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Lahad DatuSandakan

Day trip from Lahad Datu to Sandakan

Sandakan lies 94 km (58 mi) north of Lahad Datu, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.

At 94 km (58 mi) apart, Sandakan is a realistic day trip from Lahad Datu: about 1 h 32 min each way by road.

Lahad DatuSandakan

Open Sandakan in Google Maps

The two ends, side by side
Lahad DatuSandakan
CountryMalaysiaMalaysia
Population105,622439,050
Elevation7 m (23 ft)10 m (33 ft)
Time nowUTC+8 (Asia/Kuching)UTC+8 (Asia/Kuching)
Postal codes91100–9115090000–90741

Where to book tours and tickets in Sandakan

ExpediaTours, day trips and attraction entry, bookable alongside the flights and hotels. Part of Expedia Group.Find things to do on Expedia (opens www.expedia.com in a new tab)
ViatorDay tours, skip-the-line entry and shore excursions, with free cancellation on many listings.Find tours on Viator (opens www.viator.com in a new tab)
GetYourGuideStrong European museum and attraction coverage with mobile tickets.Browse tickets on GetYourGuide (opens www.getyourguide.com in a new tab)
TiqetsFocused on timed museum and monument admission rather than guided tours.Get museum entry on Tiqets (opens www.tiqets.com in a new tab)
Every link above leaves this site.

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.

Staying in Sandakan

Our booking partner lists 176 places to stay in Sandakan. Of the 97 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (37). Across 38 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.1 out of 10. Guests have left 14,446 reviews in total.

Book a hotel in Sandakan

Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.

Common questions

How far is Sandakan from Lahad Datu?

94 km (58 mi) in a straight line, north of Lahad Datu; by road roughly 114 km (71 mi).

How long does it take to get from Lahad Datu to Sandakan by road?

About 1 h 32 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.

Is there a time difference between Lahad Datu and Sandakan?

No, both are on Asia/Kuching at the moment.

Where can I stay in Sandakan?

Our booking partner lists 176 places to stay in Sandakan, bookable on this site.

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.