Stand on the boardwalk of the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, about 25 km from Sandakan in Sabah, as orphaned orangutans swing down the ropes to the feeding platform at 10 am and 3 pm. The animals are being prepared for life in the surrounding forest reserve, so they come and go freely and a sighting is likely but never staged. Entry was consistently quoted at 30 Malaysian ringgit for foreign adults, with about 10 ringgit more for a camera.
Up to 94% sighting chance in Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. Best months: May, June, July.
Several sources put the foreign adult fee at 30 Malaysian ringgit, 15 for foreign children and 5 for Malaysians, plus about 10 for a camera.
Most commonly 10 am and 3 pm, and feedings may be delayed by rain. Hours are quoted as roughly 9 am to noon and 2 to 4 pm.
They are orphaned or rescued animals learning to live on their own. They roam the forest reserve freely, and some no longer come to the platform at all.
The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre stands next door, and the Kinabatangan River, known for proboscis monkeys, is a common next stop from Sandakan.
