Hotel Sandakan - A Hotel In The Heart Of Business

History tells us that Sandakan was founded on 21st June, 1879 by an Englishman named William B. Pryer who served as the first Resident of East Coast after the initial settlement was burned down. The British North Borneo (Chartered) Company rules Sabah from 1881 to 1946 and Sandakan was officially pronounced the capital of British North Borneo in 1884. The oldest company in Sandakan started in 1882 and by 1883, a monthly newspaper, the British North Borneo Herald started printing, continuing uninterrupted until the Japanese occupation. The first school, St Mary's was formed in 1887 and even telephone came early to Sandakan in 1896. On 8th April 1897, the telegraph communication between Sandakan and London was established. Roads were sealed by 1899 and electricity supply was introduced in 1909.

By 1923, Sandakan had an automatic telephone exchange even before Hong Kong and Shanghai had theirs and motorcars appeared in the streets as early as 1912. Even a golf club was formed in 1917. As most of the town area was sea, the Sandakan town padang was first reclaimed in 1902 while the present town proper was completed in 1930. Sandakan was a "modern" town in her heydays scoring a number of firsts.

The Sandakan Heritage Trail was established and launched on 21st June, 2003. This 90-minutes walk will bring visitors to the "old" part of town, encompasses some of the most important historical sites in Sandakan.


As we began to trace the beginning of the town, it is no mistake that Masjid Jamek, the town mosque which is more than 100 year old has served the muslim community in Sandakan from its original site from day one making it an excellent starting point for this heritage trail. Next to it is the new Hotel Sandakan (an old Hotel Sandakan existed nearby in the late 1880's). As we proceed uphill, we will reach MPS Square in front of the local council administrative building where the William B. Pryer Monument is placed, moved from its original site after the war. At the same place, an imposing Memorial for Chartered Company's officers killed in service is also situated. Moving across the street, we will come upon a WWII Memorial unveiled on 17th September, 1946 by Malcolm Macdonald Governor- General of Malaya and British Borneo near the old Court House - "No town in the world wears the wounds of war more terribly and more honourable than does Sandakan. Wherever we look, there is destruction far beyond mere repair"

From here, go uphill using the Stairs with 100 steps to reach the famous Agnes Keith's House. Before turning left to the house, you may want to go right to visit the Chinese WWII Memorial and Japanese Cemetery at the end of the road. By turning left towards Agnes Keith' house you will have a chance to see the bird eye view of Sandakan town from the Rotary Observation Pavilion built by the Rotary Club of Sandakan in 1970. Agnes Keith's House now conserved by Sabah Museum is almost similar to the house where the American author Agnes Newton Keith lived with her husband and family from 1934 - 1942 which destroyed and later rebuilt after war to its current form. It is here that she wrote the famous book "The Land Below The Wind" which was published in 1939. However, it was her second book "Three Came Home" about her war experience in captivity with her infant son that established her as an acclaimed author. This book was also turned into a Hollywood movie in 1950 and parts of the movie was shot in Sandakan.
She also wrote "White Men Return" published in 1950 at the time she and her husband returned to Sandakan following the war to serve under the British government in 1946 taking over from the Chartered Company. The Keiths left North Borneo in January, 1952 never to return again. She died on 30th March 1982 but her legacy will be forever remembered in Sandakan.

Agnes Keith's House now conserved by Sabah Museum is almost similar to the house where the American author Agnes Newton Keith lived with her husband and family from 1934 - 1942 which destroyed and later rebuilt after war to its current form. It is here that she wrote the famous book "The Land Below The Wind" which was published in 1939. However, it was her second book "Three Came Home" about her war experience in captivity with her infant son that established her as an acclaimed author. This book was also turned into a Hollywood movie in 1950 and parts of the movie was shot in Sandakan. She also wrote "White Men Return" published in 1950 at the time she and her husband returned to Sandakan following the war to serve under the British government in 1946 taking over from the Chartered Company.
The Keiths left North Borneo in January, 1952 never to return again. She died on 30th March 1982 but her legacy will be forever remembered in Sandakan.

Trekking downhill you will reach the Clock Tower roundabout. Please be careful while crossing over to the other side of the road to reach the remains of the foundation/stairs of what believed to be the Consulate building of the pre-war Chinese Government. The Ancient Graveyard of the early Chinese settlers are about 10 minutes away along Jalan Aman on the right but by turning left you are going down hill using the newly constructed road towards Singapore Road to locate the entrance of the Goddess Of Mercy Chinese Temple; a small and inconspicuous temple built in the late 1880s. A little further down the road, you can see a little pathway/stairss leading to the quaint stone church of St. Michael and All Angels' Church. In the same vicinity, you will also see the first school in Sandakan, St Mary's started in 1887 and also St Michael's in 1888, next to the church.
Rev. Henry Elton was perhaps best known for the construction of St Michael's Church which lasted from 1893 to 1906. St Michael's Church was the first stone building erected in Sandakan and the stones are said to have come from the nearby Buli Sim-Sim, delivered by prison labour at $1.25 per cubic yard weighing about 140lbs and each stone was laid on another purely by human effort. The western porch of the Church (main entrance) was not completed and dedicated until 1925; 32 years from the date of first construction and long after the death of Rev. Elton. It avoided major damages during WWII and it remains one of the very few stone buildings in the whole of Sabah.

Between 1942 and 1943, about 2,500 British and Australian soldiers were deployed from Singapore to North Borneo to build an airfield in Sandakan. Of the 2,434 prisoners incarcerated by the Japanese at Mile 8 POW Camp, only six escapees have survived. The first batch of soldiers, about 1,500 Australians who arrived on July 18, 1942 stayed overnight at St. Michael's Church before they were marched off to the camp the following day. In a historical and unique homage to these dead soldiers, on 24th April 2005 three stained glass panels were installed in the church. The five meter tall, tri-paneled window memorial inscribed with the word, "Lest We Forget" in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese, has been placed above the main door on the west wall of the church. Dubbed "Window of Remembrance" project is considered a simply gift in memory of the Australian and British soldiers who died and also a form of "Thank you" to the people of Sabah, especially those who risked their lives to save the POWs. It was designed by Philip Handel of Australia's famous stain glass artist and funded by families of Australian soldiers who have perished in Sandakan.

Strolling along the side of the padang after visiting the temple will bring you to the traffic light junction facing the Malaysia Fountain. By crossing here you will arrive at the Harrisons & Crosfield building, one of the oldest British origin companies and in the opposite direction, the former Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation (now HSBC Bank) and Chartered Bank (now Standard Chartered Bank) both prestige banks of the colonial period.. As you proceed forward along the main road (Lebuh Tiga), look out for the stairway beside the Harisons building. The next historical building on top of these stairs awaiting to greet you is Wisma Warisan which now houses the Tourist Information Centre. Wisma Warisan used to be the main government building during the British Administration. The former Residency office was on the first floor and the present Tourist Information Centre was the post office for many years. Now, the Sandakan Heritage Museum which was declared opened on the 5th December, 2003, is situated on the first floor of the Wisma Warisan. The first museum in Sandakan was believed to be set up in 1898 but later discontinued. End of trail.