Sandakan

Sandakan is a town on the frontier of wild Borneo. In Sandakan,  the jungle seems to be encroaching into the city streets from the hills. When it rains, as it does nearly every day, it’s torrential, and you’ll want to seek shelter. Though not cosmopolitan, Sandakan does buzz during the daylight hours, with its fish markets, fruit stands, and curry kitchens. There is old industry here, in fishing and hardwood,  and new industry, with palm oil and the occasional tourist - really a lot going on for a small city. This is a friendly and foreign place, unassuming, and rough around the edges.