How to get fromGeorge Town to Sandakanby plane, car ferry or tram

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There are 2 ways to get from George Town to Sandakan by plane, car ferry, or tram

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

Fly from Penang International Airport
best
1. Fly from Penang International Airport (PEN) to Sandakan Airport (SDK)plane PEN - SDK
6h 45m
RM 256–583
Car ferry, tram to Alor Setar, fly
cheapest
1. Take the car ferry from Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal to Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminalcarferry
2. Take the tram from Butterworth to Anak Bukittram
3. Fly from Alor Setar (AOR) to Sandakan Airport (SDK)plane AOR - SDK
9h 28m
RM 238–1,191

Penang International Airport (PEN) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) flights

43Weekly Planes

6h 3mAverage Duration

RM 224Cheapest Price

Questions & Answers

Map of how to get from George Town to Sandakan.

Launch map view

Distance: 2,008.4 km
Duration: 6h 45m

What companies run services between George Town, Malaysia and Sandakan, Malaysia?

AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines fly from Penang International Airport (PEN) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) every 4 hours.

Airlines

Train operators

Ferry operators

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Sandakan, Malaysia(opens in a new window)

Sandakan formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of the state in the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo. In 2010, the city had an estimated population of 157,330 while the overall municipal area had a total population of 396,290. The population of the municipal area had increased to 439,050 by the 2020 Census.

Things to do in Sandakan

Sandakan Memorial Park(Opens in a new window)

The Sandakan Memorial Park (Malay: Taman Peringatan Sandakan) is a memorial site built in the former grounds of the former Sandakan camp in the Malaysian state of Sabah. The site is dedicated as a memory for all prisoners in the camp who died during the Sandakan Death Marches, and to those died during a march to Ranau. It is also recognises the suffering and sacrifice of the native population.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre(Opens in a new window)

The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre is a wildlife conservation and research centre for improving animal welfare and rehabilitation of the Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus). It also aims to raise public awareness about the plight of the sun bears and to raise conservation awareness about this species.

Chartered Company Monument(Opens in a new window)

The Chartered Company Monument (Malay: Tugu Syarikat Berkanun) is a monument in the town of Sandakan in Sabah, Malaysia dedicated to the British servicemen or employees who were killed at the end of the 19th century. The monument was built by the British North Borneo Company and part of the Sandakan Heritage Trails, a trail which connects the historic sights of Sandakan.

Sandakan War Monument(Opens in a new window)

The Sandakan War Monument (Malay: Tugu Peringatan Perang Sandakan) is a monument established by the British located in the town of Sandakan to commemorates the town citizens who lost their lives during the Second World War. The monument is part of the Sandakan Heritage Trails, a "Heritage Trail" which connects every historic sights of Sandakan.

Places to stay in Sandakan

Sabah Hotel(Opens in a new window)

8.3Very Good

Sandakan Backpackers Hostel(Opens in a new window)

7.9Good

Hotel Sandakan(Opens in a new window)

7.7Good

The Elopura Hotel(Opens in a new window)

7.6Good

Rome2Rio makes travelling from George Town to Sandakan easy.

Rome2Rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Find all the transport options for your trip from George Town to Sandakan right here. Rome2Rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. Rome2Rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward.