Sandakan (III) - Day 2 (Sandakan Town

The morning didn't start off well. I woke up at 8am with a stiff neck and had to check out by 9am so we could catch a boat to Selingan Island at 10am. During checkout at the Livingston Hotel, Nadijah, the person in charge at the reception, charged us RM 10 for two extra pillows we had requested the night before. However, her colleague had not informed us that there would be an additional RM 5 charge per pillow.

At first, her attitude was a bit unpleasant, but she became nervous when I asked for her name. I pointed out that we should have been informed about the extra charges beforehand, and she tried to shift the blame on her colleagues. In the end, we would rather not argue further and paid for it, but the experience left us feeling frustrated. Even though I had blogged about these additional charges five years ago, I had completely forgotten about them. The hotel should have clearly communicated such charges to guests in advance to avoid misunderstandings.

We took a Grab to Crystal Quest Jetty, which cost RM 7. Overall, the Grab ride took quite a long time to arrive, and we reached the jetty at 9.30am. There were only two of us staying on the island that night, and the package cost RM 700 for a 2D1N stay for two people. On top of that, we paid a conservation fee of RM 20 per person at the Sabah Parks office, which is located right next to the jetty.

We departed at 9.55am. I had to carry my own luggage onto the boat, though luckily one man helped me lift it up. However, once on the stairs leading into the boat, I had to drag the luggage by myself. The ride was very bumpy, as it started raining halfway through the journey. There were only six of us on the boat, including the boatman. If you want to avoid the sun, it's best to sit on the left side of the boat.

An hour later, we arrived at Selingan Island. Since there was no porter on the island, I had to carry my own luggage all the way from the beach to the cafeteria. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a welcome drink, and one of the staff, Fay, gave us a short briefing. Lunch was served at 12pm, dinner at 7pm, and breakfast at 6.30am. The island had four different sectors: Sectors 1 and 2 were for swimming and snorkeling, while Sector 4 was the best spot to watch the sunset from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. Sunrise could be viewed around Sectors 1 and 2 at around 6am. The lodge was located near the border with the Philippines, and the PGA police, who are responsible for border security, were stationed on the island in a blue building. Visitors were not allowed to go near the building, and mobile phone signals were limited, sometimes connecting to the Philippine network.

After the briefing, Fay brought us to our chalet, and the rest of the day was free and easy. However, walking on the beach was not allowed after 6pm. The only scheduled activity was after dinner, when we had to wait at the cafeteria for the staff to call us for turtle viewing.

We went to the cafeteria at 11.50am for lunch, which was served with six dishes, one soup, and watermelon. The portions were very generous, and we couldn't finish everything. The food tasted average but was acceptable. The rice was just right. Not too hard or too soft. After lunch, around 12.45pm, Fay shared some information about the turtles. Most of the turtles that come to the island are green turtles. The nesting season usually lasts until the end of October, although there are still turtles now, just not as many. Hawksbill turtles are rare.

After the briefing, we walked to Sectors 3 and 4 and spotted some monitor lizards along the way. We didn't realize that we had walked past the police quarters until later, and they allowed us to continue even though visitors are generally not supposed to go beyond that area. We eventually returned to our room as it started raining heavily. My partner took a nap, and later, at around 3pm, he went for a swim. I chatted with the lifeguard, who has been working on the island for 16 years and mentioned that most of the visitors are tourists from Australia. Later at 5.30pm, I went to watch the sunset alone. Unfortunately, it was blocked by clouds. Since we were not allowed on the beach after 6pm, I walked back to our chalet. There was a brief power trip from 6.17pm to 6.19pm.

We attended a video screening at 7pm, just before our dinner at 7.30pm. It was a 20-minute presentation explaining the turtle conservation process. We learned that turtles dig about 75 cm deep to bury their eggs and that July to October is the peak season for green turtles. Dinner was served around 7.20pm, and we finished eating by 8pm. The food was average; the potatoes were slightly undercooked, and the chicken wings had darkened bones, which made them look less appetizing. However, the pea soup served with fried bread was quite good.

After dinner, we waited at the cafeteria for updates on the turtles. Around 10.15pm, a turtle began laying eggs at Sector 1. We rushed over with one of the staff and arrived just in time to catch the final stage of the process. The staff measured the turtle and noted that she already had a tag. The turtle laid 71 eggs, and we managed to take some photos before she finished.

After that, we went to the hatchery, where the staff showed us how the eggs were carefully buried. We even had the chance to release the hatchlings into the sea. To ensure they safely made their way to the ocean, all artificial lights were turned off, since hatchlings instinctively move toward the natural glow of the horizon and can become disoriented by bright lights. It's amazing to think that female turtles usually return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs. A behavior called natal homing, using cues like Earth's magnetic field and the unique features of the coastline to guide them back. The survival rate of sea turtle hatchlings is unfortunately very low. Statistically, only about 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 1,500 hatchlings survived to adulthood. Watching them take their first journey into the ocean was a powerful reminder of just how precious every life is.

We were lucky that our wait was less than two hours, as one of the staff mentioned that some visitors have to wait until the wee hours of the morning. Everything wrapped up by 10.45pm. Although the night sky was clear and it was actually the peak of the Geminids meteor shower, I didn't see any meteors. We finally went to sleep around 11.30pm, as we needed to wake up at 6am the next day.