Car hire and driving in Sandakan
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Malaysia traffic drives on the left. Picking up at SDK means 9 km (6 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3086706.
Drives from Sandakan
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandakan to Lahad Datu | Malaysia | 94 km (58 mi) | about 1 h 26 min |
| Sandakan to Tawau | Malaysia | 179 km (111 mi) | about 2 h 44 min |
| Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu | Malaysia | 227 km (141 mi) | about 3 h 27 min |
| Sandakan to Miri | Malaysia | 484 km (301 mi) | about 7 h 23 min |
| Sandakan to Bintulu | Malaysia | 637 km (396 mi) | about 9 h 43 min |
| Sandakan to Sibu | Malaysia | 802 km (498 mi) | about 12 h 14 min |
| Sandakan to Kuching | Malaysia | 987 km (613 mi) | about 15 h 3 min |
| Sandakan to Phan Rang-Tháp Chàm | Vietnam | 1,188 km (738 mi) | about 18 h 7 min |
| Sandakan to Cam Ranh | Vietnam | 1,194 km (742 mi) | about 18 h 12 min |
| Sandakan to Nha Trang | Vietnam | 1,211 km (752 mi) | about 18 h 28 min |
| Sandakan to Ninh Hòa | Vietnam | 1,233 km (766 mi) | about 18 h 48 min |
| Sandakan to Phan Thiết | Vietnam | 1,238 km (769 mi) | about 18 h 53 min |
| Sandakan to Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | 1,380 km (857 mi) | about 21 h 2 min |
| Sandakan to Singapore | Singapore | 1,662 km (1,033 mi) | about 25 h 21 min |
| Sandakan to Phnom Penh | Cambodia | 1,584 km (984 mi) | about 24 h 9 min |
| Sandakan to Cần Thơ | Vietnam | 1,435 km (892 mi) | about 21 h 53 min |
| Sandakan to Huế | Vietnam | 1,646 km (1,023 mi) | about 25 h 6 min |
| Sandakan to Da Nang | Vietnam | 1,568 km (974 mi) | about 23 h 54 min |
| Sandakan to Biên Hòa | Vietnam | 1,365 km (848 mi) | about 20 h 49 min |
| Sandakan to Johor Bahru | Malaysia | 1,666 km (1,035 mi) | about 25 h 24 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Sandakan?
The left, as everywhere in Malaysia.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.