Heading to Sepilok/Sandakan region and looking for the perfect place to stay? Consider the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort, Borneo.
Sepilok is an awesome place to visit in Sabah, Borneo. From its famous orangutans to sun bears to proboscis monkeys, this is an accessible place to visit for nature lovers who want to meet some of Borneo’s famous animals. It’s also a must visit for war history buffs.
But with so many adventures to fill your day, you need somewhere clean, comfortable and peaceful to lay your head at night and to enjoy some downtime. I’ve also stayed in Sandakan in the past and found it pretty uninspiring so I wanted to stay in Sepilok this time. That’s what I was looking for when I booked this Sepilok Forest Edge Lodge.
So did it work out? Should you book here?
Spoiler alert: yes!
But keep reading, because below, I tell you everything there is to know about the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort so you can work out if it’s the best option for you.
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Sepilok Forest Edge Resort Review
I stayed here by myself as part of a big Sabah adventure.
The road here is quite small and you do feel like you are getting away from it all. The road into the resort looked like I had entered an oasis and I was excited when I hopped out of the taxi.
Check-in was super friendly. The downside was that I had to wait for them to walk me to my room. The upside was that they would take my luggage while I was waiting and I could have a free welcome drink in the restaurant area.
The restaurant staff were also super friendly and professional. I had some cool cinnamon infused iced tea and they gave me a cool face washer that looked like a sugar cube and expanded with water.
It was a nice place to sit especially as a thunderstorm was going on, but the wait was awhile at 5pm and I really wanted to have a shower and get changed out of my sweaty-been-hiking-in-bornean-jungle clothes.
Once they collected me, we walked to my chalet. My first impressions were great.
The grounds are beautiful. You feel like you are surrounded by nature staying here because you are! The chalets are spread out and relatively private. There are two lakes on the grounds.
Forest Edge Resort Sepilok Location
Address: Jln Rambutan, Mile 14, Sandakan, Malaysia
The Forest Edge Resort is located in beautiful green surrounds about a kilometre from the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre.
Rooms
There are a range of room types here including chalet style accommodation and a longhouse style building with dorm rooms for budget travellers.
The chalets were built with recycled wood from 1940’s Chinese houses. They are designed with minimalist features as well as aspects of the different cultures that live in the area. Many have an indoor and outdoor shower, with others having a jacuzzi. There’s a two bedroom option for families.
All chalets have bottled water, a kettle, air-conditioning, a fan and television.
While they are all great, some are very well presented while others are more rustic (but still great, in my opinion). Booking a more expensive chalet will get you a more polished experience.
The top choice here, though, is the two bedroom glamping tent which is fully self-contained for up to four people and also has a private plunge pool. It looks amazing!
Note that this place is popular and room types sell out easily so book ahead.
Standard Twin Chalet
I stayed in one of the cheapest chalets, a standard twin chalet.
I was very pleasantly surprised.
On the walk to the chalet, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was when we got to it. It was so beautiful from the outside and in such a pretty spot. The outside of the chalet had a table and chairs, perfect for taking in the surrounds,
The receptionist who walked me to the room cheerfully showed me how to work the lock and more.
On entry, the first thing that stood out to be was the space and nice floorboards. The room was simply furnished.
There were twin beds, a small side table with tea and coffee making facilities as well as a glass bottle of water. There’s a fan and air-conditioning.
There was an open wardrobe area at the back. There was mosquito spray and umbrellas here too. The umbrella came in very handy!
The bathroom was super interesting (in a great way). It had the coolest basin area I’ve ever seen (you’ll have to stay here to see what I mean) and both indoor and outdoor showers.
I love an outdoor shower, and this one is great.
I was disappointed with my indoor shower when it didn’t have hot water. I realised later that there was a switch to turn it on. I wish I had been told that, but otherwise, I couldn’t fault the service here.
Rustic is a good name for describing the room, but not in a bad way like it can be used with hotels. It was simple, but the combination of everything was quite beautiful. There were some marks and holes in the walls (not to the outside), but it was super clean with great linen and comfortable so I was very happy.
I never heard another person while I was in here, although there was the sounds of birds and animals. Bliss!
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Facilities
This resort is just beautiful with some great grounds. I also love that it has a plunge pool which is perfect for cooling off after exploring the area.
There’s free wifi in the restaurant area and parking, and the resort can also help with transfers and tours. There’s a laundry service.
The only downside was there is nowhere to buy basic supplies.
Dining
There is a great option on site with The Nest restaurant. The menu has a great range of local, western and international dishes and the prices reasonable given the location and quality.
It is also a bar with BYO available for a fee if you want to take your own spirits or wine, although this is quite expensive. Nothing else is that close so you will probably eat here.
I had a great burger and the service was great, albeit a little slow.
Breakfast is included and has a reasonable range, but isn’t very exciting.
There’s also a TV room and reading area to the side of the restaurant.
Final Words
Sepilok Forest Edge Resort is a great place to stay for exploring the region. It’s gorgeous with its forest setting, pool and great chalets.
I really loved staying here.
It’s worth noting that you are in the rainforest. There is wildlife around, loud birds, leeches and the paths can be wet and hilly. This place is for the able bodied and I don’t think I would have wanted to walk around in the dark and rain (although there seems to be plenty of lights). It’s not so bad though. There are families and plenty of people in their 60s staying here.
If you come to Sepilok to enjoy nature, this place is perfect.
I had a great night’s sleep here, the food was great and there wasn’t anything I didn’t enjoy about this resort – except perhaps a convenience store would have been handy. Otherwise, I only have positive things to say and it’s definitely worth considering a stay here.
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Looking for other accommodation options in Sandakan? Find our full hotel guide here. You can also find our full guide to things to do in Sandakan here and all our guides to Sandakan here.
