in about 20 minutes - 30 minutes.
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How many airports does Sepilok have?
Sepilok has 3 airports: Tawau Airport (TWU), Sandakan Airport (SDK) and Lahad Datu Airport (LDU).